Kitchener mayor stands alone against potential ban for sale of fireworks

A Kitchener committee approved a motion that looks to ban the sale of fireworks in the city, as fireworks continue to be a controversial issue year to year.

It’s an issue that is voiced every single year, with each summer bringing around popular holidays including Canada Day, Victoria Day, Diwali, and more fireworks displays along with them.

While the displays themselves receive a slew of complaints each year, more dangerous incidents at Victoria Park and other areas throughout the City of Kitchener have raised the issue over the past few years.

The latest motion brought forward to the Community and Infrastructure Services committee looked to not only ban the sale of fireworks, but also request updates to the formal regulations and increase Administrative Monetary Penalty System (AMPS) fines. The changes would more than triple the fines for misusing fireworks.

“By adding that window, the increased fines from $300 to $1,000 for people who are misusing fireworks and making it more difficult for them to obtain the fireworks, we’re hoping to just reduce the numbers and the number of safety risks that we’re seeing during these events,” Helen Fylactou, manager of bylaw enforcement with the City of Kitchener, said.

Almost all members of the committee were in support of the motion during the meeting, except for Kitchener Mayor Berry Vrbanovic, who voiced his concerns at what he believes would only be a minor change.

“People were shooting fireworks at other human beings, at animals, and so on, which is illegal. It’s bad behavior, it’s criminal to be frank. I’m just trying to understand how this will stop it,” said Vrbanovic.

He said during the meeting that it didn’t seem like a large enough step to make a noticeable enough impact on those who would be getting into the more dangerous situations and causing the disturbances.

Other municipalities, including Brampton, Woodstock, Milton, and Caledon, all have enacted similar bans on both selling and setting fireworks, with Fylactou saying staff have been in close communication with them throughout the process of constructing the recommendations.

Vrbanovic likened the sale of fireworks to the sale of firecrackers during his youth, saying that, even when a ban was in place, people were still able to readily get their hands on them and cause mischief.

“All sorts of young people had them and put them in mailboxes, and saw them blow up and threw them at other people. We saw, unfortunately, people get hurt,” said Vrbanovic. “I’m just really trying to understand how we’re going to solve that issue with this.”

For Fylactou, along with much of the remainder of the members on the committee, she said it’s a step the city needs to take, no matter the size of the impact it creates.

“We’re aware that we’re not going to solve all the issues that are happening, but we do feel like we need to move forward with other restrictions because of some of the safety concerns that happen, not outside of just Victoria Park.”

The committee ultimately approved the motion, with all members, apart from Vrbanovic, agreeing with the recommendations. Now, the motion will be brought forward to city council, needing a formal approval to be implemented.

If approved by council, the changes are expected to be put in effect in 2026.