‘Kitchener’s on the wrong side of this’: Fireworks association on potential ban

The Canadian National Fireworks Association is responding to a potential ban on the sale of fireworks in the City of Kitchener.

“Kitchener’s on the wrong side of this,” said Aleem Kanji, the association’s chief advocacy officer.

Speaking on The Mike Farwell Show on Thursday, he’s concerned the ban would affect local livelihoods.

“We’ve got 30+ fireworks vendors in Kitchener. They pay their taxes. They house fireworks in a controlled area that’s regulated by federal and provincial governments,” Kanji said.

He also questioned how the ban would be enforced, given people living in Kitchener could just drive to another city to legally buy fireworks or get them online.

“Do we want people stockpiling fireworks in their residences and keep them away from stores if we boot out the industry? Are we doing that at the right time?”

The latter is in reference to the national push to buy Canadian and support local.

“We’re worried about auto plants closing in other communities and affecting jobs — but we’re doing it right here, by throwing people out of town when we know our residents, the vast majority that celebrate responsibly, are going to continue to do that.”

The potential fireworks sale ban was presented in response to a growing trend of disturbances and violent acts involving fireworks in Kitchener, along with a rise in complaints.

Kanji did take issue with the complaint data presented by the city, saying the math isn’t adding up.

“They received 3,500 noise complaints per year. Only 8 per cent of them are related to fireworks,” said Kanji. “So we’ve got 90 per cent plus that come from loud music, from construction, from traffic, from commercial activity, from animal noise.”

He believes there’s a better path forward, which would involve increasing safety education at the point of sale, adding more designated spaces to set off fireworks, boosting targeted enforcement, and hiking the fine for misusing fireworks.

Kitchener Mayor Berry Vrbanovic was the lone opposition to the motion on the ban, which passed at committee this week. It’ll go to council next on May 5.