Fireworks ban won’t curb bad behaviour, local distributors say

Following several instances of firework-induced mayhem at Victoria Park in the last few years, the cities of Kitchener and Waterloo passed motions banning the sale of fireworks within city limits.

The bans also come with new restrictions around the times private fireworks displays can occur and increases the fines for those in violation of local bylaws.

But, the new restrictions won’t actually curb the bad behaviour, according to local fireworks distributors.

Priyam Vays is one of those distributors. He was a guest on The Mike Farwell Show and said that the ban actually will do is punish small business owners.

“It’s not going to resolve any issues. Let’s say I’m not selling fireworks in the city of Kitchener after January 2026. Does that stop the bad behaviour of people who misuse fireworks? No. But, what it does is put business owners like me out of business,” he said.

Vays rightfully points out there is nothing stopping people from going to a neighbouring community, like Cambridge for instance, buying fireworks there and bringing them home to Kitchener or Waterloo. He says he’s seen it before, many times.

“Woodstock has a ban on fireworks. A complete ban. I still have people travelling from Woodstock to my Cambridge location just to buy fireworks.”

Vays delegated before Kitchener City Council prior to the vote on May 5. He suggested other options, including a more targeted approach to seek out those who regularly defy fireworks regulations and who may not have the same incentive to follow those regulations as a distributor like he does.

“You know the corner stores and convenience stores, they also sell fireworks. Unlike us, after the season we send everything back to head office, while those people (the corner stores) get stuck with the inventory. Somehow, they have to make their money back, so they sell to anybody, anytime.”

Vays believes banning fireworks sales in corner stores would be a better place to focus regulations. He also believes there are certain types of fireworks that should be removed altogether.

“Rather than a full ban on sale of fireworks, we should eliminate the culprit fireworks, the nuisance fireworks, which are roman candles and air bombs. We should eliminate them, and it would have a huge impact because those are the fireworks people misuse most.”

Roman candle-type fireworks were the weapon of choice for those who participated in the events in Victoria Park.

Kitchener Mayor, Berry Vrbanovic was a vocal opponent to the fireworks ban and did vote against it, saying he too was unconvinced a ban would curb the bad behaviour.

In the end, the councils in Kitchener and Waterloo passed motions banning fireworks sales as of January 1, 2026