It may be tempting to celebrate spooky season with a big bang, but few Metro Vancouver cities allow the use of fireworks without restriction — even on Halloween. Cities are cracking down on use of the colourful and often spectacular devices, citing a variety of concerns including noise, injury and property damage.
In District of North Vancouver, fireworks may be purchased with a $5 permit between Oct. 25 and 31, and set off between 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. on Halloween only. Permit applicants don’t need to live in North Vancouver, the rules state, but the application specifies where in the district they plan to set the fireworks off.
A permit may be granted in Coquitlam as well for use of fireworks from the Coquitlam Fire/Rescue. Those permits cost between $50 and $150, depending on the risk level of the fireworks.
In Port Moody, fireworks can be used at a private residence on Halloween only — with owner consent — provided the use is registered by no later than 3 p.m. on Oct. 31. Starting the very next day, however, the municipality is changing the rules to ban all fireworks sales and require permits for any use of the devices.
“It just becomes such a hassle on Halloween, unfortunately, because fireworks go off, then there’s the litter piece and animals can eat that litter, and who knows what that’s going to do to them?” said Kirk Haven of Port Moody Fire and Rescue.
The deputy fire chief listed several other issues around fireworks, including noise complaints, frightening pets and wildlife, and mostly importantly — human injuries and fires.
“Usually it’s burns of some kind. If it’s not a human burn it’s a building that’s been torched,” he said.
While the sale of fireworks may still occur unregulated online, Haven added, the new regulations will allow city officials to crack down on their actual use in the city.
Other Metro Vancouver cities where fireworks may be used with restrictions on Oct. 31 include Burnaby, New Westminster and Port Coquitlam.
In Burnaby, low-hazard fireworks are permitted on Halloween on private property. At other times of the year, their use and sale is not permitted. A permit is required to use fireworks on public property or to detonate them on any other day. There are different permit applications for high-risk and low-risk fireworks.
In New Westminster, fireworks can be possessed between midnight on Oct. 28 and on Halloween, but lighting them is restricted to between 4 p.m. on Oct. 1, and 12:01 a.m. on Nov. 1. Permission is required from the fire chief to set them off on public property, but on private property they can be used with owner permission. Roman candles remain off-limits.
Port Coquitlam requires a permit for fireworks on Halloween and the permit is only valid until 11 a.m. that day. Firecrackers, roman candles, firecrackers, bottle rockets and screechers are blacklisted. No use of fireworks is allowed on city property.
Anyone using fireworks is advised to set them up in permitted outdoor spaces that are clear and open, to keep their distance from the explosives, and wear protective gear including gloves and eyeglasses. Lit fireworks should never be held in one’s hand or pointed at any person, animal, building or vehicle.
“We’re hoping everybody follows in our footsteps,” said Haven. “You just get overwhelmed with calls.”
The cities of Vancouver and Pitt Meadows have banned fireworks altogether, apart from during special sanctioned community events. In Richmond, fireworks are never allowed without a permit, and with a permit, must be used by licensed fireworks display supervisors and senior pyrotechnicians.
A general ban, with rigid restrictions for permitted use, are also in effect in Langley and Surrey. Fireworks are only permitted in Delta with a $200-permit obtained 10 days in advance, as well as an approved fire safety plan.
The District of West Vancouver banned the consumer use and sale of fireworks as of Oct. 16, in part, to address “the concerns of the community as well as our changing climate and environment,” it states on its website.
Sim Sahota, owner of a Phatboy Fireworks shop in Port Moody told Global News he’s disappointed that Port Moody is joining the chorus, banning unpermitted fireworks use after this Halloween.
“It seems like anything that’s fun or amazing is being banned in this country, which is very unfortunate,” he said Friday.
“We have to look at other avenues to make money and go to other provinces that are fireworks-friendly, like Winnipeg which is legalizing fireworks for Diwali and other festivals like New Year’s.”
Sahota said fireworks businesses are going to be “dead” in B.C., and customers will feel the loss too.
“Sometimes it gets very political, I understand … I totally understand in certain communities, people don’t seem to like them, but overall it’s only once a year so I think it’s a good way to celebrate and have fun with your family.”
— with files from Angela Jung
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