A Vancouver man is calling on the city to ban the sale of Halloween fireworks, saying current regulations are too often ignored.
In the days ahead of Halloween, the sounds of fireworks can be heard going off in the streets of Vancouver, despite rules that state they can only be used on Oct. 31.
“It’s impossible to enforce because it’s a drop-and-run type of activity,” Chris Baisley said. “It’s basically unenforceable. The only thing that can be enforced is the sale and so that’s what should be banned.”
Baisley has collected hundred of signatures for an online petition calling on the city to prohibit the sale of fireworks.
Fireworks are banned in many parts of Metro Vancouver, but a City of Vancouver bylaw allows for fireworks to be used on private property on Oct. 31 only. Items like firecrackers, Roman candles and bottle rockets are prohibited.
WATCH: No consistent policy on fireworks across Metro Vancouver
Anyone purchasing fireworks has to be 19 years of age and fill out an online permit.
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Sherman Heer of Phatboy Fireworks says “the permitting system works in a sense that we do get to educate all of our customers… so that they’re using the fireworks safely and properly.”
Unfortunately, not everyone follows the rules.
“As soon as they go on sale in the city of Vancouver on the 25th, every night from dusk ’til dawn they are going off in the alleys, in the streets, in the schoolyards, in the parks and that’s all across the city. There’s no respect being paid for the bylaw whatsoever,” Baisley said.
He notes that fireworks can be more than a noisy nuisance.
It’s believed a house fire in East Vancouver in 2015 was sparked by fireworks or banned firecrackers.
Last year, a dog was killed on the SkyTrain tracks after being spooked by fireworks days before Halloween.
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But Melanie Sutherland of the National Fireworks Association says regulations in Vancouver and other parts of B.C. are stricter “than in other provinces such as Ontario where people can purchase fireworks year-round.”
While Baisley argues that Halloween fireworks should be banned altogether, others argue that would be too harsh.
“The whole year there are no fireworks,” Chris Meyhuys said. “It’s a ton of fun. Kids love it. So I’d say that would be terrible if we banned that.”
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