St. John’s City Council has voted in favour to adopt a new fireworks by-law, which means residents will only be permitted to use fireworks on Canada Day and News Year’s Eve without a permit.
The motion passed 7-2 as many councillors said they received complaints from residents about the disruption fireworks cause, like the negative impact on pets and concerns for safety.
Councillor Jamie Korab says many people are impacted when fireworks are set off unexpectedly.
Korab says he has heard from residents who have children that can’t get to sleep, people with PTSD, people with sensory issues, and others who have issues with fireworks hitting their home. He says this by-law will inconvenience some, but that inconvenience is not being able to set fireworks off on a random night.
Councillors Ian Froude and Maggie Burton voted against the new by-law.
Burton says the by-law, while needed, leaves some out of the picture; singling out Canada Day and New Year’s Eve as the only days that don’t require a permit may have an effect on multicultural communities in the city.
Mayor Danny Breen says the city has been dealing with the fireworks issue for a long time and complaints have been growing every year.
He says there needs to be more communication on the impact that personal fireworks can have on your neighbours. Breen spoke with Municipalities Newfoundland and Labrador about ways communities across the province can work together on a campaign highlighting the effects of fireworks on others.
