Kitchener and Waterloo ban fireworks sales as complaints skyrocket

Diego Pizarro · CBC News

· Posted: May 18, 2025 6:00 AM EDT | Last Updated: 9 minutes ago

Kitchener and Waterloo are cracking down connected fireworks income aft some cities saw a crisp summation successful firework-related complaints.

Starting adjacent year, residents successful those cities volition person to bargain their fireworks elsewhere. On May 5, some metropolis councils passed a prohibition connected fireworks income on with accrued fines and clip restrictions successful an effort to crackdown connected misuse.

According to the City of Kitchener, unit responded to 314 firework-related calls successful 2024. That's up from 186 successful 2023 and 170 successful 2022. The City of Waterloo responded to 104 firework-related calls past year. Up from 66 successful 2023 according to the city. 

Last twelvemonth Waterloo determination constabulary charged a teenage lad who changeable fireworks into a assemblage astatine Victoria Day celebrations successful Kitchener's Victoria Park. 

Just implicit a period later, Waterloo Coun. Julie Wright said she was intentionally hit successful the look by a firework portion leaving a Canada Day solemnisation successful Waterloo Park. 

In the assembly gathering connected May 5, determination was statement implicit whether a full prohibition connected income would really lick the problem.

Kitchener Mayor Berry Vrbanovic said that portion determination are immoderate "rogue actors," helium believes the prohibition is "government overreach."

"I'm not convinced that simply restricting the merchantability locally is going to halt that atrocious behaviour," helium said.  "We request to instrumentality beardown enactment and punish those who are doing wrong, but I deliberation it's not due to punish good, liable residents."

Vrbanovic said helium besides worries the prohibition could weaken the public's spot successful municipal authorities. 

"If radical don't spot a change, past people's spot of the regularisation of instrumentality and the cardinal systems our antiauthoritarian nine is based connected starts being called into question," helium said. 

'We are being punished'

Bob Gill, who runs PyroBobs Fireworks successful Kitchener, told CBC News the prohibition is unfair to section vendors. 

"I bash consciousness similar we are being punished for different people's actions lone due to the fact that radical aren't pursuing the rules," helium said. "If everyone conscionable followed the bylaws we could each get on and bask these peculiar occasions."

Sat Saran, who works astatine Phatboy Fireworks successful Waterloo, doesn't judge the prohibition volition beryllium effective. 

"People are inactive going to extremity up buying them somewhere. If they commencement the prohibition of sales, radical volition extremity up getting them connected the achromatic market," helium said. 

Saran besides stressed the request for stronger enforcement of existing firework laws.

"What we tin bash is person stricter penalties for those radical who don't obey the rules," helium said. 

LISTEN| Kitchener and Waterloo volition prohibition merchantability of fireworks adjacent year: 

The prohibition goes into effect successful some cities starting successful January of 2026. Fireworks displays are lone permitted during circumstantial hours connected Victoria Day, Canada Day, and Diwali. Setting disconnected fireworks extracurricular the permitted clip play could pb to a minimum good of $1,500.

Below is afloat database of the antithetic rules around the idiosyncratic usage of fireworks depending connected wherever you live:

• Cambridge: Private fireworks displays are permitted until 11:59 p.m. connected Victoria Day, Canada Day and Diwali. In the lawsuit of inclement weather, radical are allowed to acceptable disconnected fireworks connected immoderate time wrong 2 days aft those holidays.
• Kitchener: Council precocious amended the city's bylaw to lone licence idiosyncratic firework displays connected 3 holidays: Victoria Day, Canada Day and Diwali. Fireworks tin lone beryllium acceptable disconnected connected privately owned spot betwixt 9 p.m. and 11 p.m. connected Victoria Day and Canada Day, and betwixt 8 and 10 p.m. connected Diwali.
• Waterloo: Personal fireworks are permitted betwixt dusk and 11 p.m. connected Victoria Day, Canada Day, Lunar New Year and Diwali arsenic good arsenic the time instantly earlier and aft each of those holidays.
• North Dumfries Township: Private fireworks are permitted connected Victoria Day and Canada Day, arsenic good arsenic 1 time earlier and aft those 2 holidays. All fireworks displays indispensable beryllium completed nary aboriginal than 10:15 p.m. 
• Wellesley Township: Low-hazard fireworks are allowed connected Victoria Day, Civic Holiday and Labour Day connected immoderate of the 3 days during those agelong weekends. They tin besides beryllium acceptable disconnected connected Canada Day, arsenic good arsenic connected the time earlier and after.
• Wilmot Township: Fireworks are permitted connected Victoria Day and Canada Day, arsenic good arsenic the days instantly earlier and aft those holidays.
• Woolwich Township: Private fireworks displays are permitted utilizing user fireworks.
• Guelph: Fireworks are permitted the time earlier and connected the time of Victoria Day and Canada Day. They're besides allowed connected Diwali and different spiritual events arsenic approved by the Guelph Fire Department. They tin beryllium acceptable disconnected betwixt 9 a.m. and 11:59 p.m.
• Guelph/Eramosa Township: Does not presently person a fireworks bylaw, but the township's website says the occurrence section "does not urge household fireworks oregon informal neighbourhood displays. Public firework displays hosted by a liable enactment are a safer alternative."
• Centre Wellington Township: Fireworks are permitted connected Victoria Day and Canada Day.
• Brant County: Recently changed its bylaw truthful household fireworks tin lone beryllium acceptable disconnected connected Victoria Day and Canada Day, arsenic good arsenic the 3 days earlier and 3 days aft those holidays. Outside those days, the occurrence main needs to o.k. a permit. 

People who are caught not pursuing the bylaw of their municipality astir backstage fireworks displays tin beryllium fixed a ticket. Some of the bylaws accidental however overmuch it could beryllium for, specified arsenic North Dumfries which says fines tin scope up to $5,000. Others, similar Wellesley, accidental the good is determined upon conviction.