It was certainly a contentious issue prior to Halloween, but now the festivities are over, Burnaby’s ban on the sale of fireworks appears to have had the desired effect.
While it could have been the weather, or the fact that the day fell on a Monday, fireworks calls and related problems were kept to a minimum on Halloween night. And the number of complaints about fireworks sales in the city were zero.
Deputy fire chief Dave Samson said the fire department didn’t receive any complaints that resulted in extra inspections of businesses leading up to Halloween.
With only two minor fire-related calls on the actual Halloween evening, he suggested the sales ban appears to have contributed to a safer day. However, he cautioned it takes a few years to analyze the data to know for sure.
“Making it more difficult (to buy fireworks) and not being sold in the city, certainly we do believe makes it safer for our citizens and our visitors,” he told the NOW.
In September, council voted 7-1 in favour of a resolution recommending the city amend its fire services bylaw to prohibit the sale of fireworks across the city.
The decision to go ahead with the amendment was made earlier this summer, when staff presented councillors with a report outlining the various problems associated with the fly-by-night fireworks shops that pop up all around the city every October.
But the move didn’t sit well with some, including the fireworks industry. Representatives from the Canadian National Fireworks Association criticized the city for its lack of public consultation while discussing the sales ban.
Coun. Sav Dhaliwal supported the ban and stands by the decision now Halloween is over.
He said he always believed fireworks were an impulse buy and suggested the ban contributed to a quieter Halloween this year.
“It seemed like it was not as much and only limited to one night only,” Dhaliwal said. He also suggested it might be only a matter of time before there is a complete ban on fireworks but added that would have to be region or province-wide.
The councillor also said he understands some of the opposition to the ban, specifically from year-round businesses that sell fireworks during October. He said he did hear from concerned business owners during the vote. Originally he wanted to see a sale ban across the region because of that predicament.
Dhaliwal said he’ll be asking for a report from city staff and the fire department in response to the first year with the ban in place.
