Importance of Diwali factored into decision of not banning fireworks in Mississauga
Mississauga Mayor Carolyn Parrish was planning to advocate for banning fireworks in the city, but changed her mind after hearing from passionate Hindu residents about the importance of fireworks for their Diwali celebrations.
“It’s almost like saying let’s ban Christmas trees on Christmas,” Mississauga resident and member of the Canadian National Council of Hindus, Vinod Vyas, told Mississauga City Council’s General Committee on May 21.
The committee was considering a staff report outlining options for responding to the rise in public fireworks related complaints in Mississauga over the last several years by updating the city’s fireworks by-law. The matter has now been deferred.
The report outlined three possibilities: maintain the status quo, increase restrictions or institute a complete ban.
Under the current by-law, fireworks may be used without a permit on 5 designated holidays: Lunar New Year, Victoria Day, Canada Day, Diwali, and New Year’s Eve. They must be set-off only on private property that belongs to the person setting them off and they are only to be used between dusk and 11pm (or 1am on New Year’s Eve.) All other dates, times, and locations require a permit.
Despite being heavily regulated, fireworks nevertheless generated an increasing number of public complaints. In 2022 the city received a total of 180 complaints, in 2023, 533 complaints and in 2024, 602 complaints.
Most of these complaints concerned Victoria Day, Canada Day and Diwali, when fireworks were either set off outside of permitted times or permitted dates.
Other cities have also dealt with these same challenges and have responded with increased restrictions. In Toronto, Ottawa, Burlington, and Hamilton for example, fireworks are only permitted on Victoria Day and Canada Day.
Meanwhile, in Caledon, Milton, and Brampton, they are banned completely – no sales, no use. Markham, Kitchener and Oakville are currently reviewing their by-laws.
A survey the City conducted earlier this year found that the biggest support from Mississauga respondents, by a small margin, was for banning fireworks entirely.
