Lithium-ion battery fires have more than doubled in past year. Mayor Parrish calls for regulations on batteries from e-scooters, laptops.
In response to a steep rise in lithium-ion battery fires in Mississauga, Mayor Carolyn Parrish is joining a growing Canadian chorus calling on the federal government to strengthen regulations around the batteries.
In recent letters to the federal Minister of Health and federal Minister of Transport, the Mayor, on behalf of the City of Mississauga, said she has “concerns with the growing public safety risks posed by unregulated and uncertified lithium-ion batteries.” She went on to call them a “significant hazard” and said in 2025 there was an “alarming 122% increase” in lithium-ion battery related fires in the city compared to the previous year.
Mississauga Fire and Emergency Services called lithium-ion batteries “the most rapidly growing ignition source in Mississauga today.”
From Vancouver to Toronto to Halifax, firefighters and municipal politicians are sounding the alarm about the risk posed by these batteries, which power e-vehicles, e-bikes, e-scooters and many household electronics such as laptops, cell phones, and power tools.
When the batteries are poorly maintained, tampered with or damaged, they can spontaneously ignite, causing a fast spreading and intense fire, which releases toxic fumes. The intensity and toxicity of these fires can cause significant and long-term injuries to all exposed individuals, including firefighters. They are also very dangerous when they occur in a confined space, such as a subway car or parking garage.
In response to this risk, last May, Mississauga City Council voted 6-2 to ban e-bikes and e-scooters from MiWay buses during the winter, from November 15 – April 15. At the time Mayor Carolyn Parrish told council, “Just ban them…If this is a safety issue, I’m not arguing.”
“The batteries can
spontaneously
ignite, causing
a fast spreading
and intense fire,
which releases toxic
fumes.”
Councillor Alvin Tedjo and Councillor Martin Reid, however, voted against the MiWay ban, worried about being “heavy-handed on something that is pretty new and emerging.”
While it’s true that there has yet to be a mass casualty event in Mississauga caused by one of these battery fires, experts warn the risk is there. The city puts on public education campaigns about how to safely charge, store, and handle these batteries, but they worry about the growing use of uncertified and defective batteries. The Mayor hopes stronger federal laws targeting the importation and sale of these batteries will further help curb their fire risk.
