THUNDER BAY – Thunder Bay’s city council appears ready to place more limits on when and how local residents can set off fireworks.
Councillors declined to embrace a package of reforms proposed by Coun. Aldo Ruberto Monday night, sending the matter back to city administration for further study and advice, but expressed a general will to tighten the city’s fireworks regulations.
Ruberto said he had received many complaints of excessive noise and disruption caused by pyrotechnics, arguing the city’s current rules were too permissive, and not often enough enforced.
“I brought this forward because there are numerous complaints that fireworks are going off at all hours of the night three days prior to events,” he said. “People’s pets have suffered tremendously.”
The at-large councillor originally raised the issue in July, prompting a memo from city administration, delivered Monday, outlining current rules and potential solutions to nuisance and excessive noise concerns.
Residents are allowed to set off fireworks without a permit on 21 days of the year under the current city fireworks bylaw, last updated in 1995. That includes New Year’s Day, Victoria Day, Canada Day, the August civic holiday, Labour Day, New Year’s Eve, and the Lunar New Year, and the three days preceding each occasion.
Manager of licensing and enforcement Doug Vincent told councillors that, anecdotally, it seemed Thunder Bay allowed fireworks on far more days than most other cities.
A motion put forward by Ruberto Monday would have changed the rules to allow fireworks on only four days per year: Victoria Day, Canada Day, New Year’s Eve, and the Lunar New Year.
It also would have increased fines for non-compliance to the maximum out-of-court permitted amount.
While several councillors agreed with the apparent need to tighten the city’s rules, and none spoke against the general intent of Ruberto’s motion, the body opted to put the matter back to city administration for further study.
“I think there’s a will to do something here with our fireworks bylaw,” said Coun. Andrew Foulds.
However, the Current River ward councillor objected to one provision in Ruberto’s motion, eliminating Labour Day as a day on which fireworks were permitted.
Foulds also argued education should be a major component of the city’s response, perhaps mandating information be handed to residents when fireworks are sold.
Other councillors simply felt more study and consultation was needed before making major changes to city bylaws.
“I think we’re doing this piecemeal, and I don’t like the way that’s done,” said Coun. Rebecca Johnson.
Coun. Mark Bentz agreed, saying he needed to see more detail than was included in Vincent’s two-page memo before deciding what changes would be optimal. He also argued such changes would normally be accompanied by public consultation.
Coun. Peng You asked how the city could enforce stricter limits, even if they were passed.
Enforcement presented challenges, Vincent said, adding there would always be some who pushed the limits of the rules, and it was very difficult to catch anyone in the act.
However, he suggested potential changes being considered by the city to staff bylaw enforcement officers outside of business hours could help serve as a deterrent.
A motion from Bentz to refer Ruberto’s motion to administration for further study and recommendations passed unanimously, with staff to report back before the end of May.
