New rules around fireworks in Kitchener ahead of May long weekend
New bylaw says fireworks must be over by 11 p.m. on each of the 3 approved holidays
There are new rules around the use of fireworks in Kitchener and they'll be in effect by the May long weekend.
Councillors voted in favour of changing the bylaw from allowing fireworks for three days — the holiday, the day before and the day after — to just the holiday. The city also will only permit fireworks on three holidays: Victoria Day, Canada Day and Diwali.
There was a discussion by councillors at a committee meeting last month to include Lunar New Year in the list, but councillors ultimately decided not to include it as no community groups had come forward requesting it.
The new bylaw says fireworks must be over by 11 p.m.
The city says the number of complaints about fireworks has risen in recent years.
It's hard to respond to fireworks complaints, the city's director of enforcement Gloria MacNeil told councillors during a committee meeting last month.
That's largely because people often aren't able to give exact addresses for where the fireworks are being set off or bylaw enforcement officers don't arrive before the fireworks are over and so it's hard to determine where they were set off.