Stouffville moves to ban the sale and use of fireworks

By Steve Pecar, Local Journalism Initiative reporter

Whitchurch-Stouffville plans to adopt new fireworks regulations in 2025.

In the new year, the town will enact blanket rules that prevent their use in neighbourhoods, parks, and family gatherings.

Further, stores will no longer be able to sell fireworks.

Licensed professionals will still be allowed to have controlled displays. Current rules for residents will continue until the new regulations are adopted early in 2025.

The move follows a debate at a recent town meeting where councillors were supposed to discuss limiting the times when fireworks could be let off.

Instead, they decided to go all-in and initiate the ban after public complaints about safety and noise.

“Whenever we can, we have an obligation to insulate our children and our people from any potential risk or harms,” said Ward 3 Councillor Keith Acton, who proposed the ban. “I think the negative and potential negative by-products of fireworks greatly outweigh the positive by-products…if there are any.”

Acton said beyond the safety issues are the ongoing complaints of noise that, he said, can have an adverse effect on both humans and animals.

Under current rules, regular store-bought fireworks can be set off by residents on their property on Victoria Day and Canada Day. A permit is required at any other time. As well, a person has to be at least 18 to buy or use fireworks.

Traditionally, town-sponsored firework displays by professionals are held at Memorial Park on New Year’s Eve, Victoria Day and Canada Day.

Whitchurch-Stouffville councillors said they regularly field complaints about fireworks being let off weeks in advance of designated celebrations and late at night and into early morning.

Councillors have also said there are growing concerns about how the noise scares pets and wildlife.

Further, in jurisdictions around Ontario, police have been called in to quell disturbances when young people shoot fireworks at each other.

Ward 1 Councillor Hugo Kroon agreed with the ban.

“The time has come when we have to admit that these are potentially very disruptive and dangerous items, and it needs to be left in the hands of professionals,” Kroon said, adding that in rural areas the problem is getting worse. “I’m getting calls at three o’clock in the morning because there are fireworks going off at three o’clock in the morning. It is getting out of hand.”

Despite their concerns, both councillors and town staff acknowledged that enforcing the new rules and getting people to comply will be no easy task.

Becky Jamieson, the Town’s Director of Corporate Services, said even under the current regulations enforcement of curfews and usage is difficult to police.

“Often, by the time we respond, it is already over,” she said.

Visit townofws.ca for local fireworks regulations.