58 fireworks complaints received during Canada Day celebrations in Mississauga

Nearly five dozen public complaints related to the illegal use of fireworks during Canada Day celebrations across the city were filed with Mississauga officials in the past week.

According to the City of Mississauga, residents registered 58 fireworks use complaints with the city’s bylaw enforcement department during the most-recent Canada Day holiday period, which ran from June 26 through July 2.

In addition, a city spokesperson told INsauga.com, 402 “proactive inspections” by bylaw enforcement officers of vendors selling fireworks across the city between June 21 and July 1 led to nine “enforcement measures” that took the form of either fines or warnings.

Included in the infractions were the selling of prohibited roman candles and non-compliance with fireworks storage requirements.

“The city continues to take a balanced approach that combines education, proactive compliance monitoring and enforcement to support the safe and responsible sale and use of fireworks,” a city spokesperson told INsauga.com in an email. “Enforcement efforts are focused on reducing public safety risks, promoting compliance with municipal requirements and addressing unlawful fireworks activity when observed.

63 fireworks complaints last year

“This year’s enforcement initiative reflects the city’s ongoing commitment to public safety through partnerships with external agencies and proactive monitoring during peak fireworks periods.”

By comparison, 63 public complaints were received during 2025 Canada Day celebrations and 221 inspections of vendors at that time led to two charges for non-permitted sale of fireworks. The number of public compaints during the Canada Day period in 2024 was 34.

This past Victoria Day weekend in May, the city received 84 complaints from residents related to the illegal use of fireworks.

The spokesperson also noted that in preparation for the Canada Day holiday period this year, the city, Peel Regional Police and Natural Resources Canada “conducted a coordinated enforcement initiative targeting both licensed and unlicensed fireworks vendors.”

The initiative focused on “promoting public safety, verifying compliance with applicable regulations and addressing the unlawful sale and distribution of fireworks and pyrotechnic devices in Mississauga.”

New fireworks rules in Mississauga

New fireworks rules in Mississauga took effect earlier this year and impact all holidays where residents and others use the celebratory devices.

Canada Day is one of five holidays throughout the year when residents don’t need the city’s permission to use fireworks on their private property. The other occasions are New Year’s Eve, Lunar New Year, Victoria Day and Diwali.

Under Mississauga’s amended fireworks bylaw approved by city council in late 2025, residents can only set off fireworks at their homes between 6 and 10 p.m. on the aforementioned holidays/dates.

Also, the public sale of fireworks in Mississauga can take place only within a period of 10 days before the holiday, and no longer on the day of the celebration.

In addition, residents cannot use roman candle fireworks and the city is no longer allowing permits for consumer fireworks. Only permits for display or professional fireworks will be approved.

Fines increased

Several months after strengthening its fireworks bylaw last fall, Mississauga hiked the penalties — again — earlier this year for those who break the rules.

Bylaw enforcement officers can now dish out costlier fines of $500 to $1,000, depending on the infraction, to offenders on the spot. Previously, there were either no set fine amounts for many offences and for others a penalty of $125 was imposed.

The city’s “new, increased and escalating” fines took effect on May 1.

Senior city staff said earlier this year the previous penalties “and enforcement mechanisms for fireworks-related contraventions” were not effective deterrents, “limiting the city’s ability to achieve sustained compliance.”

The changes adopted allow for “more immediate, predictable and proportionate consequences” that more effectively encourage compliance, city staff added.

Last fall, in an ongoing attempt to beef up rules related to use and sale of fireworks, Mississauga city council strengthened regulations and public education efforts related to the celebratory devices. The reworked bylaw took effect in January of this year.

After lengthy debate and public input, council last October opted not to impose a full fireworks ban in Canada’s seventh-largest city, which was being considered, and chose instead to bolster the bylaw.

In late 2023, the city approved changes to its fireworks bylaw that took direct aim at those who most egregiously break the rules. Maximum fines for the worst offenders were increased from $5,000 to $100,000 — or more.