Residents call for a fireworks ban in Mississauga
Published December 5, 2022 at 8:58 am
After Brampton and Caledon banned fireworks, some residents in Mississauga hope the city could be next.
In April, Caledon banned fireworks for personal use, and Brampton just followed suit.
This past year, with a mess left behind after a brawl with fireworks in a Mississauga parking lot and complaints of fireworks set off well after midnight, some people have had enough.
A petition hopes to gather 10,000 signatures to ban fireworks in Mississauga.
“This past year was proof that people have taken advantage and have no regards for the by-laws around the use of fireworks,” the petition, from John Mallon reads.
“The current by-law states that you can only use fireworks on the 4 major holidays….but in Mississauga we know that that’s simply not the case.”
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Calling bylaw officers doesn’t seem to work, they redirect callers to the police, Mallon writes. And police redirect people to the fire department, he says.
“So, the resident is left to deal with the noise, pollution, garbage, damage and the frustration with the running around trying to report the problem,” he adds.
The petition also points out safety concerns from a possible fire. People with PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) are traumatized and the noise can cause pets to panic.
“Let’s follow in the steps of the City of Brampton, Massachusetts, Delaware, Ireland, India, Australia, Argentina, Chile and Colombia who have all banned the sale and use of fireworks,” the petition reads. “Let’s give our planet a chance, and let’s leave the fireworks to the trained pyro techno professionals.”
Recently, Mississauga councillors approved a fee hike of $1,000 for a fireworks vendor license in the city, up from $233. But councillors don’t seem ready to ban them.
Ward 5 Councillor Carolyn Parrish called a ban “extreme.”
For more information or to sign the petition, visit the Change.org page.
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