West Van bans private use of fireworks

West Vancouver is the latest Lower Mainland municipality to ban the private use of fireworks.

The move from council on Monday means people will not be able to set off fireworks on Halloween, as was previously allowed in the district as well as many other municipalities in the past. However, in recent years, cities across Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley have implemented their own bans.

During the council meeting on Monday, coun. Nora Gambioli said the majority of the public who wrote or called in was in favour of the ban.

Some of them, she said, cited concerns for pets and pollution, as well as the municipal resources that go into managing response.

“In the three weeks since we have done first, second, and third reading on this bylaw, we have not, to my knowledge, had a single piece of correspondence relating to supporting fireworks,” said Gambioli.

Assistant Fire Chief Jeremy Calder told council members he thinks the ban is in the best interest of protecting the environment, especially given the hot and dry conditions the region is increasingly seeing.

“Last year we had a wildfire on Oct. 14. We didn’t know whether we’d be able to issue any fireworks permits. Our environment’s changing and I think we need to adapt to it,” he said.

However, some speakers who attended the public hearing did voice opposition to the ban. Asking council to reconsider, some people pointed to cultural holidays, like Diwali and Lunar New Year, that are often celebrated with fireworks.

West Vancouver previously allowed people to use fireworks on Halloween with a $5 permit. Those permits were sold from Oct. 24 to 28 last year, as well as on Oct. 31. The permit required an application form and was only available to those 18 and older with valid ID.