You need a permit for fireworks this long weekend

Simcoe Day is coming up! Are you planning to set off fireworks on your property to celebrate the long weekend? If so, there are a few steps you need to take first – including getting a permit! 

As outlined in the City of Vaughan’s Fireworks and Pyrotechnics By-law 089-2022 (PDF), the only days Vaughan residents may set off fireworks without a permit are Victoria Day and Canada Day. That means a permit must be obtained from the City to light fireworks in a private, at-home display in Vaughan on all other days of the year, including the upcoming Simcoe Day long weekend. They must end by 10 p.m. on the permitted day (except on Victoria Day and Canada Day when they must end by 11 p.m.).

To request a permit, you must submit a Fireworks Display Permit Application (PDF) with a site drawing to fireprevention@vaughan.ca. It may take up to 10 business days to process once received, so submit yours today! Businesses interested in selling fireworks must also apply for a licence and take the necessary courses.

Once you have your permit, remember to exercise caution around fireworks and follow proper usage tips to ensure everyone has a safe long weekend. Follow these safety guidelines from Vaughan Fire and Rescue Service (VFRS):

DO

• Read and follow firework label directions.
• Buy your fireworks from a licensed vendor – only use legal fireworks.
• Always have an adult supervise firework activities.
• Operate fireworks outdoors and in an open area at least 30 metres by 30 metres. Make sure the area is clear of all obstructions, such as overhead wires and trees.
• Keep the audience (particularly children and pets) a safe distance away from the shooting site, preferably upwind.
• Keep water nearby (garden hose and bucket).
• Wear eye protection and non-flammable clothing when operating fireworks.
• Ignite fireworks from a bucket of sand.

DO NOT

• Reignite a firework that did not go off properly the first time. Place non-operating fireworks in a bucket of water.
• Experiment or make your own fireworks.
• Give fireworks or sparklers to anyone under 18 years old.

You can only light fireworks on your property. It is illegal to set them off in a park, roadway, sidewalk or any other public property. Fireworks must not be set off from any window, doorway, balcony, terrace or deck in a multi-residential property, or from any common area of the property. Any person violating the Fireworks and Pyrotechnics By-law may be fined $200 for each offence. If a minor is caught violating the by-law, the parents or guardian may be fined for the offence. Fireworks must not be set off where the discharge, smoke or fallout can land on another person or their property or where it creates a threat of injury or fire.

To report firework misuse, call Service Vaughan at 905-832-2281.

Learn more at vaughan.ca/fireworks. 

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