Edmonton has no plans to do away with its Canada Day fireworks display

While other major Western Canadian cities move to pull fireworks from their Canada Day festivities, the City of Edmonton currently has no plans to do away with its show.

Daily Hive confirmed that the annual fireworks display is planned as usual, according to Christina Chu, senior marketing advisor for the City of Edmonton.

We adore those evenings on July 1, surrounded by thousands of other people, and the City of Edmonton puts on a spectacular display; nothing compares to the view of the fireworks exploding over the High Level bridge from the hill in Queen Elizabeth Park.

Allison Stephen/Daily Hive

This comes as our neighbours to the south in Calgary announced they would pilot an “enhanced pyrotechnic show” featuring a “visually stunning display of lights and sounds” to be launched from the main stage at Fort Calgary during the headliner act.

The announcement rubbed some people the wrong way, and a petition to reinstate the fireworks display has since grabbed nearly 6,000 signatures.

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The City of Calgary says it recognizes the cultural sensitivities around fireworks displays concerning Truth and Reconciliation and added that July 1 this year is a day of mourning for many in Calgary because this year, it marks the 100th anniversary of the Chinese Immigration Act.

Aside from cultural reasons, the City claims there are practical reasons for Calgary to eliminate fireworks on Canada Day, including cutting back on disruptive traffic, noise, and overcrowding issues around popular fireworks viewing sites across the city.

Out west in Vancouver, the longtime tradition of the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority staging a firework show to commemorate Canada Day has ended. After two years of having no fireworks due to pandemic concerns, fireworks were also cancelled last year due to rising events, safety, and security costs.

Now, the Canada Day fireworks for downtown Vancouver will not be making a return for 2023 either, as the port authority has decided to put a permanent end to it moving forward for the same reasons.

Sorry, Vancouver and Calgary! Maybe you can head up north and see us for a few days this summer; we’d love to have you!