Vancouver’s Halloween fireworks cause uproar online
On Halloween night, hundreds of people took to the streets to fill Vancouver’s sky with fireworks. There were, however, just as many who were waiting for them to be over, but the division between those who enjoy fireworks and those who despise them is nothing new.
On one hand, Vancouver is one of the few cities in the region that allow the sale and use of consumer fireworks. North Vancouver, Coquitlam, Richmond, and Surrey are just a few of the cities that have banned fireworks, although they still get their fair share of them.
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On the other hand, fireworks can cause stress and anxiety to the elderly, those with PTSD, and massive panic amongst pets (and subsequently their owners).
On Thursday evening, Daily Hive took to Twitter to ask where Vancouverites stood on the tradition of setting off fireworks and firecrackers on Halloween.
Do you love or hate #Vancouver’s tradition of setting off fireworks/firecrackers on #Halloween?
— Daily Hive Vancouver (@DailyHiveVan) November 1, 2019
Many Twitter users were more than happy to speak up about the matter:
Been non stop in my hood #hastingsunrise since 6:45, its now 10:38. Dogs are ill from anxiety, my terminally ill neighbour is getting no rest or peace, totally unnecessary! @CityofVancouver needs to address, same shit every year.
— allison (@alliedance10) November 1, 2019
id like to see all personal fireworks banned.. sounds like world war 3 by my place every holiday
— Jim Drysdale 🇨🇦 (@FubarMMA) November 1, 2019
It’s been non-stop here at Sunset Beach since the early evening and I am fed up.
They have been setting off huge and noisy fireworks literally a few dozen feet away from our apartment for HOURS.
I’m ready to go outside and start punching people in the throat.
— Autumnshroud (@Autumnshroud) November 1, 2019
its once a year. My kids love it, as a kid i loved it, when all these complainers were kids, what did you do? Run and hide from them? if so i fell sorry for you and your lack of fun in your adolescence. Yes not all of the fireworks are lit by families , but let them have fun
— Rylie Ableman (@thelifeof_Rylie) November 1, 2019
Also it is more than one time that people are blowing up fireworks. Every holiday or celebration people are doing this. It is so annoying and for a supposedly green city it is so bad for the environment.
— Kathryn Orr (@kcorr54) November 1, 2019
I love fireworks, my dog does not. And in Maple Ridge they are banned but we had to spend 3+ hrs trying to keep my dog safe and calm with very little luck. Not cool.
— Melanie D (@charmedberry) November 1, 2019
If people actually respected times to set them off it could be a real fun night. Dbags ruin it by still firing them up at 1:40 in the morning. #coolbrah
— D.M.C (@DonalClarky) November 1, 2019
I’m not a fan of more rules, more fees or less fun but I do feel bad for the pets and critters. It’s after 11pm and it’s been nonstop for hours. pic.twitter.com/lFTEYSrkfP
— Ingela blingela (@iBlingela) November 1, 2019
There’s a lot of bitching about a handful of days that typically land on the same dates that some idiots can’t be prepared for.
Halloween will be October 31, 2020. You’ve been warned
— Temperate Tempest (@XTheOutsiderX) November 1, 2019
Its once a year people! Jeez,
— Ryan S (@rsingh81) November 1, 2019
Vancouver City Council to vote on banning the retail sale of fireworks
The topic of recreational fireworks has also made its way to City Hall. This November, the council will be voting on a motion that would, if passed, ban the retail sale of fireworks.
Councillor Pete Fry, who introduced the motion in October, argues that the Vancouver Police Department faces an increased number of calls for fireworks-related issues in the city, even prior to Halloween.
He also says that the average damages and cost from consumer fireworks is $379,000 over the past 12 years.
As it stands, Vancouver only allows for the sale of fireworks between October 25 and 31 of each year.
If the motion were to be passed, the ban would take effect by 2021. The ban, however, would not affect large-scale events staged by professionals for public events such as New Year’s Eve, Canada Day, the Celebration of Light, and cultural and religious occasions like Diwali.
-with files from Kenneth Chan 
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