District of Port Hardy updates fireworks bylaw with stricter rules

The District of Port Hardy has updated its fireworks bylaw with some stricter regulations.

“There’s always been an issue with fireworks and how they’ve been used in our community,” said Port Hardy Mayor Dennis Dugas when asked about the revisions to the bylaw. “We had heard concerns from residents that there didn’t seem to be any control with regards to fireworks, specifically around Halloween when people are just firing them off anywhere and anytime of the day.”

He noted the issue of fireworks being lit in the community has been tough on families, especially ones with animals, and that now that the district has proper restrictions in place for fireworks, “it helps everybody.”

The district approved the final reading of the fireworks bylaw at the Feb. 11 meeting of council.

Updated rules for fireworks in the District of Port Hardy are as follows:

4.1 Consumer Fireworks:

a) Any person nineteen (19) years of age or older, before discharging consumer fireworks, must apply for and receive a permit.

b) Permit applications for consumer fireworks events must be submitted to the District no later than 12:00 noon on October 31st and, if October 31st falls on a day other than a business day, no later than 12:00 noon of the last business day prior to October 31st.

c) In the case of a consumer fireworks event deemed by Council to be an exceptional circumstance as stated by policy, the required consumer fireworks permit application must be submitted no later than thirty (30) days prior to the date upon which the consumer fireworks event is to occur.

e) All permit applications must include:

i) a completed Application for Permit in the form prescribed by the District from time to time;

ii) if the consumer fireworks event is to occur on property that is not owned by the applicant or is on property owned or controlled by the District, a written agreement of the property owner in the form prescribed by the District from time to time;

iii) if the consumer fireworks event is being organized or sponsored by any person other than the applicant, a written agreement of such person in the form prescribed by the District from time to time;

f) The District will consider all permit applications and issue a permit to the applicant if:

i) in the case of municipal property, the property upon which the consumer fireworks event is to occur is available for such use on the date and time set out in the application;

ii) the consumer fireworks event will not, in the opinion of the District, create a public safety risk to public or private property;

District of Port Hardy Fireworks Regulation Amendment Bylaw No. 1103-2020 2

iii) the applicant has submitted to the District the items described in section 4.1 (e) and any additional information in relation to the consumer fireworks event that the District may reasonably require to determine whether the consumer fireworks event will create a public safety risk or risk to public or private property.

4.2 Display Fireworks:

a) Any person nineteen (19) years of age or older, before discharging display fireworks, must apply for and receive a permit.

b) Permit applications for display fireworks events must be submitted to the District at least thirty (30) days prior to the date upon which the display fireworks event is to occur.

c) All permit applications must include:

i) a completed Application for Permit in the form prescribed by the District from time to time;

ii) if the display fireworks event is to occur on property that is not owned by the applicant or is on property owned or controlled by the District, a written agreement of the property owner in the form prescribed by the District from time to time;

iii) if the or display fireworks event is being organized or sponsored by any person other than the applicant, a written agreement of such person in the form prescribed by the District from time to time;

iv) evidence that the applicant is a Certification Card holder.

d) The District will consider all permit applications and issue a permit to the applicant if:

i) in the case of municipal property, the property upon which the display fireworks event is to occur is available for such use on the date and time set out in the application;

ii) the display fireworks event will not, in the opinion of the District, create a public safety risk to public or private property;

iii) the applicant has submitted to the District the items described in section 4.2 (c) and any additional information in relation to the display fireworks event that the District may reasonably require to determine whether the display fireworks event will create a public safety risk or risk to public or private property; and

iv) the applicant has submitted to the District a site plan including firing location and limiting distance set out in the Act, and a copy of the applicant’s insurance policy that meets the insurance requirements listed in Schedule “A”.

- with files from District of Port Hardy