News

Kitchener City Council approves ban on sale of fireworks

6 May 2025

On May 5, 2025, following a comprehensive review of the Fireworks and Firecracker By-law, Kitchener City Council approved the staff-recommended option to amend the bylaw to:

  • set time limits under which fireworks can be set off on specified dates
  • ban the sale of fireworks within the City

To enable local vendors to reduce their existing inventory and plan for the elimination of sales within the City of Kitchener, the ban of sales will not come into effect until 2026. Other restrictions will take effect immediately. There is no change to the designated days on which consumer fireworks can be used; specifically, Victoria Day, Canada Day, and Diwali.

The review, which included input from 18 municipalities and a public survey with 1,900 responses, revealed strong community support for stricter regulations. Concerns over safety, misuse, noise, environmental impacts and enforcement challenges drove discussions among regional municipalities.

City of Waterloo

Also on May 5, 2025, Waterloo City Council passed a motion to approve similar staff recommendations. This would include:

  • making changes to the fireworks bylaw to reduce the days and times fireworks are permitted
  • prohibiting the sale of fireworks
  • increasing the related fines

Staff will come back to Council at a later date with a revised fireworks bylaw. The changes will take effect once the updated bylaw is approved by Council.