Council torn between tighter regulation and out- right abolition
Oak Bay police and several councillors are adamant in their calls for a total ban on fireworks in the municipality.
Council recently considered police board recommendations to tighten the regulations around the use of fireworks, noting that Oak Bay is among the least-regulated municipalities in Greater Victoria.
Using the Colwood and Langford bylaw as a model, the report recommended banning the discharge of fireworks except between 5 p.m. and 10 p.m. on Oct. 31, restricting possession of fireworks to persons 18 and older, banning the sale of fireworks within the municipality, requiring a permit and a safety course to discharge fireworks, and issuing fines from $100 - $500 for bylaw violations.
These regulations, however, do not go far enough for the police and several councillors, who would like to see fireworks entirely done away with.
Coun. Allan Cassidy said he is happy with any measure to limit the use of fireworks, but favours a total ban.
“A total ban removes the shades of grey,� Cassidy said.
“A total ban is just so straightforward that if a person hears a firecracker go off in their neighbourhood, if the police hear it, they know that somebody is contravening the regulation.�
Councillors Frank Carson, John Herbert and Hazel Braithwaite also indicated they support a fireworks ban.
In a report dated Nov. 15, 2006, deputy police chief Ron Gaudet noted that Halloween is usually the busiest night of the year for Oak Bay Police.
Last Halloween, police received 45 complaints, as opposed to around 10 on an average night. Most of the complaints had to do with fireworks and 17 of the calls were reports of fires.
Some of the most serious issues were garbage bin fires close to residences, bombs made of fireworks taped together and in one instance, fireworks being thrown at a police officer.
One officer described an area of Windsor Park where youths were throwing roman candles “as being similar to news casts of Afghanistan.�
The police board report noted that Abbotsford and Chilliwack have both banned fireworks completely, but no municipality in the Greater Victoria area has followed suit.
“Noting, however, that the Western Community model was the only one with a local foothold at present, the Police Board felt that a higher weight should be assigned to the value of uniformity with the Greater Victoria area,� the report said.
That view was echoed by Coun. Nils Jensen.
“I think conformity with the municipalities should be our overriding goal. These things are going to be sold, and as long as they’re sold I think it’s safer to regulate them … I think this bylaw strikes a balance with education and supervision.�
Despite the report’s recommendations, Deputy police chief Gaudet made it clear to council that he favours a fireworks ban. Last November, the Oak Bay police took a lead role in lobbying Solicitor General John Les for a province-wide ban. Les remarked several weeks later that he didn’t see the merit.
Mayor Causton said he plans to speak to neighbouring municipalities about adopting the Western Communities bylaw in the coming weeks.
“This, to me, is a very substantial movement in our bylaw. Our bylaw right now has too much flexibility in it,� Causton said. “It’s open from October the 24th to November the 1st, when you can set off (fireworks) on private property. It allows people to sell fireworks within the municipality. It does not require a permit. It does not require any education. So those four things are all being changed.�
The issue will be back before council in mid-March.
Oak Bay police and several councillors are adamant in their calls for a total ban on fireworks in the municipality.
Council recently considered police board recommendations to tighten the regulations around the use of fireworks, noting that Oak Bay is among the least-regulated municipalities in Greater Victoria.
Using the Colwood and Langford bylaw as a model, the report recommended banning the discharge of fireworks except between 5 p.m. and 10 p.m. on Oct. 31, restricting possession of fireworks to persons 18 and older, banning the sale of fireworks within the municipality, requiring a permit and a safety course to discharge fireworks, and issuing fines from $100 - $500 for bylaw violations.
These regulations, however, do not go far enough for the police and several councillors, who would like to see fireworks entirely done away with.
Coun. Allan Cassidy said he is happy with any measure to limit the use of fireworks, but favours a total ban.
“A total ban removes the shades of grey,� Cassidy said.
“A total ban is just so straightforward that if a person hears a firecracker go off in their neighbourhood, if the police hear it, they know that somebody is contravening the regulation.�
Councillors Frank Carson, John Herbert and Hazel Braithwaite also indicated they support a fireworks ban.
In a report dated Nov. 15, 2006, deputy police chief Ron Gaudet noted that Halloween is usually the busiest night of the year for Oak Bay Police.
Last Halloween, police received 45 complaints, as opposed to around 10 on an average night. Most of the complaints had to do with fireworks and 17 of the calls were reports of fires.
Some of the most serious issues were garbage bin fires close to residences, bombs made of fireworks taped together and in one instance, fireworks being thrown at a police officer.
One officer described an area of Windsor Park where youths were throwing roman candles “as being similar to news casts of Afghanistan.�
The police board report noted that Abbotsford and Chilliwack have both banned fireworks completely, but no municipality in the Greater Victoria area has followed suit.
“Noting, however, that the Western Community model was the only one with a local foothold at present, the Police Board felt that a higher weight should be assigned to the value of uniformity with the Greater Victoria area,� the report said.
That view was echoed by Coun. Nils Jensen.
“I think conformity with the municipalities should be our overriding goal. These things are going to be sold, and as long as they’re sold I think it’s safer to regulate them … I think this bylaw strikes a balance with education and supervision.�
Despite the report’s recommendations, Deputy police chief Gaudet made it clear to council that he favours a fireworks ban. Last November, the Oak Bay police took a lead role in lobbying Solicitor General John Les for a province-wide ban. Les remarked several weeks later that he didn’t see the merit.
Mayor Causton said he plans to speak to neighbouring municipalities about adopting the Western Communities bylaw in the coming weeks.
“This, to me, is a very substantial movement in our bylaw. Our bylaw right now has too much flexibility in it,� Causton said. “It’s open from October the 24th to November the 1st, when you can set off (fireworks) on private property. It allows people to sell fireworks within the municipality. It does not require a permit. It does not require any education. So those four things are all being changed.�
The issue will be back before council in mid-March.