It looks like New Year's Eve will be the last time Halton Hills residents can legally purchase and set off personal fireworks in their yard.
During a lengthy Monday meeting, town council ratified its decision to ban the sale and discharge of 'low-hazard' fireworks in Halton Hills. The related bylaw amendment to bring the ban into effect is expected to be on the council agenda in January.
The Town will still permit professional displays, such as the Canada Day display by the Acton Firefighters Association.
Prior to passing the ban, council members first heard from Halton Hills resident Jamieson Champ.
The local man was before council in May, raising his concern at that time about the lack of due process when council first supported a fireworks ban. That decision was later defeated and council then debated whether the Town should proceed with a public survey, eventually deciding to go ahead with it at a cost of $25,000.
While Champ didn't dispute the results of the survey, saying he considered it statistically valid, he expressed concern about potential bias as respondents were asked about fireworks concerns and issues, but not about their benefits, such as enjoyment for children.
“We’ve gone out looking specifically to produce a result,” he contended.
Still, 60 per cent of respondents opposed a fireworks ban.
“The result seems to suggest that the public does not want the ban, yet we’re going to put the ban through,” he said, adding later that if council wasn’t going to abide by the results of the survey, then it was “an incredible waste of $25,000.”
The topic of going against the survey results was discussed by council three weeks ago when the local politicians voted 8-3 in favour of a fireworks ban.
At that time, Councillor D'Arcy Keene argued that "it’s irresponsible to support a ban going against two-thirds of the population.”
“A survey is another tool to make a decision,” countered Councillor Jason Brass. “It’s dangerous to govern by survey.”
Councillor Jane Fogal said people receiving a phone call for a survey don’t have all the information available to them that council does and it's their job to make an informed decision.
