By Jessie Weisner

Bylaw to ban purchase and sale of fireworks moves to City Council

May 27, 2019 | 4:38 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB — The City of Medicine Hat Public Services Committee directed administration to take direction from City Council, and create a fireworks bylaw.

Changes to the National Fire Code require the city to implement a bylaw if they want to keep fireworks out of the hands of Hatters.

“Low hazard fireworks were, in the old code, not permitted. So a municipality had to actually enact a bylaw to allow the sale and discharge of low hazard fireworks,” says Brian Stauth, Medicine Hat Fire Chief. “With the new 2019 code, those restrictions have been removed so now a municipality has to enact a bylaw to restrict the sale of low hazard fireworks.”

Enacting a bylaw to restrict the use of fireworks would allow rules to stay the same. Fireworks have been banned within city limits for years.

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“It really is maintaining a status quo of whats been happening in the community for many many years,” says Stauth.

According to Stauth, its necessary a bylaw like this in place to protect the safety of Hatters and the landscape.

“It could be bush parties, it could be somebody in their backyard shooting them out into a dry grass area, it could be kids playing Roman candles or fireworks and injuring themselves, there’s a multitude of things we’re concerned about.”

Events within the city, such as Canada Day, will still be able to have fireworks if they obtain a permit.