Is there anything more traditional than a good old fireworks display at the cottage—kids running around in the dark, dogs cowering under the picnic table? Not much has changed, except for new varieties, like sky lanterns, and more rules now than there used to be.
So who makes the rules anyway?
The feds—Natural Resources Canada (NRC), to be specific, under the Explosives Act—determine which fireworks can be used in Canada and by whom. They may have the coolest names ever, but cherry bombs, snaps, M-80 salutes, flash crackers, throw-down torpedoes, cigarette loads, trick matches, sprite bombs, and firecrackers (unless you have a Firecracker Use Certificate from NRC) are all illegal. Don’t recognize the names? You’ll find helpful pictures on the Canadian National Fireworks Association (CNFA) website. Another tell: if the product label isn’t in both French and English, it’s not authorized for sale in Canada.
Cottage Q&A: Do fireworks cause pollution?
Fireworks come in three classes: consumer, display, and special effect. Most cottagers will buy “low hazard” consumer fireworks, designed for recreational use; these do not require the user to be certified (see below). Mom or Dad, as long as they follow the label, can use them safely, explains Melanie Sutherland, the acting executive director of the CNFA. You must be 18 years or older to purchase fireworks in Canada.
Provinces and municipalities refer up to the national regs, and municipalities can add their own restrictions, generally around timing. The District of Sechelt, B.C., for example, allows only professional public displays, which must be approved by the Fire Chief, and bans all other fireworks displays at any time of year, including the DIY kind you and your neighbours put on. On the other hand, Hasting Highlands, Ont., has no restrictions, except the noise bylaw prohibiting their use between 12 a.m. and 6 a.m. and an outright ban of sky lanterns, also known as floating or Chinese lanterns.
Bottom line: Check local bylaws. And never use any fireworks during a fire ban.
Enjoy a “quiet fireworks” display this long weekend
Terrible beauty
Sky lanterns have been on the unwanted list for a decade or more. Basically mini hot-air balloons, they’re made of paper on a wire or bamboo frame. A small fuel cell, suspended in an opening at the bottom, provides the flame. Like ballerinas in the sky, they can float for about 10 minutes, until the fire burns out and the lantern sinks back to the ground. Where it lands is anybody’s guess, but if the flame is not completely out or the lantern tilts in the wind and sets the paper alight, it becomes a fire hazard to forests and cottages, particularly in dry conditions.
In 2013, the Lake of the Woods District Stewardship Association in Kenora, Ont., called for a province-wide ban. That didn’t happen, but since then many jurisdictions have outlawed them. “They are quite elegant when released properly,” says Douglas Holland, fire prevention officer for the fire department in Muskoka Lakes, which prohibits lanterns. “But in our area, it’s essentially a floating firebomb, because it will end up in the trees or on someone’s roof.” Not to mention the hazard to wildlife, which can get tangled in or strangled by the debris.
Bottom line: Sky lanterns may be legal in some places, but they’re a bad idea in cottage country.
Going bigger
If you’re planning a larger fireworks event for, say, your cottage association, and want to use display fireworks, you’ll need to hire a pro or be certified yourself. To run the show, you need to go through successive levels of qualification: a one-day course to get a Display Assistant Certificate, then working with a Display Supervisor on several shows to complete requirements to become a DS yourself. Each certificate requires a $100 application fee, plus the cost of courses, run by NRC-certified providers across the country. For more info, search online for NRC’s Display Fireworks Manual.
Bottom line: Use common sense. Most cottagers won’t use display fireworks or require certification. You can always add to the thrill by launching multiple consumer explosives at a time, but if you’re using the time-trusted light-and-run method, you also need multiple people—one to light each firework.
Finally, some good news on the retro front: you can still buy the classic blue-and-red Burning Schoolhouse, a Canadian invention and kid favourite long used to end the night and signal that it’s time for all good children to go to bed.
12 safety tips for using fireworks this Canada Day long weekend
This article was originally published in the August/September 2019 issue of Cottage Life.
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