Advocacy in Action: What 2025 Really Looked Like for Fireworks in Canada

If there’s one word that sums up 2025 for fireworks advocacy, it’s this: busy.

Behind the scenes, it was a year of council meetings, draft reports, surprise motions, late-breaking revisions, and more than a few moments where things could have gone very sideways. It was also a year where showing up early, staying engaged, and pushing back with facts actually worked.

Here’s a look at how fireworks advocacy played out across Canada in 2025, and why the work heading into 2026 matters more than ever.

Municipal & National Advocacy Highlights

Winnipeg, Manitoba

Winnipeg’s fireworks by-law review is still in progress, but 2025 delivered a meaningful shift. At a November council meeting, the Canadian National Fireworks Association pushed for something simple and long overdue: a seat at the consultation table.

By bringing national data and real-world industry insight into the discussion, the conversation moved away from reactionary policy. As a direct result of that advocacy, a full ban is no longer being considered. A formal report, including a jurisdictional scan, is expected in March 2026.

That’s not nothing. That’s progress.

Edmonton, Alberta

Edmonton took a different approach, one that could actually lead to better outcomes. Council passed a motion to review how fireworks are communicated, sold, and incorporated into community events.

The key focus? Making sure celebrations tied to cultural and religious events, including Diwali and Lunar New Year, don’t get swept aside by one-size-fits-all restrictions. CNFA is actively working with city officials as this review moves forward, with a report expected in Q2 2026.

This is what advocacy looks like when access and inclusion are part of the conversation from the start.

Calgary, Alberta

Calgary continues to wrestle with the gap between policy and reality. While consumer fireworks remain banned, enforcement challenges persist, and the impacts on cultural celebrations are increasingly hard to ignore.

A motion to strengthen fireworks awareness will lead to a report in Q3 2026. In the meantime, CNFA continues to raise concerns about prohibitions that don’t solve the underlying issues and instead create enforcement headaches and cultural disconnects.

Regulation works best when it’s practical. That message hasn’t changed.

Huntsville, Ontario

Huntsville stands out as a 2025 success story.

CNFA played a key role in shaping the town’s updated fireworks by-law, one that preserves long-standing traditions for both consumer fireworks and professional displays. Even better, council directed staff to eliminate the $300 exemption fee, a move that removes an unnecessary barrier to lawful use.

Final approval is expected in the months ahead, but the direction is clear: modernized rules that make sense for the community.

Richmond Hill, Ontario

In Richmond Hill, the conversation has shifted toward stricter enforcement. CNFA is actively engaged to ensure education and clarity remain part of the solution, rather than defaulting to punitive measures.

A council meeting on the issue is scheduled for January 2026, and advocacy efforts are focused on keeping the discussion grounded in outcomes, not optics.

Cambridge, Ontario

Cambridge was one of the clearest examples of why advocacy matters.

In June 2025, a proposed fireworks ban was successfully deferred after coordinated input from CNFA, vendors, and community advocates. The message from residents and stakeholders was unmistakable: a ban wasn’t supported.

A revised report tied to the city’s noise by-law is expected in February 2026, but the tone of the discussion has already changed, and that matters.

Surrey, British Columbia

Following Diwali, Surrey council called for a province-wide fireworks ban. CNFA immediately began monitoring the situation closely.

Since then, the BC Minister of Public Safety has confirmed that fireworks regulation will remain a municipal responsibility. A province-wide ban is not under consideration.

That clarification alone prevented a local issue from snowballing into a national one.

White Rock, British Columbia

White Rock’s fireworks survey closed on January 2, 2026, and council is now considering next steps for fireworks at city special events. Staff have been directed to prepare options ranging from discontinuing fireworks altogether, to making 2026 the final year for one or both events, or continuing fireworks at Canada Day by the Bay and Sea Festival.

The discussion and options are outlined in the 2026 Special Events Report and in the recorded council meeting where the issue was debated.

National Regulatory Developments: Why the Canada Gazette Matters

While municipal advocacy kept things moving locally, a much bigger issue surfaced at the national level.

In 2025, Natural Resources Canada published proposed regulatory amendments in Canada Gazette, Part I that would fundamentally change how fireworks are transported, handled, and permitted in Canada.

As drafted, these changes would:

• Introduce a new transportation permitting and certification regime that could delay or outright cancel fireworks displays
• Restrict lawful fireworks use across the country
• Create significant operational barriers for the fireworks industry

Even more concerning, the proposal adds a new consumer fireworks licensing requirement for individuals involved in picking, packing, or handling fireworks under an existing vendor licence.

This would:

• Increase administrative costs and fees
• Add unnecessary layers of compliance
• Make Canada the only country to require licensing for routine warehousing and fulfillment activities

In short, these changes don’t just tweak the system. They risk breaking it.

On a related note, NRCan has also published an updated Separation Distances for Explosives policy on its website. The revised policy corrects an omission in the PE3 tables by explicitly including explosives beyond Type F, a technical fix, but an important one for compliance clarity.

Looking Ahead to 2026

If 2025 showed us anything, it’s that fireworks advocacy isn’t theoretical. It’s practical, necessary, and time-sensitive.

With multiple municipal reports landing in early and mid-2026, and national regulatory proposals still on the table, the coming year will be critical. The difference between workable regulation and unintended consequences often comes down to whether informed voices are part of the process.

That’s where advocacy makes the difference.

Want to Get Involved?

If you’re interested in learning more about CNFA’s advocacy efforts, or want to be part of shaping the future of fireworks regulation in Canada, reach out.

Email Aleem Kanji, Chief Advocacy Officer, to learn more about the advocacy program: aleem@cnfa.ca

Because the best outcomes don’t happen by accident, they happen when people show up.