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“You can’t buy fireworks… but you can still buy fireworks.”
That single sentence pretty much sums up the confusion surrounding Waterloo’s updated fireworks bylaw, and it’s exactly why Canadian National Fireworks Association Chief Advocacy Officer Aleem Kanji joined The Mike Farwell Show on 570 NewsRadio to talk it through.
In a lively, no-nonsense conversation, Aleem explains how the City of Waterloo has prohibited the local sale of fireworks by local retailers, while still allowing residents to legally purchase fireworks online or in neighbouring municipalities, and then bring them back and use them within city limits. Yes, really.
The result? A bylaw that manages to shut out local businesses in a time when “buy local” is a national talking point, without actually stopping fireworks from being used.
During the interview, Aleem walks listeners through why this kind of sales-only ban creates more questions than answers, from public confusion and enforcement headaches to the loss of on-the-ground safety education that happens at local points of sale. He also touches on the unintended ripple effects, including pushing purchases out of the community and opening the door to unregulated or underground sellers.
The conversation zooms out to the bigger picture too. Most Ontario municipalities continue to allow the regulated sale and use of fireworks, recognising that clear rules, education, and common-sense enforcement tend to work better than policies that look tough on paper but fall apart in practice.
If you’ve heard people say “fireworks are banned in Waterloo” and wondered why that doesn’t quite line up with reality, this interview is worth your time.
Panjabi 
English 
