Local poll respondents want to see Newmarket take action when it comes to extended fireworks use.
Fireworks attracted online outcry this year as residents raised concerns about fireworks being set off outside of the time period allowed by the municipality around Canada Day and Victoria Day.
We asked our readers: Should the Town of Newmarket address concerns about fireworks being set off beyond the three days permitted around Victoria Day and Canada Day?
Here are the local results:
- Yes, the town should enforce the current bylaw and fine people breaking the rules — 43 per cent, 276 votes
- Yes, ban the sale and use of consumer fireworks — 21 per cent, 139 votes
- No, it’s only a couple of weeks during the year and people should be able to celebrate —16 per cent, 107 votes
- Yes, the town should do more to educate people about the rules — 10 per cent, 67 votes
- Yes, the sale of consumer fireworks should be further restricted — 9 per cent, 60 votes
The poll, which received 649 local responses, ran from July 13 to 27. The result provides for a 95 per cent confidence level, with +/- 3.65 per cent margin of error.
Respondents largely called for action, with 82 per cent asking for action on local concerns. The most popular option was for fines (43 per cent), but 21 per cent of respondents also called for an outright ban.
Local biologist Aileen Barclay expressed fears about fireworks use and the impact on the natural environment. She said she was pleasantly surprised by the results.
“People are getting tired of fireworks going off for five, six, seven days at a time,” Barclay said.
The municipality indicated it responded to seven fireworks complaints throughout the Canada Day weekend, issuing no fines and taking an educational approach.
Barclay said she agrees with education-first and the municipality has done a good job of that.
However, she added you need enforcement at some point — but that may be difficult for officers.
“I don’t know if more enforcement is the answer because I don’t think they can keep up,” Barclay said, adding a consumer ban along with one municipally run show could be a good option.
Mayor John Taylor defended an education-first bylaw approach in addressing NewmarketToday polls, including one on speeding cyclists on Tom Taylor Trail.
“Education-first approach does not mean no enforcement. Look at COVID. We took an education approach for all of COVID. There was still enforcement,” he said. “Most people can be reasoned with and educated. I would like to think all municipalities take an education approach.”
Barclay said she understands people need entertainment coming out of the pandemic, but there should be alternatives.
“It’s been a real tough year,” she said.”But I think there’s ways to find fun that’s less damaging.”
NewmarketToday uses a variety of techniques to capture data, detect and prevent fraudulent votes, detect and prevent robots, and filter out non-local and duplicate votes.
