Gravenhurst council deals with escalating fireworks complaints

Gravenhurst council deals with escalating fireworks complaints

During the most recent Gavenhurst Ton council meeting, Coun. Terry Pilger presented a motion to direct staff to report back on the Town’s “current framework for nuisance controls such as noise and fire complaints and information regarding the regulation and control of the sale and discharge of fireworks.”

Pilger said it was in response to complaints made by residents about fireworks “going off all times of day, all year, it was becoming very frequent…we thought it was time to bring this for discussion.”

CAO Scott Lucas said a report would assist staff in determining options.

Deputy Mayor Heidi Lorenz asked if there was enough time realistically for public engagement in light of the upcoming election and a potential ‘lame duck’ council.

Lucas agreed that there wouldn’t be enough time, and for now it should be an information gathering report and then council can decide what the issues are, “decide if it’s about noise, fire concerns etc and if it would be regulatory.”

Coun. Pilger said he didn’t expect a by-law immediately, but wanted to get the discussion going, as he has received many informal complaints, in particular about “short-term rentals, setting off fireworks at 3am.”

Council voted in favour of the motion.

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