As much as B.C. loves its fireworks, some residents are pushing Ottawa to retire them

A Victoria woman is using a federal tool accessible to every Canadian to try and force changes to what's become an increasingly polarizing issue in the country: fireworks.

Lavinia Rojas has lived in B.C.'s capital since 1985 and said after decades of putting up with fireworks scaring pets and creating pollution and fire risk, she started filing federal e-petitions to ask Ottawa to favour modern light displays over the ones that bang, flash and smoke.

"We don't want to take the fun away," said Rojas, about using drone technology to create light shows in the dark night sky, rather than traditional fireworks.

Her second e-petition, which argues fireworks should be phased out over pollution and air quality concerns, closed for signatories Friday, and will require a government response because it exceeded 500 signatures.

E-petitions, which must be sponsored by a Member of Parliament, are used to draw attention to an issue of public interest or concern and request action from the House of Commons, federal government, minister or an MP.

Rojas's petition is sponsored by NDP Victoria MP Laurel Collins.

The hard line over fireworks from people like Rojas comes at a time when some municipalities are starting to forgo fireworks displays on popular holidays such as Canada Day, due either to cost or environmental reasons such as dry, hot weather and wildfire risk.

Whether fireworks are appropriate is an on-going debate between those who want pets and people sensitive to noise to be protected, others who see fireworks as costly and polluting, and those who want the traditional fun to continue.

Rojas, who immigrated from Chile to Toronto in 1968, became concerned about fireworks in the 1990s when a cat she got from the B.C. SPCA disappeared for days following fireworks in Victoria.

"When I moved here, I had no idea," she said about her move to B.C., where fireworks have long been popular.

Her black cat named Stallion ended up finding refuge in a stranger's car nearby and was only reunited with her after the vehicle's owner eventually connected with Rojas.

"Oh I definitely want the fireworks to be completely banned," she said.

"They are toxic, they are bad for everybody ... for the environment, bad for people, bad for animals, all around. They need to be replaced."

3 B.C. petitions

Just before Halloween in October 2021, Rojas filed her first e-petition, also sponsored by Collins, which asked for improved safety measures around fireworks to prevent fires, and harm from noise and pollution. It received more than 14,000 signatures.

The Minister of Natural Resources responded to the petition in May 2022 saying there were already stringent rules in Canada to regulate fireworks and their use, but did not rule out future changes.

"The Government of Canada is committed to the well-being of our communities and will continue to explore ways, including policy, regulatory and legislative revisions, to further promote the responsible and safe use of consumer fireworks across Canada," the minister said.

Another e-petition is also currently active and seeking signatures to provoke a government response over phasing out fireworks in favour of other technologies.

"Drone shows will have the same awe inspiring affect while addressing all of the above concerns," reads the petition from Vancouver's Stacy Taylor, sponsored by Green Party MP Elizabeth May.

The petition closes on July 22 and currently has 139 signatures.

A problem with the e-petitions is potential changes at the federal level may not mean changes from provincial and municipal governments, which set their own rules over the use of consumer fireworks.

Still, an impressive drone light show on Canada Day or for other federal celebrations could provide the role model for other jurisdictions to follow, according to those like Rojas.

The calls for an overhaul of how fireworks are used in Canada comes as Vancouver is set to host one the biggest fireworks shows in the country for the 31st time.

Starting on July 22, the Honda Celebration of Lights will have three different international teams put on 25-minute firework shows over three nights from the waters of Vancouver's English Bay, which draws tens of thousands of people to watch for free from surrounding beaches.

The Government of Canada provided $457,000 for this year's event while the B.C. government kicked in $125,000. The City of Vancouver is also a partner for the event, which it says brings in $150 million in economic benefits to the region.

Paul Runnals, part owner of the company putting on the show, Brandlive, said organizers are sensitive to concerns over fireworks and have worked to reduce their negative effects.

"A restaurant patio heater emits more carbon over the course of a year than our show does as an example just to give it some context," he said.

Runnals admits the shows are still noisy, but the festival puts limits on the type and size of fireworks that can be used by participating teams.

As for fireworks being one day replaced by something like drones, Runnals said the festival is not ruling it out, but the technology would need to further advance and become cheaper for it to be considered.

"I think that there's a possibility not necessarily in the short term, but in the medium term that you'll see drones being viable to be put into a major event like this, it's too soon to say when that might be."