Jon Adria, owner of Uncle Jon's Fireworks, told Edmonton's Community and Public Services Committee on Monday that the city's 2019 fireworks restrictions have created more problems than they solved. He noted that before the new rules, there were minimal issues with fireworks use in Edmonton.
Regulatory changes linked to increased incidents
According to Adria, the 2019 regulatory changes made permit conditions so stringent that only professionals like himself can obtain them, leaving no legal path for community groups. "What worked for Edmonton, for decades, was to allow community groups to get permits. They could just do what they felt was safe," he said. "What they've done now is make the permit conditions so tough that only someone like me can get it — there's no legal path for them."
Adria highlighted that in 2025, there were 33 incidents in southeast Edmonton related to Diwali celebrations. He argued that Calgary's similar ban has not prevented fires during Diwali either. "Calgary always bans fireworks and Calgary always burns on Diwali," he said. "We never had those problems until we banned them. We've proved that we can't do any better job than Calgary does — we have all the fires they do now."
Complaints surge 1,400% since 2020
Chief Bylaw Enforcement Officer David Jones reported that the number of complaints to 311 about fireworks increased by 1,400 per cent since 2020. This spike followed the removal of fireworks from the National Fire Code by Alberta in 2019, which shifted regulatory responsibility to municipalities.
Adria urged the city to adopt a model similar to Saskatoon, where fireworks use is permitted for all adults on several designated days each year without restrictions. He claimed Saskatoon has reported no incidents under this system.
Fireworks red tape linked to racism concerns
Adria also suggested that the stringent regulations contribute to racism against southeast Asian communities. "Every time fireworks are used illegally, they get blamed," he said. "Even though these are the very communities that have given up their show and always followed the rules."
City exploring community-based Diwali events
After a home burned down during Diwali last year when a family used fireworks on their property, city officials have been seeking a path to allow fireworks for the November holiday while ensuring fire safety. Administration is working to support one or more community-based Diwali celebrations, with $20,000 from the city's anti-racism fund and additional fundraising. The city is also considering an event at City Hall, though it currently does not include fireworks.
Sharminder Parmar of the Edmonton Diwali Celebration Steering Committee emphasized the need for an accessible event in southeast Edmonton. "We need to have an event that's accessible to residents in southeast Edmonton," he said. "We're just looking forward to some funding and additional support from the city in terms of logistics — ETS support, Police service support, things like that. Accessibility is one of the biggest driving factors why we find people not compliant with fireworks."
