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By-law Number (1993) - 14362
Page 1 of 5
The Corporation of the City of Guelph
By-law Number (1993)-14362 (Office Consolidation) [Amended by
By-laws (1994)-14680; (1998)-15878; (1999)-16207; (2013)-19578;
(2025)-21073]
A by-law to regulate the display, sale and setting off of fireworks and to adopt
Municipal Code Number 121, and to repeal By- law Number (1992)-14097.
Pursuant to the provisions of Sections 210 paragraph 37 and 210 paragraph 38 of
The Municipal Act, R.S.O. 1990, Chapter M.45, which permit municipal councils to
pass by-laws for regulating the sale and setting off of fireworks,
The Council of the Corporation of the City of Guelph enacts as follows:
1. Interpretation
In this By-law the following terms shall have the corresponding meanings:
(a) "Display Unit" means a bin, crate, box, case or other device used to
display fireworks to the public;
(b) "Fireworks" means any and all classes of fireworks, including and without
limiting the generality of the foregoing the following clauses which are
included in the Federal Explosives Regulation, Department of Energy,
Mines and Resources:
(i) "Low-hazard" fireworks for recreation such as firework showers,
fountains, golden rain, lawn lights, pin wheels, Roman candles,
volcanoes and sparklers;
(ii) "High-hazard" fireworks for recreation such as rockets, serpents,
shells, bombshells, tourbillions, maroons, large wheels, bouquets,
barrages, bombardos, waterfalls, fountains, mines and firecrackers
(also known as "display fireworks").
(c) "Fireworks vendor" means any person, organization or company that
sells, displays or offers for sale fireworks, and includes temporary
vendors;
(d) "Person" includes a corporation;
(e) "Site" means any area within the City of Guelph on which fireworks are
displayed, sold or offered for sale;
(f) "Site Plan" means a drawing of a site which includes all applicable
measurements of every vending structure and the surrounding area within
100 metres of the site and on which all buildings and structures, streets or
other landmarks are indicated;
(g) "Temporary Vendor" means any person, organization or company that
sells, displays or offers for sale fireworks in or from a vending structure;
(h) "Vending Structure" means any vehicle, roadside stand or temporary
structure, tent or air-supported structure or other conveyance in or from
which fireworks are displayed, sold or offered for sale.
2. When Sales Permitted [amended by By-law (2025)-21073]
No person shall display, offer for sale or sell fireworks, or any class or classes
thereof, except on the days being observed as Victoria Day, Canada Day, and
Diwali and for seven (7) days prior to the days being observed as Victoria
Day, Canada Day, and Diwali.
3. Sales
No person shall display, offer for sale or sell fireworks unless the person is in
compliance with all applicable provisions of this By-law.
4. Posting of By-law and Supplementary Information [amended by By-law
(2025)-21073]
By-law Number (1993) - 14362
Page 2 of 5
(a) Every fireworks vendor shall ensure that a copy of this By-law is posted on
the site in a conspicuous place visible to the public.
(b) Every fireworks vendor must display and make available to purchasers and
prospective purchasers of fireworks any information, brochures, guidelines and
instructions supplied by a fireworks manufacturer, or the City, outlining the
safe storage, handling and discharge of fireworks.
5. Sale to Minors Prohibited
(a) No person shall sell fireworks to any person under the age of eighteen (18)
years.
(b) No person shall sell fireworks to any person without a sign being present
on the site and clearly visible to the public, in each display unit, stating
that sales to persons under eighteen (18) years of age are prohibited.
6. Storage and Display of Fireworks
(a) When fireworks are displayed for sale within any building, the fireworks
vendor shall ensure that no lot, bin or bundle of fireworks shall exceed a
weight of 25 kilograms and no fireworks shall be exposed to direct
sunlight.
(b) Where the total stock of fireworks on a site exceeds a weight of 1,000
kilograms, the fireworks vendor shall require a licence from the
Explosives Division, Department of Energy, Mines and Resources.
(c) Every fireworks vendor shall ensure that all fireworks displayed or offered
for sale are kept within an enclosed, non-combustible display unit, locked
and accessible only to employees of the fireworks vendor.
(d) No person shall have in his or her possession within six (6) metres of any
fireworks kept or displayed for sale any lighted match, lighted lighter,
lighted pipe, lighted cigar, lighted cigarette or any other lighted fire
producing device.
(e) Every fireworks vendor shall ensure that all fireworks that remain
unsold at the expiration of the selling period specified in Section 2 of
this By-law are immediately stored in a cool, dry place remote from
flammable materials and inaccessible to the public.
7. Temporary Vendor [amended by By-law (2025)-21073]
Every temporary vendor shall comply with all of the provisions of this By-law and
shall:
(a) (i) Obtain the appropriate business licence from the City Clerk prior to
doing business; and
(ii) Ensure that such licence is prominently displayed in a place visible to
the public on the site from which the vendor is doing business;
(b) Provide a letter to the City Clerk from the owner of property on which a
vending structure is to be located, indicating permission to do so has been
given to the temporary vendor;
(c) Provide a site plan showing the location of each vending structure in
reference to City streets, buildings on the site and parking areas on the
site, demonstrating compliance with all applicable laws and regulations,
including the Explosives Act, 1985, as amended and regulations
thereunder, and all guidelines established by the Federal Explosives
Division, Department of Energy, Mines and Resources, and the
manufacturer's instructions included with each specific package of
fireworks.
(d) Not permit the display or sale of fireworks unless the site complies with all
applicable laws and regulations, including the Explosives Act,1985, as
amended and regulations thereunder, and all guidelines established by the
Federal Explosives Division, Department of Energy, Mines and Resources,
and the manufacturer's instructions included with each specific package of
By-law Number (1993) - 14362
Page 3 of 5
fireworks.
(e) Erect and maintain connected pylons or fencing of a temporary nature to
establish a no-encroachment zone, which complies with all applicable laws
and regulations, including the Explosives Act,1985, as amended and
regulations thereunder, and all guidelines established by the Federal
Explosives Division, Department of Energy, Mines and Resources, and the
manufacturer's instructions included with each specific package of
fireworks.
(f) Post and maintain at every entrance point to the no-encroachment zone
and at every entrance point to each vending structure, a sign that is
clearly visible to the public stating that the items listed in Section 6(d) of
this Bylaw are prohibited within six (6) metres of a vending structure;
(g) Ensure that where the public is permitted access to a vending structure,
that such structure has at least two (2) separate entrances;
(h) Ensure that the public complies with Section 6(d) of this By-law;
(i) Ensure that no more than twenty (20) persons are in any vending
Structure at any one time;
(j) Ensure that when the public is permitted access to a vending structure the
temporary vendor or an agent or employee of the temporary vendor is in
attendance;
(k) Not operate unless a 2A10BC rated fire extinguisher is provided for each
employee to combat fires which have not yet spread to the fireworks
and ensure that fires involving fireworks are not fought but rather
efforts are concentrated on evacuation and crowd control;
(l) Post and maintain a sign indicating "IN CASE OF FIRE CALL 911" that is
clearly visible to the public in each vending structure at all times;
(m) Not leave a vending structure on any site overnight unless at least one (1)
security person is on duty whenever the temporary vendor is absent from
the site;
(n) Where a vending structure is a tent, ensure that the tent material
conforms with NFPA 701-1977, "Standard Methods of Fire Tests for
Flame Resistant Textiles and Films: and that the tent is so labelled;
(o) Where a fire alarm system is not provided in accordance with Subsection
3.2.4 of the Ontario Building Code, ensure that a person is employed for
and is on firewatch duty at all times in vending structures that are tents
and air-supported structures, whenever such structures are open to the
public, in order to patrol the area and ensure the entrances are kept clear
and that the regulations of this By- law relating to the public are enforced.
8. Discharge of Fireworks [amended by By-law (1994)-14680; (1998)-
15878; (2013)-19578; (2025)-21073]
(a) No person shall discharge any fireworks on City-owned lands unless
permission to do so has been given by the Guelph Fire Chief or his/her
designate, which permission may be subject to terms and conditions,
including but not limited to, the provision of liability insurance naming the
City of Guelph as an additional insured.
(b) No person shall discharge any fireworks within the City of Guelph at any
time except on the days observed as Victoria Day, Canada Day, Diwali
unless permission to do so has been given by the Guelph Fire Chief or
his/her designate.
(c) In addition to subsections (a) and (b) of this section, no person shall
discharge any fireworks within the City of Guelph except between 9:00
a.m. and 11:00 p.m. on the day such discharge is permitted.
(d) When granting an approval under section 8.(a) or 8.(b) the Guelph Fire
Chief or his/her designate, The delegated authority stipulates the Fire
Chief will consult with Bylaw Compliance staff, take into account public
safety and potential noise levels. It will also require that the public be
made aware of any authorized display or discharging of fireworks at least
By-law Number (1993) - 14362
Page 4 of 5
48 hours prior to an event.
(e) Within three hundred (300) meters of the boundary of a property on which
any of the following are located:
(i)
hospital;
(ii)
retirement home;
(iii)
long-term care home;
(iv)
place of worship;
(v)
school;
(vi)
daycare; or
(vii)
other similar type of occupancy unless approval of the fire chief
and the consent of the owner is obtained.
9. Fireworks Displays [amended by By-law (2013)-19578]
(a) No person or organization shall conduct a fireworks display using High
hazard fireworks within the City of Guelph without first obtaining
approval to do so from the Guelph Fire Chief or his/her designate.
(b) No person or organization approved by the Guelph Fire Chief or his/her
designate to conduct a High hazard fireworks display shall do so without
first obtaining a permit from the Guelph Fire Department to conduct the
fireworks display.
(c) No person shall be permitted to set off High-hazard fireworks in a
fireworks display without first successfully completing a fireworks
supervisor course and holding a valid Fireworks Supervisor Card.
(d) No person shall use any fireworks in a fireworks display other than
those authorized pursuant to the Explosives Regulations of the
Department of Energy, Mines and Resources.
(e) Every person having control of any fireworks to be used in a fireworks
display shall ensure that such fireworks are stored in a cool, dry place
remote from flammable materials and inaccessible to the public.
(f) Every person or organization that conducts a fireworks display shall
ensure that all fireworks that failed to fire are immediately disposed of in
a safe manner having regard to the particular type of fireworks involved.
(g) Every person or organization that conducts a fireworks display shall
ensure that all unfired fireworks are subsequently stored in accordance
with Section 9(e) of this By-law.
(h) When granting an approval under section 9.(a) or 9.(b) the Guelph Fire
Chief or his/her designate, The delegated authority stipulates the Fire
Chief will consult with Bylaw Compliance staff, take into account public
safety and potential noise levels. It will also require that the public be
made aware of any authorized display or discharging of fireworks at
least 48 hours prior to an event.
10. Offence
It shall be an offence for any person to contravene any provision of this By- law.
11. Penalties [amended by By-law (2025)-21073]
(a) Every person convicted of an offence under any provision of this By-law is
liable to a maximum fine as set out in Section 61 of the Provincial Offences
Act, R.S.O. 1990, Chapter P.33, as amended or any successor thereof, for
each offence.
(b) Any person convicted of an offence under this By-law is liable to a fine as set
out in Schedule "A" of set fines as imposed under this By-law.
12. By-law Number (1992)-14097 is hereby repealed.
By-law Number (1993) - 14362
Page 5 of 5
[amended by By-law (2013)-19578]
13. Sections 8 (a),(b),(d) and 9 (a),(b) and (h) come into effect immediately.
[amended by By-law (2013)-19578]
14. Municipal Code Amendment #488 is hereby adopted and amends
Chapter 151, "Fireworks" of The Corporation of the City of Guelph
Municipal Code.
[amended by By-law (2025)-21073]
15. 1(c), 2, 4 (a),(b), 7(c),(d),(e), 8(b),(c),(e), 11
Passed this fourth day of May, 1993.
Original Signed by:
John Counsell
Mayor
Original Signed by:
V. Charlene Lavigne
Acting City Clerk