People got terribly stupid with fireworks all around Ontario on Canada Day 2024

Another holiday long weekend in Toronto has come and gone, marking another excuse for some people in and around the city to take their celebrations — and the fireworks that come with them — to stupid and dangerous levels.

While well-behaved crowds amassed to celebrate the nation along the waterfront near Ashbridge’s Bay, at Canada’s Wonderland, in green spaces like Centennial Park and Stan Wadlow Park, and wherever else sanctioned Canada Day fireworks shows were held, there were a few inevitable outliers who chose public nuisance rather than respect.

There were numerous reports of individuals firing flaming pyrotechnics at each other and into crowds, including in Kitchener, where local police had to shut down festivities in one park for “multiple reports” of Roman candles “being shot towards parkgoers.”

The chaos was attributed to a “large group of youth” who apparently even placed one of the explosives under a baby stroller and aimed others at police, leading to a charge against one 17-year-old male for assaulting a police officer.

Alcohol-related charges were also issued, and there was a call for an armed robbery in the area, as well.

This is now the second holiday in a row that the public space — which has “no fireworks” signage posted — had to be shut down over such antics.

Similar reports came out of T.O., along with complaints of people illegally putting on their own private fireworks displays late into the night, keeping angry neighbours, their kids and pets awake, and potentially putting themselves and others in harm’s way.

One person also bemoaned some shoddy firework disposal in one local park, where spent casings appeared to have beeen tossed into a public garbage bin that consequently turned into a smoking mess.

Others on social media said they were unable to report unauthorized use of pyrotechnics to the City, with one resident saying bylaw enforcement fully blew their concerns off. 

Then there was the city councillor in Waterloo who had fireworks aimed right at her by a group of citizens that she had asked to stop with the unlawful behaviour.

“He just turned on me and started shooting the fireworks at me. It was multiple fireworks so two to three of them went off and one of them hit me right where my ear meets my cheek.” Ward 7 Councillor Julie Wright told Global News on Monday.

She luckily did not suffer any major injuries, though she has singed hair and a sore spot to show for the ordeal.

As always after dates that bring these sorts of shenanigans, some are now calling for fireworks bans in the interests of public, animal and environmental health and safety.