Fireworks bylaw to restrict usage
Metchosin council took steps Monday toward clarifying the rules around the usage of fireworks in the District, requesting staff to prepare a bylaw that includes various restrictions.
Under the new bylaw, fireworks use would be restricted to Oct. 31 (Halloween) and Dec. 31 (New Year’s Eve), although arrangements could be made for their use on other occasions with special permits. On those special occasions, neighbours will have to be notified of their use.
Multiple members of the public expressed concern over fireworks and a desire to have them restricted, with some sighting potential harm and suffering to animals during their use.
Only Coun. Bob Gramigna voted against the motion, expressing concerns with the notification of neighbours due to potential privacy and conflict issues that could arise.
Council busy at UBCM
In addition to Metchosin's initiative regarding old-growth forests, as reported in Wednesday's Gazette, the municipality brought a few other resolutions to the table at the Union of B.C. Municipalities convention last week.
One asking the province not to force amalgamation was endorsed by a wide margin. Coun. Moralea Milne attended the convention and said there was a need for assurance on the issue. "We wanted to have it reconfirmed by [this] government and the government that might come in that there is no appetite for forced amalgamation," she said.
A large volume of resolutions at UBCM meant a resolution to make National Aboriginal Day a statutory holiday was not voted on or discussed. Milne has been given council approval to submit a letter of support for the resolution to the UBCM executive and plans to continue her support of this initiative at next year's AVICC conference.
"We're about to celebrate Canada's 150th birthday pre-contact but we don't recognize [First Nations] in any substantial way ... it's about time that we recognized their important place in this country," she said.
National Aboriginal Day has been celebrated on June 21 for 20 years. It is already a statutory holiday in the Northwest Territories.
joel.tansey@goldstreamgazette.com