Summary#

Calgary City Council passed Bylaw 33M2026 on September 22, 2026. It amends the Fire Operations and Fees Bylaw 55M2014 and the Parks and Pathways Bylaw 11M2019. The City says the changes aim to improve fireworks safety and enforcement while supporting community-led celebrations.

• The fine for selling or offering fireworks for sale rises from $750 to $3,000. The fine for discharging fireworks without a permit rises from $500 to $1,000.
• A new $1,000 fine applies to openly displaying a firework in a public place.
• Novelty devices, such as sparklers and party snaps, are exempt from the bylaw. The amendments also update fireworks definitions to align with federal classifications.
• The separate Parks and Pathways Bylaw offence and fine for setting off fireworks in a park are removed, so one City fine applies for unauthorized use.
• City staff are developing a joint operational plan for peak periods, including retailer outreach, public education, information sharing and a visible presence by City agencies.
• Council passed the bylaw 13 to 1. Councillor Jamieson voted against it.

What it means for you#

• People in Calgary: The existing restrictions remain: fireworks sales are prohibited, and fireworks use is limited to certified professionals at approved locations with a City permit. The changes raise fines and add an offence for openly displaying fireworks in a public place.
• People using novelty devices: The bylaw exempts novelty devices, including examples such as sparklers and party snaps. The supplied material does not explain the full scope of the exemption.
• Community organizations: City staff will continue engaging with groups interested in organizing community-led celebrations. The decision does not create a new City-run event or guarantee funding for community events.
• Residents generally: The decision does not make consumer fireworks generally legal or change the permit rules for professional displays.

Money#

City staff say the measures will use existing operating budgets; no total cost estimate is provided.

• A separate $30,000 grant had already been approved for the Diwali Lights Festival Calgary at the Genesis Centre on November 14, 2026. It was not approved by this bylaw decision.
• City staff estimated a full-day, City-run event could cost up to $750,000 and take 12 to 18 months to plan. Staff did not recommend creating one.

What is unclear#

• The supplied material does not include the full bylaw text, so the precise wording and scope of the novelty-device exemption and the new public-display offence could not be verified.
• The decision does not set out how City staff will measure whether the higher fines or operational plan change fireworks activity.
• The materials do not give a cost estimate for the joint operational plan or say how many staff will be involved.
• City staff identify a risk that enforcement may be seen as targeting particular communities, or that City support for events may favour some celebrations over others. The decision does not set out specific safeguards for these concerns.
• Councillor Jamieson’s reason for voting against the bylaw is not given.

Case for#

• City staff say the higher fines respond to complaints that current penalties are too low to deter illegal sales and unauthorized use.
• The new offence for openly displaying a firework in a public place gives officers a way to act before fireworks are set off, according to City staff.
• Engagement participants described confusion about the rules and supported clear, culturally relevant safety messages delivered through trusted community groups.
• City staff say coordinated planning and visible enforcement ahead of peak periods could help address seasonal enforcement challenges.

Case against#

• Participants in engagement raised concerns about mixed signals: consumer fireworks are available, while their sale and use are restricted in Calgary. The decision does not address that availability.
• Higher fines may not resolve the practical challenge of enforcing rules when fireworks use is brief and evidence can disappear before responders arrive; the City’s research identifies this challenge.
• City staff warn that enforcement could be perceived as unfairly targeting specific communities, and that City-supported events could favour some cultural celebrations over others.
• The materials do not explain why Councillor Jamieson opposed the bylaw, so the record provided gives no specific argument from the dissenting vote.