Diwali fireworks aren't allowed without a permit — but these Windsorites think that should change
CBC
Except on a few special days a year, Windsorites aren't allowed to buy or set off fireworks. But as the city's South Asian community prepares to celebrate Diwali, two local business owners say the Festival of Lights should be added to the list of holidays.
According to the Hindu calendar, this year's Diwali begins Oct. 31 continues to Nov. 1 . It's the largest festival celebrated by Hindu, Sikh and Jain communities worldwide.
A handful of southwestern Ontario municipalities, including Chatham-Kent and Sarnia, have exceptions in place that allow for backyard fireworks during Diwali, referencing them as "additional special occasions."
Windsor isn't among the cities with an exception for Diwali, but the owners of a local South Asian grocery store say that so far, it hasn't been a problem and people have been understanding.
"It's the biggest festival ... and in order to celebrate Diwali, people do decorate their houses, they fire up fireworks and they eat good food, sweets," said Nikunj Khadela, co-owner of SK Grocers at the corner of Wyandotte Street West and Cameron Avenue.
Craig Robertson, Windsor's manager of licensing and enforcement, says both the sale and use of consumer fireworks are not allowed — with exceptions for Victoria Day, Canada Day, the 4th of July and New Year's Eve.
"Should any organization or event holder wish to hold a fireworks 'display' they must first obtain permission from the fire chief by means of a permit," he stated in an email.
According to Robertson, any further exemptions to the bylaw would require approval from city council.
While the owners of SK Grocers acknowledge they don't have a permit, they say they're respectful of neighbours and it hasn't been a problem.
Khadela says Windsor's South Asian population that celebrates Diwali is growing, and their store is constantly busy — even more so in the days leading up to Diwali.
In advance, the store goes door to door and notifies neighbours about the fireworks, letting them know what time they'll be starting.
Gurpreet Singh, co-owner of SK Grocers with Khadela, said that in general they haven't had any issues.
A new Starlink Wi-Fi access point has been established in the N.W.T. about 100 kilometres outside Fort Smith at the grader camp roadside pull-off along Highway 5.
Cynthia Black believes her rent has been rigged.
The London Police Service (LPS) is investigating financial activity at the region's largest hospital network, London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC) officials confirmed, Wednesday.
Police in St. John's have received a second report of a sharp object found inside a package of Halloween candy.
The daughters of a woman who was killed in Nova Scotia twelve days ago by her husband before he killed himself are calling on the RCMP for more transparency around domestic violence, alleging the force is covering up what happened because their mother's husband was a retired Mountie.
Several towns in Quebec are choosing to move the date of Halloween this year by encouraging trick-or-treating on Friday or Saturday instead of on Thursday, Oct. 31.
Newly elected trustees to an embattled western Manitoba school board say they hope their victory will lead to more voices being heard.
CBC is projecting four more seats for the Saskatchewan NDP and one more for the Saskatchewan Party after the first round of mail-in ballots were counted on Wednesday.
A former dog trainer in Vancouver who lost a 2019 bid to keep four dogs seized by the B.C. SPCA has been fined in connection with the case.
A male victim is dead follwoing a police shooting in Aurora on Wednesday night, York Regional Police say.
The Toronto Caribbean Carnival may be cancelled next year if all three levels of government cannot provide $2 million in emergency funding, the CEO of the festival management committee says.