No mandatory fireworks-safety course — yet
A bylaw change that would require Kamloopsians to take a $150 safety course in order to get a permit for fireworks is going back to the drawing board.
To obtain a fireworks discharge permit, residents would need to complete a federally run certification course.
Shooting off fireworks without the certification would result in a $500 fine.
Kamloops Fire Rescue Chief Neill Moroz said his department deals with a number of fireworks-related issues each year, including people setting fire to neighbouring properties by mistake.
While the department’s preferred solution was an outright ban on fireworks, the safety training was offered as a less-extreme alternative.
However, city councillors expressed concern with the proposed changes, with Mayor Peter Milobar calling the extra costs “onerous.
“It’s easier to get a driver’s licence for a car than what you’re proposing,” he said.
Council suggested instead that the fire department look at setting up its own training course, which could be offered a few times a year, with a lower cost to residents.
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