The City of Calgary has announced it will be adding a fireworks display to its Canada Day celebrations, a week after claiming it would replace them with a pyrotechnic show.
“We have heard from many Calgarians as well as members of city council that while the pilot program is valued, they would also appreciate an aerial fireworks display to celebrate on July 1,” said City Manager
David Duckworth on May 25.“We are working with partners to confirm an appropriate site and will share details as they become available.”
The city initially announced it was cancelling the Canada Day fireworks due to concerns about Indigenous Truth and Reconciliation, the 100th anniversary of the Chinese Immigration Act, and upsetting the city’s animals and wildlife. The decision to cancel the fireworks was made by the city’s arts and culture department, not by city councillors.
Duckworth said Calgary remains “committed to considering cultural sensitivities while respecting the diverse make-up of Calgary.” He added that when planning for the fireworks display, the city will take into consideration concerns about late-night traffic, overcrowding, noise, and impacts to the environment.
Duckworth also said that the city will still have an enhanced pyrotechnic show at Fort Calgary, and that it will offer diverse, inclusive and educational programming for Calgarians.
An online petition calling for the decision to be reversed, which was started by the group
Common Sense Calgary, also received more than 12,000 signatures.
Vancouver Fraser Port Authority also announced its Canada Day fireworks show will be cancelled in 2023 and every year going forward, with the celebration being rebranded as “Canada Together.” According to Port of Vancouver spokesman Alex Munro, the new direction for the event followed national conversations about how best to celebrate the day following the “tragic findings at residential schools.”
The City of Toronto had considered cancelling its Canada Day celebration at Nathan Phillips Square due to “resource constraints” during a “fiscally complex year,” but announced it had reversed its decision on May 24. “The City will continue to work with its partners, including other orders of government, to deliver this year’s celebrations across Toronto, including on Nathan Phillips Square,” said Jessamine Luck, a spokesperson at the City of Toronto.
