Surrey hikes fireworks fines | CTV News [Video]

Anyone caught setting off fireworks in Surrey could face significantly higher fines going forward.

Ahead of Halloween and Diwali, which fall on the same day this year, Surrey City Council voted to increase fines related to selling and using fireworks.

In Surrey, it’s illegal to set off fireworks without a permit from the city’s fire department and a federal “fireworks operator” certification.

At Monday’s meeting, Fire Chief Larry Thomas told councillors his department responds to between 12 to 20 fire calls related to fireworks annually, 75 per cent of which happen between mid-October and mid-November.

And last year, bylaw staff had 500 “interactions” related to fireworks complaints and issued 150 tickets, said general manager of corporate services Joey Jatinder Singh Brar.

“The increase in fines is in response to the significant surge in complaints related to fireworks leading up to Halloween and Diwali,” said Mayor Brenda Locke, in a news …