AI disclosure statement: No AI tools were used in the production of this piece.
Listen to the whole story here:
People launched aerial fireworks from Brampton streets during Diwali celebrations on Nov. 8 despite the city’s prohibition on personal fireworks. A witness near Woodbine Mall described fireworks being used.
Others observed and reported street launches in Brampton, including near Castlemore, as they were returning from celebrations that evening.
Keshav Sharma, who works in information technology, said he witnessed fireworks misuse after stepping outside a restaurant near Woodbine Mall (in Etobicoke).
He said he worried that what he described as reckless behaviour by some young people could damage public perceptions of South Asian communities.
These accounts describe activity outside the limits municipalities set for personal fireworks. Brampton prohibits their personal use across the city, including on private property. Toronto and Mississauga allows fireworks on specific days, including Diwali , but both prohibit personal displays on public streets.
Before the celebrations, Peel Regional Police said that officers would be on patrol and that safety precautions were being taken.
“Follow local bylaws for fireworks usage,” the police LinkedIn account posted in a separate public Diwali message. The message also urged drivers to watch for pedestrians and reminded residents to keep noise levels respectful.
For Sachin Chopra, who recently came to Canada from Delhi after getting married, the celebrations brought a comparison with the place he had left. He said he brought his wife to Canada hoping for a better quality of life, but some scenes during Diwali reminded him of home.
Brampton identifies reducing air pollution, debris and excessive noise among the reasons for its fireworks ban, alongside preventing fires, injuries and property damage. Its published penalties include $500 for unauthorized discharge or possession and $1,000 for selling or distributing fireworks. Sparklers remain permitted.
In Mississauga, permission to use consumer fireworks on Nov. 8 was limited to private residential properties between 6 and 10 p.m. Streets, sidewalks and other public property remained off limits. The city announced additional municipal bylaw officers would be on duty during Diwali.
Toronto required a permit for Diwali fireworks. Under its fireworks rules, Victoria Day and Canada Day are the only days when residents can set off consumer fireworks on their own property without one.
At the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir on Claireville Drive in Toronto, volunteers said precautions were being taken for the temple’s fireworks celebration. They described fireworks as permitted in Toronto, where the city’s permit requirements apply.
Brampton directed residents to its official Nov. 8 Diwali Mela at Sesquicentennial Park, 11333 Bramalea Rd., which scheduled a fireworks display. The city-organized event did not authorize personal fireworks elsewhere in Brampton.
Diwali, the Festival of Lights, is marked through prayers, family gatherings, festive meals and the lighting of small oil lamps called diyas. Fireworks form part of some celebrations.
Previous enforcement records show why responding to complaints can be difficult.
A Brampton staff report on Diwali enforcement in 2025 recorded 1,713 service requests concerning fireworks and/or excessive noise during the six-day period from Oct. 17 to 22. Officials issued 96 penalty notices totalling $48,000 for fireworks and excessive noise offences.
“More than half did not include actionable information that would support enforcement actions,” the report wrote of those service requests.
Staff also reported a shift toward shorter, more dispersed gatherings in driveways and backyards, requiring adjustments to enforcement. Those figures describe 2025, rather than the number of violations or penalties during this year’s celebrations.
Reporter, OTR, F2026.
