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.
Diwali event poster. (CBC/Michael Evans)
“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.
Diwali set up at a store in Windsor. (CBC/Michael Evans)
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 says he looks forward to celebrating Diwali and thinks Windsor should make an exemption for the holiday and allow fireworks. (Michael Evans/CBC)
Gurpreet Singh, co-owner of SK Grocers with Khadela, said that in general they haven’t had any issues.
“Everyone is co-operating, even they come to our store … and they enjoy the fireworks,” Singh said. “Then they get to join a little celebration and we have a good time.”They did receive one complaint that prompted a city official to come out, but he said they were just asked to wrap up by 11 p.m., which they were already set to do.
“They know that this is just one day and people are going to celebrate and there are a lot of people,” Singh said. “But I would just request them to come with us, enjoy with us, and we’ll tell them what a big day it is. So I think we can come [closer] together and have a good time.
“I think we should at least give an exemption for this one day.”