Victoria Day Weekend Erupted in Fireworks Chaos
Illegal fireworks, injuries, and a park closure marked Ontario's unofficial summer kickoff as rowdy crowds turned celebrations dangerous.
The unofficial start of summer turned into a cautionary tale this Victoria Day long weekend. Across Ontario, fireworks-related incidents escalated from property damage to violence as teenagers weaponized roman candles and pyrotechnics spiraled out of control.
The chaos started early Monday when a car crashed into a fireworks shop in Etobicoke, igniting a five-alarm blaze that sent packaged explosives shooting into the air as firefighters battled the flames. But the real trouble came that evening, when fireworks stopped being celebratory and started being used as makeshift weapons.
Toronto Police arrested five people at Woodbine Park—several caught shooting fireworks at others. Another four were arrested in Waterloo. In Mississauga's Streetsville, a girl was hit by a firework while in her car and treated by local police. Port Credit saw similar incidents. But Brampton became the focal point: unruly teenagers gathered for organized "fireworks wars" in Chinguacousy Park, forcing the city to close the entire public space "due to large, unsafe gatherings and use of fireworks" just after 7:30 p.m. Monday.
The closure reignited a simmering debate in Brampton, where fireworks have been banned since 2022—a decision critics argue unfairly targets South Asian communities during holidays like Diwali. This weekend's violence probably won't change that argument, but it certainly proved the safety risk is real. Canada Day is six weeks away; expect this conversation to heat up again.