Retailers fear fireworks rules could make sales a dud
Last Updated: Friday, October 17, 2008 | 2:20 PM PT
CBC News
Robert Laut of the Toyland Company says people may not buy fireworks because of the new permit requirement. (CBC) Fireworks retailers in Vancouver are worried millions of dollars worth of pyrotechnics may sit on the shelves this Halloween because of new regulations.
Adults who wish to buy fireworks in the city now need to complete a short safety quiz online to obtain a family fireworks permit.
The permits are easy to get on any computer connected to the internet. After reading the short safety notice, people can take a multiple-choice quiz as many times as they need to pass.
Once they pass the quiz, they can then print a permit, which they need to show to the retailer, along with two pieces of identification proving they are over the age of 19, when they buy fireworks.
Retailers concerned about sales
Several retailers told CBC News they agree with the need for regulations, but said almost nobody knows about the new permits.
Robert Laut of the Toyland Company predicts many people will likely not bother getting them once they find out.
"We're looking at a drop of retail sales of about 75 per cent. There is going to be a lot of customers that'll just say, 'Yah know what? It's not worth my time. I have other things to do, and we'll do it next year,'" said Laut.
More advertising needs to be done to let people know about the family firework permits, said Laut.
The Vancouver Fire Department has backed the permit program, and is responsible for helping get the word out, but Capt. Gabe Roder said every dollar in the advertising budget has already been spent.
"We've been given a budget. We're working as good as we can within that budget. We have utilized every single penny of that budget to advertise," said Roder.
Vancouver is one of only a handful of municipalities in British Columbia that still allow the sale of fireworks.
