The City of Ottawa says it deliberately chose not to notify residents before setting off a surprise fireworks display Thursday night, citing concerns that publicizing the event could have created “public safety risks.”
The fireworks were originally scheduled for Canada Day but were cancelled due to severe weather.
The roughly 12-minute display was instead set off around 10:53 p.m. Thursday over LeBreton Flats as part of Ottawa Bluesfest, setting off the unused fireworks from July 1.
Videos of the unexpected display quickly spread across social media, with many residents questioning why there had been no advance warning for the late-night display.
In a statement to Global News, the city said the decision not to advertise the fireworks was made by its Special Event Advisory Team, which includes representatives from the Ottawa Police Service, emergency services, Ottawa Public Health, and other city departments.
The city said officials were concerned that announcing the rescheduled fireworks could have drawn large crowds to streets surrounding Bluesfest, which can already see up to tens of thousands of attendees.
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“This had the potential to create an “event surrounding an event,’” said Perrault.
“The decision followed careful consideration of public safety implications,” Ryan Perrault, the city’s general manager of emergency and protective services, said in the statement.
The Department of Canadian Heritage (PCH) echoed those concerns, saying the fireworks were already primed and disarming them would pose a significant risk to the fireworks crew.
“PCH, in collaboration with public safety and event partners, made an arrangement with Ottawa Bluesfest for the festival to use the fireworks and host a display at the end of their opening night,” they said in a statement.
City offficials said promoting Thursday night’s display would have led large numbers of people to gather outside the ticketed Bluesfest grounds in an attempt to watch the fireworks.
After considering the available options, the City’s Special Event Advisory Team “determined that the public safety risks associated with encouraging additional attendance in the surrounding area outweighed the benefits of broader notification,” the statement said.
The city acknowledged the decision caught many residents off guard.
“Staff recognize that the display caused concern and disturbance for some residents, particularly given the absence of advance notice,” Perrault said.
As of Friday morning, the city said its bylaw and regulatory services department had received 38 complaints related to the fireworks.
Perrault said staff will review the public feedback as part of a post-event debrief to determine whether changes should be made for future events.
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