The village of North Hatley is back in force with a Canada Day fireworks display on June 30 at 10 p.m. in Dreamland Park. North Hatley has always had a magnificent Canada Day fireworks display, with the exception of a few years, including 2023 and 2024 to my knowledge. I may have missed the 2024 fireworks!
I’ve attended several fireworks displays in North Hatley in recent years. I’ve always been impressed by the size and beauty of the displays on Lake Massawippi. In fact, many people come from all over to see North Hatley’s “famous” fireworks display. During the fireworks, North Hatley’s traffic is so heavy that firefighters have to intervene to ensure safety and ease traffic flow.
In 2023, the municipality of North Hatley had decreed that there would be no fireworks on Lake Massawippi, not only because of the forest fires, but also because fireworks represented a considerable sum of money for the village at the time. Most importantly, the municipality had pointed out that fireworks had considerable negative effects on the environment, such as air quality, debris, lake health, animal health and so on. That’s why the council aimed to find alternative solutions.
D’ailleurs, j’ai demandé à Chatgpt ce qu’il pense de la pollution reliée aux feux d’artifice sur un lac.
Voici sa réponse :
Yes, setting off fireworks on a lake can be polluting, both for the water and for the surrounding air and ecosystems. Here are the main environmental impacts:
Air pollution
Fireworks release :
- Fine particles (PM2.5 and PM10): harmful to human and animal health.
- Heavy metals: used to give the colors (e.g. strontium, barium, copper, antimony, etc.), which remain in the air and fall back into the water or onto the ground.
- Pollutant gases: such as sulfur dioxide or nitrogen oxides.
Water pollution
When fireworks are fired over a lake :
- Residues fall into the water: pieces of rockets, heavy metals, paper, plastics.
- Chemical contamination: components may be toxic to fish, amphibians and aquatic invertebrates.
- pH disturbance: certain residues can alter the chemical balance of the water body.
Impact on wildlife
- Stress and panic: intense noise can disturb birds, fish and other animals.
- Nesting disturbed: if birds are nesting nearby, they may abandon their nests.
- Long-term toxicity: chemical residues can accumulate in the food chain.
Greener alternatives :
- Luminous drone shows: no noise, no smoke, no residue.
- Green“ fireworks: some companies are developing less polluting versions, with more biodegradable components or ”clean” oxidizers.
Perhaps the fireworks in North Hatley this year are “green” as mentioned by Chatgpt. Indeed, there are alternatives proposed by companies developing less polluting versions with biodegradable components or “clean” oxidizers. That would be great and in line with the municipality’s vision of sustainable development.
Personally, I love fireworks and so do my children, so I’ll be the first to watch it with my family by the lake. On the other hand, I’m a great defender of the health of the lake and its ecosystem. As for the municipal budget, I lack information, so I’m going to abstain. It’s probably in our good hands!
Of course, I do wonder about the protection of our Lake Massawippi and its environment. The municipality of North Hatley and several organizations, including Bleu Massawippi and La Fondation Massawippi, are working hard to preserve the lake and its ecosystems. I imagine that, with the ecosystem protection objectives of all stakeholders, the municipality has chosen greener fireworks in keeping with its vision of a municipality committed to sustainable development.
On that note, happy ecological fireworks or not!
Communiqué de la municipalité de North Hatley le 9 août 2023 précisant les raisons de l’absence de feux d’artifice.
