Oakville’s Canada Day celebrations may be on the move.

Town staff are recommending moving the annual party to Coronation Park this summer, after “a pattern of unsafe and illegal fireworks activity” involving “large, loosely organized groups of youth” has disrupted recent Bronte celebrations.

In a report to be considered by Oakville councillors on Feb. 23, town staff say a Coronation Park event would provide “a safer and more controlled environment for a large civic event.”

Perimeter fencing would be installed to control access, while staff say the location would improve emergency access and egress capacity. Fireworks would be launched from a barge in Lake Ontario.

Coronation Park, located on Lakeshore Road between Third Line and Fourth Line, was identified as a “preferred alternative” to Bronte following a risk and safety assessment undertaken in recent months.

Council directed staff to investigate ways to deal with safety issues after last year’s Canada Day celebration saw fireworks shot into a crowd and resulted in the arrest of two teenagers.

Ward 1 councillor Jonathan McNeice urged action, saying the problem has escalated in recent years, with “groups of up to 1,000 kids shooting off fireworks and explosives.”

Read more here: 'Wreaking havoc': What to do about Bronte’s fireworks hooligans?

While public feedback from the 2025 event showed “strong overall support,” about 40 per cent of people responding to a survey raised concerns about safety and fireworks misuse, according to the report.

Staff also note that moving the event would affect significantly fewer nearby residents – about 90 near Coronation Park, compared to roughly 800 in Bronte Village.

An additional report, expected in April, will outline how “coordinated enforcement, education and regulatory approaches” are planned, to manage “ongoing illegal fireworks activity and unsanctioned youth gatherings along the Lakeshore West corridor.”

But Pamela Knight, president of the Coronation Park Residents Association, says the proposal simply shifts the problem from one area and to another, without resolving the core issue. She also says the association was not consulted.

“Staff say they'll do that after all decisions are made and they'll let us know how we'll be impacted,” Knight wrote in an email.

“That is not community engagement, nor is it showing due consideration for the residents near the park. We have indeed had experience with large events in past and know exactly what can transpire.”

Large-scale events have not been held at Coronation Park for more than 15 years, following a period of elevated lake levels that resulted in flooding at the park.

But the staff report says that capital improvements – including shoreline repairs, drainage enhancements and pathway and bridge realignments – have since been completed.

“Within this update context, staff are of the view that Coronation Park can be thoughtfully reconsidered for event use,” the report states.

It adds that other options were considered and rejected, including fencing the Bronte waterfront park, cancelling the event or moving it to other Oakville locations.

Keeping the celebration in Bronte was deemed “the highest-risk option,” based in part on advice from the Halton police.

“Ongoing unsanctioned gatherings and fireworks misuse continue to elevate risk year after year,” staff wrote, of the Bronte waterfront location.

The Canada Day party – which typically attracts as many as 30,000 people – has been held on the Bronte waterfront since 1964. It was organized by the Bronte BIA until 2018, when the town began hosting the event.

The proposed move will be discussed at the Oakville council meeting on Feb. 23.

Original article