Halloween can be safe and fun for everyone. Explore the resources below to learn:
- When can I set off fireworks?
- How can I make trick-or-treating safer for my family?
- How can I keep my pets safe on Halloween?
- And more!
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Fireworks can ONLY be set off on October 31 within the City of Terrace city limits. Fireworks may be sold from October 29 to October 31.
The only place for discharge of fireworks is private property with written permission from the owner or as part of a public event with permission from the Fire Department. You MUST be 19+ to light, hold, possess, or detonate fireworks in Terrace. It is illegal to sell fireworks to anyone under 19 years old.
Fireworks are regulated in the City of Terrace through Fire Prevention Bylaw 1365-1994, Nuisance Bylaw 1318, and Noise Control Bylaw 2100-2016. Please direct fireworks complaints to the City of Terrace Fire Department at 250-638-4734 (available 24/7) or the Bylaw Department at 250-615-4000 (Mon-Fri; 8:30 am-4:30 pm; fireworks complaints only). Please call WHEN the fireworks are occurring, not after, to help us inform residents of this year’s bylaw change and ensure fines can be given out when necessary.*
REMEMBER: The sudden noise from fireworks can be very upsetting to animals. Please be considerate of your neighbours regarding your fireworks usage and let them know in advance if you’re planning to set any off on Halloween. Be sure to clean up afterwards as fireworks debris can be harmful to animals.
Do you know how to be responsible and safe when using fireworks? Scroll down to view some top tips from the Terrace Fire Department.
ImageImageImageImageImageImageImageLearn more about fireworks regulations in our bylaws
City of Terrace Fire Prevention Bylaw No. 1365-1994 (Consolidated)
City of Terrace Nuisance Bylaw No. 1318
City of Terrace Noise Control Bylaw No. 2100-2016
Need something shareable? Read our brochure for details.
Download fireworks brochure (updated 2023)
Report unauthorized fireworks use
Please call WHEN the fireworks are occurring, not after, to help us inform residents of the bylaw change and ensure fines can be given out when necessary.
Please direct fireworks complaints to:
Terrace Fire Department: 250-638-4734 (available 24/7)
or the Bylaw Department: 250-615-4000 (Mon-Fri; 8:30 am-4:30 pm; fireworks complaints only. All other bylaw inquiries should be directed to 250-615-4037)
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Are your kids’ costumes ready for Halloween? Here are a few tips to make those spooky, silly, and creative outfits safer for trick-or-treating:
- Use makeup or face paint instead of masks, which can interfere with vision or breathing (test them first to look for sensitivities or allergies to any products used)
- Costumes should fit properly to prevent tripping hazards.
- Make or buy costumes in light-coloured material to improve visibility, and include reflective tape on the front and back for driver awareness.
- Dress your child for the weather, adding layers if necessary.
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Halloween can be green! The Recycling Council of BC has great suggestions for making Halloween a little more environmentally friendly.
Try homemade décor.
Instead of buying decorations each year, reuse what you have or make your own using easy-to-recycle material like cardboard boxes, construction paper, or even branches from your yard.Skip plastic treat buckets and bags.
Or at least reuse them every year! An old pillow case or reusable shopping bag is even better. Decorate with stencils, googly eyes, or fabric cut-outs to ramp up the spookiness.Make your own face paint.
Traditional Halloween masks can reduce visibility. However, chemical-laden face paint isn’t great either—so why not make your own? Mix equal parts cornstarch and glycerin (check the grocery store) and add food colouring. Fake blood is also an easy thing to make, so try some of these recipes for your costumes and house decorations.Reuse that costume.
Donate your old costumes to a second-hand store (be sure to wash first if possible) or pass them along to friends or family. A costume swap can also be a fun way to find something new.Trick-or-treat close to home.
Stick to your own neighbourhood if it’s a safe, well-lit area with sidewalks, rather than driving to a different area to trick-or-treat.Find more tips from the Recycling Council of BC here and here.
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Above, we looked at fireworks safety for humans—but what about pets? The sudden noise from fireworks can be very upsetting to animals. Please be considerate of your neighbours regarding your fireworks usage and let them know in advance if you’re planning to set any off. Be sure to clean up afterwards as fireworks debris can be harmful to animals.
For pet owners, here are some tips from PetMD. First, be sure to keep your pets inside on Halloween in a secure, familiar place. If you’re expecting trick-or-treaters, keep your pets confined somewhere away from the door as constant strangers on or near the doorstep can be stressful and scary for your furry friends, and may even result in escape attempts or unexpected aggression.
Make sure your pets are wearing their collar and ID with the correct, up-to-date information in case of an unexpected escape. For pets with microchips, this is a great time to check that the company supporting your pet’s microchip has your up-to-date contact information.
Keep Halloween candy (especially chocolate and treats containing xylitol), pumpkins (especially when lit), and glow sticks away from pets.
Want to dress up your pet? Ensure he or she doesn’t suffer from restricted movement, hearing, eyesight, or breathing in the costume, and supervise your pet at all times so if something goes wrong, you can address it immediately. Above all, be sure your pet is happy to wear the costume—and not annoyed or scared by it.
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Handing out candy to trick-or-treaters this year? Here are a few safety tips from the Canadian Paediatric Society!
- Turn on outdoor lights and replace burnt-out bulbs.
- Remove items from your yard or porch that might trip a child.
- Sweep wet leaves from your steps and driveway.
- Use alternatives to candles in your pumpkins, such as a flashlight or a battery-operated candle.
- Some children have food allergies. Consider giving treats other than candy, such as stickers, erasers, or a small toy.
- Put out a teal-coloured pumpkin or a poster of one in your window to let children with food allergies know that what you're handing out is allergen-free (e.g., not food).
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Here are some tips from Health Canada for making trick-or-treating fun and safe for the kids in your life.
All trick-or-treaters should stay away from homes if the lights are out. Ensure kids respect these choices.
Kids should also be aware not to enter a stranger’s house. Remind them to go up one side of the street and down the other—no criss-crossing from one side to the other. Stick to sidewalks when available.
Not sure if you need to go with your children? Kids under 10 should be accompanied by an adult. By the age of 10, some kids will be ready to go with a group of friends.
Ensure children going without adults are in a small group of at least three people. Discuss their route in advance and their curfew. Ensure they have a flashlight and a cell phone, if available.
Help out this cold and flu season. Trick-or-treaters should wash their hands before they go out, when they get home, and before eating treats—but don’t worry about cleaning every treat. Instead, tell kids to wash their hands after handling treats and not to touch their face. While trick-or-treating, bring along hand santizier in case they do inevitably want to unwrap a treat. Ensure they know not to litter. For children with allergies, it may be best not to eat anything until they get home.
Speaking of allergies, ensure kids with allergies that need an EpiPen bring theirs along and let their friends know what to do if they need it. Ensure children tell the person giving out treats that they have an allergy. They can also look for teal-coloured pumpkins or posters that indicate there are allergen-free treats available (ie: not food). Read more tips from Food Allergy Canada.
Find more trick-or-treating tips from the Canadian Paediatric Society here.
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Remember to properly dispose of your pumpkin once Halloween is over. You could:
- Put them in your backyard compost
- Put them in your green organics cart. Reminder: pumpkins should not be dropped off at the yard waste drop-off at Public Works—leaves, small branches, etc only!
And did you save your seeds for roasting...? Yum!