There will be no fireworks at the Quai de l’Horloge in the Old Port of Montreal for Canada Day this Saturday. This news comes after the cancellation of the international Feux Loto Québec à la Ronde which was to take place on Thursday evening.
It’s a “heartbreaking but necessary” decision, explains in an interview with The duty, Canada Day Montreal spokesperson, Stéphane Guertin. A decision that he will maintain even in the event of a favorable opinion from the Regional Directorate of Public Health (DSRP) of Montreal, by “solidarity for the big fires”.
“We send a message that there are other ways to gather there as citizens other than around fireworks,” says Mr. Guertin.
A public health issue
The cancellation follows that of the pyrotechnic show of the International des Feux Loto-Québec.
Thursday morning, the assistant medical director of the DSRP of Montreal, David Kaiser, explained in a press conference that the particles emitted by the fireworks would have added to the smog. If maintained, the amount of air pollutants would have reached a threshold with which the DRSP “is not comfortable”, although temporary.
According to the risk analysis carried out by Mr. Kaiser’s team, in the event of maintenance of the fires, “we are facing something new in Montreal, described Mr. Kaiser about the notice. We learn how to manage this situation, with information that does not allow us to project ourselves much in advance. »
DSRP forwarded the notice to La Ronde and Loto Quebec, after the latter approached the health organization directly about possible pollution hazards.
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