Saskatoon’s city council has postponed voting on a bylaw that would restrict use of open-air fire pits.
The new bylaw would prohibit the use of open-air fire pits except within the hours of 5 to 11 p.m. But on Monday, council voted to wait for more information before making a final decision on the bylaw.
Ward 3 councillor Ann Iwanchuk recommended council wait on a report from the Saskatoon Fire Department before finalizing the new bylaw. The report will outline several components, including methods of enforcement and a permit process for fire pits.
Ward 1 councillor Darren Hill tabled several proposals, including having different restrictions from Fridays through Sundays, as well as an extensive review of current bylaw complaints.
The issue has caused strong opinion across the city both for and against the new bylaw. A few people were on hand Monday to speak to city council about the bylaw, and several letters have been sent to the city both for and against the new restrictions. As of Monday, an online petition opposed to the new restrictions had a total of around 10,000 signatures.
The issue came to the forefront in December, when city council narrowly approved the bylaw proposal with a 6-5 vote.
Supporters of the new bylaw cited health concerns related to open-air fires, while those against the new restrictions say the city should enforce existing bylaws rather than implement new ones.
The fire department received nearly 200 open-fire complaints last year, but issued only one fine — a number that concerned Chief Morgan Hackl.
