By Sylene Argent, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Essex Free Press
“We all know what goes up, must come down,” Councillor Kim Verbeek said during the May 20 meeting, where Council for the Town of Essex provisionally adopted a By-Law amendment to include a ban on the release of balloons into the air.
An exemption includes if such balloons are naturally biodegradable balloons with nothing attached, like strings or ribbons.
The amendment will be made to the By-Law that prohibits the dumping or disposing of garbage, refuse, or domestic or industrial waste of any kind on property within the Town of Essex.
Final adoption will take place at a future Council meeting.
Discussion on the matter originally took place in April of 2024, where Council directed Administration to prepare a report to consider whether or not a By-Law prohibiting the release of latex and mylar helium balloons into the air in the Town of Essex should be passed.
Cory Simard, Manager of Legal, Licensing, and Enforcement, prepared a report on the matter that looked at the detrimental effects a balloon release can have on the environment and wildlife.
“Ensuring the preservation of the natural environment is of great importance to the Town of Essex,” Simard noted, adding several communities in Canada and the US have passed by-laws or policies restricting balloon releases.
Enforcement, he added, can be accomplished within the current practice of policing the by-law, as the Town’s By-Law Department already ensures compliance with it.
“Administration does, however, note by-laws – such as this one – can be challenging to enforce. Without an Enforcement Officer witnessing an offence, or a direct admission, there may not be enough evidence to lay a charge,” Simard said.
He added there is no negative financial impact expected as a result of passing this by-law amendment.
Harrow resident, Rachael Mills, spoke in favour of the by-law amendment.
“For me, it just doesn’t represent a ban on the release of balloons, but a step forward towards a cleaner, more considerate Essex together. It is building on values we already hold in Essex. The work of protecting our environment and community from litter isn’t new. The work of Essex residents [has] long cared about our environment, the farmland, the waterways, wildlife, and our neighbourhood.”
The By-Law amendment is a natural next step and in formalizing beliefs that celebration should not necessarily come at the cost of pollution and litter, she added.
She encouraged Essex to pass the by-law amendment, and suggested any fines collected be used to support community clean-ups, environmental initiatives, and youth programs to get them more involved. That way, the impact of enforcement can be turned into something positive.
Councillor Verbeek said the by-law amendment was exactly what she was hoping for last year, when she raised the issue via a Notice of Motion. At the time, Council supported her motion to direct Administration to prepare a report to consider whether or not Council should pass a By-Law prohibiting the release of latex and mylar helium balloons into the air in the Town of Essex.
She originally brought this forward as her son picks-up a lot of garbage and was finding a lot of balloons.
In looking into the matter, Verbeek said she learned balloon releases become more than just garbage in the community, they can have effects on waterways, damage machinery, and injure or even kill wildlife.
She was happy the by-law amendment was being presented before the warner months, before they are typically released in celebration of birthdays, graduations, memorials, funerals, and special events.
There are other ways to celebrate, Verbeek said. “Now we’ve learned better, so we can do better.”
Deputy Mayor Rob Shepley noted when the discussion on this matter originally came forward, he didn’t support it as he saw it more of a feel-good motion. He still believes that, and that it will be very hard to enforce, but supported it. He believes creating educational pieces is the important part in moving forward, so members of the public understand the reasons to find alternative ways to celebrate.
Councillor Katie McGuire-Blais agreed, and hoped the Town would educate the public on the matter. She saw that as the key to success. She suggested putting together packages for schools and funeral homes, and other organizations that may know of balloon releases, in addition to creating social media posts.
Joe Malandruccolo, Director of Legal and Legislative Services, noted staff did plan to provide public education on the matter.
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