Following the city's announcement it would charge citizens for backyard campfire permits, one Hanmer resident has started a petition to oppose the decision.
Sudbury city councillors approved a plan to charge $50 a year for the permits, $10 for a week, or $25 to renew your annual permit. The move is forecast to bring in $10,000 in new revenue.
The announcement has sparked outrage from some, with some people on social media calling the decision a “cash grab."
In his online petition, directed to Ward 6 Coun. René Lapierre, Cliff Flake, from Hanmer, says “the citizens of Greater Sudbury are not interested in adopting the proposed burning permit system for open air burning.”
The petition goes on to call the decision a “money grab” and goes on to say “we're tired of this”, referring to the citizens of Greater Sudbury.
While the petition expresses anger at the decision, it does not make any specific demands to Lapierre or other members of council.
A report, to be submitted to the Community Services Committee on April 18, says enforcement of the outdoor fire permit would make it easier to enforce safe fire pits on residential property.
“The fee for the site visit inspection includes processing and will vary as per the type of permit applied for,” the report said. “The fee is designed to be a cost-recovery amount and not to necessarily generate profit for the (Greater Sudbury Fire Services).”
Up until now, fire crews have responded to open air burning complaints, often finding the fire didn't conform to the safety standards set out in the bylaw. That meant the rules were being enforced only after the fact, with residents usually unaware of the rules they were supposed to follow, the report said.
“Also, the volunteer response areas of the city were obliged to dispatch for open air burning complaints based on the nature of the complaint, which often would dispatch an entire station of up to 15 firefighters for the fire complaint,” the report said. “This is a costly practice which also commits precious resources which may be needed elsewhere for emergency response.”
As of 11:40 a.m. Tuesday, Flake's online petition had 302 supporters.
