Canada Day fireworks usually take place on July 1st in Abbotsford, Burnaby, Surrey, Vancouver, New Westminster, West Vancouver and White Rock.
They also normally take place in Coquitlam, Mission, Whistler and sometimes even Squamish too. Because of COVID-19, live fireworks celebrations didn’t happen in 2020 or 2021.
Some but not all fireworks celebrations return in 2022. They happen this year in Abbotsford, Burnaby, Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam and Surrey. There are no pyrotechnics at Canada Place this year, however, nor in a number of other communities where they have happened in years pre-COVID.
FIREWORKS INFORMATION
For a list of general Canada Day events throughout the greater Vancouver region, click Canada Day in the Lower Mainland.
For information specifically about where to see fireworks on July 1st, see below.
And for information about fireworks-viewing opportunities at other times of the year, including the Honda Celebration of Light Fireworks Festival in the lead up to the BC Day Long Weekend, click Metro Vancouver Fireworks Events.
Fireworks Displays on July 1st
The Lower Mainland loves its fireworks! Different communities have fireworks nights at different times of the year including at New Years, BC Day, Halloween and other special occasions, plus of course Canada Day.
Almost every city in the Lower Mainland has some kind of Canada Day event. Some have parades, most host family-friendly activities, and many (but not all) have evening fireworks.
Canada Day Fireworks Venues
Below is a list of places you can watch Canada Day fireworks on July 1st most years.
(Note: Event details and fireworks times are subject to change.)
Abbotsford Canada Day Fireworks
The largest Canada Day celebrations in the Fraser Valley take place at Abbotsford Exhibition Park which is located at 32470 Haida Drive.
Abbotsford usually has a parade in the morning and then a festival with free concerts in the afternoon and evening. The 2021 events were cancelled due to the coronavirus, however, although a “virtual pet parade” and other online activities still took place.
In 2022 the celebrations are happening in-person and include fireworks! The fireworks display in Abbotsford starts at 10:00 pm on July 1st this year. They are happening for the first time since the start of COVID.
Click Canada Day in Abbotsford for more information about the day’s events.
Burnaby Canada Day Fireworks
Burnaby has Canada Day events at Burnaby Village Museum, Edmonds Community Centre and Central Park.
In previous years the fireworks took place at Swangard Stadium. In 2022 the free July 1st fireworks finale happens in Central Park. Live entertainment in the park begins at 7:00 pm and the fireworks blast off at 10:00 pm.
Click Canada Day in Burnaby for more information.
Coquitlam Canada Day Fireworks
In years when there isn’t a virus pandemic, Coquitlam celebrates July 1st with festivities at Town Centre Park which is located at 1299 Pinetree Way near the Lafarge Lake – Douglas SkyTrain Station.
Festivities in Coquitlam include live music and family-friendly activities. The fireworks displays happen at Lafarge Lake starting at 10 o’clock.
Because of COVID-19 and related provincial health restrictions, the 2020 and 2021 events took place in different formats.
That being said, in-person celebrations return in 2022. The fireworks blast off from Lafarge Lake starting at 10:00 pm.
Click Coquitlam on Canada Day for more information.
Mission Canada Day Fireworks
The main Canada Day celebrations in Mission usually happen at Fraser River Heritage Park which is located at 7494 Mary Street. Family-friendly activities take place there in the morning and afternoon. The community then used to take a break over dinnertime before heading to Mission Raceway Park for fireworks which blasted off at 10 o’clock. That doesn’t seem to be the case in 2022, however. Hopefully they’ll be back in 2023!
Click Canada Day in Mission or more information.
New Westminster Canada Day Fireworks
Canada Day festivities usually take place at various times of the day at Queen’s Park, Westminster Pier Park and at the River Market at Westminster Quay. In years prior to COVID, the fireworks blasted off from the Fraser River near the Quay at around 10:00 pm.
As of late June, there don’t appear to be any fireworks planned for July 1st in 2022.
Click Canada Day in New Westminster for details.
Port Coquitlam Canada Day Fireworks
Port Coquitlam’s main Canada Day festivities happen at Castle Park between 3:00 pm and dusk. There is also a pancake breakfast at Lions Park earlier in the day.
The fireworks are happening in 2022. See our article about July 1st in Port Coquitlam for details.
Steveston Village Canada Day Fireworks
In years when the event isn’t cancelled (as was the case in 2020 and 2021), Richmond celebrates Canada Day with the Steveston Salmon Festival on July 1st. The event includes live music, family-friendly activities and a community barbecue. There are also fireworks at the waterfront most years.
The 2020 event was cancelled and the 2021 event was all online. The Salmon Festival is happening in 2022, although it doesn’t appear that there will be fireworks this year.
See our article about the Steveston Salmon Festival for more information.
Surrey Canada Day Fireworks
Surrey hosts one of the largest Canada Day events in Western Canada at the Cloverdale Fairgrounds in the Bill Reid Millennium Amphitheatre area which is located at 17728 64th Avenue.
Festivities in Surrey generally include amusement rides, outdoor concerts and family-friendly activities. The fireworks usually start at around 10:30 pm and they are some of the Lower Mainland’s most impressive!
The live in-person Canada Day festivities in Surrey were cancelled for 2020 and 2021. There were, however, virtual events that took place online.
The Canada Day event is happening in Surrey in 2022 and the festivities do include fireworks! You can expect them to blast off a little after 10:00 pm.
Click Surrey on Canada Day for more information.
Vancouver Canada Day Fireworks
The region’s biggest and most famous Canada Day celebrations used to take place around Canada Place in the late afternoon and evening of July 1st (although not in 2020 or 2021 due to the pandemic).
The event at Canada Place isn’t as big as it has been in past years because, as of 2018, there is no longer a Canada Day parade. Since 2019 there also haven’t been any fireworks. There are still free concerts though. In years when they do happen, the pyrotechnics start at around 10:30 pm and, at least most years, they last for up to 20 minutes.
Because of the coronavirus, there were no in-person concerts or fireworks in downtown Vancouver in 2021, as was the case in 2020. There are no fireworks in 2022 either. Hopefully the fireworks will be able to resume operations in 2023 (although that isn’t looking likely).
Click Canada Day at Canada Place for more details.
West Vancouver Canada Day Fireworks
Formerly called the Red & White Picnic, the Canada Day event in West Vancouver usually runs from around 2:00 until 10:30 pm. In years when it isn’t cancelled, the celebrations include live music and evening fireworks.
In years when they do happen, the fireworks usually blast off from a barge off the water at 10:30 pm and last for close to 20 minutes. The event was cancelled though for 2020. It was back in 2021 but in a greatly reduced format (and without fireworks). There are Canada Day celebrations in 2022, but it appears that there won’t be any fireworks.
Click July 1st in West Vancouver for information.
Whistler Canada Day Fireworks
Fireworks take place at the top of Whistler Mountain most years on July 1st. People can watch them from a distance from the village for free, or pay to go up the gondola and see them close up.
Note: It doesn’t appear that fireworks are happening at the resort in 2022. Hopefully they’ll be back again in a future year.
See Whistler on Canada Day for more information about the fireworks and the resort’s other usual July 1st events.
White Rock Canada Day Fireworks
White Rock Canada Day celebrations usually include live music, family-friendly activities and a community barbecue at the beach. In years when it doesn’t get cancelled due to pandemics, the town’s Canada Day by the Bay event is free, runs from around 10:00 am until 10:30 pm, and is lots of fun.
Canada Day by the Bay usually finishes with fireworks in the water off the beach just east of the pier and giant landmark white rock at 10:15 pm.
The in-person festivities were cancelled for 2020 due to COVID-19. Online activities took place instead. The event was online once again in 2021. The festivities are happening as an in-person event again in 2022, but not with any fireworks.
Click Canada Day by the Bay for details about White Rock’s July 1st event.
Other Information
For more information about Canada Day events in the Lower Mainland click Canada Day in Metro Vancouver.
For details about other fireworks events at other times of the year, click Metro Vancouver Fireworks Events.
And for information about Vancouver’s most famous fireworks event which takes place in English Bay at the end of July and beginning of August, click Celebration of Light.
