Toronto firework vendor backs out of Canada Day plans, leaving city scrambling

The City of Toronto says it's cancelling a Canada Day fireworks show and rescheduling another after the vendor backed out at the last minute.

The city says the vendor originally contracted to put on the fireworks shows at three parks informed city staff Thursday it wasn't going ahead with the production.

As a result, the city says the fireworks show at Milliken Park in Toronto's northeast has been cancelled.

City spokesperson Brad Ross told CBC News that the city last used the vendor for Victoria Day fireworks at Ashbridges Bay and that the vendor said this past week the city hadn't yet paid its bill for that display.

"We do our very best to pay our invoices within 30 days so we immediately wired him the money yesterday morning for those services — $31,000," Ross said. Still, the vendor opted not to go ahead with the Canada Day plans, he added.

City lawyers are now involved and will be seeking a solution for what Ross called a "breach of contract."

"The good is we were able to find another supplier who stepped up," said Ross, adding staff worked through the day and into the night on Thursday contacting companies across Ontario, Quebec, Manitoba and the U.S. in a bid to find a new vendor.

The city has since found a new vendor for Ashbridges Bay Park tonight, he said. The same vendor will put on a fireworks show at Stan Wadlow Park, in the city's east end, on Saturday evening.

Fireworks at Mel Lastman Square and Downsview Park are also set to take place tonight as scheduled.