We learned Tuesday that New Year’s Eve fireworks in Mississauga have been cancelled amid concerns about a spike in COVID-19 cases, driven by the highly transmissible Omicron variant.

Mississauga’s commissioner of community services says the decision to cancel the end-of-year celebrations was difficult but necessary to keep residents safe.

Wednesday morning, Brampton mayor Patrick Brown announced that New Year’s Eve fireworks in his city won’t be cancelled since he says public health has not advised to cancel this event.

“We specifically asked if it should be cancelled, and the feedback was that outdoor events are low risk and safe environments. If that changes, and we’re told that it’s no longer a safe environment, then absolutely we would cancel it,” Mayor Brown explained.

Mayor Brown says there will be additional protocols including masking and physical distancing and registration.

Brown says he also plans to carry on with the New Year’s Levee on January 1st outdoors at Brampton’s Gage Park.

As for the City of Toronto, there will be no fireworks at Nathan Phillips Square or the CN Tower.

The New Year’s Eve program will be a livestream featuring virtual musical performances pre-recorded from venues and locations throughout the city, hosted live from the CN Tower, and will culminate with high-altitude fireworks displays launching simultaneously across Toronto’s waterfront to bring in the new year.