Ring in 2026 - NEW YEAR'S EVE on the Waterfront

December 23, 2025

Cape Breton Regional Municipality rings in 2026 with milestone New Year’s Eve celebration of 30 years of CBRM

SYDNEY, NS — The Cape Breton Regional Municipality will welcome 2026 in spectacular fashion with a free, family-friendly New Year’s Eve celebration in downtown Sydney, marking the municipality’s 30th anniversary with a full evening of music, entertainment, food, and unforgettable moments at the Sydney harbour waterfront.

Festivities will take place across multiple indoor and outdoor venues, including City Hall and the Nova Scotia Community College (NSCC), offering something for all ages as the community comes together to celebrate the past, present, and future of CBRM.

“This New Year’s Eve is about more than counting down to midnight, it’s about celebrating who we are as a community,” said CBRM Mayor Cecil Clarke. “For 30 years, CBRM has been built by people who show up for one another, and this celebration reflects that spirit. We invite everyone to come downtown, enjoy the music and activities, and help us ring in the next chapter together.”

A highlight of the evening will be a drone show over Sydney harbour at 8:45 p.m., followed by a midnight fireworks display to ring in the New Year.

Live Music & Entertainment

The City Hall mainstage will feature an all-star lineup of artists throughout the evening, including:

• 6:00 p.m.  Jimmy Rankin
• 7:00 p.m.  Heritage African Drummers
• 7:30 p.m.  WAM-PUM
• 8:00 p.m.  Nicole Ariana
• 9:00 p.m.  Emma Stevens
• 9:40 p.m.  Adam Baldwin
• 10:30 p.m. The Town Heroes
• 11:15 p.m. Matt Minglewood

At the NSCC: Outdoors families can enjoy a free carnival featuring an expo wheel (Ferris Wheel), carousel, food trucks, and live performances on the Carnival Stage, including Duncan Wells, Carmen Giorno’s Magic Show, and Maritime Marionettes.Inside the NSCC, guests can warm up with a retro roller arcade, music by DJ Breezy, and live broadcasts watch parties of the World Junior Hockey Championship, including:

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Nominations Now Open for the Tom Miller Human Rights Award

December 4, 2025

The Tom Miller Human Rights Award is now open for nominations. 

The Cape Breton Regional Municipality welcomes your nomination for the Tom Miller Human Rights Award. The award will be presented to an individual of CBRM who has made a significant contribution to the Community with respect to the encouragement, promotion, initiation, or development of human rights.

Tom Miller was born in Halifax in 1917 - three months before the Halifax explosion. He and his family moved to Whitney Pier shortly after the disaster. Miller grew up to work in the Sydney Steel Plant and served in the Second World War. He became Atlantic Canada's first Black alderman when he was elected in Sydney in 1955 -- a seat he held for 17 years. Miller later became the first African-Nova Scotian to run for the provincial Liberals.

The closing date for nominations is December 31, 2025, and the winner will be announced at the African Heritage Month Gala.

Nomination Form

CBRM's New Chief Financial Officer and Regional Solicitor

Cape Breton Regional Municipality Chief Administrative Officer Demetri Kachafanas today announced the appointment of two senior administrative officials at the municipality.

Nancy Dove, CPA, will serve as the municipality’s new Chief Financial Officer (CFO). Dove brings more than two decades of financial leadership experience across municipal government, provincial government, education sector and private industry. Notably, Dove previously served as Manager of Finance for CBRM from 2007 to 2014.

She most recently served for over eight years as Director of Finance at the Cape Breton–Victoria Regional Centre for Education, where she played a key role in strengthening financial planning, reporting, and operational excellence. Her extensive career also includes senior financial roles with the Government of Nova Scotia, the Municipality of the District of Chester, Premium Seafoods Limited, and several private-sector organizations. 

“Nancy brings a deep commitment to public service and a proven track record in strategic financial management,” said Kachafanas. “Her experience, leadership and dedication to accountability will greatly support CBRM’s long-term financial sustainability and modernization goals.”

Ms. Dove will officially assume her new role as CFO on December 8.

Tony Mozvik, K.C., will serve as the new Regional Solicitor/Director of Legal Services.

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CBRPS Chief Robert Walsh Announces Retirement

Cape Breton Regional Police Service Chief Robert Walsh announced today that he will retire on January 1, 2026.

Chief Walsh has 35 years of policing experience including patrols, traffic services, street crime and drug enforcement, major crime investigations and emergency response. He has 16 years of senior leadership experience, proudly serving the last four as Chief of Police and President of the Nova Scotia Chiefs of Police Association.

“I am honoured and grateful to have had the opportunity to serve my community as Chief of Police, alongside the many dedicated professionals in what I believe is one of the best police services in the country, that is well-positioned for what lies ahead in policing.”

— Robert Walsh, Chief of Police, Cape Breton Regional Police Service

To ensure a seamless leadership transition, the CBRM Board of Police Commissioners will meet to initiate the transition process to outline the recommended process for succession planning.

“We want to sincerely thank Chief Walsh for his years of service and dedication he has shown to our community. We are grateful for his leadership and wish him the very best in his next chapter. This transition also presents an opportunity to renew and strengthen the Police Service in the CBRM as we look ahead.”

— Cecil Clarke, Mayor, Cape Breton Regional Municipality

“As a peer and colleague, it has been a great pleasure to work alongside Chief Walsh in service to our community. I want to acknowledge his significant contributions to our municipality. Our community’s safety remains our highest priority, and residents can be assured that the Cape Breton Regional Police Service will continue to operate reliably and professionally throughout this period of change.”

— Demetri Kachafanas, Chief Administrative Officer, Cape Breton Regional Municipality

“On behalf of the Police Commission, I extend our thanks to the Chief for his commitment and dedication he brought to the role. The Commission will support a smooth transition and continue to work closely with police leadership to ensure strong, community-focused policing for our residents.”

— Glenn Paruch, Chair, CBRM Board of Police Commissioners

Additional information:

For more information about Chief Robert Walsh, visit: https://www.cbrps.ca/who-we-are/leadership-and-governance

Notice:  Saturday curbside collection changing to Mondays

Saturday, October 11

Residents who live in areas that have curbside collection on Saturdays will have their collection day chagned to Mondays effective October 20.

For garbage, blue bags and green cart.

• The last scheduled Saturday collection day is Saturday, October 11.
• The new Monday collection schedule starts Monday, October 20.

Please note,  your area's Blue Bag collection week does not change.

Smoke Alarm Installation Program

The Smoke Alarm Installation Program provides and installs smoke alarms free of charge for eligible homeowners in the Cape Breton Regional Municipality (CBRM).

Smoke alarms are your best line of defence against fire and can cut the risk of fatality in a house fire nearly in half. Smoke alarms save lives. But a smoke alarm can’t save your life if it isn’t working.

To ensure more residents can benefit from this program, the program offers one smoke alarm per floor with bedrooms. For example, if you have two bedrooms on the same floor, you’ll receive one alarm. If bedrooms are on two different floors, you’ll receive two alarms.

Due to limited supply, smoke alarms will be distributed based on need and in the order requests are received. The deadline to apply is October 31, 2025, or while supplies last.

The application for the program is closed.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What do I do after filling in the form?

The Fire Prevention Officer will review the requests and assign them to the appropriate local fire department for service.

2. How much does it cost?

The smoke alarms and installation are free of charge to eligible homeowners as part of this program.

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Property tax bills issued online this year: Residents asked to check balances online before paying

October 6, 2025

CBRM RELEASE-- Property tax bills issued online this year: Residents asked to check balances online before paying
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Final 2025 property tax bills have been issued, and residents can now check their balances online through the CBRM website.

Because of the ongoing Canada Post work disruption, property tax bills will not be mailed as usual. 
Residents are advised that the payment due date remains November 4, 2025. The work stoppage does not delay or change the deadline for payment.

Balances can be viewed online at:
🔗 CHECK YOUR TAX BILL BALANCE OWING

To check your tax bill balance, you will need:

• The first and last name listed on the bill, and
• Your tax account number

Your tax account number can be found on a previous bill, through your online banking, or by contacting 311 by phone or through the online 311 form: CONTACT THE 311 CENTRE ONLINE.

Online access to water bill balances will be available starting October 14.

There are several methods to pay a tax or water bill:

1. Online banking through your banking institution. Cape Breton Regional Municipality “Tax”  and  Cape Breton Regional Municipality “Water” are separate payees.

2. In person by cheque or cash at the Citizen Service Centre at City Hall, 320 Esplanade, in Sydney. Hours are Monday-Friday, 8:30 am - 4:30 pm.

3. Cheque by delivery to: 
City Hall  - Tax Accounts
320 Esplanade 
Sydney, Nova Scotia 
B1P 7B9 

Indicate your account number on the cheque.

4. Online by credit card through Paymentus (there is additional fee for this service) CREDIT CARD PAYMENT

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District 10 Councillor Paul Nickituk On Medical Leave

TRANSIT NOTICES Bus to Louisbourg, Hot August Nights detours

TRANSIT CAPE  BRETON NOTICES

FREE BUS TO LOUISBOURG: Every Saturday until the end of August, a free bus will shuttle CBRM residents to the Fortress of Louisbourg. 

The bus departs Sydney on Saturdays at 10:00 am, 12:00 pm and 2:00 pm and returns at 1:00 pm, 3:00 pm and 5:00 pm

The park is open from 9:00 am – 5:00 pm and entry is free.

Riders:

A rider can get on a bus to Sydney from across the system in CBRM. The riders pay a fare for this ride to the downtown hub, but once riders board the Louisbourg bus, they will receive a free ticket to return home and additional free ticket for a free transit ride to be used anytime in August.

Celebrate safely:

This initiative is part of CBRM’s 30th anniversary year celebration. Residents can enjoy CBRM's many local attractions this summer while following fire safety precautions.  Transit routes are found on the Transit App and CBRM website at https://www.cbrm.ns.ca/transit

HOT AUGUST NIGHTS ANTIQUE CAR FESTIVAL DETOURS: 

During the Hot August Nights car festival on the evenings of August 8th and 9th, transit will detour the following routes:

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