NOTICE - STREET CLOSING (UNDEVELOPED)

A Portion of an Undeveloped Road Reserve, off Dalton Lane, Sydney,  Nova Scotia, Measuring Approximately 23,680.271  square feet +/-

Take notice that the Council of the Cape Breton Regional Municipality intends to close an Undeveloped Portion of a Road Reserve, Sydney, Nova Scotia, measuring approximately 23,680.271  square feet +/- more or less, which is more particularly delineated on the above map.

A public hearing in relation to the closing of the undeveloped portion of the said road reserve will be held on Tuesday, the 10 day of June, at 6:00 p.m. at the Council Chambers, 2^nd Floor, Civic Centre, 320 Esplanade, Sydney, Nova Scotia, at which time Council will hear those in favour and those opposed to the closing of a portion of this road reserve. 

Annual Lead and Copper Sampling for Residential Tap Water

May 27, 2025

The CBRM Water Utility is seeking volunteers for the 2025 annual lead and copper sampling program for residential tap water. The program is for customers of the CBRM Water Utility, not for those whose water source is a well.

The Water Utility routinely monitors water quality within distribution systems. In 2020, Nova Scotia Environment introduced additional sampling requirements for lead and copper within customers’ homes.

This sampling program will be provided free of charge to a limited number of customers in each CBRM distribution system (Sydney, Glace Bay, Northside, New Waterford, Louisbourg, Floral Heights and Centreville).

Participants will be registered on a first come, first served basis until the program goals are met. The program occurs every year, but sampling will not begin until July.

People can sign up online at: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1Z_LdnqOc50CxgTv-pIzMVXwfDnlLQ41hmetmG0oqFrA

This water sampling will determine if lead and copper are present in customers’ tap water, and a results letter will be provided. Although lead and copper can occur naturally in the environment, a main source in drinking water is through leaching of plumbing materials such as pipes, solder, faucets, and fittings. While copper is an acceptable material for use in plumbing, lead is no longer an acceptable building material.

The National Plumbing Code allowed lead material in pipes until 1975, lead in solder until 1986, and lead in fittings or faucets until 2013. In 2019, Health Canada lowered the maximum acceptable concentration for lead in drinking water from 0.010 mg/L to 0.005 mg/L, and introduced a new maximum acceptable concentration for copper of 2 mg/L.

Health Canada also changed the acceptable locations for sample collection. Samples for lead and copper must now be collected within homes and buildings where customers obtain water for drinking and cooking.

The municipality aims to conduct sampling at approximately 150 residences from among the municipality's water system customers.

Paying bills in the event of a Canada Post strike

May 22, 2025

Important information for residents in the event of a Canada Post strike.

Water and property tax bills must still be paid by the original deadline listed on your bill. 

In the event of a strike, the only methods of bill distribution will be email (upon request) or in-person at City Hall. Residents can request their balance by contacting our 311 team through our website contact form at https://cbrm.frontlinesvc.com/app/ask or, if online is not preferred, calling 311.  Billing by area will continue as scheduled and residents are expected to pay their bills on time.  Accounts not paid by the billing due date will be subject to interest charges.

PAYMENT OPTIONS: 

IN PERSON

Payments can be made in person by visiting the Citizen Service Centre at 320 Esplanade, Sydney, Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. You can also visit any bank or credit union to pay in person at your local branch. 

ONLINE BANKING

You can add: 

Cape Breton Regional Municipality Water or

Cape Breton Regional Municipality Tax 

as a payee through your financial institution's online banking platform. 

Alternatively, you can pay by credit card through Paymentus Corporation. Credit card payments can be completed online by accessing the secure payment page at https://ipn.paymentus.com/rotp/CBRM or by calling Paymentus’ toll-free number at 1-866-837-4603 to use the automated payment system. Please note that Paymentus charges a convenience fee of 1.75%

Below is the billing schedule for water/wastewater bills. 

Bills are generated and mailed in the same billing month. 

Specific maps are available on CBRM’s website.

- February, May, August, November

County (Point Aconi, Leitches Creek)

North Sydney

Sydney Mines

Sydney 5 and 6 (South Bar and Pier)

Glace Bay 3 (Reserve Mines, Dominion St, Tower Road)

Read more ...

CBRM's 2025 Canadian Multiculturalism Day and Canada Day

The Cape Breton Regional Municipality invites residents to two celebrations this summer: Canadian Multiculturalism Day and Canada Day. Both events are free to attend and will include live music, food, and fun for all ages.

Canadian Multiculturalism Day will take place on Friday, June 27, from 5 to 9 p.m. outside City Hall on the Esplanade. Hosted by the CBRM in partnership with the Multicultural Association of Cape Breton, the event will celebrate the diverse cultures of the region. Attendees can enjoy live performances, interactive games and crafts, and a community handprint mural. An international food festival will also be featured, offering dishes from local restaurants at $5 per serving.

While many community-led Canada Day celebrations are happening across the municipality, the CBRM’s main event will be held at Open Hearth Park in Sydney.

The event begins at 4 p.m. with two areas to explore: the Family Zone and the Songwriters Picnic. The Family Zone will feature inflatable games, music, and activities for kids and families. Meanwhile, the Songwriters Picnic will offer live performances by Kaia Kater, Rose Morrison, and the ABMHS Women’s Drum Group in a relaxed, picnic-style setting.

Mainstage performances start at 8 p.m. with Hearts of Kin, followed by a headline show from seven-time JUNO Award winner Serena Ryder. The evening will conclude with a fireworks display over the park at 10 p.m., visible from surrounding areas.

Full transit service will be available on Canada Day, except for Route 2. To accommodate the celebrations, the following changes will be in place:

• Route 1 will be extended to Intercolonial and Ferry Street to help people reach Open Hearth Park.

• Route 5 will have an additional run at the end of the day for Northside events.

• Route 6 will serve the Canada Day celebrations at Petersfield Park.

• Route 9 will provide night service transferring people from Route 1 at CBU to New Waterford if needed.

To request Handi-Trans service on Canada Day, bookings must be made by 3 p.m. on Thursday, June 26. To book, call 902-539-4336.

Transit Cape Breton Expands Services to Membertou

May 2, 2025

The Cape Breton Regional Municipality (CBRM) and the community of Membertou have partnered to bring public transit service to the First Nations community for the first time, improving connectivity and access to services for those traveling to and from Membertou.

“The expanded service aims to support access to employment, education, healthcare, and commercial areas while strengthening connections between Membertou and the surrounding parts of the municipality. This expansion also reflects our ongoing commitment to fostering strong relationships and ensuring that all residents have access to the services and opportunities they need,” said Cecil Clarke, Mayor of the Cape Breton Regional Municipality.

Route 12, which has two-way service between Sydney and Sydney River, will now include 36 new bus stops in Membertou; 18 in each direction. The updated route will travel from Sydney to Membertou to Sydney River, and from Sydney River to Membertou to Sydney, with the change taking effect on May 5 The updated route will travel from Sydney to Membertou to Sydney River, and from Sydney River to Membertou to Sydney, with the change taking effect on May 5. The bus will run every half hour, Monday to Saturday.

“This new bus route has been a longtime goal for Membertou, and we're proud to partner with the CBRM to make public transportation more accessible for our community. It strengthens connections, supports our workforce, and brings us one step closer to truly welcoming the world,” said Terry Paul, Chief and CEO of Membertou.

Fares for Membertou:

• Membertou to Sydney River ($1.25 adult/ $1.00 senior/child)
• Membertou to CB Regional Hospital ($1.25 adult/ $1.00 senior/child)
• Membertou to Whitney Pier ($1.25 adult/ $1.00 senior/child)
• Membertou to Sydney ($1.25 adult/ $1.00 senior/child)
• Membertou to Mall/Walmart Spar Road ($1.25 adult/ $1.00 senior/child)
• Membertou to CBU ($2.25 adult/ $2.00 senior/child)
• Membertou to Glace Bay ($3.25 adult/ $3.00 senior/child)
• Membertou to New Waterford ($3.25 adult/ $3.00 senior/child)
• Membertou to Northside ($3.25 adult/ $3.00 senior/child)

For information about new and existing routes, rider guidelines, bus schedules, ticket fares and more, please visit www.cbrm.ns.ca/transit

Download the Transit app from Google Play or the App Store to plan your trip, track your ride, and access real-time vehicle locations for Transit Cape Breton services.

 App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/transit-subway-bus-times/id498151501 

Google Play:  https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.thetransitapp.droid&hl=en&gl=US

Davis Day 100th anniversary commemoration essay/video contest

May 1, 2025

June 11th, 2025 marks the 100th anniversary of Davis Day, a day of remembrance that began after the death of coal miner William Davis in 1925. 
Davis was shot and killed during a strike in New Waterford, while standing up for safer working conditions and fair wages. His death became a turning point in the labour movement in Nova Scotia. Every year since, communities across the province, especially in former coal mining areas, pause to honour Davis and all workers who have fought for justice, safety, and dignity on the job.

To commemorate this anniversary, we’re inviting Grade 11 and 12 students to learn more about what happened here 100 years ago. 

****Essay Contest for Grade 11 & 12 Students who live in CBRM.****
Honouring 100 Years of Davis Day – June 11, 2025

Open to all Grade 11 & 12 students in the Cape Breton Regional Municipality

Write an original essay (600–700 words) or create a 30 second video on the question:

"How do the events surrounding William Davis’s death and the 1925 coal miners' strike shape how today’s youth understand inequality and injustice in the world?"

First Place – $1000
Runner-Up – $500

Read more ...

Heavy garbage and litter clean up event dates are announced for 2025

SYDNEY, NS -  Cape Breton Regional Municipality’s heavy garbage pick up will occur in all areas on the week beginning Monday, April 28, 2025  
Materials must be curbside by 6:00 am on the morning of April 28. Residents are encouraged to wait until the weekend of April 25-27 to place heavy garbage materials out for this collection. Collection will be done by CBRM and private contractor equipment. 

Additional public drop off sites will be open on six consecutive Saturdays from April 19 to May 24.  

The public can drop off materials at SPAR Road waste disposal facility as well as the following locations between 8:00 am and 4:00 pm:

• Glace Bay Public Works Drop-Off Site, 24 West Avenue
• New Waterford Public Works Drop-Off Site 455 Ling Street
• North Sydney Drop-Off Site, 93 King Street

The Great Cape Breton Clean Up community litter clean up day will be on Saturday, May 3 between 9:00 am and 12:00 pm. Registration is now open online at www.cbrm.ns.ca/cleanup.  

MORE about 2025 Residential Heavy Garbage Collection: 

Read more ...

Demetri Kachafanas Appointed Chief Administrative Officer

March 18, 2025

The Cape Breton Regional Municipality (CBRM) is pleased to announce the appointment of Demetri Kachafanas, KC, as the new Chief Administrative Officer (CAO), effective immediately.

A long-time employee within CBRM, Mr. Kachafanas has served as the municipality’s solicitor for 27 years and was appointed interim CAO in November. His permanent appointment marks an exciting new chapter for the municipality as he steps into this key leadership role.

He has a Bachelor of Business Administration from Acadia University with a concentration in Finance. He was called to the bar in 1996 after earning a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) at Dalhousie University. He subsequently attained a Master of Laws (LLM) from York University’s Osgoode Hall Law School with a specialty in Dispute Resolution. 

Throughout his career, Mr. Kachafanas has earned numerous accolades. In 2017, Demetri was awarded the Municipal Law Fellow designation, recognizing his work in local government. He received the Certified In-House Counsel, Canada (CIC.C) designation in 2019. In 2020, Demetri was honored with the Nova Scotia King’s Counsel designation for his exceptional contributions to the legal profession. In 2023, he was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal, followed by the Bruce A. Noble Award for Distinguished Canadian Municipal Lawyer from the International Municipal Lawyer’s Association.

"Demetri's wealth of experience, both in law and municipal governance, will be invaluable as CBRM continues to evolve and thrive," said Mayor Cecil Clarke. "His leadership will help us navigate the opportunities and challenges of a period of exciting growth and development for our municipality."

The CBRM looks forward to the continued success of the municipality under Mr. Kachafanas' leadership.

CBRM Council passes 2025-26 capital and operating budgets 

March 6, 2025

SYDNEY, NS – Cape Breton Regional Municipality Council has approved its 2025-26 capital and operating budgets, totaling $321.1 million. The operating budget is set at $187.5 million, while the capital budget stands at $93 million, reflecting a strategic and cautious approach to municipal investments and operations.

Mayor Cecil Clarke described the budget as “a cautious budget for uncertain times, focused on modernizing our infrastructure and operations while building on the opportunity growth presents to us”.

Budget Highlights:

Public Safety and Service Modernization:

• Establishment of a new firefighter training division, enabling volunteer firefighters to achieve credentials necessary for career fire service positions.
• Approval of public safety enhancements, including downtown security cameras and body cameras for Cape Breton Regional Police.
• Encryption upgrade of the TMR (trunked mobile radio) first responder radio system, used by police and fire services.
• Enhancements in human resources capacity, emphasizing diversity in hiring.
• New property enforcement officers to address derelict and unsightly premises.
• Hiring of an electrician to improve traffic signal response times.
• Combining Communications and 311 communications centre staff to improve communication with residents.

Read more ...

Update Regarding Corporate Credit Card Investigation

Feb. 7, 2025

The Cape Breton Regional Municipality (CBRM) is aware that the provincial Department of Municipal Affairs has informed media that they are satisfied with the municipality’s actions in investigating irregularities on a CBRM corporate credit card issued to the former Mayor. 

Now that the provincial process is complete, the interim CAO will bring it forward to council for their direction.