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CBRM News
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.
No increase in tax rates while maintaining a 5.5% increase in expenditures and revenues, driven by assessment growth.
- Low-income property tax rebate threshold increased to $40,800 for 2025, improving support for residents in need.
Major infrastructure investments, including ongoing investment in wastewater treatment like the Glace Bay waste water collection and treatment plant project, with $31 million planned toward the 2027 completion date.The capital budget also includes municipal collaboration on $6.6 million in housing infrastructure projects in development including Tartan Downs, Cape Breton University Water Supply and Housing development and HAF (Housing Accelerator Fund) including Phase 3 of Cossitt Heights Development.
- $3.5 million for efficiency upgrades at Centre 200.
- $1.7 million for landfill cell expansion.
CBRM Water Utility and Wastewater Operations: Combined operating costs total $40.2 million ($28.3M for water, $11.8M for wastewater).
- $15 million wastewater collection and treatment project in New Victoria.
- $10.23 million in cost-shared water system projects, such as the George Street main replacement, Louisbourg water storage tank, and Phalen’s Road pump station upgrades.
Public Works and Fleet Investments:
- $1.3 million for new transit capital investments, including smart card technologyand six new accessible small buses.
- $3.4 million for fire department fleet and building upgrades.
- $2.5 million for new salt trucks, front-end loaders, and fleet vehicles.
Active Transportation & Green Infrastructure:
- CBRM has applied for $23 million in federal Active Transportation funding, including an $11 million Sydney River multi-use path project connecting Downtown Sydney to Sydney River along the waterfront.
After decades of declining population in Cape Breton Regional Municipality, the condition of community infrastructure is a high priority for re-investment:
Large-scale infrastructure needs are identified:
- 62% of watermains and nearly 50% of sewers are in poor or very poor condition. $9.7 million in cost-shared improvements will be made to underground infrastructure.
- Local road conditions are better, with 32% in poor or very poor condition, while 68% are rated fair to very good. $6.5 million will be spent on local road improvement in this budget year. An additional $2.5 million will be spent on arterial and collector roads and $670,000 on sidewalks.
CBRM remains committed to modernizing operations, improving public services, and strengthening infrastructure while maintaining fiscal responsibility. This budget reflects council’s dedication to ensuring the municipality is positioned for sustainable growth and enhanced service delivery.
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