Emergency preparedness week highlights ongoing Fiona-related risks

May 8, 2023

SYDNEY, NS -  Emergency preparedness week is May 7-13. This year’s theme is “Be Prepared. Know your Risks.”  CBRM Emergency Management is requesting attention and awareness from residents about emergency preparedness, especially the risks posed by wildfire. 

To help our community better prepare for emergencies, CBRM Emergency Management has created a series of short videos, located on the CBRM YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/cbrmgov) covering various Emergency Preparedness topics including Before an Emergency, During an Emergency, and After an Emergency.  Each video contains links to valuable emergency preparedness resources in the video description.  An additional video on Community Risk Reduction-Wildland Fires and Hurricane Fiona highlights the importance of wildfire prevention, especially with the increased risk created by the damage to our wildlands from Hurricane Fiona last September. 

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Important community safety message

MAY 2023

CBRM's Fire and Emergency Services and CBRM Emergency Management request increased awareness and vigilance in the months ahead regarding fire safety.
The CBRM community must take a risk mitigation approach to wildfire. Our region has been drier than normal over the past three months. About 97% of wildland fires in Nova Scotia are caused by human activity.

Deliberate grass burning poses a signifiant risk to property, wildlife and human life.

Nova Scotia outdoor burning is allowed only at designated times and locations.
Check before you burn: https://novascotia.ca/burnsafe/

CBRM's burning bylaw does not allow open fires in urban areas (defined as the former boundaries of Sydney, Glace Bay, New Waterford, North Sydney, Sydney Mines, Louisbourg and Dominion.)

Who to call:
Active fire: 911
Report illegal burning:
Police 902-563-5151

Fourth and final round of community engagement for CBRM Forward 

April 28, 2023  

SYDNEY, NS – Residents have one additional opportunity to participate in an Open House event for the development of CBRM’s new Municipal Planning strategy and Land Use By-law. 

Three dates and locations are scheduled:  
Glace Bay Open House
Monday May 8th,
6pm to 8pm
Miners Forum 

North Sydney Open House
Wednesday May 10th,
6pm to 8pm
Firefighters Club 

Sydney Open House
Thursday May 11th,
6pm to 8pm
Port of Sydney Cruise Pavilion 

The CBRM Forward website has up-to-date info on the progress of this wide-ranging consultation.

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Great Cape Breton Clean Up scheduled for Saturday, May 6

April 25, 2023

SYDNEY, NS – The Great Cape Breton Clean Up is planned for communities across Cape Breton Regional Municipality on Saturday, May 6.
Rain date, if necessary, will be Saturday, May 13. 

Families, organizations, companies and all community members are encouraged to come out and take part in keeping the CBRM clean.

The event is a municipality-wide litter clean up and begins with supply pick-ups at designated volunteer fire departments at 9:00 a.m. The event ends at noon. 

Several municipal departments are involved including Fire and Emergency Services, Solid Waste, Public Works, Planning and  Recreation. Residents can pre-register online at www.cbrm.ns.ca/cleanup for a chance to win prizes that include grocery and home improvement gift cards. Successful registrations will receive a confirmation email.

Only pre-registered participants can win prizes so all intending to participate should visit the website in advance. 

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Lead and copper sampling program for residential tap water


April 5, 2023

*NOTE - the program has met its targets for 2023. Next program will be in April 2024.

Annual lead and copper sampling program for residential tap water

SYDNEY, NS - The CBRM Water Utility is seeking volunteers for the 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 serve basis until the program goals are met. The program occurs every year.

Customers can sign up online at www.cbrm.ns.ca/water-utility

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Municipal Services update Friday, March 31

Friday, March 31

Due to weather conditions, the following services are delayed: 

- Transit is not operating and will reassess routes at 10 am. 
- City Hall is not open for the morning and will reassess at 11 am. 

Operating: 

Curbside collection will take place today as scheduled.  

PUBLIC BUDGET CONSULTATIONS 2023

Budget Consultations are a chance for the public to help guide the priorities for the next municipal budget.

This year’s sessions will be held with Mayor, Council*, and CBRM Staff at the following locations:

SYDNEY 
Monday, March 27
Centre 200

GLACE BAY
Wednesday, March 29
Miners Forum

NORTH SYDNEY
Thursday, March 30
Emera Centre

All events are from 6–8 pm.Events will be held in person, and livestreamed  on YouTube @CBRMGov. https://www.youtube.com/c/cbrmgov/videos

To see which district you live in, visit the CBRM's "Who is my councillor?" page at https://cbrm.ns.ca/who-is-my-councilor.html or call 311.

March 15 curbside collection cancelled

MUNICIPAL NOTICE: 

Curbside Collection for Wednesday, March 15, is cancelled due to the forecasted weather.
Extra garbage bags and green cart material will be collected on your area’s next regularly scheduled collection day.
Blue bags will be collected on your area's next regularly scheduled blue bag collection week. 

CBRM putting forward four housing projects for eligibility approval

March 13, 2023

SYDNEY, NS - Cape Breton Regional Municipality will seek feedback from CMHC (Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation) on the eligibility of four housing proposals submitted to the municipality for “Rapid Housing Initiative” funds. The RHI Cities stream includes $5 million of available funds for an eligible project or projects in CBRM. 

Council voted to reject a staff recommended project on March 7, but additional efforts resulted in further options for CBRM to move forward with Rapid Housing Initiative Round 3 funding.

CMHC has advised they are willing to work with CBRM to assess each of the applications received for eligibility and viability and provide feedback. CBRM staff are currently submitting all 4 applications in draft form to the CMHC submission portal by a deadline of March 15.  

Staff are also continuing communications with the provincial government on supports available to support applications.

CBRM Council will be required to make a decision on final project approvals by the end of March in order keep in line with project start dates of May 2023. 

Meeting Cancellation Notice - March 7, 2023

March 3, 2023

MEETING CANCELLATION NOTICE: A public hearing scheduled for 6:30 pm on March 7th is cancelled. The hearing was in regards to a proposed sale of CBRM properties for housing development. The meeting was first advertised on February 18.