Cape Breton Regional Municipality

Glossary of election terms

From time to time, the municipality will use election and legislative terminology that isn’t always self-explanatory. Below, you can find a collection of common election terms and their definition.

Acclaimed: To be acclaimed in an election means winning without any opposition or competition, leading to an automatic victory for the candidate.

Advance Polls: Special polling dates held before the official election day, allowing voters to cast their ballots in advance.

Electoral district boundary: Boundaries that divide the municipality into different electoral districts; the district that you reside in dictates both where you can vote during elections and which candidate for Councillor you can vote for.

Lien: A claim that someone registers against the property of a resident (e.g. for outstanding property tax bills); residents with a lien against their property are not eligible to run for Regional Council.

Nomination Day:  The deadline for candidates to submit their nomination papers and fees to run for office.

Official agent: An individual appointed by candidates for Regional Council (and the Conseil scolaire acadien provincial) to act on their behalf and manage certain aspects of their campaign. Candidates can serve as their own official agent.

Polls/polling location: Physical locations where residents can cast their vote.

Returning Officer: An individual appointed to oversee and manage the administration of municipal elections. The municipality’s Returning Officer is typically the Municipal Clerk.

Candidate information sessions

Residents of the municipality interested in running in the 2024 Municipal and Conseil scolaire acadien provincial (CSAP) Election this fall are invited to attend upcoming candidate information sessions.

These sessions are designed to help equip candidates for Regional Council and CSAP School Board with important information and resources about running for public office in the 2024 local elections.

By participating in one of the municipality's candidate information sessions, you'll:

• Empower yourself: Learn more about what it means to run for public office in the CBRM and the administrative steps required to make your candidacy official
• Build connections: Make meaningful connections with your community and with official from the municipality's Election Office, your partners as you run for public office
• Make informed decisions: Access advice and resources to make an informed decision about running in the 2024 Municipal Election

Sessions require registration and will be held throughout CBRM, and online during the month of August.  You can pre-register by emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or phoning 902-563-5010

The municipality is committed to hosting inclusive and accessible information sessions.  Attendees are encouraged to contact the Election Office in advance to inquire about specific accommodation requests.

Securing Loads

IMPORTANT: Secure your Materials When Travelling on Roads, Streets and/or Highways
 

It is common to see vehicles traveling on streets, roads or highways hauling materials to CBRM’s Waste Management Facility. Some drivers may forget to properly secure and/or tarp their materials, which could cause debris to escape along the way. When bringing items to one of CBRM’s waste management sites, please make sure your materials are tied down, secure and/or covered before travelling. Materials from an unsecure load can shift, become loose, move around and escape from a moving vehicle which becomes a hazard to other drivers, and leads to unsightly litter and possible legal repercussions.

To stop this, the enforcement officer for the solid waste department will be issuing a ticket to any driver arriving at the Waste Management Site with an unsecure load. This initiative will be ongoing. 

Securing Loads When traveling on Roads, Streets or Highways in CBRM

The constable continues to monitor vehicles transporting waste materials to make sure it is contained, properly tarped and secure when travelling on roads or streets.  Since starting this work in May, 2024, the constable has observed over 100,800 vehicles travelling to the Waste Management site or Camdon Recycling Ltd. with material to drop-off at these sites.  To date, the constable has issued 60+ warnings and issued ONE ticket for this offence.

Warnings Issued:  60+

Number of Tickets Issued:  1

Charge for Unsecure Load:

Motor Vehicle Act: 

Dropping Contents of Vehicle and Mudguards

199 (1) No vehicle shall be driven or moved on any highway unless the vehicle is so constructed or loaded as to prevent its contents from dropping, shifting, leaking or otherwise escaping therefrom. The fine for this offence is $237.50

Solid Waste Facility Site Registration Form

Commercial businesses and haulers hauling waste to the Waste Management Facility for drop-off are required to register with the Solid Waste department.  To save time, you can download and fill out the Site Registration Form found below.  The completed form can be dropped off at 145 Spar Road in Sydney or emailed to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Fillable Solid Waste Facility Site Registration Form