Municipal Update: Comfort centres and important numbers

Update: Sunday, February 6, 2022 -  1:00 pm

Comfort Centres are open now in locations around the municipality.

• Howie Centre Fire Hall is open until 8:00 pm
• Gabarus Fire Hall is open until 6:00 pm
• Louisbourg Fire Hall is open until 8:00 pm
• Centre 200 in Sydney is open until 8:00 pm
• Reserve Mines Fire Department, 195 Main St, Reserve Mines.
  Open 2:00 pm until 8:00 pm
• The North Sydney Firefighters Club, 17 Pierce Street, North Sydney
  Open for regular business, but welcomes anyone who would like to visit for comfort support.  

Please note, the following requirements at comfort centres: 

No entry for anyone with COVID-19 symptoms or who must self-isolate
The requirement for wearing masks in all public spaces
Social distancing of at least 2 meters (6 feet)
Hand washing / hand sanitizing 

Important numbers:

911 for emergency/imminent danger calls (24 hrs)

311 is open today (Sunday) for municipal storm-related issues.

902-563-5151 for police non-emergency (24 hrs)

902-563-5500 for CBRM Public Works emergency dispatch (24 hrs)

1-877-428-6004 Nova Scotia Power – outage or downed power line

1-844-696-7737 Nova Scotia Dept of Public Works – Operations Centre

Comfort centres available Saturday afternoon, evening

February 5, 2022 

12:45 pm update 

CBRM will open municipal comfort centres today from 2:00pm-8:00 pm at the following locations: 

- North Sydney Firefighters Club, 17 Pierce Street, North Sydney.

- Big Pond Fire Hall, 7193 East Bay Highway.

- Centre 200, 481 George Street, Sydney. 

- Reserve Mines Fire, 195 Main Street, Reserve Mines. 

A decision on opening for Sunday will be made Sunday morning. 

The location of comfort centres was made in consultation with municipal and provincial emergency management officials. 

Factors influencing the decision include the size, location, and duration of outages, the expected restoration times, the most recent forecast and the location of a suitable facility for use as a comfort centre based on this type of emergency event. 

Notice of trail closure: Baille Ard Trail system

February 4, 2022

SYDNEY, NS - Please be advised that some of the trails in the Baille Ard trail system will be closed commencing on Monday, February 7, until the completion of construction work on the site.

The closure is required to commence construction on the Wash Brook Flood Intensity Mitigation project. Signage on site indicates the location of closed trails. 

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Seeking volunteer member for CBRM Diversity Committee

February 2, 2022

The Council of the Cape Breton Regional Municipality requires the service of a resident of CBRM who would be willing to serve as volunteer member on the CBRM Diversity Committee.

- One representative from the disability community for the balance of a two-year term (to February 2023).

The Diversity Committee Governance Policy can be found on the CBRM website: https://cbrm.ns.ca/clerks-department.html

Residents of the Cape Breton Regional Municipality that represent the disability community who are interested in serving on the CBRM Diversity Committee should forward a letter of application, together with their Resume, to the CBRM Clerk’s Office.

Applicants should outline their qualifications, experience and volunteer work in the related field.

Deadline for submissions is 4:30 p.m. on Monday, February 14, 2022 and should be directed to:

Deborah Campbell Ryan, Municipal Clerk
Cape Breton Regional Municipality
City Hall - 320 Esplanade, Suite 405
Sydney, NS B1P 7B9
By Fax: 902-564-0481or email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

* Please Note: The applications will be considered at Nominating Committee and Council meetings that are open to the public.

Prince Street in Sydney will have detour Monday and Tuesday

January 17, 2022

Sydney, NS - Roadwork will be taking place Monday, January 17 and Tuesday, January 18 at the intersection of Prince Street and Sheriff Ave.   

The project is focused on pedestrian crosswalk improvements at the Prince and Sheriff Avenue crosswalk. Work will include underground excavation as part of the installation of pedestrian half signals. 

A full closure of Prince Street will be in place with traffic being detoured via (eastbound) Victoria Road and Disco St and (westbound) Sheriff Ave and Townsend St/High St/Inglis St. 

Transit Cape Breton will also have modified stops due to the construction site.  

Route 1 and CBU Express will now be detoured via Disco Street to Victoria Road (and return on the same route) to avoid this area.   

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Services update: Deadline for applications extended for low income property tax rebate

January 6, 2022

Business and rate payer services available during office closure 

SYDNEY, NS - The deadline has been extended to January 31 for applications for the Municipal Low Income Property Tax rebate.  The rebate program provides a maximum yearly tax reduction of $225.

Applicants must reside in CBRM and have legal title to the property and it must be assessed in their name. The property must be their primary residence and not a seasonal residence, vacation home or income property. Total household income must be less than the maximum income threshold as stipulated by the Guaranteed Income Supplement Program. For the 2020 taxation year, that maximum was $25,104.

Municipal planning department services and taxation and utility payment services are available during the current closure of City Hall at 320 Esplanade in Sydney. 

Applications for building and development permits, vendor licenses, and other Planning Department business can be downloaded from the CBRM website and emailed to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or can be dropped off at the drop box at the front entrance of 320 Esplande. 

For more information visit the Business section online at www.cbrm.ns.ca

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Holiday season service update: Christmas tree collection, Transit Cape Breton operations

December 29, 2021

SYDNEY, NS – On Monday, January 10, the CBRM Solid Waste Department will collect undecorated Christmas trees from residential properties eligible to receive curbside collection. Residents placing a Christmas tree curbside for collection during this year’s Christmas Tree Collection must have the tree curbside no later than 6:00 am on Monday, January 10, 2022. 

Residents are encouraged to wait to place their Christmas tree curbside until the weekend of January 7-9 and are instructed to place the bare Christmas tree in a safe location for the collector to remove. A tree placed on top of a snow bank, located in a ditch, or drain, buried in snow or frozen to the ground will not be removed. 

All additional items must be removed from the tree such as the tree stand and all decorations. 

Artificial trees are not collected curbside. These trees can be dropped off for disposal at the Waste Management Facility on SPAR Road in Sydney. The site is open 8:00am to 4:00pm Tuesday to Saturday.  Real trees are also accepted for drop-off at the Waste Management Facility on Spar Road in Sydney. 

Curbside collection 

There is no curbside collection on New Year’s Day, January 1, 2022. All areas scheduled for collection on January 1 will be rescheduled to Monday, January 3. All Solid Waste Management Sites including the administration office are closed on Saturday, January 1, 2022.  

Transit services  - update 

Transit services end at 5:00 pm on Friday, December 31. There are no transit services on Saturday, January 1.Service resumes on Sunday, January 2 with the current Sunday schedule including Route 1 and Handi-Trans service.

Municipal buildings closed

December 23, 2021

Effective immediately, December 23, municipal buildings are closed to the public until further notice for the enhanced safety of workplaces and essential workers.

As always, emergency services are accessed by 911.To inquire about municipal services call 311 during business hours.

311 service is available from 7:00 am- 4:30pm on working days. On December 24 and December 31, the hours are 7:00 am - 3:00 pm.
311 services are closed on December 27, 28 and January 3.

Public Works after hours number is 902-563-5500.

CBRM services on holiday schedule

December 21, 2021

Several CBRM services are on holiday schedules in the weeks ahead. 

Transit Cape Breton is not operating from 5:00 pm on Friday, December 24 until resuming full service on the morning of Tuesday, December 28.

Transit is also not operating on Saturday January 1, resuming operations on Sunday, January 2. 

Solid waste collection does not occur on Saturday, December 25.  Instead, collection will take place on Monday, December 27. 

There is also no curbside collection on New Year’s Day, January 1, 2022.

All areas scheduled for collection on January 1 will be rescheduled to Monday, January 3. 

All Solid Waste Management Sites including the administration office are closed on Saturday, December 25, 2021 and Saturday, January 1, 2022.

Zone amendment: Harbourside Business Park

Public Hearing

The Council of the Cape Breton Regional Municipality has scheduled a Public Hearing to consider an application to amend the boundaries of the subzone within the Harbourside Business Park (HBZ) zone to facilitate the sale of property (see map below).

The Public Hearing is scheduled for Tuesday, December 14th, 2021 at 6:00 p.m. in Council Chambers, 2nd floor Civic Centre, 320 Esplanade, Sydney.

Anyone wishing to comment on this proposed amendment is welcome to make a presentation at the Public Hearing.

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