Critical Infrastructure Upgrades for CBRM

Critical water, wastewater and emergency management projects will help sustain communities and support growth and future housing development in the Cape Breton Regional Municipality (CBRM).

Eight projects will receive funding under the Municipal Capital Growth Program, a one-time $102-million investment in projects across Nova Scotia – a historic provincial investment in municipal infrastructure.

“Cape Breton is home to some of the most mature and beautiful communities in the province and, as they age, we are committed to collaborating with the municipality to help them continue to grow,” said Addictions and Mental Health Minister Brian Comer, MLA for Cape Breton East, on behalf of John Lohr, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing. “These projects will have vast impacts as they will enhance water and wastewater systems for thousands of people, will improve emergency management response, and will support future housing development to ensure communities have what they need now and into the future.”

The projects include the replacement of several water mains, culverts and sewers, which will directly impact close to 1,200 households. They are:

• Sydney Mines: Main Street and Vale Street water main replacements – $2.1 million total cost
• Whitney Pier: Bay Street water main and culvert replacement – $1.8 million total cost
• Dominion: Pleasant Street water main replacement – $1.1 million total cost
• New Waterford: sewer replacement – $650,000 total cost.

Other projects – with total costs – include:

• an emergency backup power supply at the city hall emergency co-ordination centre in Sydney; this project will include the purchase and installation of a new one-megawatt generator and automatic transfer switch at this critical location for emergency response during extreme weather events – $1.37 million

• an inflow and infiltration project that will upgrade the wastewater system on Cromarty, Shandwick and South Bentinck streets in Sydney to address sewer backups, surcharging manholes and increased sewer overflows; this project will create more opportunity for growth and ensure the long-term sustainability of nearly 490 properties in the area – $1.75 million

• the demolition, environmental remediation and restoration of the closed George D. Lewis School site in Louisbourg to allow for future development – $808,357.

The total investment in the projects is $9.5 million, cost-shared equally between the Province and CBRM.

Work on the projects will begin this spring.

Quotes:

“A municipality’s infrastructure is the foundation on which a community is built. It’s no secret that the CBRM, along with many municipalities in our province, is in need of upgrades and overhauls to many of the services we require for a strong, growing municipality. Investments like those from the Municipal Capital Growth Program will enable us to ensure we are keeping up with the demands of our community through the ever-changing climate, population growth and increased demand on our services.”
— Amanda McDougall-Merrill, Mayor, Cape Breton Regional Municipality

Quick Facts:

• the Municipal Capital Growth Program, announced in February, was designed to respond to the infrastructure needs of municipalities and supports critical issues like housing, climate change, accessibility and growth

Additional Resources:

News releases about the Municipal Capital Growth Program and projects are available at: https://news.novascotia.ca/search/all?field_topics=293