FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Cape Breton Island, NS –The Cape Breton Partnership and Cape Breton’s two Regional Enterprise Networks, have partnered with the Cape Breton Regional Chamber of Commerce and the Strait Area Chamber of Commerce to roll-out the Creative Destruction Labs (CDL) Rapid Testing Consortium in Unama’ki – Cape Breton, a program being administered across the country by CDL and both provincial and federal governments.

The initiative is aimed at providing workplaces with self-administered testing kits for their employees in an effort to help identify and stop the spread of COVID-19, while keeping the workforce safe.

“Finding ways to adapt our businesses to living with COVID-19 is important in getting our economy and our communities back to a new normal,” said Carla Arsenault, President & CEO of the Cape Breton Partnership, a private sector-led economic development organization which administers the Cape Breton Regional Enterprise Network (CB REN) and the Cape Breton Regional Municipality (CBRM) Regional Enterprise Network.

“This initiative is critical in providing businesses with the ability to provide regular testing for employees, which will not only help stop the spread of the virus, but protect our economy and keep businesses safe,” said Arsenault.

Joining the program is 100 per cent free and will help decrease the pressure on the healthcare system, as healthcare resources are able to focus their screening efforts on infected people. By rolling out rapid testing in and around Unama’ki – Cape Breton workplaces, we are providing an efficient and strategic way to reopen our economy.

“If you are a business based in Unama’ki – Cape Breton, we invite your business to join the CDL Rapid Screening Consortium and begin the process to implement workplace rapid testing in your business or organization. This opportunity is open to any business in Unama’ki – Cape Breton and registration is open for the first cohort until this Thursday, June 10, 2021, with the Kick-off meeting this Friday, June 11, 2021,” said Kathleen Yurchesyn, CEO, Cape Breton Regional Chamber of Commerce. “Implementing a workplace rapid testing program in your business will not only provide a safe work environment, but it will also help to restore consumer confidence within our community as well.”

A business can join the CDL Rapid Screening Consortium by signing up using the links below.

“The Strait Area Chamber of Commerce is proud to work alongside our partners to support this important initiative for our business community and our members,” said Misty MacDonald, Executive Director, Strait Area Chamber of Commerce. “Testing is a critical step in our province’s re-opening plan and an important way to not only protect workers, but businesses and the economy.”

How to participate
If you are a business owner who is interested in participating in this initiative, below are the steps you need to follow:

  1. Register to be a rapid testing site by Thursday, June 10 on the CDL website
  2. Sign your Participation Agreement
  3. Attend a Kick-Off Meeting this Friday, June 11
  4. Meet your Industry Partner (Buddy System)
  5. Establish Site Design & Order Screens
  6. Share Lessons & Questions at Weekly Operations Meetings
  7. Launch and scale!
  8. Stay connected through Bi-weekly Town halls

To learn more about being part of the CDL Rapid Testing Consortium, please visit. CDLRapidTestingConsortium.com. You can also register your business here and if you have any questions or require assistance, please email info@capebretonpartnership.com.

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Media contact:
Mark Inglis
Cape Breton Partnership
902-562-0122
mark@capebretonpartnership.com

Erica Holgate, Communications & Member Relations
Cape Breton Regional Chamber of Commerce
902.322.0558
erica@cbregionalchamber.ca

Misty MacDonald, Executive Director
Strait Area Chamber of Commerce
902-625-1588
mmacdonald@straitareachamber.ca

About the CDL Rapid Screening Consortium
The CDL Rapid Screening Consortium is a private-led, not-for-profit initiative formed in August 2020 with the goal of establishing a robust rapid screening system and operational implementation strategy to be delivered as a public good to Canada and then the world.

About the Nova Scotia Regional Enterprise Networks (RENs)
The mandate of the RENs is to guide and navigate regional economic development while providing support to businesses; operate as a connector among economic development partners; support business growth and retention; and provide regional leadership on economic priorities.

About the Cape Breton Partnership
The Cape Breton Partnership is Unama’ki – Cape Breton’s private sector-led economic development organization that supports companies and entrepreneurs by promoting our island as a great place to live and invest; growing a culture that values and celebrates creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship; and connecting entrepreneurs and companies to the resources they need to succeed.

About the Cape Breton Regional Chamber of Commerce
Cape Breton Regional Chamber of Commerce is a private sector led, not-for-profit, non-partisan organization. A catalyst for business growth by listening to and advocating for members’ needs, the Chamber works to create a strong business community through collaboration, networking, advocacy, and education.

About the Strait Area Chamber of Commerce
The Strait Area Chamber of Commerce is a business development organization that promotes, improves, and protects trade and commerce; and in so doing, ensures that the Strait Area is one of the best regions in which to invest, live, work and conduct business. The Chamber provides unique opportunities to promote and develop your business, through advertising, seminars, trade shows, and more.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Cape Breton Island, NS – The Cape Breton Partnership’s Hire Me Cape Breton Island-wide pitch competition is back for the second year, with a new and exciting twist!

“This year, we are excited to partner with Hot 101.9 and a Career Consultant to offer the winner an even bigger competitive edge to help them in their search for landing their dream job,” said Robyn Lee Seale, Program Coordinator, Cape Breton Connector Program.

This year, the winner will take home $1,000 in cash, a one-on-one mentorship session with a career consultant and an opportunity to air a 30-second radio commercial pitching themselves to listeners as a great hire. The ad will run for two weeks after the competition closes. The second place winner will receive $300 and a session with a Career Consultant, and third place will receive $200 and a session with a Career Consultant as well.

The contest opened June 7, 2021 and is aimed at new graduates, job-seekers and newcomers to Unama’ki – Cape Breton. Those interested are invited to submit a 60-second video pitch, through the submission portal at www.HireMeCapeBreton.com, telling Cape Breton employers why they should be their next hire.

The competition is an initiative that was launched last year by the Cape Breton Partnerships’ Connector Program, which connects recent post-secondary graduates, those approaching graduation and newcomers with seasoned professionals in a variety of industries.

“Job-seekers and employers find 80 per cent of their opportunities and candidates through their professional networks,” said Carla Arsenault, President and CEO of the Cape Breton Partnership. “We are excited to be able to bring this competition back for another year and provide a great development opportunity for new graduates, youth, job-seekers and newcomers to promote themselves and to be seen and heard by some of Unama’ki – Cape Breton’s employers.”

All submissions will be reviewed by a committee of local professionals who will then identify the top five pitch submissions. Those top five submissions will then be voted on by the public to determine the winner.

“We know that the pandemic has made it difficult for new graduates, youth and newcomers to not only find work, but feel hopeful about their career aspirations,” said Robyn Lee Seale. “Hire Me Cape Breton is an opportunity to showcase the talent on the Island, and for employers to see how much local talent there is right here at home.”

Interested applicants are encouraged to visit www.HireMeCapeBreton.com for the full rules & regulations and to submit a pitch. The contest is open for submissions until Monday, June 14, with voting opening Sunday, June 20, 2021.

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Media contact:
Mark Inglis
Cape Breton Partnership
902-562-0122
mark@capebretonpartnership.com

About the Cape Breton Partnership:
The Cape Breton Partnership is Unama’ki – Cape Breton’s private sector-led economic development organization that supports companies and entrepreneurs by promoting our island as a great place to live and invest; growing a culture that values and celebrates creativity, innovation, and entrepreneurship; and connecting entrepreneurs and companies to the resources they need to succeed. For more information, visit https://capebretonpartnership.com.

About the Cape Breton Connector Program:
Administered by the Cape Breton Partnership, the Cape Breton Connector Program is a formalized networking initiative. We connect new university or college graduates and newcomers to industry professionals; host networking events to showcase Cape Breton talent; support inclusion through promoting integration; and help keep talent on our beautiful Island. For more information, visit https://capebretonpartnership.com/initiatives/connector/.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

(SYDNEY, NS) – The Cape Breton Partnership is pleased to announce, together with our partners at the Nova Scotia Department of Labour and Advanced Education and WCB Nova Scotia, the recipients of the eighth annual Safety First in Cape Breton Awards. The recipients were recognized at the virtual Safety First in Cape Breton Symposium on June 3.

Recipients of the 2021 Safety First in Cape Breton Awards include WINMAR Cape Breton (Outstanding Health & Safety Committee Award) in Lennox Passage and Landry Brothers Limited (Small Business Trailblazer Award) in Louisdale.

“Due to the restrictions presented by COVID-19, this year’s symposium was held virtually,” said Carla Arsenault, President & CEO of the Cape Breton Partnership. “We look forward to meeting the award recipients in person and presenting them with their awards when it is safe to do so. Congratulations to this year’s award recipients and thank you for all the critical work you do every day to make your workplaces safe for your employees and customers. It is because of organizations like yours that we are creating a safer Unama’ki – Cape Breton, which fosters a strong and resilient economy.”

WINMAR Cape Breton was recognized this year for their strong leadership in workplace safety and the work their Joint Occupational Health & Safety Committee does to keep safety a top priority for all. Landry Brothers Limited’s recognition was due to their strong safety culture, and for going above and beyond the call of safety, while fostering a culture that makes their business not only safe for their employees, but for their community.

“Maintaining a safe and healthy workplace can have a very positive impact on the success and sustainability of a small business. Landry Brothers Limited have shown how a small business can make health and safety a priority for everyone in the workplace,” said Fred Jeffers, Executive Director, Occupational Health & Safety, Nova Scotia Department of Labour & Advanced Education. “Dedicated and engaged Health and Safety committees play a key role in creating safe workplaces. Through their support of their own committee, WINMAR Cape Breton has demonstrated great leadership in their ongoing commitment to improving our safety culture in Nova Scotia.”

“It takes strong leadership and unwavering commitment to change an organization’s safety culture and make health and safety a priority,” said WCB Nova Scotia CEO Stuart MacLean. “I’d like to congratulate WINMAR Cape Breton and Landry Brothers Limited for continuing to bring safety conversations to the forefront in Cape Breton.”

An announcement video was created to honour the recipients and is available below and on our YouTube Channel.

To learn more about the Safety First in Cape Breton Network and Symposium, please visit safetyfirstcapebreton.com.

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Media Contact:
Carly Appleton
Cape Breton Partnership
902.227.7976
carly@capebretonpartnership.com 

About the Cape Breton Partnership
The Cape Breton Partnership is Unama’ki – Cape Breton’s private sector-led economic development organization that supports companies and entrepreneurs by promoting our island as a great place to live and invest; growing a culture that values and celebrates creativity, innovation, and entrepreneurship; and connecting entrepreneurs and companies to the resources they need to succeed. For more information, visit https://capebretonpartnership.com.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Sydney, NS – The Cape Breton Partnership is excited to announce new features in the recently launched Cape Breton Job Board. This tool is the first job board of its kind, made specifically for Cape Breton job-seekers and employers. The Job Board aims to support Cape Breton job-seekers and employers in their search to find the best-suited job opportunities and candidates on the Island and will help shape the future landscape of employment in in Unama’ki – Cape Breton. 

“In August of 2020, the Cape Breton Job Board was officially launched,” said Carla Arsenault, Cape Breton Partnership President & CEO. “This tool filled a gap, and will support employers and job-seekers alike. The feedback from users and stakeholders, such as Nova Scotia Works and local employers, helped us fine-tune the tool to identify upgrades that enhanced the user-experience and functionality of the site.”

This free online platform includes special features that allow job-seekers to receive notifications for jobs they are interested in and qualified for. It is easy to use and will make it more seamless for job-seekers to find meaningful work and employers to identify qualified candidates on the Island. The job board has its own dedicated social media presence on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter and will promote all jobs on those channels.

The Cape Breton Job Board was born out of necessity in 2019, after the Cape Breton Partnership hosted a successful Cape Breton-based Job Expo. During this event, more than 20 employers registered to hire for more than 250 job opportunities. The Job Expo united employers and job-seekers in one setting and was a great success. As a result, a series of job expos were scheduled for 2020, and more than 30 employers were set to participate and hire for 300 opportunities. As a result of COVID-19, the 2020 job expos were cancelled and we were unable to bring Cape Breton employers and job-seekers together due to public health restrictions.

In response to the cancelled events, and as a result of the gap in the market, the Cape Breton Partnership created the Cape Breton Job Board. Since its initial launch, the job board now offers a unique email notification system for job-seekers that is based on the Canadian National Occupational Classification system. Upgrades have also implemented to focus on employers’ intended audience and to maximize the reach of opportunities posted on the platform.

With the website’s new functionality, job-seekers can quickly and efficiently set up a profile to outline their skillsets and career aspirations, and employers can create a profile outlining the types of skills and industry for which they are looking to hire. Another aspect of the website allows job-seekers to sign up to receive notifications in real-time when new job opportunities are posted that match their skillsets.

“Using other platforms, job-seekers often receive email notifications and recommendations for employment opportunities that are irrelevant to their field, qualifications or interests,” says Omar Tag El-Din, Labour Market Development & Immigration Officer with the Cape Breton Partnership. “So, we based the system on the Canadian National Occupational Classification system, which is the standard for employment, labour market information and immigration in Canada. We’ve eliminated all the guess work and gave control directly to the job-seeker to determine what they want to be notified about.”

Ensuring that job-seekers and employers can get access to only the information they need is vital to a seamless job-seeking experience. “This feature is unique to our platform, with the exception of the Canadian Job Bank. We have built a platform matching national standards that Cape Breton can be proud of and now we’re excited to get this into the hands of job-seekers and employers all across Cape Breton,” says Tag El-Din.

The Cape Breton Partnership will offer information sessions about how to use the Cape Breton Job Board for employers and job-seekers as public health restrictions are eased. To visit the site and set up a profile, visit: www.capebretonjobboard.com. Job seekers and employers are encouraged to follow the three dedicated social media pages for this tool on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter.

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Media contact:
Mark Inglis
Cape Breton Partnership
902-562-0122
mark@capebretonpartnership.com

About the Cape Breton Partnership:
The Cape Breton Partnership is Unama’ki – Cape Breton’s private sector-led economic development organization that supports companies and entrepreneurs by promoting our island as a great place to live and invest; growing a culture that values and celebrates creativity, innovation, and entrepreneurship; and connecting entrepreneurs and companies to the resources they need to succeed. For more information, visit https://capebretonpartnership.com.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Cape Breton, N.S. – The Cape Breton Local Immigration Partnership (CBLIP) has released a report of findings from its recent community consultation regarding gaps and opportunities related to newcomer settlement in Unama’ki – Cape Breton.

The CBLIP, a collaborative, community initiative designed to foster welcoming and inclusive communities, engages both newcomers and the broader Cape Breton community in an in-depth consultation every second year. In January and February of this year, the CBLIP reached out to newcomers and the community at large through surveys, interviews, and focus group discussions. More than 300 participated.  

“We learned a great deal through this process and are so grateful to everyone who took the time to participate and share their perspectives,” says Kailea Pedley, CBLIP Program Manager. “We are very pleased to now share what we heard from the community and we hope that this will help to spark conversations across the island and generate concrete ideas about how all of us – individuals, organizations, businesses, and communities – can best support newcomers now and into the future.”

Among the survey findings were newcomer reflections on their most significant challenges in settling, including: 51 per cent noting challenges finding or maintaining work, 35 per cent noting challenges making friends and maintaining healthy relationships, and 35 per cent noting challenges finding affordable housing. “In addition to the challenges, we wanted to understand what had been the most helpful for newcomers while settling in,” says Pedley. “Many told us that the biggest help came from: making friends, exploring the Island, finding work, having family support and connection with others with shared background or language.”  

With feedback coming from both newcomers and long-time residents of Cape Breton, significant data was collected. “Established community members who participated had extremely positive perceptions of the value of newcomers in Unama’ki – Cape Breton and shared a long list of specific actions that they believe individuals, organizations and communities can take to foster more welcoming communities. We heard a lot, for example, about ways to improve access to information, the benefits of having more multicultural events and ways to enhance social connectivity.” says Pedley. 

The CBLIP, which is funded by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, is administered by the Cape Breton Partnership.  “We know that in order to improve newcomer settlement outcomes in Unama’ki – Cape Breton, we need to hear directly from both newcomers and the community as a whole about what they see as the key priorities.” says Carla Arsenault, President and CEO of the Cape Breton Partnership. “We are pleased to play a role in helping to gather, consolidate, and share the perspectives of our community with key stakeholders.”  To read the final report, please visit www.newtocapebreton.com/resources  

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Media contact:
Mark Inglis
Cape Breton Partnership
902-562-0122
mark@capebretonpartnership.com

About the Cape Breton Partnership:
The Cape Breton Partnership is Unama’ki – Cape Breton’s private sector-led economic development organization that supports companies and entrepreneurs by promoting our island as a great place to live and invest; growing a culture that values and celebrates creativity, innovation, and entrepreneurship; and connecting entrepreneurs and companies to the resources they need to succeed. For more information, visit https://capebretonpartnership.com.

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