The Cape Breton Partnership and Net Zero Atlantic co-hosted an Offshore Wind Information Session Series across Unama’ki – Cape Breton in late 2023 and early 2024. This recording is from the Sydney, NS, session held in March 2024.

Attendees heard about the basics of offshore wind energy as part of the Cape Breton Partnership’s Green Energy Engagement Program, and Net Zero Atlantic’s project Capacity Building for the Sustainable and Inclusive Development of Nova Scotia’s Offshore Wind Resources.

Each session included a short presentation and an open house format with a chance to speak with representatives from both the Cape Breton Partnership and Net Zero Atlantic.

Thanks to Seaside Communications – @SeasideCommunications for arranging and making available this recording, originally airing on Seaside’s Community Channel.

*Disclaimer: This session occurred on March 5, 2024, and included information that was accurate as of the time of presentation. As circumstances and projects continue, there may be a variety of details and pieces of information that will deviate from the information in this recording.

Unama’ki – Cape Breton, NS – A group representing a variety of Unama’ki – Cape Breton’s leaders in transportation and economic development will be holding a town hall-style discussion on “The Impact of Transportation Costs on Life and Work in Unama’ki – Cape Breton” on May 6 at the Port of Sydney.

This public information session is designed to explore the importance of diversifying transportation systems on Cape Breton Island and will include a panel discussion highlighting the potential economic impacts, including employment opportunities, of an updated and diversified system of commercial shipping options. The session is co-hosted by the Cape Breton Partnership, Cape Breton Regional Chamber of Commerce, Scotia Rail Development Society, Port of Sydney, and JA Douglas McCurdy Sydney Airport.

The panel discussion will be moderated by Tyler Mattheis, President and CEO of the Cape Breton Partnership and will focus on the need and opportunities for expanded and diversified systems for commercial shipping. Some of those opportunities could include expanded export potential, expansion of manufacturing opportunities for existing operators, and the attraction of outside investment to the Island. The panel will feature local experts on investment attraction, export, engineering, bulk shipping, and green energy.

“The CBRM, as the urban hub of Unama’ki – Cape Breton, is recognized as a key economic hub with the potential for a diverse transportation network that includes road, rail, sea, and air infrastructure,” says Tyler Mattheis. “However, without significant updates and expansion of each of these systems, the CBRM is restricted in its ability to fully contribute to a strong and growing Nova Scotia, despite the many opportunities for economic development and growth.”

“We are at a pivotal point in history where CBRM is growing, and we must continue to plan for the future,” says CBRM Mayor Amanda McDougall-Merrill. “Innovation in transportation needs to be balanced with affordability and access for all residents.”

The event will also feature a “Town Hall” discussion featuring local businesspeople who will talk about how the diversification of commercial transportation could affect their businesses as well as the lives of the residents of Unama’ki – Cape Breton.

“Our goal for hosting this event is largely public awareness and education, bringing real information and feedback directly to the public and generating discussion around the role that transportation plays in our Island’s success,” adds Megan Penney, Member Relations Coordinator of the Cape Breton Regional Chamber of Commerce.

The event will take place on May 6, from 6:30 PM – 8:30 PM, at the Port of Sydney’s Pittman Hall. Many key stakeholders and partners are confirmed to attend the event, including the Cape Breton Regional Municipality, Government of Nova Scotia, business leaders focused on developments in and around Sydney Harbour, and private sector businesses from across Unama’ki – Cape Breton.

To attend, please register by visiting TransportationTownHall.eventbrite.ca or contact us at info@cbregionalchamber.ca.

Register Now!

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Media Contact:
Jeremy Martell, Director of Communications
Cape Breton Partnership
902-631-5442
Jeremy@capebretonpartnership.com

Canada’s housing crisis is dominating the news, but we rarely hear about the work happening behind the scenes to fix it. There are housing advocates, developers, and politicians right here in Unama’ki – Cape Breton who are making tangible progress towards solutions. 

In the fourth episode of Invest in Cape Breton, we cover the current state of Cape Breton’s housing market, what two developers are doing to address the crisis, and what they think local governments and stakeholders can do to facilitate more housing development.

Our guests are:

This episode is sponsored by the Construction Association of Nova Scotia (CANS) and Doucet Developments.

Listen now, or read on for a few highlights.

Population Growth and Lack of Inventory Are Driving the Local Housing Crisis

Unama’ki-Cape Breton saw a population boom during the pandemic that hasn’t let up. There are many upsides to growth, but the island doesn’t have enough housing to support it yet. As a result, availability is low and prices have gone up.

Roger Boutilier from the Nova Scotia Association of Realtors (NSAR) says the way out of the problem is to build more, especially in the categories of social housing, senior housing, starter homes, and density development (i.e. row houses and apartment buildings). The good news is that Nova Scotia has the most new development in the country. The situation should improve in the next few years as those projects come to market and prices and interest rates stabilize.

New Housing Developments Are Coming Soon

Doucet Developments is deep in the design phase for new residential and commercial development coming to the Sydney waterfront. The first phase of Edgewater is expected to deliver 166 luxury apartment rentals, office space, community amenities, and 400 parking spaces. The company is also hoping to build residential communities behind the Ben’s Bread facility on George Street, and is exploring opportunities on Charlotte Street as well.

By the Bay Properties is new to the region but is already providing housing. They have 40 affordably-priced mini homes on the way and hope to deliver 80 units by the end of 2024. In the near future, they’re focusing on government programs to provide affordable housing (join the waitlist) and getting permits to build multi-unit buildings.

Governments Are Doing a Good Job Addressing the Crisis, but Can Still Do More

All of the guests offered kudos to local, provincial, and federal governments for making the housing crisis a top priority.

As for what else they can do to spur housing development, Vancouver-based By the Bay Properties would like to see the out-of-province property tax cancelled. Doucet Developments would like to see incentives like bonuses, tax breaks, and a streamlined permit process. NSAR would like to see governments and developers working together to build more social, senior, and higher density housing.

Subscribe to the Invest in Cape Breton podcast

In Episode 5 we’re talking to tourism innovators. Subscribe or follow now on your favourite podcast platform to be notified when it drops. If you’re enjoying the series, consider leaving us a rating or review.

February 21, 2024 Update:

The Offshore Wind Information Session currently scheduled for February 22 in Ingonish has been POSTPONED. The Cape Breton Partnership and Net Zero Atlantic are presently working to reschedule the session to provide an opportunity for key stakeholders to attend and participate.

The sessions scheduled for February 21 will still be taking place as planned.

February 7, 2024 Update:

Due to significant weather events impacting the region in early February 2024, the originally scheduled Offshore Wind Information Sessions were postponed. New dates have now been confirmed, and the Information Sessions will be taking place across Unama’ki – Cape Breton from February 21 – 22 & March 5 – 6, 2024.

Click here for further details

Original January 26, 2024 News Release:

Cape Breton Island, NS – The Cape Breton Partnership and Net Zero Atlantic have announced a second round of Offshore Wind Information Sessions across Unama’ki – Cape Breton in early February 2024. The goal of the sessions is to invite residents to come and learn the basics about offshore wind energy and how it could help Nova Scotia achieve a net zero future.

“The first round of sessions late last year was well-received by communities in Unama’ki – Cape Breton, and we want to continue that momentum in 2024 by visiting more communities with our partners at Net Zero Atlantic,” says Tyler Mattheis, President & CEO of the Cape Breton Partnership. “We want to learn alongside the communities we’re visiting. We are sharing information and asking that the community share their thoughts and concerns about offshore wind development with us to help inform regulatory decision making.”

The Government of Nova Scotia has set a target to develop 5 GW of offshore wind energy by 2030. Nova Scotia currently has an electricity generating capacity of 3.061 GW. The regulations for the industry are being jointly developed by the Government of Canada and Government of Nova Scotia, with the Regional Assessment for Offshore Wind Development in Nova Scotia ongoing.

“Net Zero Atlantic is looking forward to continuing our work with the Cape Breton Partnership for these information sessions. We hope to see community members interested in learning more about why we need to achieve net-zero emissions and how offshore wind could help our region reach this target,” says Sven Scholtysik, Director of Research at Net Zero Atlantic.

The information sessions are a collaboration between the Cape Breton Partnership’s Green Energy Engagement Program and Net Zero Atlantic’s project Capacity Building for the Sustainable and Inclusive Development of Nova Scotia’s Offshore Wind Resources.

Upcoming sessions are scheduled in the communities of Chéticamp, Port Hood, Ingonish, Sydney, New Waterford, and Glace Bay. To learn more, including session dates, times, and locations, please visit: https://capebretonpartnership.com/windinfo.

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Media Contacts:
Carly Appleton
Cape Breton Partnership
902-562-0122
Carly@capebretonpartnership.com

Kasia Morrison
Net Zero Atlantic
KMorrison@netzeoatlantic.ca 
902-410-6325

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, work, 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 Net Zero Atlantic
Net Zero Atlantic seeks to advance the goal of a sustainable and inclusive transition into a carbon-neutral future in Atlantic Canada. We produce credible and objective data to inform sound policies and decisions related to critical topics currently including, but not limited to, hydrogen, offshore wind, geothermal energy, and energy system modeling. Learn more about Net Zero Atlantic at www.netzeroatlantic.ca.

Cape Breton Island, NS – NextGen Unama’ki – Cape Breton and the Cape Breton Partnership were thrilled to celebrate the 2023 Vital Unama’ki – Cape Breton Excellence Awards recipients on January 26 at the Port of Sydney’s Royal Cape Breton Yacht Club Room.

The Vital Awards annually recognize youth and young professionals across Unama’ki – Cape Breton who have made significant contributions to their community, school or workplace, and the employers who support them. This year marked the tenth anniversary of the Vital Awards, and winners from the past ten years were celebrated at the after party featuring music from Rankin MacInnis and the Broken Reeds.

Genevieve Andrea, Chair, NextGen Unamaki Cape Breton

“The Vital Awards was an inspiring night celebrating outstanding youth and young professionals,” shares Genevieve Andrea, Chair of NextGen Unama’ki – Cape Breton. “Recognizing excellence in six categories, we amplified the voices shaping our vibrant community. As we approached this year’s awards, we reminisced on the remarkable successes of winners from the past decade. Now, I’m genuinely excited to witness the promising journeys that lie ahead for this year’s winners!”

Tyler Mattheis, CEO and President, Cape Breton Partnership

“Each year, we come together to celebrate the energy and potential of our youth, the dedication of employers, and the leadership in our community,” shares Tyler Mattheis, President and CEO of the Cape Breton Partnership. “It’s crucial to acknowledge the incredible value these individuals bring to Unama’ki – Cape Breton, and the employers that give youth opportunities to grow and succeed locally. We take great pride in our ongoing partnership with NextGen Unama’ki – Cape Breton for this event, as we contribute to conveying the message that the youth of our Island are vital.”

2023 Vital Award Winners
Learn more about the 2023 Vital Awards Winners here!

The 2023 Vital Award Winners are:

Vital Excellence Award – Recognizes individuals who have played a vital role in their community through volunteerism, culture, leadership, innovation, etc:

Vital Employee Excellence Award – Recognizes employees who have played a vital role in their workplace in Unama’ki – Cape Breton:

Vital Employer Excellence Award – Recognizes employers who have played a vital role in creating rewarding employment opportunities for youth in Unama’ki – Cape Breton:

Vital Newcomer Excellence Award– Recognizes newcomers who have made significant contributions to a community or communities in Unama’ki – Cape Breton through leadership, mentorship, entrepreneurship, etc:

Vital Entrepreneur Excellence Award – Recognizes visionary entrepreneurs whose significant contributions have played a pivotal role in propelling economic growth, all while exemplifying the qualities of effective leadership:

Vital Lnu’k Excellence Award – Recognizes Lnu’k who are outstanding ambassadors of culture, community, and collaboration on Unama’ki – Cape Breton:

To learn more about each winner and their contributions to communities across the Island, visit http://www.cbnextgen.com/winners.

Learn more about the 2023 Vital Awards Winners here!

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Media Contact
Jeremy Martell, Director of Communications
Cape Breton Partnership
jeremy@capebretonpartnership.com
902-562-0122

About NextGen
NextGen Unama’ki – Cape Breton envisions a network of young, community-minded professionals that contribute to socio-economic prosperity, fair equality of opportunity and community development through leadership and innovation. To realize this vision, we engage young professionals in dialogue and inspire them to become more active in all aspects of the future of their communities. With our partners, we identify and promote advancement opportunities for young people.

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, work, 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.