FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Cape Breton Island, NS – The Cape Breton Partnership, together with Cape Breton South Recruiting for Health (CBSRH) and the recently formed Cape Breton Regional Municipality (CBRM) Community Health Recruitment & Retention Committee have created an electronic mailing list for landlords to subscribe to, and support the attraction, recruitment and retention of healthcare professionals in Unama’ki – Cape Breton. Landlords, real estate agents and others with properties to offer are encouraged to sign-up to be contacted when a Healthcare Navigator is seeking housing for a healthcare professional.

“This is the first collaboration between the two committees, and is an important tool for Healthcare Navigators to have the ability to access when attracting new healthcare workers to beautiful Unama’ki – Cape Breton,” said Trevor Boudreau, Co-Chair of the CBSRH “This tool will allow us to connect with landlords, and will also help ensure that the healthcare professional’s criteria aligns with the accommodations available.”

Landlords, real estate agents and others with accommodations available are invited to sign-up and subscribe to the list. When a Healthcare Navigator is looking for accommodations, they will reach out to the mailing list to help find housing solutions for the professional they are looking to recruit. The private and confidential list will only be accessed by Healthcare Navigators and will assist in their recruitment efforts by identifying temporary and long-term housing solutions for essential healthcare professionals that they are working to bring to the Island.

“A high demand for housing, with a limited availability continues to be a barrier to the attraction and retention of healthcare professionals on the Island. We are hoping this initiative will be a step in the right direction in addressing this barrier and help retain professionals for the long-term,” said Bryan Pratt, a member of the CBRM Community Health Recruitment & Retention Committee.

Landlords, real estate agents or others who have accommodations available for professionals are encouraged to subscribe to the mailing list. All information will be kept private and confidential and will only be used as a resource for Healthcare Navigators who are seeking housing for healthcare professionals to relocate to Unama’ki – Cape Breton.

Participation in this initiative is important and will help in the efforts to attract and retain healthcare staff for the entire island. Anyone interested in joining the Cape Breton Housing mailing list can visit https://bit.ly/CB-Healthcare-Housing to sign up.

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Media Contacts:

Mark Inglis
Director, Communications
Cape Breton Partnership
902.562.0122 
mark@capebretonpartnership.com

Maggie MacDonald
Cape Breton South Recruiting for Health
902.615.3670
mmacdonald@capebretonrecruiting.com

About Cape Breton South Recruiting for Health
CBSRH is a partnership of the Town of Port Hawkesbury and the Municipality of Richmond County, along with representatives from the Strait Richmond Hospital, Dr. Kingston Memorial Community Health Center, St. Anne Community and Nursing Care Center, Strait Area Chamber of Commerce, the Cape Breton Partnership, and other partners. The group was established in January 2020 to take a regional approach focused on building on the strengths of local communities and providing a more collaborative environment to attract physicians and other healthcare professionals.

About CBRM Community Health Recruitment & Retention
The CBRM Community Healthcare Committee is a partnership between the Cape Breton Partnership, the CBRM, Cape Breton Regional Chamber of Commerce, the Nova Scotia Health Authority and others to support efforts in attracting and retaining healthcare professionals to the CBRM. The committee connects prospective healthcare professionals to all required resources to ensure their success and satisfaction in the CBRM by promoting it as a great place to live, work and invest. The CBRM Healthcare Recruitment & Retention Navigator is employed by the Cape Breton Partnership, and carries out the work of the committee.

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.

Cape Breton, N.S. – The Cape Breton Local Immigration Partnership (CBLIP) is seeking community input 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 for newcomers, engages both newcomers and the broader Cape Breton community every second year. In 2018, a series of participatory, community events and surveys shaped the development of the current CBLIP Strategic Plan.

“Hearing the perspectives of both newcomers and established Cape Bretoners is essential in our efforts to best understand community priorities and to shape our work,” says Kailea Pedley, CBLIP Program Manager. “By checking in with the community through a biannual consultation, we are better able to understand what is changing over time and to collect fresh perspectives and ideas.”

In 2018, community members across the Island provided feedback that indicated they wanted a structured approach to welcoming newcomers at the local level and some basic supports to assist in these efforts. These suggestions, received directly from the community, led to the formation in 2020 of the Cape Breton Welcome Network which is now flourishing across the Island.

Community input will be gathered in through two surveys, one specifically for newcomers and one for the general public, both of which will be open until February 19, 2021. The surveys are available online, and can be conducted by paper, phone, or with translation support by request.

Participants who complete the survey will be entered in a draw for a prize of a 12-month membership to the Cape Breton Food Hub and a $100 credit to purchase the local food available at the Food Hub. Survey participants will also be invited to join online focus group discussions to share their experiences and perspectives in greater depth. The data collected through the upcoming surveys and focus groups will be analyzed and compiled into a final report that will be available online and will be circulated to local, provincial and federal stakeholders to better inform their work in welcoming newcomers to Cape Breton.

“Ultimately, the perspectives and ideas shared through this consultation with the Cape Breton community will lead to ongoing improvements to the services available to newcomers to the Island as we continue to learn about what’s working and what we can improve upon,” says Carla Arsenault, Cape Breton Partnership President and CEO.

The CBLIP is funded by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada and is administered by the Cape Breton Partnership. To complete the surveys, please visit www.newtocapebreton.com/survey. For additional information, please email CBLIP Program Manager Kailea Pedley at local.immigration@capebretonpartnership.com or call 902-258-7331.

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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.

Port Hawkesbury, NS – The Cape Breton Partnership and the Town of Port Hawkesbury have partnered to launch a survey to collect data on the local housing and rental market in an effort to address the housing development needs as the community continues to grow.

Positioned as the gateway to Cape Breton, just minutes from the Canso Causeway, Port Hawkesbury is a major service centre for the Strait area and a desirable location where opportunities await. It’s because of the growth and changing population, that the area’s housing needs are also changing.

“As the Island’s private sector-led economic development organization, the Cape Breton Partnership recognizes that housing challenges are barriers to both workforce attraction and population growth,” says Carla Arsenault, President & CEO of the Cape Breton Partnership. “This survey is simply a first step in honing in on exactly what housing needs are desired or expected in the area, which will lead to informed-decision making for long-term planning.”

The survey is open to all current residents and those who may be interested in calling Port Hawkesbury home in the future. The survey asks a number of questions about housing style preferences, senior housing specifications, demographic information and more. The results will provide valuable insight into current housing needs, and will help inform decision making for future public and private housing developments.

Residents are encouraged to fill out the survey and share the survey with any friends or family who are interested in moving to the area in the future.

“This is a great opportunity for current and prospective residents to have their voices heard regarding housing development needs in our town,” said Brenda Chisholm-Beaton, Mayor of Port Hawkesbury. “Port Hawkesbury offers a great quality of life and by determining the housing needs of our current and future residents, we can ensure that it continues to be a vibrant community for all.”

The survey is now available online and takes approximately nine minutes to complete. The online survey is available here at www.surveymonkey.com/r/PH-HousingSurvey. Paper copies are also available to residents at the Town of Port Hawkesbury Civic Centre at 606 Reeves St. Port Hawkesbury, NS.

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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.

Cape Breton, NS – The Cape Breton Welcome Network, a new program launched through the Cape Breton Partnership, is ready to welcome newcomers to our island.

The Welcome Network, a constellation of volunteer-led Welcome Groups, exists to create welcoming opportunities for those who are new to the island. The initiative, which started in September, 2020, has since formed six independent welcome groups, with more than fifty volunteers, across the island.

“We’re really excited about the outpouring of volunteers – whom we call Welcomers,” says Norma Jean MacPhee, Coordinator of the Cape Breton Welcome Network. “With Welcome Groups now formed across the Island, in six distinct communities, we’re ready to connect with newcomers. The success of happiness and belonging comes from the true welcoming of those already living in the area,” says MacPhee.

Actions of the Welcome Group volunteers could include anything from an email, to a meal invite, or even a walk in the park.

“Simple supports in the form of a phone call, welcoming basket or a virtual chat can provide a foundation that is anything but simple,” says Carla Arsenault, President and CEO of the Cape Breton Partnership. “These actions quickly show newcomers that their neighbours care and that they are indeed supported as they make this transition to their new Cape Breton home.”

Volunteer-led, the groups are positioned to support newcomers on many fronts and provide much needed support.

“There are few things more important to the success of living in a new location than a friendly, kind, sincere person eager to share the vibrancy of their neighbourhood,” says volunteer Megan Ringer. 

This program, funded by the Nova Scotia Office of Immigration, is valuable to newcomers and welcomers alike.

“The Cape Breton Welcome Network exemplifies the qualities integral to our province: those of kindness, support and friendship,” said Lena Metlege Diab, Minister of Nova Scotia Office of Immigration. “Immigration is making a positive difference across the province, strengthening, and revitalizing rural communities and benefiting our provincial economy. Welcome Groups across Cape Breton are so important because they help newcomers feel welcome in their new communities.”

Those looking to be welcomed, start a new welcome group, or keen to get involved in existing welcome groups, should contact welcomenetwork@capebretonpartnership.com or visit https://welcometocapebreton.ca/welcomenetwork for more information.

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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.

(SYDNEY, NS) – The Cape Breton Partnership, in collaboration with the NextGen Unama’ki Leadership Society, is pleased to announce the Vital Award Winners for 2020. The seventh annual Vital Cape Breton Excellence Awards was held virtually on Sunday December 13, 2020 and more than 130 tuned in to watch live.

The seventh annual Vital Awards celebrated individuals between the ages of 16 – 40 who have made a significant impact in their community or workplace. The Awards also honour employers who recognize the importance of giving youth and young professionals meaningful work experience.

The winners were as follows:

Vital Excellence Award – Nominees are individuals who have played a vital role in their community through volunteerism, culture, leadership, innovation, etc.​

Vital Employee Excellence Award – Employers can nominate an employee who has played a vital role in their workplace in Cape Breton.

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

Although the event was unable to happen in person, the live format was a great way to engage people from all across Cape Breton and beyond.  “As a new business owner in Cape Breton, I feel deeply honoured that my peers and community come together to celebrate what we have all accomplished together,” said Jill MacPherson, owner and operator of Island Folk cider House.

Sixteen Cape Bretoners and organizations were awarded on Sunday night encouraging the commitment to making Cape Breton a more vibrant and exciting place to live, work and play.

The Cape Breton Partnership and the NextGen Unama’ki Leadership Society want to extend their appreciation to all who joined in celebrating Cape Breton’s youth and their employers. For more information about the Vital Cape Breton Excellence Awards, visit the NextGen Cape Breton website.

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Media Contacts:
Allison MacDonald, NextGen Unama’ki co-chair
allisonvmacdonald@gmail.com    
902-304-7191

Erin Gallagher Lynk, NextGen Unama’ki co-chair
erin@unitedwaycapebreton.com
902-595-0045

NextGen Unama’ki co-chairs Allison MacDonald and Erin Gallagher Lynk hosted the 2020 Vital Awards Virtually on facebook live on December 13, 2020.