Public transit services expanding to Membertou First Nation in Cape Breton
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CTV News
9 hours ago
- CTV News
Lower tolls and fares on P.E.I.'s Confederation Bridge and ferries starting today
Prince Edward Island's Confederation Bridge is seen on May 31, 2022. (CTV Atlantic) CHARLOTTETOWN — It now costs less for drivers to cross the 12.9-kilometre Confederation Bridge linking Prince Edward Island to Canada's mainland. Prime Minister Mark Carney announced this week the toll for an average vehicle will drop from $50.25 to $20 to cross the bridge. About one million vehicles a year drive over the crossing, which opened in 1997, connecting the Island to New Brunswick. The toll is only applied for vehicles leaving P.E.I. Other federally supported ferry services in Eastern Canada are also seeing their fares reduced by 50 per cent for passengers, vehicles and commercial traffic. The federal government estimates the toll and fare reductions will cost about $100 million, but Carney predicted the changes would generate increased traffic and lower the cost of living. The federal Liberals promised to lower the fares during the April election campaign. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 1, 2025.
CBC
2 days ago
- CBC
CBRM surplus spending includes big-ticket items, infrastructure and anniversary parties
Cape Breton Regional Municipality ended its last fiscal year with a big surplus and council has decided to spend about two-thirds of it on some big-ticket items, infrastructure repairs and multiple celebrations of CBRM's 30th anniversary. During a special meeting Tuesday, council was told the surplus as of March 31 was $4.1 million. Councillors agreed to put $1.4 million into reserve accounts for the future and made plans to spend the rest on a wide range of items. Mayor Cecil Clarke said putting $500,000 into the Cape Breton Exhibition building, another $500,000 into roads and sidewalks, $100,000 into each of three community rinks in Sydney Mines, Whitney Pier and Dominion and $100,000 for the Louisbourg Playhouse, will all help ease next year's budget. "It'll help take the pressure off, because it's going to help with some of the backlog of things that we would have, as we say, with some buildings and some of the needed work," he said. Council also used a portion of the surplus to fulfil a promise to Cape Breton University after its request earlier this year for a $400,000 contribution to CBU's capital building campaign. CBRM is also allocating $332,000 for at least 10 community non-profits and $150,000 for a new command vehicle for Cape Breton Search and Rescue. This year is the 30th anniversary since CBRM was created by amalgamating the former city of Sydney with several former towns and the County of Cape Breton. Council has set aside $500,000 for celebrations that will include local events in each of the 12 districts, three "signature community events" in the North, Central and East divisions, $50,000 to recognize citizens and local organizations and $240,000 for a big New Year's Eve bash. The 25th anniversary could not be celebrated publicly due to the pandemic, which Deputy Mayor Eldon MacDonald called "unfortunate." "But for those who might not have been around, the previous one was probably one of the most remarkable events that I've gotten feedback from the community." CBRM hosted a New Year's Eve event in 2015 that included a ferris wheel, toboggan slide and entertainment on the downtown waterfront. "That 20th celebration was talked about for a long time," MacDonald said. The surplus was a result of $3.1 million in federal-provincial disaster assistance following last winter's massive snowfall, plus extra revenues from last year's World Women's Curling event and unexpected wastewater fees. Not all councillors were in favour of the full list of surplus spending, however. Councillors Steve Parsons and Kim Sheppard-Campbell voted against the plan, saying they were not opposed to many of the items, but they objected to them all being lumped into one motion for one vote. "I may not support all of the expenditures. There may be two or three that I have some questions about and to be honest with you, maybe two or three that I won't support," Parsons said. "But if I have to vote in a block, the perception for my residents will be that I voted in favour of everything, when I'm not." Both he and Sheppard-Campbell said they had concerns about giving $400,000 to Cape Breton University for its buildings. Parsons said CBRM recently sent a letter to the province saying it was cash-strapped and couldn't afford to take down all of the derelict houses and commercial buildings in the area. He said the contribution to CBU could have been spread over several years, freeing up some extra money for the backlog of derelict properties. Sheppard-Campbell said she would rather see CBU spend the money on bursaries. However, Coun. Gordon MacDonald said he had no problem with the contribution to CBU. He said the university's huge influx of students had sparked economic development in CBRM and helping the university is "money well spent."
CTV News
3 days ago
- CTV News
‘It's life for us': Trump's tariffs a big concern in N.B. community
The Trump administration's latest tariff on the softwood lumber industry in Canada has people in a small New Brunswick community very concerned. Chipman, located inside the municipality of Grand Lake, is home to the Grand Lake Timber sawmill. Grand Lake Timber sawmill Chipman located inside the municipality of Grand Lake, is home to the Grand Lake Timber sawmill. (CTV Atlantic/ Derek Haggett) It is one of the largest sawmills in eastern Canada and one of eight of J.D. Irving's [JDI] sawmills located in New Brunswick. Grand Lake Mayor Kevin Nicklin said it employs around 400 people in a community of around 1,100. Kevin Nicklin Kevin Nicklin, mayor of Grand Lake, N.B. (CTV Atlantic/Derek Haggett) 'That mill means survival. That mill means livelihood. That means everything to our community,' said Nicklin. The U.S. Commerce Department decided to raise anti-dumping duties on Canadian softwood to 20.56 per cent late last week, a jump of over 14 per cent. According to a news release sent by JDI on Monday, the increase to anti-dumping duties will mean an expected new total of 34 per cent by the middle of August when combined with an anticipated rise in countervailing duties. 'It's unwarranted. We've done nothing in our area wrong , but it's going to effect all of our communities if the forestry industry suffers,' said Nicklin. 'If the mill goes down, or if there's a shut down or a slow down, it means people won't be able to put food on the table. They won't be able to pay their mortgages. It's life for us.' Cheryl Kenney lives a few kilometres away in Cumberland Bay and said Trump's tariffs are unpredictable. 'It's crazy. You don't know what he's going to do from one day to the next. It's hard enough for people living now we don't need anymore increases,' said Kenney. Chipman resident Julie Anne Boudreau said the tariffs on softwood lumber are on everyone's mind. 'It's a total mess,' said Boudreau. 'It's not a good thing. Not at all.' People often come up to Nicklin to talk to him about the trade dispute with the United States and what it means to them here in Chipman. 'Without the mill this community would not survive. They do so much for us. Besides the immediate workers, all the spin-off workers, the mechanics, the parts suppliers, the food people. It's a cycle here,' said Nicklin. Chipman resident Cindy Gallant is hoping there won't be any layoffs. 'If we lose jobs in Chipman, Chipman could become a ghost town. There's a lot of retirement people here, but the people that are here depend upon that mill,' said Gallant. Longtime Chipman resident Ottie Northrop believes the tariffs could have a big impact on his community. 'The Irving mill here and the Irving people around this area, it's the life of this community. It has been for a lot of years now,' said Northrup. Kenney believes the mill means everything to the people who live in the Grand Lake area. 'If it wasn't for that sawmill we'd have nothing,' said Kenney. According the JDI, the province's forestry sector employs over 24,000 New Brunswickers and supports mill communities like Chipman, private woodlot owners and small businesses. Chipman, N.B. Chipman located inside the municipality of Grand Lake, is home to the Grand Lake Timber sawmill. (CTV Atlantic/ Derek Haggett) For more New Brunswick news, visit our dedicated provincial page.
