CBRM approves operating and capital budgets, with no tax rate increase

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Cape Breton Regional Municipality council took less than a day to unanimously pass its operating and capital budgets for the 2025-26 fiscal year.

Councillors and Mayor Cecil Clarke took in online presentations of both budgets Wednesday night.

That followed on Thursday with further questions at city hall directed to chief financial officer Jennifer Campbell on the operating side, director of engineering and public works Wayne MacDonald on capital matters, along with representatives on hand from the police, fire, solid waste, planning, recreation and human resources departments.

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Total budget costs for the 2025-26 fiscal year are being tallied at $321,131,090.

Broken down further, the combined capital budget costed out to $93,038,645, a nearly 18 per cent increase from last year’s fiscal total of $79,686,275; while the operating budget was $187,850,713, up 5.5 per cent from the 2024-25 total of $178,082,548.

‘A people focused budget’

Clarke said overall he was pleased with how the budget turned out, even with calls for a “cautious budget.”

“I think we put a lot of front end effort into this, both preparing and not only at the legislative side, in terms of my working with councilors, going out and having district budget meetings, meeting with stakeholders,” Clarke said on Thursday.

“This is a people-focused budget to get as much services and support throughout our communities and urban, rural, suburban, everything combined. (But also) it was a cautious budget. It wasn’t an overspend budget; it leaves room for any uncertainties that may come up.

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“And, at the same time allow for us to move forward in our discussions with the province.”

Other highlights

Among the many budget highlights from Thursday’s sessions:

— As part of the operating budget, CBRM residents will see no increase in tax their rates, while the municipality maintains a 5.5 per cent increase in expenditures and revenues, driven by assessment growth.

— A low-income property tax rebate threshold increased to $40,800 for 2025, improving support for residents in need

— Public safety and service modernization. This includes:

•  Establishment of a new firefighter training division, enabling volunteer firefighters to achieve credentials necessary for career fire service position

•  Approval of public safety enhancements, including downtown security cameras and body cameras for Cape Breton Regional Police
•  Encryption upgrade of the TMR (trunked mobile radio) first responder radio system, used by police and fire services
•  Enhancements in human resources capacity, emphasizing diversity in hiring
•  The hiring of new property enforcement officers to address derelict and unsightly premises
•  Combining communications and 311 communications centre staff to improve communication with residents

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The police budget approved by the board of police commissioners on Wednesday was formally, and unanimously, approved by council on Thursday.

— Major infrastructure investments, including ongoing investment in wastewater treatment like the Glace Bay wastewater collection and treatment plant project, with $31 million planned toward the 2027 completion date

— The capital budget also includes municipal collaboration on $6.6 million in housing infrastructure projects in development, including Tartan Downs, Cape Breton University Water Supply and Housing development and the HAF (Housing Accelerator Fund) — including Phase 3 of Cossitt Heights Development

— $3.5 million for efficiency upgrades at Centre 200

— CBRM water utility and wastewater operations: Combined operating costs total $40.2 million ($28.3 million for water, $11.8 million for wastewater). These also comprise of:

•  $15-million wastewater collection and treatment project in New Victoria
•  $10.23 million in cost-shared water system projects, such as the George Street main replacement, Louisbourg water storage tank, and Phalen Road pump station upgrades

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— Public works and fleet investments. These include:

• $1.3 million for new transit capital investments, including smart card technology and six new accessible small buses.
• • $3.4 million for fire department fleet and building upgrades
•  $2.5 million for new salt trucks, front-end loaders, and fleet vehicles

— On the active transportation and green infrastructure front:

•  CBRM has applied for $23 million in federal active transportation funding, including an $11 million Sydney River multi-use path project connecting downtown Sydney to Sydney River along the waterfront

— And after decades of CBRM experiencing a declining population, the condition of community infrastructure is a high priority for reinvestment. Large-scale infrastructure needs have been identified as follows:

•  62 per cent of water mains and nearly 50 per cent of sewers are in poor or very poor condition. $9.7 million in cost-shared improvements will be made to underground infrastructure
•  Local road conditions are better, with 32 per cent in poor or very poor condition, while 68 per cent are rated fair to very good. That said, $6.5 million will be spent on local road improvement in this budget year, while an additional $2.5 million will be spent on arterial and collector roads and $670,000 on sidewalks.

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Heavy garbage changes

Meanwhile, District 1 Coun. Gordon MacDonald brought up what he described as “the most wonderful time of the year” — the annual heavy garbage pickup — and inquired what plans would be in place for this year’s bulk garbage collection.

John Phalen, CBRM’s public works manager speaking on behalf of solid waste manager Francis Campbell, suggested that solid waste has noticed that the quantity of heavy garbage they get is “starting to go down, and so we’re thinking that we might be looking at introducing a ‘call to hall’ system.”

That would mean residents who would have a number of bulk items they would want hauled away can call ahead to schedule a time for garbage takers to pick up the haul.

“We would wait until there’s a number of calls in that neighbourhood or in that section of the city or that section of town, and then we would send some trucks out to go get it.”

Phalen said that plan has still yet to be confirmed. Councillors also said Thursday that there will be a solid advertising campaign to educate and explain what will be happen so that residents don’t assume a date has been already set for the annual program.

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Clarke said that decision will come back as a proposal at a committee of the whole meeting in the immediate future.

Central library

One issue that didn’t get much attention as far as money set aside was for the ongoing central library project.

Both Clarke and Deputy Mayor Eldon MacDonald said there is a study out on five potential suitable locations for the new central library, which should be further revealed in the weeks ahead. MacDonald could not reveal those five locations until it’s brought before council sometime this spring.

Asked whether that means the proposal for a new central library at the old Cape Breton courthouse location was still on the table as an option, MacDonald said he didn’t want to speak on behalf of other councillors and the mayor on that decision.

“But if you’re asking me personally,” MacDonald said, “I’d say the courthouse option is out.”

J-Class roads 

Another issue of concern, and a bone of contention with councillor Steve Parsons, involved J-class roads, many in Parsons’ District 7.

Despite nearing completion of a long list of J-class roads dating back to 2019, Parsons feels the province hasn’t come through with its promise that, when CBRM amalgamated in 1995, that 850 kilometres of these roads — ones taken over by the province which traditionally have been gravel roads — over a selected period of time would be paved.

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“There was a deal based back 27 years ago where they would take them, but any involvement in terms of payment would be 50 per cent dollars shared with the municipality two years ago,” Parsons said.

“We put our $1.5 million up on the table to finally get these last 14 roads done. The province gave us $150,000 each consecutive year; you can’t do much with payment with $300,000. That’s why there’s only one road getting done each year.”

Parsons hopes with Northside-Westmount MLA Fred Tilley now sitting as minister of Public Works the message to get those roads paved would come to fruition.

“I think it needs to fall on him,” Parsons said. “And I think this promise needs to be fulfilled. It’s not fair that you still live on a gravel road for 27 years after you were promised way back to get this done.”

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