Official Sydney and Area Projects Thread

[Davey Boy Smith]

Great to have you back!! Been nothing much new going up lately, though there are rumours about soemthing going up where Ron May Pontiac was - that building has been torn down recently.

[CJSA]

Smevo;
Good to see you back!I enjoyed your posts.
My source tells me that the SDM planned for the Ron May site is on hold.It appears that Crombie does not want them to leave the shopping centre and that they are working on a proposal for a Big Box SDM to be constructed in the parking lot somewhere.

[Smevo]

Welcome to the posting realm CJSA (nice name...brings back memories ).

I'm not surprised Crombie is resistant to SDM leaving the shopping centre. Sydney Shopping Centre is faring better than most Crombie properties, but can hardly be considered healthy, especially in an expanding retail market. The same spots that were empty 10 years ago are still empty.

Thanks for the welcomes back guys. It takes a long time to settle down from a cross-country move...we're still unpacking and sorting 4 months later. Updates in the next post, but only from the last update to now...the rest will have to wait until free time presents itself.

[Smevo]

http://www.capebretonpost.com/index....=202559&sc=145

Donkin coal mine gets OK

Exploration project passes N.S. environmental assessment; work can begin if conditions are met

GREG MCNEIL
The Cape Breton Post

SYDNEY — The company exploring the possibility of opening the Donkin mine can proceed if certain environmental conditions are met.

The provincial government announced Thursday Xstrata’s underground coal exploration project passed its environmental assessment process.

However, surface water, ground water, plants and animals, air quality, noise, transportation and other issues will continually be monitored by the Department of Environment.

“After reviewing the science and other information submitted through the environmental assessment process — including comments received during the public comment period — I am approving this project with conditions, to ensure the environment is protected,” Nova Scotia Environment Minister Mark Parent said in a release.

Bruce Nunn, spokesperson for the Department of Environment, said the conditions established were unique to the Xstrata project but conditions are often applied to other projects, as well.

“Often things like protection of water courses comes up whether it is a mine or a quarry,” said Nunn.

“That kind of condition you might see elsewhere in other environmental assessments but these conditions are specific to this mine.”

The issue of transportation of coal from the mine was addressed by residents as recently as Nov. 27 during a public meeting in Donkin.

“There is reference there to the trucks being watered down and tarped properly to reduce dust emissions,” Nunn said in reference to a condition in the report.

“The road has to be upgraded for truck safety. That would be something the company would have to work out with the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal. The road is OK in some parts and in other parts it needs to be upgraded.”

The exploration project proposed by Xstrata is intended to determine if a longwall coal mine would be commercially viable.

According to the province, the project is expected to take three years. The site will be prepared in the first year. Coal extraction, using continuous mining, will follow in the second and third years.

“Work has to begin within two years. If they need more time, they have to make an appeal to the minister,” said Nunn.

As part of the process, the company established a community liaison committee to communicate with the public.

Efforts to reach Xstrata were unsuccessful.

The environmental assessment report can be found at http://www.gov.ns.ca/nse/ea/donkin.e...on.project.asp.

http://www.capebretonpost.com/index....=202555&sc=145

Local dealers enjoying strong year, despite Big Three struggles

GREG MCNEIL
The Cape Breton Post

SYDNEY — The struggles facing North America’s Big Three automakers appears to be having little affect on the day-to-day operations of local dealerships.

Currently a bailout is being considered by American and Canadian governments to help General Motors, Chrysler and Ford weather their current economic troubles.

However, at the Cape Breton Regional Municipality level dealers who represent the Big Three indicate business is good. And problems aren’t expected in the near future.

“We can happily say things are pretty good in Cape Breton for the automotive industry from what we see,” said Sheldon Saccary, sales manager at Plaza Ford in Sydney.

“Honestly and truly this year is going to be the biggest year we have had in the last five.”

Ron May, owner of Ron May Pontiac and Sydney Mazda, offered a similar assessment.

“We’ve had a great year; it has been a great year,” said May about business numbers which are on par with 2007.

John Sutherland, executive vice-president of the Nova Scotia Auto Dealers Association, expects that answer from most dealers.

“There is no question their manufacturers have to engage in major restructuring to deal with competitive forces and the economics they are facing today,” said the former Sydney resident.

“The fact there is restructuring shouldn’t be seen as catastrophic.”
He said Maritime sales numbers are fairly strong.

“In the Maritimes our economic situation is never booming like Ontario’s may have been or Alberta’s and British Columbia but there is a very steady economy here. That is important. When consumers get into a period of uncertainty, they hold off on a major buying conditions and that affects our dealers far more, in a way.”

In the Sydney area, he suspects steady numbers are tied to an economy powered in part by a large number of retirees in the area.

“They have retirement incomes and pensions which are a steady form of income compared to someone who relies on keeping a job and staying employed for income. Retirement communities in tough times still see an income stream.”

Saccary said other economic factors in this area are contributing to strong sales.

“We have a lot of people out west coming home and supporting the local economy. We are seeing people from the Donkin project, the tar ponds project and Sydport. It is all coming together for us.”

Neither Saccary nor May expect anything different in the coming year.
No one from the local Chrysler dealership could be reached for comment.

http://www.capebretonpost.com/index....=201602&sc=145

Council supports call for full panel environmental assessment of Lake Uist project

JOHN MCNEIL
The Cape Breton Post

SYDNEY — Cape Breton Regional Municipality council voted unanimously Tuesday night to support a call for a full panel federal environmental assessment on the proposed wind and hydroelectric power project at Lake Uist.

The resolution to endorse a request for a review was moved by District 6 Coun. Kim Desveaux after Laurie Suitor of the Unama’ki Institute of Natural Resources presented environmental concerns about the project.

A community group, the Save the Grand River Watershed Association, has already requested a full panel review from the federal department of environment.

Those concerns included possible carbon emissions, the death of plants and fish, and whether the presence of the turbines would result in methyl mercury contamination in the water.

“Methyl mercury is one of the most toxic substances known to humankind and other species,” Suitor said.

Cape Breton Explorations Ltd. intends to build 44 wind turbines along the Bras d’Or Lakes and a hydroelectric power plant using water from Lake Uist, near Irish Vale.

Under the company’s initial plans, power generated from the wind turbines would go directly into the electrical power grid during the day when demand is high.

At night, the wind turbines would supply power to pump water from Lake Uist uphill to a reservoir. The water would then flow from the reservoir back down to the lake, driving underground turbines along the way to produce more electricity.

The wind farm would have a 100-megawatt capacity, while the hydroelectric plant would have a 150-megawatt capacity with all pipes and turbines underground.

However, in an e-mail Tuesday to CBRM staff, Luciano Lisi, president of Cape Breton Explorations Ltd., indicated that the company has changed its design plans.

“Cape Bretion Explorations Ltd. has met with various parties concerned about the effect of our project on Lake Uist,” Lisi said. “Wildlife organizations as well as First Nations and the Federal Department of Fisheries. As we always maintained their concerns are our concerns and we are addressing them by moving to an alternate design which would see the construction of both an upper and a lower reservoir each sized to accommodate daily use volumes of approximately 4 million cubic meters. (Closed cycle)”

Lisi was in Halifax, Tuesday, and unavailable for further comment.

After the message was read to council by District 16 Coun. Wes Stubbert, Suitor said the project would still be using wetlands, and that doubling the number of reservoirs would double the risk of methyl mercury contamination. The new plan would still require the removal of an initial amount of water from the watershed system, she said.

In voting unanimously in favour of the call for a full panel federal environmental assessment, several councillors said that when they agreed to a land use bylaw amendment for the project in November 2007, they did so expecting there would be a thorough environmental assessment.

“If it (the full panel environmental assessment) had been asked for that night, we probably would have supported it,” said District 5 Coun. Darren Bruckschwaiger.

An editorial on the subject - http://www.capebretonpost.com/index....=202962&sc=151



http://www.capebretonpost.com/index....=202060&sc=152

WestJet announces seasonal direct flights from Sydney to Toronto

BY JOHN MCNEIL
The Cape Breton Post

SYDNEY — WestJet announced Wednesday that a new seasonal non-stop flight between Sydney and Toronto will begin May 5.

Larry MacPherson, CEO of the Sydney Airport Authority was informed of the announcement by the Cape Breton Post and received confirmation from WestJet during our interview.

“We’re very excited and pleased that WestJet has chosen to come to Sydney, and we will do everything in our power to facilitate any needs they may have,” McPherson said.

The new route will use a Boeing 737 with a seating capacity of 105 to 120 passengers and will run three times a week. The flight will be incorporated into current operations without hiring more staff, McPherson said.

Introductory fares for the Sydney to Toronto route will start at $119 plus taxes and surcharges, according to a WestJet press release.

“This will give us quality service non-stop to Toronto,” McPherson said, “and will assist people out west who want to come home for the summer months. It provides for the people of Cape Breton an alternative for airlines and pricing that could be attractive.”

The Sydney to Toronto route is one of four new seasonal routes WestJet announced Wednesday. The others are Edmonton to Yellowknife, Calgary to San Diego, and Calgary to San Francisco.

“We are extremely proud of these new routes,” Bob Cummings, WestJet’s executive vice-president of guest experience and marketing, said in a press release. “We are excited to be flying to Canada’s north for the first time in our history and look forward to connecting more Canadians with Yellowknife and the Northwest Territories. We also look forward to giving our guests the chance to sample the rich and unique culture of Sydney and Cape Breton Island.”

^The more competition we can get against Air Canada in Sydney...the better. Here's links to some commentaries on it if you wish to read them.
http://www.capebretonpost.com/index....=202939&sc=595

http://www.capebretonpost.com/index....=202507&sc=595



Update on Glenora's (Glen Breton) battle
http://www.capebretonpost.com/index....=203002&sc=152

Whisky by any other name
Glenora Distillers waiting for word on court appeal

BY ERIN POTTIE
The Cape Breton Post

GLENVILLE — Makers of Canada’s only single malt whisky are crossing their fingers that a decision by a panel of court judges will turn in their favour.

Glenora Distillers presented its case in the Federal Court of Appeal in Ottawa this week in an attempt to save the name Glen Breton Rare.

The distillery located in Glenville, along Route 19, between the communities of Inverness and Mabou, has been fighting to keep the whisky name for years.

The Scotch Whisky Association of Glasgow, Scotland, began the legal feud after opposing Glenora’s use of the word “glen”. Scottish whisky producers believe the word is synonymous with Scotland and can be misleading to consumers.

In a January 2007 decision, the Canadian Trademark Commission rejected a challenge by the Scottish Whisky Association to remove the word glen from the Cape Breton whisky. That decision was later appealed.

Last April, Glenora Distillers suffered a blow when a federal court refused to allow the company to register its Glen Breton trademark.

Both sides are now waiting for an appeal decision expected sometime in January.

“We have our fingers crossed that we will win this, as we hope to and put some of these things behind us,” said executive vice-president Bob Scott of Glenora Distillers.

The company maintains that its moniker was based on their location, in the glen, Glenville. They also report they are holding off on expansion into new markets until their legal matters are settled. If ruled against, the company will have to rebrand, repackage, and remarket the package, which could prove costly.

“We have several opportunities in Asia and other business opportunities with regards to our product, and we’ve been reluctant not to move forward with the name Glen Breton until this is all settled. So it is holding us back a bit,” said Scott.

The small independently owned company is one of the biggest employers in Inverness County, employing 35 during their peak season.

Scott said the company could have one more opportunity in the Supreme Court of Canada if this decision does not go in their favour. He would not comment as to whether they will seek damages pending the appeal outcome, but has said they have racked up substantial legal costs.

“At this time we’re going to wait to see exactly what the judge has to say with regards to all of those things.”

http://www.capebretonpost.com/index....=202059&sc=152

Protocase hosts grand opening for new facility

BY GREG MCNEIL
The Cape Breton Post

SYDNEY — The grand opening of the new head office and manufacturing facilities for an innovative local company turned into a celebration of the past, present and future.

Protocase Custom Enclosures, a designer and manufacturer of custom metal enclosures for the electronics industry, now calls the former Sydney Steel site its home.

Speaker after speaker at the Wednesday ceremony talked of how Protocase — like the steel company before it — is using the location to provide innovation to its respective industry.

Eric Parsons, chairman of the Sydney Steel Museum Society, briefed the audience of politicians, Protocase employees and local business leaders on past steel innovations, including the controlled cooling of rails, a state-of-the electric arc furnace and many others.

“These are just a few of the technical aspects of what went on on this site and how important it is to see a company like Protocase move on into the future.”

Parsons’ insight into past technical feats of the local steel industry led nicely into discussion of the current technical expertise of Protocase.

“We are acutely aware that people put their heart and soul into this place and special stuff happened here economically,” said Doug Milburn, a co-founder of Protocase.

“Sydney Steel changed the rail business. One of the dominant business of the world today is engineering and design, particularly electronics. We are fundamentally changing the way that engineers and designers work. That is why people come from all over North American and (the United Kingdom) to buy from us.”

Steve Lilley, the company’s other co-founder, told the audience their current success is due in part to community assistance.

“This is all about people and it is about partnerships and it is about relationships.”

Lilley said local investment and support of their vision was very important to the company’s early years.

“Folks in this community saw and believed in us. I certainly extend a thank you to those early day shareholders.”

Protocase was incorporated in 2001 and now has 45 employees providing services to about 2,000 customers, including NASA, Boeing, Google, Microsoft and Apple.

http://www.capebretonpost.com/index....=201077&sc=152

Wreck Cove reassessment could mean big dollars for Victoria County

BY NANCY KING
The Cape Breton Post

SYDNEY — A reassessment of the Wreck Cove generating station that could inject an additional $1 million into Victoria County’s coffers is a long overdue correction of the plant’s value, the county’s chief administrative officer says.

While he hasn’t seen the figures yet, Sandy Hudson said he expects that the province’s review of the Nova Scotia Power Inc. facility will see about a $64 million increase in its assessed value, which will translate to about a $1.5 million grant in lieu from the corporation. Previously, the municipality received about $34,000 annually.

“It basically is getting back to where it should be,” Hudson said. “We’ve been working on it since at least 2002 . . . It’s significant, but Wreck Cove has been there I’ll say 25, but it’s probably closer to 35 years, and it’s been underassessed all this time. We have not been getting paid for the asset that’s been in our county for all these years.”

But the municipality won’t see that full amount of the increase added to its coffers, Hudson said, noting it will probably lose equalization funding as a result, and will also see an increase in what it must pay for education, which is based on assessment. He added he hopes the net increase will be in the neighbourhood of $1.2 million.

The municipality has an overall annual value of about $9.2 million.
“If we’re looking at an extra million dollars in revenue, I supposed it’s a 10 to 12 per cent increase in our revenue,” Hudson said. “It may allow us a little flexibility in terms of speeding up our debt repayment. I would expect there probably should be some kind of a reduction in tax rates . . . then you have infrastructures that we now may be able to accelerate, and we should probably be building up a reserve, and then there are projects that the council will probably look at and see where we’re going to go with (them).”

The system under which the NSPI grants are determined changed in 2002, when payments based on revenue became based instead on the assessed value of the private utility’s assets in a municipality. The money is paid to the province, which then distributes it to the municipalities.

Marie Walsh, director of finance with the Cape Breton Regional Municipality, said the numbers aren’t official yet, but they expect to see an increase in assessment of the power plants at Lingan and Point Aconi.

“The CBRM will end up on the plus side, for a change,” she said.

Lloyd MacLeod, with the Property Evaluation Services, noted in a phone interview it will be a positive change for the CBRM but didn’t have the numbers immediately available as he was travelling back to Sydney from Annapolis. He added the numbers aren’t yet official because the assessment rolls don’t go out until next week.

The reassessments aren’t good news for all municipalities. The new assessments are expected to create an initial shortfall of $1.6 million in Queens Regional Municipality, $580,000 in the town of Annapolis Royal and $127,000 in the town of Trenton.

The Municipality of Richmond, which is home to the Point Tupper generating station, doesn’t expect to see much if any impact as a result of the changes, CAO Louis Digout said Monday, noting it was reassessed several years ago, one of the first that the province reviewed. The municipality has requested additional information, however. That grant is a significant portion of the county’s revenue, he said, noting it’s more than $1 million annually.
“We’ve asked for a breakdown of how our assessment is affected,” Digout said. “What we receive is a function of what our percentage is of the total pie, and we haven’t received that information from them yet so we don’t know if there’s going to be any impact and whether it will be positive or negative.”

Having the province reassess NSPI facilities has been a priority for the Union of Nova Scotia Municipalities, which has passed a number of resolutions in favour over the past several years, Hudson noted.

“They now finally have decided, yes, they’re going to do it,” he said.

That's all for now...three more days of work then vacation until the 6th!

[Smevo]

http://www.capebretonpost.com/index....=203723&sc=152

Harbour dredging tops chamber’s wish list of economic projects to boost economy

BY CHRIS SHANNON
The Cape Breton Post

SYDNEY — The Sydney and Area Chamber of Commerce has sent out its wish list for 2009 and the top priority among local business people surveyed is the dredging of Sydney harbour to allow for freight ships to dock at the proposed Sydport container terminal.

The list of seven initiatives, among them the continuation of work on Route 4 and the twinning of Highway 125, a new Nova Scotia Community College Marconi campus established in downtown Sydney and an Environmental Centre of Excellence at Cape Breton University, were forwarded to the provincial and federal governments as politicians and bureaucrats mull over short-term stimulus packages and long-term economic development programs to aid the weakened national economy.

“There is some urgency in making our priorities known since the federal government is presently consulting with groups across the country in preparation for their budget on Jan. 27,” said Owen Fitzgerald, president of the Sydney and Area Chamber of Commerce.

A letter outlining the chamber’s priorities was sent Friday to Premier Rodney MacDonald, National Defence Minister Peter MacKay as well as all local politicians.

Fitzgerald said he has requested meetings with all three levels of government to discuss how the chamber’s priorities can strengthen the local economy.
“Whether they actually come out and say we’re funding the dredging of the harbour or not, that would be wonderful, but first we have to make sure they understand the importance of that for us. It is probably the most important project for our community right now for unlocking that potential of the harbour,” Fitzgerald said.

“If the province decides it has more money to spend or can do work quicker on highways, then Route 4 is still high on our priority list and certainly the Sydney bypass deserves to be twinned.”

The premier acknowledged that the dredging of the harbour remains one of the province’s “top priorities” for Atlantic Gateway projects.

He told the Cape Breton Post Monday he’s calling for the federal government to expedite spending on its gateway initiatives.

“They’ve already booked the money. It’s $2.1-billion. We want to see that money flowing right away so projects like the dredging can get happening in 2009 and I’m going to do everything I can to see those dollars flow as quickly as possible.”

Fitzgerald said he plans to meet with business leaders in the new year to take a look at the region’s current economic position and where the Cape Breton Regional Municipality wants to see itself in 10 to 20 years.

“Clearly a lot has changed in our local economy and obviously a great deal is changing as we speak in the world economy, so I think it’s very timely for us to sit down and take a fresh look,” he said.

http://www.capebretonpost.com/index....=203654&sc=151

Donkin trucking still an issue
The Cape Breton Post

During periods of strident public opposition to surface mining in Cape Breton, underground mining is often held up as the acceptable alternative.

Underground-undersea mining is imbedded in the industrial history of the region but that history also tells us there’s no large-scale mining that is environmentally benign. This becomes clearer as the Donkin mine project moves ahead.

To no one’s surprise, Nova Scotia Environment Minister Mark Parent last week approved the Donkin Underground Exploration Project to proceed with conditions. The site is already industrial, having been abandoned in the early 1980s after Devco had completed two 31⁄2 kilometre tunnels to the coal face.

This $110 million exploration phase would see a year of surface and sub-surface preparation, followed by two years of coal extraction at up to 2,000 tonnes a day. A full-scale mine, which would require a separate environmental review, would produce seven to 10 times that amount of coal, with production projected for 2014.

Many questions remain, of course, and the three-year exploration project is intended to answer many of the technical ones. An overriding question is market conditions. Peter Akerley of Erdene Gold Inc., a 25 per cent partner in the project consortium with world-scale coal operator Xstrata PLC, told his shareholders in May that the economics of Donkin were looking terrific, with the world price of coal having doubled in the previous six months. Since then, energy commodities have tanked and everyone’s guessing about the depth of recession that’s getting underway. Three years from now, who knows?

If a full-scale mine does go ahead, the plan is to build a “dedicated transportation corridor” — which would include a rail line — to connect with the international shipping pier in Sydney. That element of the plan is an important part of the pitch to the federal government for funding to dredge the channel into the harbour to accommodate the world’s largest ships.

In the meantime, however, the transportation issue that has gripped public attention, at least among those who stand to be most directly affected, is the plan to truck the coal during the two-year evaluation phase in 2010 and 2011. Trucks pulling 42 tonnes of coal each will wend their way to the Donkin highway, then to Glace Bay and Reserve and the Sydney-Glace Bay Highway. The route includes both municipal and provincial roads. It’s expected that coal will be delivered to power plants in Lingan and Point Aconi, as well as to the port.

The environmental approval doesn’t address the trucking issue in crucial detail except to say, as a condition, that the proponent must complete and implement recommendations of a Traffic Impact Study “to the satisfaction of Nova Scotia Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal.” Apparently there’s already some understanding of what road and bridge work the province is willing to do but the municipal role needs to be fleshed out.

The project as approved is for 36 months, including two years of heavy coal trucking. Any extension or enlargement would require approval from the environment minister. As part of the effort to accommodate public concerns on trucking, both the province and the proponent should give assurances that the trucking phase will not be stretched beyond two years.

[Smevo]

Starting up the photos again. I'm going to finish off the Panoramio (Google) series and then start searching again after that.


by kbraedley


by Blair Butler



by athenaa


by sambo


by RetiredMountie

Bonus
Guglielmo Marconi House, Tower Road in Glace Bay area

by CBIslander

Next - Bras D'Or
Final - Sydney area

[Smevo]

http://www.capebretonpost.com/index....=204484&sc=152

Dredging project reaches milestone with environmental impact statement

BY CHRIS SHANNON
The Cape Breton Post

SYDNEY — An environmental impact statement filed with federal government regulators last Friday represented a “major milestone” in the process of developing a $200-million container terminal at Sydport, according to an update issued to the Sydney Ports Advocacy Council by the Sydney Marine Group.

“We are pleased with the quality and comprehensive nature of the work that we have undertaken,” read the memo.

“The conclusions confirm that the environmental impacts are capable of being managed with standard mitigation techniques.”

The report stated that once Sydney Harbour is dredged, further dredging will “not be required for a very long time, if ever.”

The container terminal, if combined with a dredged harbour, could attract the new supertankers of the world and help rebuild the region’s economy.
The proposed $35-million dredging project would deepen the access channel to the harbour to 17 metres.

The marine group says the dredging will be done by suction methods with minimal environment impact to deepen almost nine kilometres of channel by removing approximately 3.5 million cubic metres of material.

Capt. Terry Pittman, chair of the Sydney Ports Corp., said the marine group is hopeful there will be minimal changes, if any, to the draft environmental impact statement.

“It’s at that stage now where we’ve done what we have to do and it’s up to others at this point,” he said.

“They may be accepting of the draft form as it is now and it could come back with either amendments or further investigation.”

Following federal and provincial environmental assessments, he said it’ll be up to the marine group’s partner, transportation infrastructure equity fund company Galaxy SARL, to decide how to proceed with the project.

“We have to have a completed environmental assessment before they make any decisions,” Pittman said.

“We are hopeful that it will progress after the new year and that’s regardless of whether the container terminal goes ahead straight away.”

According to the memo, a consortium led by Galaxy’s CEO Corinne Namblard has been shortlisted for the development of a berth in a U.S. east coast port that could potentially serve as a transhipment point from Sydney.

“Notwithstanding the challenges presented by the global economic crisis and the dramatic impact on freight rates, the existing order book for large vessels appears to be intact,” it reads.

“One of the biggest challenges for ocean carriers will continue to be the lack of facilities that can efficiently handle the requirements of these vessels.

“The fundamental underpinnings of the business case for Sydney are not compromised. The speed of the recovery in freight rates and the timing of the new ships coming into service are things that we will continue to watch closely.”

The province has signalled its support for the development of the port of Sydney and has listed harbour dredging as an infrastructure priority under the Atlantic Gateway program.

Earlier this week Premier Rodney MacDonald told the Cape Breton Post that he’s calling for the federal government to expedite spending on its gateway initiatives.

“We want to see that money flowing right away so projects like the dredging can get happening in 2009.”

Three dredging companies have visited the site and have pre-qualified. The marine group expects to be in a position to issue a request for proposals for dredging early in 2009 with work beginning in spring or summer, and an expectation to start dredging the harbour next fall. It’s expected the work will last 10 weeks.

A confined containment facility will be built at the site of the container terminal to receive the dredged materials. A request for proposal related to the design and construction of that project is nearly complete.

Laurentian Energy Corporation and Galaxy SARL announced plans early this year for a container terminal at Sydport.

[mylesmalley]

I'm glad to see some much-needed investment going to Sydney, but is a container terminal at the 'Sydport' the best thing? It seems more logical to me that improving the infrastructure at the port of Halifax would be more cost effective. Would a container terminal necessitate rail and highway improvements all through eastern Nova Scotia?

[Smevo]

There are some issues at the Halifax terminals that just won't go away, one being the transport trucks having to weave through downtown, and the other being CN Rail not co-operating in the effort to move more cargo by train.

There's already a rail spur directly into Sydport off the main CBNS rail line (basically the old CN line north of Truro), and if CN doesn't co-operate, at least the transport trucks won't have to go through downtown. In reality, the container terminal is meant to augment Halifax and Melford terminals in the expected Post-Panamax boom in shipping with a capacity about 1/2 that of Halifax and 1/3 that of Melford if I remember correctly. Either way, it's smaller than both of them. The highways are a stumbling block to increased transport truck traffic, though. It's bad enough just handling the trucks coming and going locally and for Newfoundland. We've needed upgraded highways with plans for twinning for a long time, and this will hopefully be the catalyst that makes the politicians see how necessary it really is. The upgrades on the mainland are already planned so they can serve the Melford terminal, which needs a brand new rail spur built to serve it, I can't remember how long it needs to be.

[Dmajackson]

One other thing about local terminals is can all these terminals in Nova Scotia co-exist? The one for the Strait of Canso would logically be a better one to upgrade because it doesn't require major highway/rail improvements on Cape Breton. It would only require two parts of the TCH to be upgraded, one, the proposed Antigonish bypass and two the remaining stretch being proposed as a P3 partnership.

On another note does anyone know roughly how many houses could be powered by the Lake Uist project? They mention 44 wind turbines and a 100MW and 150MW capacity for the different parts but I don't have a sweet clue as to how many houses that could power.

[Smevo]

Can they co-exist? That's a question few have the answer to, and I wouldn't hold my breath for a clear-cut answer on it. The thing about both Melford and Sydport terminals is:
a) both are being constructed with private money
b) both require public money for transportation infrastructure upgrades which, in reality, have been needed for a couple decades anyway.

If they aren't successful, than it's an enormous cost on a bad bet. If they are however, both terminals serve to better not only their local economies, but Nova Scotia's as a whole with benefits stretching into Central Canada and Newfoundland (faster shipments, etc.). Is it a good investment? I can't say with 100% certainty especially in the current economic state. But the other thing about that is one of the best ways to boost a struggling economy is with infrastructure projects.

I'm hoping it happens, of course, for many reasons, but one of the biggest is that it will (hopefully) speed up the necessary infrastructure upgrades north of New Glasgow and on the island itself. Driving on the Deerfoot in Calgary in rush hour is more relaxing than driving on Cape Breton's highways any weekend throughout the year or any day in the summer, and that's saying something. It's not so much the volume of traffic, but the inability to pass slow vehicles and transport trucks due to both the lack of passing lanes and the volume of traffic. A four lane highway, even undivided (though they don't build those anymore) would solve almost all the traffic problems on the island. Whenever there's an accident, it not a matter of being slowed down, you're parked for hours until they clean it up.

Sorry for the tangent, just trying to explain the situation.

As for the Lake Uist project, I have no sweet clue.

[mylesmalley]

Originally Posted by Bedford_DJ

One other thing about local terminals is can all these terminals in Nova Scotia co-exist? The one for the Strait of Canso would logically be a better one to upgrade because it doesn't require major highway/rail improvements on Cape Breton. It would only require two parts of the TCH to be upgraded, one, the proposed Antigonish bypass and two the remaining stretch being proposed as a P3 partnership.

On another note does anyone know roughly how many houses could be powered by the Lake Uist project? They mention 44 wind turbines and a 100MW and 150MW capacity for the different parts but I don't have a sweet clue as to how many houses that could power.

These are definitely approximations, but the wind farm being built south of Moncton is supposed to be around 90-100MW and the media was reporting it could power 10-15,000 homes.

[Davey Boy Smith]

My understanding with the container terminal is that most of the cargo would be coming in AND going out in ships. How it was explained to me is that very large ships would come in from Asia or Europe, their cargo unloaded in Sydney and then loaded into smaller ships to go to their end destination. This works because the larger ships could then be on their way back, thus saving costs. I have heard that the plan is for very little rail traffic and virtually no truck traffic out of that terminal.

[Smevo]

^You're right now that I think of it. The advantage to Sydney's port was it was closer to the St. Lawrence Seaway as well as to the source of the cargo, making shipping time quicker to the Seaway and the Great Lakes. I still think it will come with an increase in truck traffic though, just not as great as a full-on ship-to-ground transport operation.

[Smevo]

Here's one main reason we need road upgrades into Cape Breton, this is our only physical link with the "outside world", and this story is all too common.

http://www.capebretonpost.com/index....=206678&sc=145

Stranded motorists unable to cross causeway New Year's night

Breaking News
The Cape Breton Post

PORT HASTINGS — Several motorists are safe and sound after being helped by RCMP and emergency services during a blizzard New Year’s night.

Police from the Strait Richmond area partnered with the Port Hastings Fire Department, Transportation and Public Works, and local Ground Search and Rescue, in locating 35-40 passenger vehicles and several transport trucks stuck in snow drifts in areas of Port Hawkesbury and Port Hastings.

Over 40 people were safely shuttled to the Port Hastings Fire Department and the Maritime Inn after the Canso Causeway was closed to motorists.

On the otherside of the causeway, at the Irving Big Stop in Auld’s Cove, motorists were provided a place to wait out the storm. The restaurant and gas bar housed several people overnight and provided them with warm drinks and food.

When the causeway opened again at 4 a.m. Transportation and Public Works provided one-way escorts to vehicles wishing to cross.

Inverness RCMP district Sgt. B.J. Rehill said all agencies are to be commended for their work.

http://www.capebretonpost.com/index....=207802&sc=149

Numerous businesses in downtown North Sydney have already taken advantage of the facade and signage program. Julie Collins - Cape Breton Post

Development association opens second round of applications

BY JULIE COLLINS
The Cape Breton Post

NORTH SYDNEY — North Sydney’s Business Improvement Development Association (BIDA) has opened a second round of applications for the downtown revitalization facade program.

The deadline for applications is March 31. Applications can be picked up at the BIDA office, 299 Commercial Street, Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The facade program will fund 50 per cent of the eligible project cost to a maximum of $20,000 per project. Eligible applicants are owners or tenants of commercial or not-for-profit properties.

Those businesses who aren't doing a facade can apply for the signage program. The program is a 50-50 cost share agreement up to a maximum of $5,000.

“We also cover design assistance,” said BIDA community development officer Monique Cashin. “We can cover 50 per cent cost-shared for design work up to maximum of $1,000.”

There are 12 facade applications approved, with five pending, and seven signage applications approved. The signage program also includes directional signage.

The contract work to date has totalled approximately $434,000.
“The construction work for approved applications is expected to start very soon,” she said.

“Along with economic development, this project creates spin-offs to businesses through labour, services, materials and supplies for facade projects.”

Cashin noted that priority will always be given to businesses within the designated core. However, she encourages businesses to apply.
“Even if the business isn’t in the designated area, if there is not enough uptake the boundary could be expanded.”

Along with the facade improvement and signage program, phase two of North Sydney’s revitalization project includes streetscape and enhancements to Archibald Wharf.

Sydney Landscaping and Design has been given the contract for the streetscape portion of the program, which includes green space upgrades and developments at Archibald Wharf.

“We are in the process of approving the design and ordering supplies. The streetscape work should begin in early spring,” she said. “With the streetscape component and developments at Archibald Wharf, we are continuing with marine and nautical heritage theme, which is what North Sydney is all about. We are creating a brand image, making the downtown a more distinctive business district."

Residents and visitors can look forward to the opening of a new casual, fine-dining restaurant at Archibald Wharf.

“We also have three beautiful new signs leading to the downtown core designed by local artist Ed Harris. I expect those will go up in the spring.”
Enterprise Cape Breton Corporation is investing $521,749 through ACOA’s Innovative Communities Fund. The total cost of phase two of the downtown revitalization project is $1,032,082.

http://www.capebretonpost.com/index....=204951&sc=149

Municipal Ready Mix workers John Forrest, Ryan Bonnar and Donnie Wadden smooth gravel on the front portion of the driveway of Greg and Steve’s Auto Repair in preparation for asphalt. Far right is supervisor Kris MacNeil. Julie Collins - Cape Breton Post

Installation of traffic lights will complete upgrade of King Street

JULIE COLLINS
The Cape Breton Post

NORTH SYDNEY — The installation of traffic lights at the entrance to the North Sydney Mall and lights at Baird Street will complete the upgrade to King Street in North Sydney.

The lights at the mall entrance are expected to be installed sometime in February.

“Once the lights on Baird are in sometime in early spring, we’ll have a few smaller jobs to take care of, such as the landscaping and final touches to the retaining wall,” said Municipal Ready Mix project manager Robby Youden. “The project was unique because we had to keep the traffic flowing to the various businesses.”

A major shopping area, King Street is home to numerous businesses including financial institutions, an electronics outlet, restaurants, major grocery chains and the North Sydney Mall.

The street was completely rebuilt and widened to include a third turning lane, storm sewers, curb and gutter and services to the site of the Northside Civic Centre.

“At one point we had a huge excavation to handle the storm scepter,” he said. “We were fortunate to have the co-operation of the folks at the North Sydney Mall that allowed us to detour traffic. That made a huge difference.”
Youden said a key was keeping the business operators and the public up to date on the project and responding as quickly as possible to any concerns.
“There were some disruptions, but overall, the phase approach worked. We took our time with planning to assure that there was suitable access to businesses.”

He said, despite the challenges, the project was completed on schedule.
“Once we got the paving done from the tracks, people could see we were coming close,” he said. “We were through the major work in November. This wasn’t your typical project, but everyone working together made it easier to get through. I’m sure folks are pleased with the end results.”

http://www.capebretonpost.com/index....=204708&sc=151

Finally it’s time for the tar ponds
The Cape Breton Post

The remediation of the Sydney tar ponds has passed more signposts than a tourist lost on a California freeway so it’s hard to raise interest in yet another announcement about a new junction in the very long road. However, news last week that Sydney Tar Ponds Agency has called tenders for the solidification and stabilization of the ponds does deserve public notice.

For many who’ve watched the cleanup saga fitfully for a decade and a half — or longer, depending on where one sets the starting point — the remediation of the tar ponds is the centrepiece of the whole exercise.

Though physical site work on the Muggah Creek watershed has been underway now for several years, and millions of dollars have already been spend, in many minds the cleanup won’t really be underway until the ponds are tackled.

It’s expected that contracts on this phase of the project, worth about $50 million, will be awarded in six months. Potential contractors worldwide were alerted in October.

This next phase of the $400 million cleanup will include water diversion around the construction site, full-scale solidification and stabilization, capping of the hardened mass, and construction of a new bridge on Ferry Street.

Before any of that happens, results from pilot-scale testing done in the fall at several isolated sites within the tar ponds must be reviewed and approved by the Nova Scotia Department of Environment. The field testing followed lab or bench-scale work which narrowed 16 possible recipes to six.

Finding the right mixture of cement, slag and fly ash, which may vary according to sediment composition from one part of the ponds to another, is critical to the long-term success of the cleanup and in determining what uses can be made of the area once capping is completed. Critics have questioned whether solidification and stabilization (known by the abbreviation S/S) is even possible at this site and whether the stability of the solidified mass — sealing in contaminants, some of which are carcinogenic — can be assured for the long term.

Experts employed on the project say they’re confident this will work, though the OK for full-scale S/S must come from the provincial environment department. This is where things get confusing without a scorecard because one provincial department, Murray Scott’s Department of Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal, is responsible for the operating agency, STPA, while Mark Parent’s environment department is the lead regulator of the cleanup.

This departmental neighbourliness, along with questions about whether Parent’s environment department was really up to the complex task of judging cleanup methodologies, accounts for creation of an additional three-member monitoring board which will report independently to the minister on how well his people are carrying out their regulatory oversight of the remediation. This watchdog’s annual report will be publicly available.

Earlier this year an operational audit, which confirmed concerns about lost focus and slipping timelines, led to the replacement of STPA’s executive director. Trouble at the operational agency end doesn’t mean there’ll be problems on the regulatory side too, though the province continues to labour under a reputation, going back many years, for weak environmental oversight. With one provincial department already caught taking its eye off the ball, the pressure clearly on both of them now to perform through this critical stage of the Sydney cleanup.

[Architype]

I am not sure if this has been posted:

Power to the Cape

Sydney area likely landfall for Newfoundland hydro cable
By TERA CAMUS Cape Breton Bureau
Sat. Jan 10 - 5:38 AM

SYDNEY — The province of Newfoundland and Labrador is eyeing this area as the place to land a proposed multibillion-dollar subsea cable from the fledgling Lower Churchill Falls hydro project.

Ed Martin, president of the provincially owned corporation Nalcor Energy, told The Chronicle Herald on Friday the plan is to bring hydro power from Labrador by cable to the island of Newfoundland before laying a line to supply grids in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and the United States.

"It’s looking like somewhere in the Sydney area would be an excellent landfall for us," Mr. Martin said of the proposed undersea cable.

"Not only is it distance-wise one of the closest points to Newfoundland, but it’s close to the Lingan plant, which is a significant emitter for Nova Scotia (Power) . . . but nothing is final yet."

Firm decisions will be made within the coming months, he said.

Nalcor’s goal is to begin producing more power from the Churchill River by 2015, enough to light all the homes in Atlantic Canada plus parts of Ontario using two new sites, the corporation says on its website.

Read more here:
http://thechronicleherald.ca/Business/1100037.html

[Smevo]

^Thanks. The Post had an editorial about it that mentioned a few different options, I considered posting it but for some reason decided not to (still not sure why).

[Smevo]

http://www.capebretonpost.com/index....=209455&sc=145

An artist’s conception of Renewable Energy Services Ltd.’s proposed wind farm in Point Tupper. Submitted by Renewable Energy Services Ltd.

Proposed Point Tupper wind farm gets environmental approval

NANCY KING
The Cape Breton Post

POINT TUPPER — A planned $55-million wind farm here has received conditional provincial environmental approval.

Renewable Energy Services Ltd., an independent power producer, announced last February it intends to build a wind farm in Point Tupper that could provide enough electricity to power up to 6,000 homes. The project was selected through a request for proposals issued by Nova Scotia Power.

In response to a recent letter by Richmond municipal council in support of the wind project, former Environment Minister Mark Parent replied with a copy of his decision on the proposal, approving it subject to a number of conditions.

The project would see the development of a 22-megawatt wind farm under its power purchase agreement with NSP. RESL previously installed a turbine at the NuStar Energy/Statia Terminals site in Point Tupper in 2006 as part of a wind exploration program. Research indicated the area is optimal for wind energy production and distribution.

The 11 additional turbines that are to be constructed there — the German-made model Enercon E-82 — will be twice as large as the existing turbine and erected on 80-metre towers.

“I am satisfied following a review of the information provided by RESL, and through the government and public consultation as part of the environmental assessment, that any adverse effects or significant environmental effects of the undertaking can be adequately mitigated through compliance with the attached terms and conditions,” Parent wrote.

Among the terms of the environmental assessment approval are that the proponent must begin work on the project within two years, unless granted a written extension by the minister, and must implement all mitigation and commitments outlined in the registration document, unless otherwise approved by the Department of Environment.

Other terms include conducting surveys of migratory birds before construction, and develop a program to monitor for birds and bats, and make any necessary changes to mitigation plans. It also must ensure prior to construction that late-maturing plant species of conservation concern are not affected by the project.

It must conduct a field program to characterize wetlands and streams so they can be projected during construction and maintenance, and must monitor the effects of construction on groundwater. Noise levels and shadow flicker must also be monitored. A complaint resolution plan to address concerns related to the project has to be developed, and aboriginal groups must be engaged before construction to discuss any impact on traditional Mi’kmaq resources.

At the time of the announcement, RESL president Larry LeBlanc called it one of the most modern turbines, designed specifically for the site, based on the results of the test turbine. He noted the Point Tupper location is ideal from his company’s perspective, as it’s already zoned heavy industrial and is apart from residential areas. The nearest home in Point Tupper is about two kilometres away.

When the project was unveiled, it was noted the turbines would be delivered this spring and installed over the summer, and would go into operation in the fall.

The province is striving to have 20 per cent of its electricity produced from renewable energy sources by 2013, which would eliminate 750,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide from being released and would involve a $1-billion investment in infrastructure.

RESL operates wind turbines in several other regions of the province. The company was founded in 2000.

A phone message left for LeBlanc seeking comment on the project was not returned Friday.

http://www.capebretonpost.com/index....=209456&sc=145

Councillors getting ready for budget deliberations

The Cape Breton Post

SYDNEY — Councillors in the Cape Breton Regional Municipality will be hitting the budget books early over the next several weeks leading up to budget deliberations this spring.

CBRM finance director Marie Walsh said the departmental discussions begin Tuesday with the financial statements for the solid waste and waste water departments.

Councillors asked for the pre-budget discussions. Following the passage of the budget last March, several councillors felt it was a rushed job.

“They’re looking for these pre-budget sessions because when they get into the actual budget they feel like they’re being pressed to make a decision when they haven’t seen the details,” Walsh said.

“(Budget talks) haven’t been long or drawn out but there has been comments or complaints after, that they felt it was being rushed but it wasn’t because we had several days set out.

“I think it certainly will help the budget sessions go smoother.”

The all-day sessions will be held every Tuesday until early March. Days when committee meetings are scheduled the sessions will be held in the afternoon.
Large budgetary expenditures such as police, fire and capital infrastructure will be discussed in separate meetings.

The sessions, meant only for council and staff, aren’t open to the public.
Walsh said the dates for the 2009-10 budget deliberations have been set, but likely won’t be released to the public until next week.

http://www.capebretonpost.com/index....=209464&sc=152

NewPage announces downtime
No word on possible effect at Port Hawkesbury mill

The Cape Breton Post

PORT HAWKESBURY — NewPage Corp. announced that it plans to take approximately 150,000 tons of market-related downtime during the first quarter of 2009. There is no word on how that might affect the local mill.
Company officials did not return phone calls Sunday.

In a news release, the company said specific operating and curtailment plans, as well as timing, were still to be developed at its mills.

NewPage owns mills in Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Nova Scotia. The mills currently have a total annual capacity of approximately 4.5 million tons of paper, including roughly 3.3 million tons of coated paper, 900,000 tons of uncoated paper and 300,000 tons of specialty paper.

“We continue to operate in a very challenging economy and marketplace,” Rick Willett, president and chief operating officer for NewPage, said in the release. “In 2009, we will maintain our strong commitment to run our operations in the most efficient way possible as we balance our production to consumption.

“Based on our estimates of market demand and inventory levels, this downtime is needed to help maintain that balance. Fortunately, our flexible system enables us to fully service our customers’ needs during periods of curtailment.”

Headquartered in Miamisburg, Ohio, NewPage is the largest coated paper manufacturer in North America, based on production capacity, with roughly $4.7 billion in annual net sales.

http://www.capebretonpost.com/index....=209462&sc=149

Read all about it
Libraries hope to break world record for reading to promote Family Literacy Day

NANCY KING
The Cape Breton Post

SYDNEY — Both of Cape Breton’s regional library systems are hoping adults and children will come out in droves later this month to help break a world record.

The Cape Breton Regional Library and the Eastern Counties Regional Library are taking part in a national attempt to break the record for the most children reading with an adult at multiple locations. The initiative is led by ABC Canada Literacy Foundation and Oxford Learning to promote Family Literacy Day.

The challenge is to read a specific selection of five Robert Munsch books for a half-hour in a 24-hour period on Jan. 23-24. The current world record of 78,791 is held by the United States.

Adults can read to children in small groups, in large groups, or one on one.
“The idea is to get as many people as we can reading to as many children as we can, to get the largest number,” noted Chris Thomson, programs assistant with CBRL. “The challenge is for the readers to read all five (books) and the children to sit and pay attention for all five.

“We should be able to get the kids pumped to be able to sit through it all, it should be fun because they’re fun books. The readers will be, I’m sure, very animated.”

In order for the Guinness Book of World Records to approve the world record attempt, there must be at least one independent witness at every venue. Guinness recommends that there be one independent witness for every 100 participants, both readers and children.

“We want a full house,” Thomson said.

The ECRL is encouraging those interested to contact their local libraries before the event, or to register for their own reading at http://www.abc-canada.org/en/fld/events by Jan. 22.

“We've already registered every one of our branches in the counties of Inverness, Richmond and Guysborough and will be welcoming caregivers and their children to those locations on the 24th,” said ECRL chief librarian Petra Mauerhoff.

Because the Sydney and Baddeck events are taking place in the evening, they will have a pyjama party theme. The event in Sydney will also see the Friends of the McConnell Library officially open the revamped pre-school area for which they have purchased new furniture and wall displays.

Both regional libraries have invited special guests from communities around Cape Breton to participate in the readings.

Family Literacy Day is held on Jan. 27 each year. It promotes the importance of reading and engaging in other literacy-related activities as a family.

Getting children reading early helps to encourage them to be lifelong readers.

“The idea is to get adults to read to children and encourage the families to read together,” Thomson said.

For those parents who would like to read to their child at home, requirements and guidelines to ensure the events qualify and are documented are available at the ABC Canada website noted above. If a person does not have the five Robert Munsch books available at home, the text will be available at www.familyliteracyday.ca during the event.

The McConnell Library will also host a Family Literacy Day open house Jan. 25 at 2-4 p.m. It will include puppet shows, face painting, stories and crafts.

Locations and times for the effort to break the work record for the most children reading with an adult at multiple locations:

‰ Wilfred Oram Centennial Library in North Sydney Jan. 23 at 4 p.m.
‰ McConnell Library in Sydney Jan. 23 at 7 p.m.
‰ Baddeck Library Jan. 23 time TBA
‰ Main-a-Dieu Library Jan 24 at 1: 30 p.m.
‰ Margaree Forks Library Jan. 24 at 10:30 a.m.
‰ Mulgrave and Petit de Grat libraries Jan. 24 at 1 p.m.
‰ Port Hawkesbury Library Jan. 24 at 11:30 a.m.

[Smevo]

http://www.capebretonpost.com/index....=211479&sc=145

CBRM considers several parcels of land to help grow Sydney

CHRIS SHANNON
The Cape Breton Post

SYDNEY — The Cape Breton Regional Municipality is looking at a swath of 300 acres of undeveloped land to aid the future growth of Sydney.

“We issued approval for the last lot in the Boulderwood-Calderwood subdivision. There’s no more,” CBRM planner Malcolm Gillis said.

“The province doesn’t have any land left for sale on this extension of Terrace Street, so that’s it. There’s the Hospital Hill subdivision but that might get you 15 lots and the development standards, because of zoning in that residential neighbourhood, is very exclusive.”

There are few natural ways for further expansion. The former Cossitt Heights Industrial Park, which has failed to attract commercial business over two decades and has now been rezoned for residential use and the Baille Ard land assembly that also comprises the 53-acre Baille Ard Trail, is now a prime target for development.

The Baille Ard land assembly was set aside for housing in the 1980s. About one-third of its 300 acres have been developed so far including the Sherwood Park Education Centre and housing along Cottage Road and Terrace Street.

Gillis said combined, Cossitt Heights and the Baille Ard, provide land that would be available for residential development for “three to four generations.”
A not-for-profit volunteer community development corporation called Cape Breton CommonLands Association Inc. has indicated it’s seeking authority to act as the CBRM’s agent in developing Cossitt Heights.

It is also interested in acquiring the remaining two-thirds of undeveloped land in the Baille Ard land assembly from the province, which has signalled it has no plan for the area, Gillis said, adding its non-profit status could allow the association to buy it for less than its appraised value.

“We can see the legitimacy of the concept. We agree with the idea of allowing somebody else to be the agent for both levels of government to develop this land assembly. We are receptive to that,” Gillis said.

He noted that having the two land assemblies merge into one neighbourhood would be a good lesson in city planning as the area would be connected to the same street network and share recreational facilities.

The proposal will likely face hurdles, however. The Cape Breton Regional Fire Service has identified Cossitt Heights as a potential site for fire training. Another concern is what effects would the development have on the 3.6 kilometres of the Baille Ard Trail.

In a letter to the province and CBRM, the executive of CommonLands said if the lands are transferred, the association would “proceed with an engineering study to identify costs associated with building the water and sewer infrastructure and, as well, with designing and building a transportation roadway to fit the available connector roads.”

Costs associated with sidewalk designs, walking and bicycle pathways, parks and recreation sites, commercial and green spaces would be included in CommonLands’ engineering and planning study.

The CBRM planning advisory committee agreed Thursday to a comprehensive report on the proposal involving the planning, recreation and engineering and public works departments.

It’s expected to be ready for the monthly planning committee meeting in March.

For those not from the area, the Cossit Heights Industrial Park is right beside Hwy 125, but has no direct access to Hwy 125, and because of Truck route restrictions, could only be accessed in a roundabout way through residential neighbourhoods. It was a poorly planned area, and with Harbourside going now, there's really no industrial use for Cossit Heights.


Another award for Cambridge Suites (definitely the place to stay if you're ever in town, and cheaper than Delta too).
http://www.capebretonpost.com/index....=210894&sc=152

Cambridge Suites wins national award of excellence

BY TOM AYERS
The Cape Breton Post

SYDNEY — The Cambridge Suites has been recognized by its peers with the Hotel Association of Canada’s Hall of Fame Award of Excellence for human resources.

The hotel association says one of the criteria for the award is developing a climate conducive to new and/or repeat business by creating goodwill among guests.

Michele Bianchini, general manager of the Cambridge Suites, said the award specifically recognizes the downtown hotel’s high staff retention rate, high staff satisfaction rate and high rate of repeat customers.

“If your employees are satisfied, your customers are satisfied,” she said.
Employee surveys have shown that 95 per cent of staff are satisfied, and a magazine recently named the Cambridge Suites the fourth best place to work in Atlantic Canada, she said, adding that 80 per cent of customers are repeat guests.

The Cambridge Suites, which is entering its 20th year in business, employs 85 people at its hotel and restaurant.

“There’s a dozen of us that have been there since the beginning,” said Bianchini.

The award will be presented in Toronto next month, which Bianchini said will be an excellent opportunity to promote Cape Breton tourism.

“Right now, there’s a lot of doom and gloom, and this is one positive thing we can wave our flag and say ‘Look at what we’re doing.’”

The hotel has received several awards over the years, including the Nova Scotia Tourism Human Resource Council’s national business recognition award for professional certification, which it won four times from 2004-2007, and the Tourism Industry of Nova Scotia’s Crystal Award for human resources leadership in 2006.

http://www.capebretonpost.com/index....=211476&sc=152

Liberal MLA’s comments stir controversy over container terminal proposals

BY TOM AYERS
The Cape Breton Post

SYDNEY — A Liberal MLA’s comments on infrastructure spending that would help the private sector with new container terminals in Sydney and Melford have stirred up a minor controversy.

The Sydney and Area Chamber of Commerce says Digby-Annapolis MLA Harold Theriault is putting the dredging of Sydney harbour at risk, while the Strait Area Chamber of Commerce says the issue has been blown out of proportion.

Meanwhile, the Liberal party is distancing itself from Theriault’s comments, saying the party’s position is clearly in favour of infrastructure development such as twinning the Trans-Canada Highway between New Glasgow and Port Hawkesbury and dredging Sydney harbour.

Theriault, a member of the province’s standing committee on economic development, said Tuesday he was concerned that tax dollars were going to support private container terminal developments in Sydney and Melford while the Halifax port is at half capacity.

“I’m certainly hoping it’s just his opinion,” Sydney chamber president Owen Fitzgerald said Thursday. “There’s so much at stake, we can’t take that chance.

“We have to make sure the proper information gets out there and that people understand the opportunities and what could happen or couldn’t happen.”

Fitzgerald said using public money to dredge Sydney harbour would benefit the container terminal proposal as well as the coal shipping pier that services Nova Scotia Power. It’s also crucial for the proposed Donkin coal mine development.

“That’s the role that government has to play: invest in infrastructure that the public needs,” said Fitzgerald.

“We’re certainly not interested in, I’m going to use the term blowing it out of proportion,” said Strait chamber president Bob MacEachern.

“Information obviously needs to be provided to Mr. Theriault and others in the legislature. These are private investors and they are going full steam ahead to bring (the container terminals) to reality.

“In terms of infrastructure, that’s exactly what public money should be for. My sense is that it’s certainly not a position of the Liberal party, and more of a reaction that Mr. Theriault had to a presentation he heard on a development down in Halifax.”

The NDP’s Gordie Gosse, MLA for Cape Breton Nova, said Liberal opposition to the proposed $200-million container terminal in Sydney harbour is short-sighted and would seriously hamper economic development and the creation of up to 3,000 new jobs in Cape Breton.

“One of the primary roles for government is to provide the infrastructure to make business possible,” Liberal Leader Stephen McNeil said in a news release following publication of Theriault’s comments. McNeil added that new container operations proposed for Sydney and Melford are “exactly the type of investment Nova Scotia needs and we should be encouraging these private investors.”

Manning MacDonald, Liberal MLA for Cape Breton South and the party’s economic development critic, said Theriault’s comments do not represent the Liberal party’s position on infrastructure development or private investment in container terminals for the Strait region or Sydney.

“First of all, Harold Theriault . . . was speaking as an MLA. That’s not the policy of the Liberal party,” he said.

MacDonald said the Liberal party is committed to investing public money into infrastructure that would help the private sector develop container terminals in Melford and Sydney.

“We’re saying that that’s good competition for the future and particularly for Sydney, that could be the lifeblood of the community.

“The Liberal party is committed to seeing the harbour in Sydney dredged and committed to seeing the terminal developed in Sydney.”

http://www.capebretonpost.com/index....=211826&sc=595

Knock at proposed terminals a disappointing position

The Cape Breton Post

As a member of the legislature’s Standing Committee on Economic Development, I was disappointed with the assertion by Liberal member Harold Theriault that it is “not a very good sense of business” to go forward with two major port developments, Melford International Terminal and a new terminal in Sydney.

Theriault also questioned the value of twinning Highway 104 to the Strait of Canso.

The $300 million Melford project, the $200 million proposed Sydney project, and the $100 million in road work on Highway 104 and Highway 125 are tremendous investments in Cape Breton’s future. They are investments on a scale that will create jobs and business opportunities for years to come.

The Liberal member’s comments do nothing to help the private business interests working to develop these ports and the jobs that come with them.

In our economic climate, our elected members should work towards helping the growth of our province’s economy.

The government of Nova Scotia, led by Premier Rodney MacDonald, will continue to work with businesses and workers to grow our economy in every part of Nova Scotia.

Keith Bain, MLA
PC—Victoria-The Lakes

[Smevo]

http://www.capebretonpost.com/index....=213126&sc=145

Companies competing for largest contract of tar ponds cleanup

JOHN MCNEIL
The Cape Breton Post

SYDNEY — Companies competing to land the biggest contract of the tar ponds cleanup met Tuesday to gather information about the project and explore forging partnerships to secure the successful bid.

About 70 people representing more than 40 companies attended a meeting at the Membertou Trade and Convention Centre to learn more about the $50-million solidification and stabilization contract for the Sydney tar ponds.

The successful contractor must prove it can mix solidifying ingredients into the toxic waste to harden it and prevent contaminated leakage. The contract also requires the construction of a channel allowing water from two brooks to pass over the solidified mass and flow into Sydney harbour.

The tender evaluations include a local economic benefits program, in which larger national and international companies which may bid for the contract are encouraged to partner with Cape Breton companies for local labour.

Tim Sullivan, representing Sydney-based businesses AIC Sullivan Environmental and Atlantic Site Remediation Ltd., said the number of companies expressing interest is encouraging.

“We’re excited that there’s a really good turnout,” he said. “Everybody’s talking partnerships, especially from the point of view of expertise in solidification and stabilization.”

Chris MacDonald of Hazco Environmental Services, with offices in Sydney and Halifax, said, “A lot of people are trying to get a sense of where people are going to go and focusing on retention of information today.”

The list of interested bidders includes companies from across North America and one company from Belgium.

The pre-bid information session was hosted by the Sydney Tar Ponds Agency and the project’s design engineers, AECOM and CBCL Ltd.

Kevin MacPherson of CBCL outlined the project’s health and safety requirements and said the successful contractor will be required to hire a full-time independent health and safety officer to carry out regular inspections and work with officials.

MacPherson said other cost implications for the successful bidder would include occupational air monitoring equipment and the use of a registered occupational hygienist.

Ian Shrimpton, design lead, outlined the stages of the process and stressed the importance of building the channel system to Sydney harbour.

“The order and sequence of the work will be up to the proponents, but preference must be given to channel construction,” Shrimpton said.

Stephen Pinto of CBCL discussed the requirements the successful bidder will face under the project’s environmental protection plan. The contractor must employ an environmental monitor with experience in remediation to conduct environmental checks every four hours during construction.

All employees working on the site will be required to take two hours of environmental training, which will include information on archaeological awareness.

Vehicles used at the site will have to undergo decontamination to avoid transferring toxins through municipal streets. This requires a Gross Decontamination Zone be built “over an impermeable surface” on the site.

The successful bidder will also need to appoint a quality assurance lead to work with an independent consultant appointed by the agency to ensure reporting and testing requirements are met as the project proceeds.

Companies wishing to test its solidifying mixtures before bidding were invited to collect samples of the toxic sediment provided by the agency Tuesday afternoon.

The tender was released last month and the contract is expected to be awarded in the spring.

http://www.capebretonpost.com/index....=213532&sc=145

CBRM thinks link
CBRM mulls over building highway link from piers to airport

CHRIS SHANNON
The Cape Breton Post

SYDNEY — The Cape Breton Regional Municipality is moving ahead with an evaluation of the merits of constructing a highway link from the Sydney coal piers directly to the regional airport.

The recommendation to further investigate phase 3 of the aptly named “port-to-port” project came as municipal staff conducted preliminary engineering on its viability last summer.

In his issue paper, CBRM economic development manager John Whalley said engineering and planning staff “have been discussing a variety of transportation issues that are associated with the remediation of the former Sydney Steel lands, the tar ponds and cove ovens sites and the various Devco properties that lie on or adjacent to the port-to-port corridor. All of these various possible changes are being discussed with a view to developing an efficient and effective transportation corridor.”

A highway corridor connecting the Sydney Port Access Road to the Sydney airport would open up 4,000 acres of land for development, he said.

The SPAR currently diverts heavy industrial traffic directly to the port via Highway 125 but development along the SPAR is limited because of the municipal garbage transfer station on one side and the vast majority of public lands lie on the other side of what’s called the Sydney bulk railway.

“The lands are currently landlocked. It really opens up the potential to build a phased-in business park,” said Whalley.

“It’s fundamentally important to create something that no region in North America that I’m aware of has, which is a port directly linked on a high-speed highway to an airport, with rail and road connections. That is unheard of.”

Phase 4 of the plan, which would create a direct link between Donkin and the highway outlined in phase 3, will only be taken under consideration if the Xstrata coal mine goes into operation.

Whalley said the mine developers as well as the province and municipality should consider a direct route to the mine in order to avoid coal trucks on the Sydney-Glace Bay highway and other arteries congested with mainly residential traffic.

An important piece to the port plan is the merger of the Sydney Port Corp. and the Sydney Airport Authority, which would broaden the role of the non-profit community organization.

Tuesday, the CBRM agreed in principle to forgo $1.3 million in payments from the port corporation — the remainder of its 15-year Sydney Marine Terminal lease agreement with the municipality — to free it from any financial obligations in a potential merger.

Don Rowe, general manager of Sydney Ports Corp. which operates the marine terminal as well as the Joan Harriss Cruise Pavilion, said both sides have spoken of the proposed merger with their respective board of directors.

“There’s going to be a considerable number of meetings that will take place very quickly now and we’ll be talking about what type of structure is going to be developed,” he said.

The two non-profits have more in common than it may seem.

“The airport transports cargo too. It’s a natural fit. A lot of the major ports in the eastern United States have both the airport, the port, some of them have bridges, tunnels, with just one group managing the infrastructure,” Rowe said.

He couldn’t estimate how long merger negotiations might take.

Sydney airport chief executive officer Larry McPherson couldn’t be reached for comment Wednesday.

http://www.capebretonpost.com/index....=212663&sc=145

Cape Breton to host ECMA awards, festival, conference in 2010

LAURA JEAN GRANT
The Cape Breton Post

SYDNEY — It’s official. The East Coast Music Awards, Festival and Conference is headed back to Cape Breton in 2010.

The East Coast Music Association made the announcement Monday, just over a month before the 2009 ECMA event gets underway in Corner Brook, N.L.

“Our top priority right now is to prepare to promote the 2010 event in Corner Brook next month. What we’re going to do is create a Cape Breton embassy there, get some delegates to go over, put on some entertainment for a couple of nights and do our thing in Corner Brook,” said Ian McNeil, chair of the Cape Breton 2010 ECMA event. “The essential message is ‘be sure to come to Cape Breton in early March of 2010.’ We plan to have a wonderful event.”

The four-day music industry celebration — which is hosted on a rotating basis by the five regions of the ECMA — will be making its fourth trip to the Sydney area, March 4-7, 2010.

McNeil said an event committee formed late last year to make a bid for the ECMAs will stay together to plan the music extravaganza. He credited the dedicated volunteers and early support from big sponsors as being key to securing the event. The Cape Breton Regional Municipality and Enterprise Cape Breton Corp. are among those who have already committed to the event, which McNeil said bodes well for the committee as they seek out further sponsorship from local businesses and other levels of government in the months ahead.

With a vibrant music scene and a highly skilled volunteer base, McNeil said the island always puts on a memorable ECMA weekend.

“I think our reputation as hosts precedes us and I think the thing that really makes us strong hosts is that dedicated core of volunteers and I think we have to thank the Celtic Colours International Festival for that because many of the same people who volunteer to mount that festival, have volunteered to be with ECMA for this event,” he said, adding, “So every year they have a chance to prove themselves and keep their skills sharp and then they come here every five years to help ECMA and they’re battle-ready.”

And the ECMA board clearly agreed.

“Cape Breton clearly demonstrated the commitment, planning and resources needed to execute this event next year,” said Wade Pinhorn, chair of the ECMA board of directors, in a release. “Cape Breton hosts this event extremely well and we will look forward to making this a memorable event for our members and the host community.”

http://www.capebretonpost.com/index....=213525&sc=152

Techlink picks up pair of new U.S. patents

The Cape Breton Post

SYDNEY — Techlink Entertainment, a Sydney-based advanced gaming technology developer and manufacturer, has been granted what the company regards as two extremely significant new patents in the United States. The patents apply to its responsible gaming product, Gameplan.
Application for the patents was made in 2002 and the company received official notice of acceptance this week.

Techlink designed and has now commercialized the Gameplan system which provides video lottery terminal players with information on how much money they spend and how long they gamble. Gameplan also provides players with tools to allow them to set money limits and time limits while gambling.

The company says the two new patents put Techlink in a very strong competitive position to be a world leader in providing responsible gaming technologies.

Nova Scotia will deploy Techlink’s Gameplan system on all of the VLTs in the province, accounting for nearly 3,000 machines out of Atlantic Lottery Corp.’s some 8,500 machines in the four Atlantic provinces. The decision to deploy in Nova Scotia follows years of exhaustive testing, technical analysis, player behaviour modification trials and the expert assessment of clinicians and therapists globally, Techlink said.

The company says the product is at the forefront of responsible gaming strategies under consideration or now being implemented in a number of jurisdictions internationally. Techlink is engaged in advanced discussions with several jurisdictions and is responding to proposal requests.

“Patents are key for companies like Techlink,” said company president and a chief executive officer John Xidos. “The ones we just received will enable us to compete with the big players in the U.S. gaming industry. The total market opportunity for products that use this patented technology is in the billions of dollars.”

Without patent protection Techlink would never be able to carve out a significant piece of the market, Xidos said. “Now that we are securing patents in the U.S. and in jurisdictions all around the world, the opportunity to really grow the company and be a significant Nova Scotia based exporter is greatly increased.”

Techlink has almost 80 employees and expects to reach 100 this year, with employment growth projected to continue. The company is broadly held by shareholders in Canada.

Techlink Entertainment has been in operation for more than a decade.

http://www.capebretonpost.com/index....=214052&sc=145

Laurentian CEO waiting for word from premier on rail subsidy

CHRIS SHANNON
The Cape Breton Post

SYDNEY — Jim Wooder is looking forward to Premier Rodney MacDonald’s speech at a luncheon hosted by the Sydney and Area Chamber of Commerce at noon today.

The CEO of Laurentian Energy will be listening closely to MacDonald’s response to questions concerning the railway line and its provincially funded $10-million subsidy, which is scheduled to run out late in 2010.

“I’m not advocating an ongoing subsidy for the rail line as much as I’m advocating that we provide the rail line with a reason to have a commercially viable business,” Wooder said Thursday.

“Dredging is the common denominator.”

There has been little discussion so far on continuing the government subsidy beyond next year or until business on the railway improves.

Wooder, who also acts as spokesperson of the Sydney Marine Group — a consortium consisting of Laurentian Energy Corp., Logistec Stevedoring, Marine Atlantic, Nova Scotia Power, Provincial Energy Ventures, Sydney Steel and Sydney Ports Corp — that’s in the process of developing a $200-million container terminal with French investor Galaxy SARL to service the next generation of supertankers, said nothing can happen without the dredging of Sydney harbour, and that includes ensuring a financially stable Cape Breton and Central Nova Scotia Railway.

Earlier this week, Cape Breton’s two New Democrat MLAs called on the province to subsidize the railway beyond 2010.

“This railway line is an integral part of the infrastructure that will be needed to support the progression of the port of Sydney,” said Frank Corbett, MLA for Cape Breton Centre.

The proposed $35-million dredging project would deepen the access channel to the harbour to 17 metres. The marine group says the dredging will be done by suction methods with minimal environmental impact to deepen almost nine kilometres of channel.

The draft environmental impact statement was filed by the marine group in December. Wooder said a final report is expected to be filed with federal government regulators by mid-February.

“We anticipate that we would receive some type of decision from the regulators within April sometime. We’re hoping it comes as early as possible.”
It’s still expected harbour dredging will begin late in the fall. Currently, an environmental assessment, which has been ongoing since last summer, is drawing to a close and engineers working on a request for proposals for the dredging contract is expected to be ready by mid-March.

“We’re still on track,” said Wooder, who noted the marine group’s timetable hasn’t changed despite the onset of the recession.

“The world’s a different place than it was eight months ago. Four to five per cent of the world’s container capacity is currently laid up and freight rates are down and obviously everybody’s concerned about how quickly the Suez service is going to come online and how much cargo is coming from Asia.

“But these things are cyclical. We have a 60-year horizon in front of us for this harbour. Our job right now is to deliver an environmental assessment that’s positive and we think we’re on track for that and what comes after that remains to be seen.”

The premier has said he’s been calling on the federal government to expedite spending on Atlantic Gateway initiatives.

“We want to see that money flowing right away so projects like the dredging can get happening in 2009,” MacDonald said last month in an interview with the Cape Breton Post.

http://www.capebretonpost.com/index....=213084&sc=152

Tompkins Institute hopes to kick-start local business

BY NANCY KING
The Cape Breton Post

SYDNEY — Cape Breton University’s Tompkins Institute is working to facilitate business ventures including reopening a bankrupt cheesecake factory and launching a wood pellet manufacturing plant.

Greg MacLeod established the institute about 35 years ago as a bridge between academia and the community. Among the projects it launched were New Dawn Enterprises and BCA Holdings.

After Classic Cheesecakes went bankrupt in 2007, the institute purchased the plant, and it has been in talks with a former Cape Bretoner interested in taking it over and developing new product lines. MacLeod estimated that process could be complete within about six months, and the potential market for its products would be North America-wide.

“The people have business experience and they’re interested in new kinds of food products and they’re going to be doing research on new products,” he said.

The Tompkins Institute is also looking at the potential of a wood pellet plant, to take advantage of a growing demand for the product and a desire to be less dependent on heating oil. The primary market would be the commercial and institutional sector.

“We want to replace oil as much as possible in the Cape Breton economy,” MacLeod said. “We have forests in Cape Breton so we’re talking to woodlot managers to see if they can they can supply us with wood.”

Where the plant may locate would depend on the source of the wood, he added. A feasibility study is underway through the Cape Breton Innovation Research Centre, which is a division of the institute, and MacLeod estimates it could produce anywhere from 25,000-100,000 tonnes of wood pellets annually. He believes people will want to convert to using wood pellets because it could create local jobs and it reduces reliance on oil.

“The main factor will be the supply of wood and the price,” he said. “There’s no question Cape Breton could use a lot more than that.”

Some municipal leaders in the Strait Area have also talked about the potential for a pellet plant on the island, specifically the former Federal Gypsum wallboard plant in Point Tupper.

The Tompkins Institute has been successful in some other business acquisitions over the past few years. In 2006, in an effort overseen by the institute, BCA Investment Group took over the former Clearwater fish plant in North Sydney, and operated it until it was purchased last year by the growing Louisbourg Seafoods.

“It was a major accomplishment to keep the plant operational and to work out a deal so that Louisbourg Seafoods could take it over because that consolidated Louisbourg Seafoods, (it) has grown bigger,” MacLeod said.

A pilot project with a number of Chinese students who are interested in settling in Cape Breton is also underway. Chinese students represent the largest group of foreign students at CBU, with about 200 attending classes there, MacLeod noted.

Immigration will be an important tool in battling the trend of population decline in the region, he said.

Educational institutions like CBU and the Nova Scotia Community College can play vital roles in helping in local economic development, MacLeod said, adding he’d like to see stronger links between them and the local business community.