English
GLACE BAY, N.S. — After a massive fire engulfed the long-abandoned Morrison High School in Glace Bay last week — threatening nearby homes and alarming residents — Cape Breton Regional Municipality (CBRM) officials are preparing to ask the provincial government for urgent assistance in dealing with the region’s growing number of derelict buildings.
The blaze, which occurred Thursday evening, didn’t come as a surprise to locals or elected officials.
“These are becoming an issue in the community,” said District 1 councillor Gordon MacDonald, pointing to a pattern of similar fires in neglected buildings across the municipality, including several at the former North Sydney post office. “And they’re left to cash-strapped municipalities like us who don’t have the resources to be able to tear them down.”
Hundreds of Derelict Properties
MacDonald estimates it would cost around $1 million just to demolish the old post office, a figure well out of reach for CBRM’s current budget. With roughly 400 abandoned properties across the municipality, the burden has become overwhelming.
“We don’t have the budget available for the high cost of doing it,” he emphasized.
CBRM officials confirmed that the issue will be a major item at Tuesday’s council meeting, where the municipality plans to formally request provincial support to address the worsening crisis.
Provincial Support Sought
Derek Mombourquette, interim leader of Nova Scotia’s Liberal Party and MLA for Sydney–Membertou, agrees that CBRM presents a unique case.
“The sheer size of it compared to other municipalities around the province — I would argue it probably has a more significant case,” he told CTV Atlantic. He called on the province to engage with CBRM officials and take part in coordinated planning.
More Abandonments on the Horizon
Adding to the concern, MacDonald noted that even more buildings may soon be abandoned, including the Northside General Hospital, which is scheduled to close in the near future.
“We’re going to have the North Sydney hospital coming up,” he said. “That’s going to be abandoned… and people have to start planning what is the next step for a building like that?”
A Growing Safety Risk
As buildings sit vacant and deteriorating, residents fear more fires are inevitable. Many community members and firefighters view the Morrison High School blaze not as an isolated incident but as a warning sign of broader risks.
Without provincial intervention, officials say, CBRM will continue to face threats to both public safety and municipal budgets.
“This is not just about aesthetics,” MacDonald warned. “It’s about fire hazards, crime, and community morale.”
