Recycling Changes Launch: What it Means for Inverness County

December 1, 2025

Recycling Changes Launch Across the Province: What it Means for Inverness County

Starting December 1, Nova Scotia will launch a new residential recycling model that shifts responsibility from municipalities to the producers of packaging and paper products. This change is part of the province’s extended producer responsibility (EPR) initiative, designed to divert more waste away from landfills.

Impacts in Inverness County

The Municipality of Inverness County has opted into the EPR program. Under this new model, recycling operations will now be overseen by Circular Materials, a national non-profit organization.

However, residents will not see any changes to their curbside collection routines. The Municipality will continue to provide residential curbside pickup and remains available to assist residents with questions about solid waste and recycling.

What’s New in Blue Bags

With the introduction of EPR, several new items can now be placed in blue bag recycling, including:

Blue Bag 1 (Paper):

• Paper laminate packaging, such as:
  • flour bags
  • pet food bags
  • popcorn bags
• Cardboard boxes, such as:
  • Pizza boxes
• Food wrappers, such as:
  • muffin wrappers
  • burger wrappers
  • sandwich wrappers
• Laminated paper

Blue Bag 2 (Plastics & containers):

• Multi-layer containers, such as:
  • hot and cold beverage cups (disposable coffee cups)
  • ice cream cartons
  • cookie dough spiral cans
  • frozen juice spiral cans
  • potato chip spiral cans
• Plastic tubes, including:
  • toothpaste
  • deodorant
  • hand cream containers
• Small item plastic packaging, such as:
  • bottles/pumps
  • candy/gum containers
  • pails
  • garden pots
  • seedling trays

For a detailed list of accepted materials, visit invernesscounty.ca/sortitout to view the Residential Curbside Collection Guide.

Items No Longer Accepted

Books will no longer be accepted in blue bag recycling. Residents are encouraged to donate them to local thrift stores. If this option is not suitable, books may be placed in regular curbside garbage (black bags).

Curbside Collection and Support

Curbside collection schedules and routines remain unchanged.

Residents with questions about collection in Inverness County can continue to contact the Municipality at waste@invernesscounty.ca or by calling 1-866-258-0223 (option 1).

To stay informed on schedules and sorting guidance, download the Recycle Cape Breton App for Android or iOS, or visit invernesscounty.ca/sortitout.

Santa for Seniors 2025

November 27, 2025

Santa for Seniors Program Spreads Holiday Cheer Across the Municipality

The Municipality Inverness County Recreation & Community Wellness Department is once again inviting residents to get involved with “Santa for Seniors” this holiday season. The Santa for Seniors program connects local students with older adults (55+) by providing handmade gifts and cards to bring extra warmth, recognition, and joy at this time of year.

The municipal Seniors Safety Program supports older adults throughout the municipality by providing access to information through Age Well lunch-and-learn sessions, assistance with grant applications, and recreation-based programming tailored to seniors. Working closely with seniors’ clubs and seniors-serving organizations, the program helps address the needs of older adults, particularly in rural and remote communities.

The Santa for Seniors initiative offers a special, handmade holiday gift created by local students. The goal is to brighten the season for seniors who may be experiencing loneliness or isolation, while fostering meaningful intergenerational connections within our communities.

This year, the Recreation & Community Wellness Department has partnered with local schools including Bayview Education Centre, Whycocomagh Education Centre, and Inverness Education Centre/Academy. Students will participate in craft-making workshops to design cards and gifts that will be distributed to Santa for Seniors participants.

Community members are encouraged to register themselves or a friend to receive one of these thoughtful, handmade gifts. The program is open to individuals aged 55 and over.

Residents without internet access or those who have questions about the program are invited to contact:

Anna Solomon
Accessibility & Seniors Safety Coordinator
Phone: (902) 615-3670
Email: Anna.Solomon@invernesscounty.ca

To learn more about seniors activities within the Municipality of Inverness County, visit invernesscounty.ca/seniors.

PSA: Port Hood Fire Hydrant Replacement

November 19, 2025

Public Service Announcement: Port Hood Fire Hydrant Replacement – Temporary Water Service Disruption

The Municipality of Inverness County advises that municipal staff will be on site replacing a fire hydrant in Port Hood on Thursday, November 20. As a result, nearby residents will temporarily experience water discolouration and low water pressure, with a potential for temporary loss of service.

Date: Thursday, November 20

Start Time: Work will begin at 7:00 a.m. Residents will likely notice low water pressure and discolouration shortly after.

Traffic Impacts: traffic control will be on site near Little Mabou Rd. starting at 8:30 a.m. for the duration of the work.

Fire Hydrant Location: Across Main St. from Little Mabou Rd.

Affected Area: The isolation area for the work runs between Convent St. and Little Mabou Rd. Users of the municipal water system in that area and north towards Marble Hill will be impacted during the repair.

See Map

How to Prepare

In case of loss of service, the Municipality advises residents to prepare by:

• Filling containers with drinking water in advance
• Filling a bathtub to have water available for flushing toilets

The duration of the work will depend on site conditions. Please monitor the Municipality’s website and Facebook for updates regarding service restoration.

Please share this advisory widely with neighbours, friends, and visitors to ensure everyone stays informed.

The Municipality thanks residents for their patience and cooperation and apologizes for any inconvenience this work may cause.

Update: Bylaw Modernization Process

November 17, 2025

Council Continues Bylaw Modernization Process, Repeals Bylaws 20, 21, 24, 40

At the Regular Meeting of Council on Thursday, November 13, the Council of the Municipality of the County of Inverness agreed to repeal four Municipal Bylaws. The decision to repeal the bylaws was made as part of an ongoing bylaw modernization process. Effective Friday, November 14, the following bylaws are no longer in effect:

i. Bylaw 20 – Trailers Bylaw
As trailer regulations are now covered under the Municipality’s Land Use Bylaw and Municipal Planning Strategy, Bylaw 20 was repealed and not replaced.

ii. Bylaw 21 – Trailer Courts Bylaw
Trailer court regulations are now covered under the Municipality’s Land Use Bylaw and Municipal Planning Strategy, so Bylaw 21 was repealed and not replaced.

iii. Bylaw 24 – Development Officer Bylaw
This bylaw outlined the relationship between Council and the Eastern District Planning Commission (EDPC). Council and the Director of EDPC have established clear and directive practices, so Bylaw 24 was out of date. It has been repealed and not replaced.

iv. Bylaw 40 – Bylaw Respecting Relief from Liability
This bylaw outlined how the Municipality discharged sewage and wastewater, but the language was vague. New bylaws and policies better address the matters in more detail; therefore, Bylaw 40 was outdated and unnecessary. It was repealed and not replaced.

All municipal bylaws are available online. Print copies are available at the Municipal Administration Building (375 Main St., Port Hood) during regular business hours (8:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m., Monday – Friday).

This notice is published in accordance with the Municipal Government Act, Section 169.

Foyer Père Fiset Flood

November 5, 2025

Update: October Foyer Père Fiset Flood

A wastewater backup at Foyer Père Fiset Nursing Home in Chéticamp on Wednesday, October 8, caused significant flooding within the facility. Two residential wings were affected, impacting 44 of the home’s 70 residents.

Restoration efforts have been ongoing since the incident and are expected to be completed by early December.

Initially, 10 residents were temporarily relocated to other long-term care facilities in Cape Breton. Over the past few weeks, that number has increased to 25, with residents moved to facilities in Inverness, Glace Bay, Sydney, and Port Hawkesbury.

Foyer Père Fiset has 60 long-term care and 10 residential care rooms. Currently, 39 residents remain on-site. The facility anticipates that some residents will be able to return to their rooms before all restoration work is completed. Affected residents, family and next-of-kin will be updated accordingly.

Appreciation continues for the staff at Foyer Père Fiset and the other long-term care facilities across the island for their ongoing support to reduce any disruption to residents in care.

Further updates will be provided as more information becomes available.

PSA: Mandatory Water Conservation Directive – Mabou Water System

November 4, 2025

Public Service Announcement: Mandatory Water Conservation Directive for Users of the Mabou Water System

Water levels in the Mabou water system are critically low due to an extended period of dry weather this fall and not enough groundwater replenishment. As a result, the Municipality of Inverness County is issuing a mandatory water conservation directive for all Mabou residents connected to the municipal system. Municipal staff are working to increase the water supply by bringing a second well online.

Although we are currently experiencing rain, it takes time for precipitation to have a meaningful impact on well levels. Until the water supply can be increased, everyone must reduce water use to protect the system and ensure a safe, reliable supply for all residents.

This directive takes effect immediately (Tuesday, November 4) and will remain in place until water storage levels return to a safe and stable level.

Water Conservation Tips:

• Take short showers and avoid baths.
• Turn off taps when brushing teeth or washing dishes.
• Only run dishwashers and washing machines with full loads.
• Keep a bottle of water in the fridge to avoid running the tap for cold water.
• Limit toilet flushing.
• Avoid non-essential outdoor water use.
• Promptly repair any leaks in and around taps and plumbing.

To learn more about water conservation, visit invernesscounty.ca/services/infraemerg.

Detect and Report Leaks:

Leaks can waste thousands of litres of water and often go unnoticed. Watch for:

• Persistent puddles or soggy ground
• Running water or unexplained streams
• Sudden drops in water pressure

If you suspect a water leak in your community, please report it immediately by calling 1-866-258-0223, select option #9.

Enforcement

According to the Municipality’s Water Utility Rules & Regulations:

The Water Utility can require customers to conserve water if it believes conservation is necessary to maintain reliable service for everyone. If a conservation directive is in place and a customer does not follow it, their water service may be temporarily shut off. Service will be restored once the customer agrees to follow the directive or when the directive is lifted.

There is a fee to reconnect water service: $60 during regular working hours or $160 outside regular working hours.

Conserving water is a shared responsibility, and every drop counts.

The Municipality thanks residents for their cooperation.

Please note: the other six water systems in the municipality remain under a voluntary water conservation advisory.

Youth Sewing Workshop Recap

October 28, 2025

Youth Learn to Sew and Reduce Waste During Waste Reduction Week

RFP Issued for Margaree Airstrip Property

RFP Issued for Lease and Use of Margaree Airstrip Property

The Municipality of the County of Inverness has issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) for the lease and future use of municipally owned property located at 604 Big Intervale Rd., Margaree Valley, formerly the site of the Margaree Airport.

The Municipality is seeking proposals from non-profit organizations or private businesses to present plans for the site that will bring meaningful value to the Margaree Valley community.

This property is in District 2 (Margaree/St. Joseph du Moine). To inform the RFP development process, District 2 Councillor Blair Phillips hosted two community meetings to hear residents’ ideas for the future of the site. To gather more input, the municipality also launched a community survey with over 100 responses received.

About the Property:

Originally developed in 1963, the former Margaree Airport occupies a 34-acre (13.75-hectare) parcel and operated as a registered aerodrome until its closure for public use around 2021.

The site includes:

• Electrical service to the terminal building
• Well and septic systems
• Road access via Cranton Crossing Rd. and East Big Intervale Rd. from Margaree Centre.

Key Details:

• Proposal Deadline: Wednesday, January 21, 2026
• Link to full RFP and submission guidelines: https://procurement-portal.novascotia.ca/tenders/MCI-RFP-2025-006
• To schedule a site visit or ask questions, please contact:
  • Aaron MacDonald, Procurement Specialist
  • Aaron.macdonald@invenresscounty.ca

Opportunities for Inverness Multicourt Facility Naming Rights

Municipality offering partnership opportunities for Inverness Multicourt Facility naming rights

The Municipality of Inverness County is issuing a Request for Expressions of Interest for the naming rights of the Inverness Multicourt Facility.

The Inverness Multicourt Facility, located at 85 MacLean St., Inverness, is home to three pickleball courts, two basketball courts, a games area (beanbag toss, table tennis, checkers, chess), parking and accessible pathways and gathering spaces.

Designed with universal accessibility in mind, the facility will become a hub for health, inclusion, and intergenerational connection.

The municipality is seeking to partner with qualified individuals and/or companies to fund capital investment and program support in exchange of the naming rights of the facility. There will be multiple opportunities depending on sponsorship levels, such as the entire facility, specific courts or an individual court, etc.

To learn more, check out the Expressions of Interest here. The deadline to apply has been extended to Thursday, February 26, 2026.

Waste Reduction Week Contest

October 21, 2025

Municipality Celebrates Waste Reduction Week with Contest

It’s Waste Reduction Week in Nova Scotia, and the Municipality of the County of Inverness is celebrating with a low-waste prize pack giveaway from Divert Nova Scotia.

Waste Reduction Week takes place each October as part of Circular Economy Month—a time to rethink how we use and reuse everyday items. By swapping, sharing, thrifting, and repairing, Nova Scotians can extend the life of their products and reduce what ends up in the landfill.

“The municipality’s Solid Waste team is always exploring new ways to help residents waste less,” says Solid Waste Educator and Coordinator Nicole Latimer. “We visit schools, host community sessions, and share tools like the Recycle Cape Breton app to make sorting and reducing waste as easy as possible. This contest is a fun way to encourage residents to get involved and stay connected.”

The app, Recycle Cape Breton, helps residents sort waste correctly and stay informed about collection. Available for both iOS and Android, as well as through invernesscounty.ca, the app allows users to:

• Sign up for solid waste collection reminders
• View your collection schedule
• Use the Waste Wizard, a quick search tool to find out where any item belongs

Contest Details

From now until October 31, residents who sign up for waste collection reminders in the Recycle Cape Breton app will be entered to win a low-waste prize pack from Divert Nova Scotia.
The pack includes a sewing kit, tool kit, beeswax wraps, reusable travel straw, reusable water bottle, and shopping bag—everything you need to live a little lighter on the planet.

Visit invernesscounty.ca/services/sortitout or download the Recycle Cape Breton app through linktr.ee/recyclecapebreton to get started.