CBRM acquiring more than 100 parcels of former coal company land

Cape Breton Regional Municipality is picking up more than 100 federal properties that used to belong to coal companies, and it's weighing the cost of taking over dozens more.

When coal companies built Cape Breton's mines in the last century they often had to build the communities, too.

Mine workers needed housing and, eventually, sewer and water systems as the towns grew.

The old mines and their owners are long gone and the federal government has taken over the company lands.

The government is now divesting itself of surplus properties and has suggested 157 parcels that CBRM should take over.

Infrastructure needs first

Wayne MacDonald, the municipality's director of engineering and public works, said CBRM is starting with the parcels that have obvious value.

CBRM council agreed last week to take over 109 that have some kind of municipal use or will be needed by CBRM in future.

"CBRM and the former municipal units have had a pretty comfortable situation where the federal government has always been there and we've been utilizing their lands, and much of the infrastructure was not owned by the towns," he said.

"It was put in by the former coal companies, whether it be water mains and others."

Glace Bay water main on the list

The list includes watershed lands, park lands or parcels suitable for green space, MacDonald said. Some contain more important infrastructure.

He said one example is a significant water main running through the middle of Glace Bay.

"[It is] in effect a water main that was put in by the former coal companies and utilized and we use it as one of our significant pieces of water-transmission infrastructure." he said.

The federal government is willing to transfer the parcels for what MacDonald called a nominal fee, because the land would only be useful to the municipality.

The remaining 48 properties, including 20 former railways in Glace Bay, Dominion and Gardiner Mines, are being studied by CBRM staff to determine whether they will have future costs associated with them.

Negotiations have been underway for nearly two years, but Coun. Eldon MacDonald said he's glad staff are doing their due diligence in case some of the lands come with maintenance costs or subsidence issues from former mines.

"It has taken quite some time, but sometimes we have to do those things, especially when you're looking at liabilities and expenses," he said.

CBRM staff are expected to report back to council on the remaining properties by this spring.