A 14-year-old boy from Sydney, N.S., has been charged with arson after a weekend fire destroyed about $1-million&nbsp;worth of fibre optic cable.

In a news release, Cape Breton Regional Police said&nbsp;firefighters were called to the scene on Upper Prince Street on Saturday afternoon, where they&nbsp;put out a fire in a barn.

However, the fire had spread to several spools of fibre optic cable nearby.

Police said&nbsp;the fire marshal's office deemed the blaze suspicious.

Police said&nbsp;evidence at the scene and witness information&nbsp;led them to arrest the suspect on Tuesday and that damages are still being calculated.

The teen was scheduled to appear in Sydney provincial court on Wednesday to face a single count of arson causing damage to property.

Lower Sackville neighbours band together to help residents of homeless encampment

With shelter beds scarce in Halifax, a growing number of people have been staying in tents at a ball field in Lower Sackville. But some neighbours say they couldn't stand by and watch people sleep outside, so they've banded together to lend a hand.

More tents have been popping up at a baseball field in Lower Sackville over the past year. 

Homeless encampments in Halifax Regional Municipality

Auditor general investigating theft of Nova Scotia Liberal Party funds

Nova Scotia's auditor general is investigating how the provincial Liberal Party handled the theft and subsequent repayment of thousands of dollars by a longtime staffer.

A woman sits in front of a microphone, with Nova Scotia flags visible in the background.

Nova Scotia Auditor General Kim Adair says the provincial fire marshal's office is failing to manage fire and building safety. 

Auditor General Kim Adair

Kim Adair, Nova Scotia's auditor general, is looking into 'unauthorized disbursements' in the provincial Liberal Party's 2021 financial statements.

RCMP charge elementary school principal with historical sex offences

A Halifax-area elementary school principal has been charged with historical sexual assaults against two alleged victims who were youths at the time. Steve Hutchins, 59, was arrested on Oct. 20.

A man holding a pen sits in front of a desk in the corner of an office. 

Steve Hutchins, 59, was arrested on Oct. 20 and has since been released on conditions. 

Steve Hutchins

Transport Canada considers redeploying Digby-Saint John ferry to P.E.I. next spring

Members of Nova Scotia's trucking industry and provincial and municipal politicians are expressing concern at the possibility of the ferry that services Digby, N.S., to Saint John being redeployed for part of next year.

Digby-Saint John ferry crossing vital, says trucking company owner

a ferry docked in a harbour on a misty day.

The Fundy Rose has room for 245 cars and 1,317 passengers.

Fundy Rose

The owner of a trucking company that ships seafood to the New England market says losing the crossing for an period of time would have a significant impact on his business. Watch Brian Reynolds interview with Amy Smith.

Meet the B.C. beetles on a cross-country mission to save Nova Scotia's hemlocks

More than 3,000 tiny beetles have been shipped across the country from their native British Columbia to try to control an invasive species killing Nova Scotia’s hemlock trees.

Tiny black beetles on the branch of a hemlock tree.

Laricobius nigrinus beetles are a natural predator of hemlock woolly adelgid but they don’t exist in Nova Scotia. These two began eating the invasive insect as soon as they were released at Kejimkujik National Park.

laricobius nigrinus on hemlock

Laricobius nigrinus beetles are a natural predator of hemlock woolly adelgid but they aren't found in Nova Scotia. The two tiny black bugs shown here began eating the invasive insects as soon as they were released at Kejimkujik National Park.  

laricobius nigrinus on hemlock woolly adelgid

In a news release, Cape Breton Regional Police said firefighters were called to a scene on Upper Prince Street on Saturday afternoon, where they put out a fire in a barn.

Cape Breton teen charged with arson after $1M of fibre optic cable destroyed

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