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100-555: Located on the eastern shore of Sydney Harbour in the former city of Sydney (now amalgamated into the Cape Breton Regional Municipality ), the Tar Ponds formed in a tidal estuary at the mouth of Muggah Creek, a freshwater stream that empties into the harbour. Throughout the 20th century, runoff from coke ovens associated with Sydney Steel Corporation 's (SYSCO) now-decommissioned steel mill filled

200-632: A $ 34-million agreement to dredge the Tar Ponds and pump the sediments through a mile-long pipeline to a low-temperature incinerator and power plant. After many delays, the incinerator was completed, and passed required air emissions tests, in 1994. However, the pipeline system proved unable to handle the thick, lumpy Tar Ponds sludge, and the fluid-bed incinerator was hit by a series of technical problems. The sediments were also found to contain "at least 50,000 tonnes" of PCB contaminants which could only be disposed of by high-temperature incineration. The project

300-568: A $ 52-million contract in October 2009 to begin S/S operations. Environmentalists and local residents continued to worry officials would incinerate some of the material, though Federal and provincial officials claimed the S/S method they had chosen would stabilize the 100-hectare site without producing any adverse health or environmental effects. One way of verifying the potential for adverse health or environmental effects during remediation and clean up of

400-504: A Community Liaison Committee that served as a sounding board for project managers during the cleanup. Establishing a cleanup plan for the Tar Ponds and coke ovens site took more than 22 years. Hundreds of volunteers contributed more than 100,000 hours to the Joint Action Group's search for acceptable cleanup options. JAG and its government partners attracted vocal critics, most prominently Sierra Club Canada . Delays in getting

500-655: A day. In 1899, investors from Boston formed the Dominion Iron and Steel Company Limited and construction began of a major steel works on the eastern shore of Wintering Cove in Sydney Harbour. Sydney had everything needed for steelmaking, including locally mined coal, nearby iron ore from Bell Island and limestone from Aguathuna (both in Newfoundland ), a good harbour for shipping, and plenty of cooling water. The mill opened in 1901, and by 1912

600-692: A layered cap and impermeable sidewalls, and landscaped. A special operating agency of the Nova Scotia government, the Sydney Tar Ponds Agency, managed the cleanup on behalf of the two governments, in partnership with the Department of Public Works and Government Services which was the lead federal agency. Fifteen community groups in such fields as environment , health , business , labour, religion , recreation , municipal government , and higher education , contributed delegates to

700-535: A local cancer rate 45% higher than the Nova Scotia average, and "by far the highest rate in Canada." Government officials "refused to acknowledge that environmental causes may play a significant role" and instead suggested "lifestyle factors" including heavy smoking, poor diet and genetic causes were responsible. Research revealed that steel workers in Sydney were inhaling what could equal smoking 30 plus packs of cigarettes

800-402: A medium population centre, which for census purposes includes the neighbouring communities of Westmount, a significant portion of Sydney River, and other portions of the former Cape Breton County. The 2011 population of the Sydney census area, was 31,597, making it the largest population centre on Cape Breton Island . Sydney suffered an economic decline for several decades in the later part of

900-478: A member of the CTV Television Network . CJCB was the first television station in Nova Scotia, going on air on 9 October 1954. It was also the eastern terminus of the original country-wide microwave network that went live on 1 July 1958, with the Canada's first coast to coast television broadcast. From its beginnings until 1972, CJCB-TV was the area's CBC affiliate. Sydney's first radio station

1000-459: A period of 12 months until the steel mill could be resold to another private operator. On March 30, 1968 DEVCO expropriated DOSCO's coal mines and the Sydney and Louisburg Railway , settling for a payment of $ 12 million. The federal government's plans to gradually shut down coal operations during the 1970s were derailed by rising world energy prices and changes in political priorities. Similarly,

1100-492: A toxic orange substance oozing into local basements. Testing of the substance lasted over a year and many were outraged by delays, although some residents were subsequently relocated to a safer residential area nearby. High unemployment and lack of opportunities have resulted in many educated young people leaving the community for jobs in other parts of Canada and the US. Demographic changes, including an aging population and decrease in

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1200-567: A warming climate, this has changed. In 2013 and 2016 Sydney was under a tornado watch as a result of unusually powerful thunderstorms. On 8 August 2014, a funnel cloud appeared near the Sydney Airport although no tornado warning or tornado watch was issued and the funnel did not actually touch down. While occasional thunderstorms and other rains can occur in summer, June through August are Sydney's driest months on average. Sydney's average annual precipitation cycle reflects these realities;

1300-524: A waterfront revitalization plan which has seen a boardwalk and marinas constructed, and the world's largest fiddle. This funding is part of the post-industrial adjustment package offered by the federal and provincial governments. Sydney's tourism draw is increasingly linked to its cultural asset as being the urban heart of Cape Breton Island. Its population is a diverse mixture of nationalities which contributes to various Scottish, Acadian, African Canadian and eastern European cultural events being held throughout

1400-527: A world-class harbour facility. Other important investments that have helped position Sydney as an eastern hub of Nova Scotia include the twinning of Highway 125 and the creation of the Centre for Sustainability in the Environment at nearby Cape Breton University , which draws hundreds of international students each year. Cape Breton Island has become home to a significant tourism industry, with Sydney (as

1500-462: Is held throughout Cape Breton Island in October, with some of the concerts taking place in Sydney. Sydney was selected to host the 2000, 2005, 2010, and 2016 ECMA Galas. Semi-professional hockey has a long tradition in Sydney. In December 1912, a group formed a professional hockey club to challenge for the Stanley Cup . The short-lived Sydney Millionaires, who received that nickname because

1600-461: Is linked to several elementary and intermediate schools. Holy Angels, a female-only Catholic high school founded in the late 1800s, closed at the end of the 2011 school year. A French language school, Étoile de l'Acadie, is also located in Sydney and is part of the Conseil scolaire acadien provincial school board. In 1951, the original campus of what became Cape Breton University was founded as

1700-471: Is on the east bank of the Sydney River where it discharges into South Arm of Sydney Harbour. Elevation ranges from sea level to 66 m (217 ft) above sea level. The majority of properties within the former city limits have been impacted by development and an extensive urban road network. The central business district is located on a peninsula extending into South Arm formed by Sydney River on

1800-514: Is owned and operated by the Cape Breton Regional Municipality and provides bus services in the eastern part of the municipality, which includes Sydney. Transit Cape Breton also operates "Handi-Trans" for passengers whose disabilities restrict them from using regular bus services. Transit fares are $ 1.25 per zone travelled, or $ 1.00 for seniors 55 & up and children 5–12. Depending on the number of zones travelled,

1900-526: Is served by Air Canada and Pascan Aviation . Occasionally, travellers intending to go to Sydney , Australia mistakenly arrived in Sydney, Nova Scotia. This mistake is usually due to confusion of the two destinations in flight ticket bookings. The Cape Breton Regional Hospital is located in Sydney. Sydney is part of the Cape Breton – Victoria Regional School Board and is home to one public English language secondary school: Sydney Academy , which

2000-410: Is variable. A winter storm can bring accumulating snow, followed by heavy rain, then a brief return to snow or ice, resulting in no or minimal additional snow accumulation. Overall, Sydney's climate is moderately cold and strikingly variable, wet, stormy and windy from fall to early spring (October to March), and more stable and drier in summer (June to August). Statistics Canada classifies Sydney as

2100-875: The American Hockey League , the primary farm team of the National Hockey League 's Edmonton Oilers . They won that league's championship, the Calder Cup , in 1993. The franchise moved to Hamilton, Ontario , after the 1995–96 season, becoming the Hamilton Bulldogs . Founded in 1997, the Cape Breton Eagles of the QMJHL play their home games at Centre 200 . Eagles alumni include three-time Stanley Cup champion Marc-André Fleury . The Cape Breton Highlanders of

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2200-584: The Baltic Sea in north-eastern Europe at much higher latitudes, although Sydney's seasonal lag is stronger. Although Sydney has some maritime influence, similar latitudes on the other side of the Atlantic have significantly milder climates in all seasons except summer. Sydney is in the direct path of fall and winter storms (in the U.S., called nor'easters) migrating from the U.S. Northeastern and New England states; these storms can attain tremendous intensity by

2300-637: The Battle of the Atlantic , when 20 of the 35 merchant cargo vessels were sunk on their journey to England. Sydney Harbour was one of the hotspots of the Battle of the St. Lawrence . Two notable shipping attacks occurred during this battle: the sinking of the train ferry SS  Caribou in October 1942 on its way from North Sydney to Port aux Basques , Newfoundland; and the sinking of the Sydney-based HMCS Shawinigan on 24 November 1944 in

2400-506: The Cape Breton Development Corporation , or DEVCO, was established to operate the mines in the interim, while phasing them out throughout the 1970s and, at the same time, develop new economic opportunities for the surrounding communities. On December 1, 1967, the provincial government established Sydney Steel Corporation (SYSCO) under an act of the provincial legislature. to operate DOSCO's steel mill for

2500-611: The Duke of York . In 1826, the leases were transferred to the General Mining Association and industrial development around Sydney began to take shape. Sydney was incorporated as a town in 1885. By the early 20th century Sydney became home to one of the world's largest steel plants, fed by the numerous coal mines in the area under the ownership of the Dominion Steel and Coal Corporation . Sydney's economy

2600-542: The Minority government of Prime Minister Lester Pearson announced J.R. Donald would head a Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Cape Breton coal industry, with hearings held in 1965 and 1966. The Donald Commission recommended that a federal Crown corporation be established to acquire and manage DOSCO's coal operations, with the aim being to slowly wean the Sydney area economy off the coal industry. On July 7, 1967

2700-725: The National Basketball League of Canada played from 2016 to 2019. Sydney hosted events for the 1987 Canada Winter Games , held throughout Cape Breton County . The 2003 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships were co-hosted by Sydney and Halifax . Tennis has a long history in Sydney. The Sydney Lawn Tennis Club (now the Cromarty Tennis Club ) was incorporated by an Act of the Nova Scotia Legislature on 28 April 1893. The Cape Breton Junior Regionals, Masters Championships, and

2800-572: The Progressive Conservative government of John Hamm opted to sever provincial funding for the company entirely upon being elected in 1999. Sydney Steel Corporation's board of directors was disbanded on 25 January 2001. The liquidation of the corporation began soon after. In July 2001, it was announced that SYSCO's mini mill was being sold to an Indian company named Zoom Developers who planned to dismantle it and ship it overseas. Despite worker protests, SYSCO's steel production

2900-490: The Sydney Tar Ponds . Site remediation was carried out by Nova Scotia Lands Incorporated and Harbourside Commercial Park Inc. , a Crown corporation formed to redevelop the site as a commercial and industrial estate. The cleanup was completed in 2013 with the opening of Harbourside Commercial Park and Open Hearth Park, which are situated on the site of the former Sydney Steel Corporation. Open Hearth Park features

3000-476: The 20th century as local coal and steel industries underwent significant changes. The closure of the Sydney Steel Corporation's steel mill and the Cape Breton Development Corporation 's coal mines in 2000–2001 have resulted in attempts by the municipal, provincial and federal governments to diversify the area economy. At the start of the 21st century, Sydney faced a significant challenge in

3100-571: The British, was incorporated as a city in 1904, and dissolved on 1 August 1995, when it was amalgamated into the regional municipality. Sydney served as the Cape Breton Island's colonial capital, until 1820, when the colony merged with Nova Scotia and the capital moved to Halifax . A rapid population expansion occurred just after the turn of the 20th century, when Sydney became home to one of North America's main steel mills. During both

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3200-624: The Cabot Strait, near Cape North, on Cape Breton Island. Sydney's coal shipping and steel manufacturing made a significant contribution to the Allied war effort, however federal Minister of Industry, C. D. Howe favoured Central Canada's steel industry given its proximity to a larger workforce and less exposure to coastal attack. By the late 1960s the coal and steel industries had fallen on hard times. Friday, 13 October 1967, became known as "Black Friday," so named after Hawker Siddeley Canada ,

3300-632: The Cape Breton Highlanders reserve infantry regiment. The former city completely encircles the Membertou First Nation (First Nations Reserve 28A and 28B). Sydney experiences a cool summer, and windy, wet and stormy winter, version of a humid continental climate ( Köppen Dfb ) that is significantly moderated by the community's proximity to the Atlantic Ocean. The highest temperature ever recorded in Sydney

3400-522: The Cape Breton Open tennis tournaments are held annually. Sydney is served by Highway 125 which connects to Highway 105 and encircles the former city limits to its eastern terminus. Trunk 4 forms an important secondary road in Sydney running along the Sydney River, connecting to Glace Bay. Trunk 22 , connecting to Louisbourg, and Trunk 28 , connecting Whitney Pier through to New Waterford, form minor secondary roads. Transit Cape Breton

3500-403: The Cape Breton Regional Municipality, and a broad coalition of local business, labor, and health organizations favored a comprehensive study, which has half as many steps as a panel review. They argued that after 950 public meetings and 620 technical reports, the issue had been studied and debated enough, and it was time to get on with the cleanup. The Sierra Club of Canada favored a panel review as

3600-594: The Citizen Liaison Committee, complained that the JAG was only being used "to give credibility to back room, politically motivated manipulation." Governments, meanwhile, generated more than 620 technical and scientific reports on the problem, and possible solutions. Carl Buchanan, JAG's chairman, said: "This is going to be the most complex environmental cleanup ever undertaken in this country, and maybe anywhere. It's never been done on this scale, and right in

3700-594: The First and Second World Wars, it was a major staging area for England-bound convoys . The post-war period witnessed a major decline in the number of people employed at the Dominion Steel and Coal Corporation steel mill, and the Nova Scotia and Canadian governments had to nationalize it in 1967 to save the region's biggest employer, forming the new crown corporation called the Sydney Steel Corporation . The city's population has steadily decreased since

3800-542: The Northern Hemisphere, January is the coldest month, July the warmest. In other respects, too, Sydney's climate varies significantly from that of other areas with humid continental climates. The most significant variations are that Sydney experiences unusually cool summers, and relatively windy, wet and stormy winters, relative to other humid-continental areas such as in the interior of North America. Annual temperatures are instead rather similar to areas around

3900-494: The Sydney Tar Ponds and Coke Ovens site was via environmental effects monitoring prior to and during remediation activities. Dillon Consulting Limited was awarded the contract to monitor changes in chemical contaminants in groundwater, surface water and in the marine environment in Sydney Harbour during baseline (pre-construction / remediation) and during construction / remediation. The marine environment in Sydney Harbour

4000-433: The Tar Ponds, treatment consisted of solidification/stabilization with cement , a process by which contaminated sediments are mixed with Portland cement powder or similar hardening agents. At the coke ovens, contaminated soils were treated with a form of bioremediation known as 'landfarming', in which hydrocarbon-eating bacteria and nutrients are tilled into the upper surface of the soils. The sites were then contained within

4100-737: The Xavier Junior College, affiliated with St. Francis Xavier University and was located in Sydney. Sydney also has other post secondary and private career colleges, including the Cape Breton Business College founded in 1958 and the Canadian Coast Guard College founded in 1965. Sydney is the island's largest commercial centre and home to the Cape Breton Post daily newspaper, as well as one television station, CJCB-TV ,

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4200-488: The antiquated mill. Over time, the provincial government gave limited capital investments to SYSCO from the late 1970s into the early 1980s. In the mid-1980s the provincial government of premier John Buchanan decided to modernize the steel mill prior to selling it to the private sector. This modernization changed the steel making process from a fully integrated oxygen blast plant using iron ore into an electric arc mini mill using scrap steel. The blast process fuelled by coke

4300-451: The best way to deal with the Sydney Tar Ponds was to stabilize, solidify, and contain the contaminated material. In January 2007, officials from Ottawa and the province announced a $ 400-million plan to solidify the toxic sludge using the solidification/stabilization with cement (S/S) method. This technology was preferred over a controversial proposal to incinerate some of the 700,000 tonnes of sludge. Nordlys Environmental LP and ECC were awarded

4400-477: The birth rate, have affected the area's economic outlook. Specifically, many residents have opted to seek work in Alberta and Ontario . Sydney's economy was buoyed by the 2011 announcement of funding for the Sydney Harbour dredging project, which was completed in 2012. The dredge, which is expected to lead to commercialization of the port, is purported to create hundreds of jobs in the area, and position Sydney as

4500-572: The cleanup of the Sydney Tar Ponds , a tidal estuary contaminated with a variety of coal-based wastes from coke ovens that supplied the steel industry. After extensive public consultation and technical study, a $ 400 million CAD cleanup plan jointly funded by the federal and provincial governments has been completed and the Open Hearth Park opened in its place. In one part of Whitney Pier, residents of Frederick St. discovered contamination within several homes and in surrounding soil, including

4600-406: The coke ovens and steel plant site. Despite the fact that these pipes contained a mixture of dangerous, toxic and potentially explosive substances, many were never purged of their contents when the coke ovens operations ceased. SYSCO converted to an electric arc manufacturing process in 1990, and stopped production altogether in 2000. The mill is now dismantled. In 1986, Canada and Nova Scotia signed

4700-567: The coke ovens from DEVCO in 1973. Dominion Tar and Chemical Company Ltd (Domtar) operated a coal tar refining plant and a coal tar storage facility in Sydney from 1903 to 1962. This facility was situated directly adjacent to and north of the coke oven operations. It diverted coal tar from the coke ovens, refined it, moved it through pipes, and stored it in tanks for shipping elsewhere. Domtar ceased operations in Sydney in 1962 abandoning its storage tanks, waste disposal lagoons, pipes, buildings and equipment. Domtar conducted little or no clean up of

4800-501: The community asked that only proven technologies be used. In 2005 and 2006, the Sydney Tar Ponds Agency undertook four preliminary cleanup projects, including the re-routing of the Coke Ovens Brook Connector to a less contaminated area, and the construction of a rock barrier at the boundary between the Tar Ponds and Sydney Harbour. The preliminary projects were intended to prevent further environmental damage while

4900-436: The community, through partnerships, to determine and implement acceptable solutions for Canada's worst hazardous waste site and to assess and address the impact on human health." The three governments also embarked on detailed environmental site assessments, and a variety of preliminary cleanup projects. Although JAG held more than 950 public meetings, no clear consensus on cleanup technologies emerged. Bruno Marcocchio, founder of

5000-502: The cost of opening new underground mines in the Sydney Coal Field would be too expensive. The company made its intentions clear that it would be exiting the coal mining business within months. DOSCO's continued operation of its steel mill, lacking modernization and far removed from the steel markets of the midwest and central Canada, was tentative at best. In response to a vast public outcry in industrial Cape Breton County ,

5100-675: The cost of riding the bus can range from $ 1.00 to $ 5.00. Sydney is home to two private freight railway companies. The Cape Breton and Central Nova Scotia Railway makes Sydney its eastern terminus and provides rail connections to CN in Truro via Port Hawkesbury . The Sydney Coal Railway connects a bulk coal unloading pier in Whitney Pier with the Lingan Generating Station in Lingan . Daily passenger rail service

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5200-408: The early 1970s due to the plant's fortunes, and SYSCO was finally closed in 2001. Today, the main industries are in customer support call centres and tourism. Together with Sydney Mines , North Sydney , New Waterford , and Glace Bay , Sydney forms the region traditionally referred to as Industrial Cape Breton . Prior to a permanent settlement being established, there was significant activity along

5300-484: The end the convoy was still able to load coal and transport it to Halifax. Six French sailors were killed and 17 British, with many more wounded. Sydney was founded after the war by Colonel Joseph Frederick Wallet DesBarres , and named in honour of Thomas Townshend, 1st Viscount Sydney , who was serving as the Home Secretary in the British cabinet. Lord Sydney appointed Col. DesBarres lieutenant-governor of

5400-475: The estuary with the typical variety of coal -based contaminants and sludge. Efforts to clean up the waterway were dogged by false starts, delays, and political controversy. The coke ovens closed down but 12 years later, the toxic mess remained. After extensive public consultation and technical studies, a C $ 400 million cleanup plan, jointly funded by the Government of Canada and Government of Nova Scotia ,

5500-449: The estuary. It contained an estimated 560,000 tonnes of contaminated soil. A small stream, the Coke Ovens Brook Connector, connected the coke ovens with the Tar Ponds. It served as the main pathway for contaminants migrating from the coke ovens to the Tar Ponds. To the east of the coke ovens, and uphill from them, an abandoned municipal dump served as an additional source of contaminated groundwater, or leachate . The polluted sites lay in

5600-491: The homes of nearby residents. They ordered the South Arm of the harbour closed to lobster fishing, and figured the Tar Ponds as the likely source of contamination. The discovery increased pressure to close the decrepit coke ovens, which finally ceased production in 1988. Underneath the coke ovens site were approximately one hundred and sixty one kilometres of underground pipes. These pipes were used to move chemicals throughout

5700-502: The island's largest urban centre) being a prime beneficiary. With its economy being dominated by the steel industry until the early 2000s, Sydney had been overlooked as a tourist destination, with the more centrally located scenic village of Baddeck being a preferred location for tourists transiting the Cabot Trail . However, Sydney has witnessed a revival as a result of significant government investment in cruise ship facilities and

5800-482: The larger cleanup was assessed. In July 2006, the environmental engineering firm EarthTech, Ltd., completed a preliminary engineering design for the big cleanup. A contract for the final engineering design and construction oversight was expected to be set by September 2006. In 2001, residents were demanding that the Government move them out of the community. Through the winter of 2005, controversy continued as to

5900-480: The majority visiting in late summer or early fall to take in fall foliage tours. Other port facilities on Sydney Harbour are located outside the former city limits in Point Edward (Sydport) and North Sydney ( Marine Atlantic ferry terminal). The JA Douglas McCurdy Sydney Airport is located several kilometres outside the former city limits in the neighbouring community of Reserve Mines. The regional airport

6000-546: The middle of a city." On May 12, 2004, the Governments of Canada and Nova Scotia announced a 10-year, $ 400 million CAD plan to clean up the Sydney Tar Ponds and Coke Ovens. The plan called for PCB-contaminated sediments to be destroyed in an approved PCB incinerator to be set up temporarily at a decommissioned industrial facility five kilometres east of the coke ovens. Remaining materials would be treated in place and then contained within an engineered containment system. At

6100-537: The middle of the former city of Sydney (estimated population 25,000), now part of the Cape Breton Regional Municipality (CBRM) (2001 population 105,968). Almost all contaminants resulted from coke production, one of the most common industrial processes of the 19th and 20th centuries. While almost all of the contaminants derived from coal, the Tar Ponds include two pockets containing an estimated total of 3.8 metric tonnes of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). PCBs are known to cause cancer, and Sydney area residents experienced

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6200-600: The neighbouring colony of Nova Scotia. DesBarres arrived at Sydney on 7 January 1785. He held the first meeting of his executive council on 21 February 1785, where he was proclaimed lieutenant-governor in a formal manner and the first minutes of the new colony were taken. The site DesBarres chose for the new settlement was along the Southwest Arm of Sydney Harbour, a drowned valley of the Sydney River , which forms part of Spanish Bay . Between 1784 and 1820, Sydney

6300-537: The new colony of Cape Breton Island. In November 1784 the 600-ton ship Blenheim landed a group that consisted primarily of English citizens and disbanded soldiers. A group of Loyalists from the state of New York (which included David Mathews , the former mayor of New York City under the British), fleeing the aftermath of the American Revolution , were added to the immigrants upon their arrival in

6400-472: The only way to ensure necessary scrutiny of plans to incinerate PCB contaminated material, and to guarantee consideration of alternative technologies. On May 2, 2005, federal Environment Minister Stéphane Dion and Public Works Minister Scott Brison sided with the Sierra Club, ordering a panel review. In the face of predictions that the decision would delay the cleanup and add to its cost, Dion directed

6500-459: The panel to complete its work by June 30, 2006, and not to make recommendations that would drive cleanup costs beyond the $ 400 million Ottawa and Nova Scotia had already committed. The province reluctantly agreed to participate, and the joint panel review held three weeks of sparsely attended hearings in April and May 2006. After decades of study, the federal and Nova Scotia governments concluded that

6600-403: The plant's owners, announced they were closing it in April 1968. Both the provincial and federal government were involved in negotiating with the steel plant's owners, when Cape Breton's citizens held the largest protest in the city's history on 19 November 1967: "The Parade of Concern." Around 20,000 people marched about a mile from the plant's gates to a horse racetrack to show their support for

6700-472: The plant, and the coal mines. Sydney Harbour played an important role during World War II . Once a Royal Canadian Navy base, HMCS  Protector , was established to stage supply convoys bound for Europe. These convoys tended to be slower and had the prefix SC for Slow Convoy. Convoy SC 7 typified the dangers inherent with the Nazi U-boats off the coast of Cape Breton and Newfoundland during

6800-781: The players were the highest paid in the Maritimes, won the 1913 Maritime Professional Hockey League championship. Their victory allowed them to challenge the Quebec Bulldogs, the then current cup holder, in Quebec City. On 10 March 1913, the Millionaires lost the second and final game of the Stanley Cup, and folded shortly thereafter. From 1988 to 1996, Sydney was home to the Cape Breton Oilers of

6900-474: The process. The coke ovens used in Sydney were located across Victoria Road from the steel mill and since 1967 were operated by the federal Crown corporation DEVCO, which also operated the mines that produced the coal supply. The associated run-off from these coke ovens over a period of 85 years ended up in the Muggah Creek tidal estuary downhill from the coke ovens and adjacent to the steel mill, creating

7000-463: The project started left many residents frustrated. Opinions divide on the best cleanup method. Some residents favoured digging up and destroying all of the contaminants. Others preferred not to disturb the contaminated material at all. Sierra Club Canada opposed plans to incinerate the PCB materials in favour of novel destruction technologies such as hydrogen reduction and soil washing. Project managers said

7100-455: The provincial government's 1-year temporary commitment to transitioning ownership of the steel mill from DOSCO turned into a 33-year commitment, adding over $ 1 billion to the cash-strapped province's debt. SYSCO became a political football for economically depressed Industrial Cape Breton and no provincial government dared to shut it down, opting instead to use heavily subsidized federally produced DEVCO coal for coking fuel to continue running

7200-414: The rest of the 20th century. By the early 1990s, both industries were in trouble again, and were permanently closed by the end of 2001. Forced to diversify its economy after the closures of the steel plant and coal industries, Sydney has examined a variety of economic development possibilities including tourism and culture, light manufacturing and information technology. Cleaning up the former steel plant, and

7300-601: The shore. During the American Revolution , on 1 November 1776, John Paul Jones – the father of the American Navy – set sail in command of Alfred to free hundreds of American prisoners working in the coal mines in eastern Cape Breton. Although winter conditions prevented the freeing of the prisoners, the mission did result in the capture of the Mellish , a vessel carrying a vital supply of winter clothing intended for John Burgoyne 's troops in Canada. A few years into

7400-499: The site. A large tank, referred to as the "Domtar tank", remained in place adjacent to the coke ovens site into the 2000s, measuring 28 m (92 ft) in diameter and 6 m (20 ft) high. It contained materials abandoned by Domtar and other materials added in the years since the facility's abandonment. By the mid-1970s, the environmental movement was gaining headway in North America, and concern about pollution from

7500-520: The steel mill and coke ovens was rising. Environmental activists would subsequently uncover documents showing that the government was aware of environmental problems caused by the steel plant and coke ovens as early as 1972. In 1980, scientists from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans discovered polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), a family of chemicals produced by incomplete combustion of organic material, in lobster caught in Sydney Harbour near Muggah Creek. These same toxic chemicals were found in

7600-460: The steel plant. Newly appointed Nova Scotia premier G.I. Smith and federal Health Minister, and Cape Breton MP, Allan J. MacEachen spoke to the crowd and assured them that their respective governments were going to help. Four days later the Smith government announced that they were taking over the plant starting in 1968. Both the steel and coal industries continued under government ownership for

7700-431: The threatened loss of thousands of jobs in a region with poor economic prospects, the government of Nova Scotia expropriated the steel mill, renaming it Sydney Steel Corporation (SYSCO). The government of Canada expropriated DOSCO's coal mines at the same time, as well as the coke ovens that produced the pollution flowing into the Tar Ponds, naming this operation Cape Breton Development Corporation (DEVCO). SYSCO purchased

7800-506: The time they approach Sydney, with high winds, heavy snow, ice and/or rain events common, primarily from October to February. Summer thunderstorms are rare in Sydney, because nearby bodies of cool water sharply inhibit the combination of heat and humidity that fuels summer-season thunderstorms elsewhere (for example, the United States' central and southeastern states, and east-central and northern China). In recent years, possibly due to

7900-524: The toxic Sydney Tar Ponds it left behind in Muggah's Creek, were a source of controversy due to its health effects on residents, although it has provided some employment since SYSCO closed. The tar pond cleanup was completed in 2013 with the opening of Open Hearth Park, which sits on the direct site of the former steel plant and has hosted events such as an Aerosmith concert in September 2014. Sydney

8000-650: The two networks, making CBI the only CBC station, and CJCB became an independent. In 1978, the CBC opened CBI-FM , which belonged to the CBC Stereo network. Since 1997, CBI-AM belongs to CBC Radio One and CBI-FM belongs to CBC Music . In addition to the CBC and CJCB stations, there are other FM radio stations serving the area, most coming into the market in the early 21st century. [REDACTED] Media related to Sydney, Nova Scotia at Wikimedia Commons Sydney Steel Corporation Sydney Steel Corporation (SYSCO)

8100-656: The type of environmental impact assessment the Government of Canada should require for the Tar Ponds cleanup. The choice boiled down to the two most rigorous forms of assessment allowed under the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act a comprehensive study, conducted by remediation experts within Public Works and Government Services Canada, and a panel review, conducted by a group of experts from outside government, who would hold formal public hearings. The Government of Nova Scotia,

8200-477: The war (1781) there was a naval engagement between two French ships and a British convoy off Sydney, Nova Scotia, near Spanish River, Cape Breton. The convoy, which consisted of 18 merchant vessels, including nine colliers and four supply ships, was bound for Spanish River on Cape Breton Island to pick up coal for delivery to Halifax. The British convoy escorts suffered considerable damage with one ship, Jack captured. The French ships also suffered damage. In

8300-556: The west side and Muggah Creek on the east side. The largest park within the former city limits is Open Hearth Park. Distinctive neighbourhoods include Whitney Pier in the north east end next to the former steel plant site, Ashby in the east end, Hardwood Hill in the south end and the "North End" located on the peninsula which contains the Holy Angels convent and the Sydney Garrison known as Victoria Park, headquarters of

8400-472: The year's driest month, on average, is July; its wettest month, on average, is December. Average annual precipitation in Sydney is 1481.4 mm, virtually the highest found anywhere in Canada outside coastal British Columbia. Snowfall is heavy, averaging 281.1 cm per winter season. However, winter-season storms are variable, and can bring changing precipitation types, commonly from ice/snow to rain and possibly back to ice/snow. As such, actual snow accumulation

8500-742: The year. Sydney's accommodation sector is centrally located to attractions in Louisbourg (home of the Fortress of Louisbourg ), Glace Bay (home of the Glace Bay Miners Museum), Baddeck (home of the Alexander Graham Bell Museum), as well as popular touring destinations such as the Cabot Trail, Cape Breton Highlands National Park , and Bras d'Or Lake . The annual Celtic Colours International Festival

8600-471: Was CJCB-AM , founded by Nate Nathanson, and went on the air on 14 February 1929. The Nathanson family would go on to open an FM radio station in 1957, CJCB-FM , and the above-mentioned television station. CBC began operating its own station, CBI (AM) , in November 1948. It was part of the CBC's Trans-Canada Network , while CJCB became a CBC affiliate for its Dominion Network . In 1962, the CBC combined

8700-444: Was 36.7 °C (98 °F) on 18 August 1935. The lowest temperature ever recorded was −31.7 °C (−25 °F) on 31 January 1873, 29 January 1877 and 15 February 1916. Due to the relatively strong influence from large bodies of water, Sydney experiences strong seasonal lag , meaning February is the year's coldest month on average, and August is the year's warmest month on average. By contrast, in most continental climates in

8800-501: Was a Crown corporation in the province of Nova Scotia , Canada. It owned and operated a steel mill in Sydney . An integrated steel mill was established on the southeast side of Sydney Harbour in the Whitney Pier neighbourhood of Sydney, Nova Scotia in 1901 by American investors. This entity was named Dominion Iron and Steel Company Limited (DISCO). Coal from the Dominion Coal Company Limited (DOMCO)

8900-523: Was a significant part of Industrial Cape Breton with its steel plant and harbour and railway connections adjoining the coal mining towns of Glace Bay, New Waterford, Sydney Mines and Reserve Mines . The economic boom brought about by industrialization saw the community incorporate as a city in 1904. The growth continued until the 1930s, with the Great Depression causing a slowdown in production and growth. World War Two brought prosperity again for

9000-491: Was abandoned in 1995. In 1996, Gerry O'Malley , the Minister of Science and Technology, proposed a plan to bury the Tar Ponds under slag procured from the steel mill. By this time, the project had attracted local critics, who condemned the plan. Also in 1996, the federal, provincial, and municipal governments jointly funded a community organization, the Joint Action Group (JAG), with a mandate to "educate, involve and empower

9100-521: Was announced in January 2007. The cleanup was completed in 2013 with the opening of Open Hearth Park which is situated on the site of the former steel plant. The North Pond and the South Pond extended over a combined area of 34 hectares (84 acres), and contained 500,000 metric tonnes of contaminated sediments. The nearby coke ovens site spanned 68 hectares (168 acres) on a sloping field overlooking

9200-471: Was completed in 2013 with the opening of Open Hearth Park which is situated on the site of the former steel plant and has hosted events such as an Aerosmith concert in September 2014. Sydney, Nova Scotia Sydney is a former city and urban community on the east coast of Cape Breton Island in Nova Scotia , Canada within the Cape Breton Regional Municipality . Sydney was founded in 1785 by

9300-447: Was monitored as contaminants released via Muggah Creek have historically impacted harbour sediments and marine biota. Monitoring of Sydney Harbour sediments prior to and during remediation did not reveal evidence of adverse health or environmental effects due to remediation activities, and sediment quality improved due to natural recovery processes (i.e., burial of historically contaminated sediments by uncontaminated material). The cleanup

9400-475: Was mothballed in favour of using electricity to smelt the scrap recycled metal brought in by rail. With no purchasers from the private sector and tumultuous steel markets during the 1990s, the provincial government began to seek ways to rid itself of SYSCO. Numerous proposals for sale to foreign and domestic companies came and went, raising and lowering the hopes of Sydney and its surrounding area each time announcements were made and then promises broken. Finally,

9500-536: Was provided by Via Rail Canada until budget cuts on 15 January 1990. A weekly tourist train, the Bras d'Or was operated by Via Rail Canada from 2000 to 2004 until being discontinued. Sydney's port facilities include the privately owned bulk coal unloading pier in Whitney Pier as well as the publicly owned Sydney Marine Terminal at the northern edge of the central business district. A recently opened cruise ship pavilion welcomes several dozen cruise ships every year, with

9600-407: Was purchased by A.V. Roe Canada in 1957, which was in turn dissolved, and its assets, including DOSCO, purchased by Hawker Siddeley Canada in 1962. By the mid-1960s, Hawker Siddeley began to close money-losing subsidiaries and identified DOSCO's coal mines and steel mill as candidates for closure. By 1967, DOSCO announced plans to close the mill and began phasing out the coal mines. In response to

9700-400: Was shut down that year with the site remediation talking taking place over the next two decades. The area is now an industrial and sports park. Until the mid-1980s, SYSCO along with its predecessors, Hawker Siddeley , DOSCO, BESCO, and DOMCO/DISCO, was a user of coke as a fuel for the mill's blast furnaces. Coke is produced by slowly baking coal, evaporating or leaching out various liquids in

9800-399: Was the capital of the British colony of Cape Breton Island. The vice regal residence was located to the east of military grounds along DesBarres Street (and since re-developed as a residential area). The colony was disbanded and merged with neighbouring Nova Scotia as part of the British government's desire to develop the abundant coal fields surrounding Sydney Harbour; the leases being held by

9900-480: Was turning out more than 800,000 tonnes of pig iron and 900,000 tonnes of crude steel - nearly half of Canada's steel production - and was the largest steel producer in North America. The steel mill, and the nearby coal mines that fuelled it, operated for nearly a century under a variety of owners including Dominion Steel Company (1912), British Empire Steel Corporation (1921), and Dominion Steel and Coal Corporation (DOSCO) after 1930. An economically failing DOSCO

10000-881: Was used to create coke to fuel the blast furnaces for smelting iron ore which arrived from Bell Island , Newfoundland . In 1920, DISCO, the Nova Scotia Steel and Coal Company (SCOTIA) in Sydney Mines , and the Wabana ore mine on Bell Island were acquired by the British Empire Steel Corporation (BESCO). In 1930, BESCO reorganized as Dominion Steel and Coal Corporation (DOSCO). Hawker Siddeley Canada purchased DOSCO in 1957. Hawker Siddeley sought to eliminate money losing operations and in 1965, DOSCO announced that its mines had only 15 years of production left and concluded that

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