News & Announcements
State of Local Emergency Lifted - REMO Update
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- Category: News & Announcements
Sharing behalf of Inverness, Municipality of the County of Victoria, Nova Scotia, Municipality of the County of Richmond, and the Town of Port Hawkesbury
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The State of Local Emergency has been lifted for Richmond County today, Sept. 9.
A State of Local Emergency (SOLE) was called on Sept. 6 for Inverness, Victoria and Richmond Counties following widespread flooding that had resulted in road closures, evacuations, and disruptions to transportation networks.
The SOLE for Inverness and Victoria Counties was lifted Sept. 8. Further assessment of roads and infrastructure was required for Richmond County, however today, Sept. 9, it was determined that it was safe to lift the SOLE.
PLEASE NOTE:
While travel is not prohibited, there will be some road closures throughout each impacted municipality. Road signage will be posted and motorists are asked to exercise caution in those affected areas.
Reminders for Residents:
Residents from Inverness, Victoria and Richmond Counties and the Town of Port Hawkesbury are encouraged to continue calling the municipal support line.
Phone number: 902-625-7888
Hours of operation: 8 a.m. – 6 p.m.
What callers can expect: Calls will be answered by a municipal representative. If residents are unable to reach someone when they call, they may leave a voicemail, and a representative will return their call. The nature of the concern will determine the appropriate response and follow-up.
The support line is intended for non-emergency issues and concerns. Any situation requiring immediate emergency assistance should be reported by calling 911.
Residents with general insurance questions are encouraged to call the Insurance Bureau of Canada’s Consumer Information Centre toll-free at 1-844-227-5422. Insurance Bureau of Canada is the national industry association representing Canada’s private home, auto and business insurers. To learn more about supports available, visit Cape Breton Flooding: Insurance Bureau of Canada provides insurance guidance .
The Western Cape Breton Regional Emergency Management Organization (REMO) thanks residents for their patience and cooperation during what has been a difficult time.
In September 2026, Inverness, Victoria and Richmond Counties and the Town of Port Hawkesbury partnered to establish the Western Cape Breton Regional Emergency Management Organization (REMO).
A REMO brings neighbouring municipalities together to coordinate emergency planning, preparedness, response and recovery. It provides a structure for municipalities and emergency response agencies to work together when an incident extends beyond the capacity of a single community.
State of Local Emergency Has Been Lifted
- Details
- Category: News & Announcements
The State of Local Emergency has been lifted for Richmond County. While travel is not prohibited, there will be some road closures in impacted areas. Road signage will be posted, and motorists are asked to exercise caution in those affected areas.
Residents are encouraged to continue to call the municipal support line.
- Phone number: 902-625-7888. The line is open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Curbside Collection
- Collection cancelled on Tuesday and Wednesday will take place next week with a double collection.
- Thursday, September 10th, curbside pickup will continue as scheduled.
- Friday, September 11th, curbside pickup details are being confirmed and will be shared as soon as possible.
Additional Information
For future updates, visit the Richmond County website: https://www.richmondcounty.ca/
For current road conditions, visit https://511.novascotia.ca/
Drone Mapping and Damage Assessment Operations
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- Category: News & Announcements
Sharing on behalf of Inverness, Municipality of the County of Victoria, Nova Scotia Municipality of the County of Richmond, and Town of Port Hawkesbury
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Residents in areas impacted by flooding may notice drone activity in the coming days as part of ongoing flood damage assessment efforts.
The Western Cape Breton Regional Emergency Management Organization (REMO), (made up of Inverness, Victoria and Richmond Counties, and the Town of Port Hawkesbury), in partnership with GlobalMedic (a registered Canadian charity mandated to provide people affected by disaster with humanitarian aid) and emergency management partners, is conducting aerial mapping and imaging of areas impacted by the recent flooding and severe weather event.
The drones will be used to capture information about damaged roads, infrastructure, shorelines, and other affected areas to support damage assessments, recovery planning, and response efforts. Residents may see drones operating over public roadways and surrounding areas, particularly near West Bay Road and Marble Mountain.
“The information collected will help our emergency management officials, engineers, and response agencies better understand the extent of the damage and prioritize recovery efforts,” says Jerron Hawley, Emergency Coordination Centre Incident Commander. “We thank residents for their patience and cooperation as this important work is completed.”
For safety reasons, people are asked not to approach drone operators while they are working and to continue following any travel advisories or road closure notices that remain in effect
State of Local Emergency Update
- Details
- Category: News & Announcements
Sharing on behalf of Inverness, Municipality of the County of Victoria, Nova Scotia, Municipality of the County of Victoria, Nova Scotia and Town of Port Hawkesbury
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The State of Local Emergency has been lifted for Inverness and Victoria Counties. The State of Local Emergency remains in place for Richmond County. Travel is not prohibited; however, residents are encouraged to assess road conditions and check 511 before heading out.
A State of Local Emergency (SOLE) was called on Sept. 6 for Inverness, Victoria and Richmond Counties following widespread flooding that had resulted in road closures, evacuations, and disruptions to transportation networks. The SOLE was put in place not only to support public safety, but also to enable emergency responders and public works teams the ability to travel swiftly to impacted areas, assess conditions, and support residents.
After consultation with provincial partners, the Western Cape Breton REMO has determined that it is safe to lift the SOLE for Inverness and Victoria Counties. Due to further assessment of roads and infrastructure in the hardest hit areas of Richmond County, the SOLE is remaining in place for Richmond County.
Key Tips for Impacted Residents:
Residents with general insurance questions are encouraged to call the Insurance Bureau of Canada’s https://www.ibc.ca/ Consumer Information Centre toll-free at 1-844-227-5422. Insurance Bureau of Canada is the national industry association representing Canada’s private home, auto and business insurers. To learn more about supports available, visit https://www.ibc.ca/.../cape-breton-flooding-insurance...
Residents from Inverness, Victoria and Richmond Counties and the Town of Port Hawkesbury are encouraged to continue calling the municipal support line.
Phone number: 902-625-7888
Change in hours of operation: 8 a.m. – 6 p.m. Any changes to the support line or its hours will be shared if/when available.
What callers can expect: Calls will be answered by a municipal representative. If residents are unable to reach someone when they call, they may leave a voicemail, and a representative will return their call. The nature of the concern will determine the appropriate response and follow-up.
The support line is intended for non-emergency issues and concerns. Any situation requiring immediate emergency assistance should be reported by calling 911.
For current road conditions, visit https://511.novascotia.ca/ .
Visit your municipal website and/or Facebook pages for future updates, continue to call the resident support line as needed, and pay close attention to safety signage on the roads when travelling