Cape Breton asks N.S. government for help tearing down hundreds of abandoned buildings

CBRM asks for help tearing down vacant buildings The Cape Breton Regional Municipality is asking the province for help with tearing down vacant buildings.

Living next door to an abandoned building isn't exactly a homeowner's dream; just ask Lawrence Wilson of Ocean Avenue in Dominion, N.S.

"Nothing really major, but you're scared someone's going to burn it down one of these days, eh?” Wilson said from his front yard across the road.

Wilson has lived next to a former church for more than 30 years. Since 2006, it has been empty — infested by birds, and at the mercy of the elements.

The area's councillor, Darren Bruckschwaiger, said a building like the former Chalmers Church would cost about $150,000 to tear down, which is why he put forth the idea to ask the Nova Scotia government for financial help.

"Well, I put in a resolution before council (Tuesday) that we ask the province for $1 million a year over three years,” Bruckschwaiger said.

Bruckschwiger added not only are abandoned buildings eyesores and fire hazards, but with a growing population and a need for housing in the area, the land could be put to better use.

"With this housing crisis, that was in my resolution, it would free up lots,” he said. “Lots with services to it, where developers and people would build."

Bruckschwaiger said there are roughly 400 abandoned buildings in the Cape Breton Regional Municipality (CBRM) that ought to be dealt with, but the municipality only has the financial means to handle roughly 16 of them each year.

CTV News Atlantic reached out to Nova Scotia’s Department of Municipal Affairs and Housing, who said in an email they have not yet received a request from CBRM about the issue but will review it if and when they do.

"Minister (John) Lohr and the premier, they said there could be.. the MOU that we just went through, it didn't provide us with what was needed to take on things like this. But they did say there could be one-offs, so this here I consider is a one-off,” Bruckschwaiger said.

Wilson said he wouldn't mind seeing the old church across the street get torn down.

"Oh yeah, I think it's an eyesore myself,” he said.

Council unanimously approved the resolution to ask the province for money to do something about unsightly structures.

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