Sydney, Nova Scotia
Encyclopedia
Sydney is a Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
urban community in the province of Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
. It is situated on the east coast of Cape Breton Island
Cape Breton Island
Cape Breton Island is an island on the Atlantic coast of North America. It likely corresponds to the word Breton, the French demonym for Brittany....
and is administratively part of the Cape Breton Regional Municipality.
Sydney was incorporated in 1904 and dissolved on August 1, 1995, when it was merged into the regional municipality. Sydney is the largest urban centre on Cape Breton Island
Cape Breton Island
Cape Breton Island is an island on the Atlantic coast of North America. It likely corresponds to the word Breton, the French demonym for Brittany....
. Together with Sydney Mines
Sydney Mines, Nova Scotia
Sydney Mines is a former town in Nova Scotia's Cape Breton Regional Municipality.Founded in 1784 and incorporated as a town in 1889, Sydney Mines has a rich history in coal production, although mining activity has now ceased.Prior to a permanent settlement being established, there was significant...
, North Sydney
North Sydney, Nova Scotia
North Sydney is a community in Nova Scotia's Cape Breton Regional Municipality.Located on the north side of Sydney Harbour, along the eastern coast of Cape Breton Island, North Sydney is an important port in Atlantic Canada as it is the western terminus of the Marine Atlantic ferry service...
, New Waterford
New Waterford, Nova Scotia
New Waterford is a Canadian urban community in Nova Scotia's Cape Breton Regional Municipality.-Geography:New Waterford is located north of Sydney and northwest of Glace Bay. It is named after the city of Waterford, in Ireland. It is located near the ocean and is bordered on one side by cliffs...
and Glace Bay
Glace Bay, Nova Scotia
Glace Bay is a community in the eastern part of the Cape Breton Regional Municipality in Nova Scotia, Canada. It forms part of the general area referred to as Industrial Cape Breton....
it forms the Industrial Cape Breton
Industrial Cape Breton
Industrial Cape Breton is a geographic region in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia. It refers to the eastern portion of Cape Breton County fronting the Atlantic Ocean on the southeastern part of Cape Breton Island.-Geography:...
region.
History
Prior to a permanent settlement being established, there was significant activity along the shore.During the American Revolution
American Revolution
The American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...
, on November 1, 1776, John Paul Jones
John Paul Jones
John Paul Jones was a Scottish sailor and the United States' first well-known naval fighter in the American Revolutionary War. Although he made enemies among America's political elites, his actions in British waters during the Revolution earned him an international reputation which persists to...
- 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
John Burgoyne
General John Burgoyne was a British army officer, politician and dramatist. He first saw action during the Seven Years' War when he participated in several battles, mostly notably during the Portugal Campaign of 1762....
's troops in Canada. A few years into the war there was also a naval engagement
Naval battle off Cape Breton
The Battle off Spanish River took place during the American Revolution between two French Navy frigates and a convoy of 18 British ships under protection of the Royal Navy off the harbour of Spanish River, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia...
between French ships and a British convoy off Sydney, Nova Scotia, near Spanish River (1781), Cape Breton. French ships (fighting with the Americans) were re-coaling and defeated a British convoy. Six French sailors were killed and 17 British, with many more wounded.
Sydney was founded after the war by Col. Joseph Frederick Wallet DesBarres
Joseph Frederick Wallet DesBarres
Colonel Joseph Frederick Wallet DesBarres Colonel Joseph Frederick Wallet DesBarres Colonel Joseph Frederick Wallet DesBarres (November 22, 1721 – October 27, 1824 (or October 24, 1824 ) was a Swiss-born cartographer and Canadian statesman, who served as aide-de-camp to General James Wolfe...
in 1785, and named in honour of Thomas Townshend, 1st Viscount Sydney
Thomas Townshend, 1st Viscount Sydney
Thomas Townshend, 1st Viscount Sydney PC , was a British politician who held several important Cabinet posts in the second half of the 18th century...
who was serving as the Home Secretary
Home Secretary
The Secretary of State for the Home Department, commonly known as the Home Secretary, is the minister in charge of the Home Office of the United Kingdom, and one of the country's four Great Offices of State...
in the British cabinet. Lord Sydney appointed Col. DesBarres governor of the new colony of Cape Breton Island
Cape Breton Island
Cape Breton Island is an island on the Atlantic coast of North America. It likely corresponds to the word Breton, the French demonym for Brittany....
. Col. DesBarres landed a group that consisted primarily of poor English citizens and disbanded soldiers. A group of Loyalists
Loyalist (American Revolution)
Loyalists were American colonists who remained loyal to the Kingdom of Great Britain during the American Revolutionary War. At the time they were often called Tories, Royalists, or King's Men. They were opposed by the Patriots, those who supported the revolution...
from the state of New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, fleeing the aftermath of the American Revolution
American Revolution
The American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...
, were added to the immigrants upon their arrival in the neighbouring colony of Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
. The site DesBarres chose for the new settlement was along the Southwest Arm of Sydney Harbour, a drowned valley of the Sydney River
Sydney River
This article is about the river. For the community of the same name, see Sydney River, Nova Scotia.The Sydney River is a short river located in Cape Breton County, Nova Scotia, Canada....
, which forms part of Spanish Bay. Between 1784-1820, Sydney was the capital of the British colony of Cape Breton Island. The colony was disbanded and merged with neighbouring Nova Scotia as part of the British government's desire to develop the abundant coal
Coal
Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock usually occurring in rock strata in layers or veins called coal beds or coal seams. The harder forms, such as anthracite coal, can be regarded as metamorphic rock because of later exposure to elevated temperature and pressure...
fields surrounding Sydney Harbour; the leases being held by the Duke of York
Prince Frederick, Duke of York and Albany
The Prince Frederick, Duke of York and Albany was a member of the Hanoverian and British Royal Family, the second eldest child, and second son, of King George III...
. In 1826, the leases were transferred to the General Mining Association and industrial development around Sydney began to take shape.
By the early twentieth 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 Coal Company
Dominion Steel and Coal Corporation
The Dominion Steel and Coal Corporation was a Canadian coal mining and steel manufacturing company.Incorporated in 1928 and operational in 1930, DOSCO was predated by the British Empire Steel Corporation which was a merger of the Dominion Coal Company, the Dominion Iron and Steel Company and the...
. Sydney's economy 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
Glace Bay, Nova Scotia
Glace Bay is a community in the eastern part of the Cape Breton Regional Municipality in Nova Scotia, Canada. It forms part of the general area referred to as Industrial Cape Breton....
, New Waterford
New Waterford, Nova Scotia
New Waterford is a Canadian urban community in Nova Scotia's Cape Breton Regional Municipality.-Geography:New Waterford is located north of Sydney and northwest of Glace Bay. It is named after the city of Waterford, in Ireland. It is located near the ocean and is bordered on one side by cliffs...
, Sydney Mines
Sydney Mines, Nova Scotia
Sydney Mines is a former town in Nova Scotia's Cape Breton Regional Municipality.Founded in 1784 and incorporated as a town in 1889, Sydney Mines has a rich history in coal production, although mining activity has now ceased.Prior to a permanent settlement being established, there was significant...
and Reserve Mines
Reserve Mines, Nova Scotia
Reserve Mines is a community in Nova Scotia's Cape Breton Regional Municipality.It is located immediately west of Glace Bay and 10 kilometres northeast of Sydney. The J.A. Douglas McCurdy Sydney Airport is located in the western part of the community...
. The economic boom brought about by industrialization saw the community incorporate in 1903. By the late 1960s the coal and steel industries had fallen on hard times and were taken over by the federal and provincial governments and both industries were permanently closed by the end of 2001. Forced to diversify its economy, Sydney has examined a variety of economic development possibilities including tourism and culture, light manufacturing and information technology.
Sydney Harbour played an important role during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
after a Royal Canadian Navy
Royal Canadian Navy
The history of the Royal Canadian Navy goes back to 1910, when the naval force was created as the Naval Service of Canada and renamed a year later by King George V. The Royal Canadian Navy is one of the three environmental commands of the Canadian Forces...
base, , was established to stage supply convoy
Convoy
A convoy is a group of vehicles, typically motor vehicles or ships, traveling together for mutual support and protection. Often, a convoy is organized with armed defensive support, though it may also be used in a non-military sense, for example when driving through remote areas.-Age of Sail:Naval...
s bound for Europe. They tended to be slower convoys and had the prefix SC (for Slow Convoy). Convoy SC-7
Convoy SC-7
SC-7 was the code name for a large Allied World War II convoy of 35 merchant ships and six escorts which sailed eastbound from Sydney, Nova Scotia for Liverpool and other United Kingdom ports on 5 October 1940. While crossing the Atlantic, the convoy was intercepted by one of the German Navy's...
typified the dangers inherent with the Nazi U-boats off the coast of Cape Breton and Newfoundland during the Battle of the Atlantic. Sydney's coal shipping and steel manufacturing were essential ingredients in the Allied victory, 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. The lack of significant war-time investment in Sydney's steel plant led to its decline after the war from which it was unable to recover.
Geography and climate
Sydney is located on east bank of the Sydney River where it discharges into South Arm of Sydney Harbour. Elevation ranges from sea levelSea level
Mean sea level is a measure of the average height of the ocean's surface ; used as a standard in reckoning land elevation...
to 66 m (216.5 ft) above sea level.
The rock base that Sydney is located on is from the Paleozoic era, and is Carboniferous and Permian. Paleozoic rock is mainly sedimentary rock. Some examples of sedimentary rock are sandstone, limestone, shale, and dolomite.
Sydney is in an area of glacial erosion and deposition (hence the sedimentary rock). The type of soil located in Sydney is Podzol, leached soil. Leached soil is too wet, causing the nutrients to be washed out.
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 the west side and Muggah Creek on the east side. The largest park in the former city limits is Wentworth Park.
Distinctive neighbourhoods include Ashby in the east end, and Hardwood Hill in the south end. The former city completely encircles the Membertou First Nation (First Nations Reserve 28A and 28B).
Sydney experiences a humid continental climate
Humid continental climate
A humid continental climate is a climatic region typified by large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot summers and cold winters....
(Köppen
Köppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by Crimea German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen himself, notably in 1918 and 1936...
Dfb) that is significantly moderated by the community's proximity to the Atlantic Ocean.
Average temperatures in the above table are from Sydney Airport (CYQY) for the period 1971-2000, however the extreme high and low temperatures are combined from Sydney Airport, which has weather records going back to 1941, and the original climate station located in the city of Sydney, which has records from 1870-1941. The highest temperature ever recorded was 36.7°C (98°F) on August 18, 1935, and the lowest ever was −31.7°C (-25°F) on January 31, 1873, January 29, 1877, and February 15, 1916.
Economy
Sydney suffered an economic decline for several decades in the later part of the 20th century as local coalCoal
Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock usually occurring in rock strata in layers or veins called coal beds or coal seams. The harder forms, such as anthracite coal, can be regarded as metamorphic rock because of later exposure to elevated temperature and pressure...
and steel
Steel
Steel is an alloy that consists mostly of iron and has a carbon content between 0.2% and 2.1% by weight, depending on the grade. Carbon is the most common alloying material for iron, but various other alloying elements are used, such as manganese, chromium, vanadium, and tungsten...
industries underwent significant changes. The closure of the Sydney Steel Corporation
Sydney Steel Corporation
Sydney Steel Corporation was a Crown corporation in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia.-Steel comes to 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...
's steel mill and the Cape Breton Development Corporation
Cape Breton Development Corporation
The Cape Breton Development Corporation, or DEVCO, was a Canadian federal government Crown corporation. It ceased operation on December 31, 2009, after being amalgamated with Enterprise Cape Breton 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 faces a significant challenge in the cleanup of the Sydney Tar Ponds
Sydney Tar Ponds
The Sydney Tar Ponds are a hazardous waste site on Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia, Canada.Located on the eastern shore of Sydney Harbour in the former city of Sydney , the Tar Ponds form a tidal estuary at the mouth of Muggah Creek, a freshwater stream that empties into the harbour...
, 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
Canadian dollar
The Canadian dollar is the currency of Canada. As of 2007, the Canadian dollar is the 7th most traded currency in the world. It is abbreviated with the dollar sign $, or C$ to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies...
cleanup plan jointly funded by the federal and provincial governments awaits further environmental assessment.
In one part of Whitney Pier, residents of Frederick St. discovered contamination within several homes and in surrounding soil, including 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 the birth rate have begun to affect the area's economic outlook. Specifically, many residents have opted to seek work in Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
and Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
.
Tourism
Baddeck, Nova Scotia
Baddeck is a Canadian village in Victoria County, Nova Scotia.It is the county's shire town and is situated on the northern shore of Bras d'Or Lake on Cape Breton Island...
being a preferred location for tourists transiting the Cabot Trail
Cabot Trail
The Cabot Trail is a highway and scenic roadway in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia.It is located in northern Victoria County and Inverness County on Cape Breton Island....
, however Sydney has recently witnessed a revival as a result of significant government investment in cruise ship
Cruise ship
A cruise ship or cruise liner is a passenger ship used for pleasure voyages, where the voyage itself and the ship's amenities are part of the experience, as well as the different destinations along the way...
facilities and 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 the year. Sydney's accommodation sector is centrally located to attractions in Louisbourg
Louisbourg, Nova Scotia
Louisbourg is a community in Nova Scotia's Cape Breton Regional Municipality.-History:The town's name was given by French military forces who founded the Fortress of Louisbourg and its fortified seaport on the southwest part of the harbour, in honour of Louis XV...
(home of the Fortress of Louisbourg
Fortress of Louisbourg
The Fortress of Louisbourg is a national historic site and the location of a one-quarter partial reconstruction of an 18th century French fortress at Louisbourg, Nova Scotia...
), Glace Bay
Glace Bay, Nova Scotia
Glace Bay is a community in the eastern part of the Cape Breton Regional Municipality in Nova Scotia, Canada. It forms part of the general area referred to as Industrial Cape Breton....
(home of the Glace Bay Miners Museum), Baddeck
Baddeck, Nova Scotia
Baddeck is a Canadian village in Victoria County, Nova Scotia.It is the county's shire town and is situated on the northern shore of Bras d'Or Lake on Cape Breton Island...
(home of the Alexander Graham Bell Museum), as well as popular touring destinations such as the Cabot Trail, Cape Breton Highlands National Park
Cape Breton Highlands National Park
Cape Breton Highlands National Park is located on northern Cape Breton Island in the province of Nova Scotia. One-third of the Cabot Trail passes through the park featuring spectacular ocean and mountain views. The park was the first National Park in the Atlantic provinces of Canada and covers an...
, and Bras d'Or Lake
Bras d'Or Lake
Bras d'Or Lake is a large body of salt water dominating the centre of Cape Breton Island in the province of Nova Scotia, Canada. Bras d'Or Lake is sometimes referred to as the Bras d'Or Lakes or the Bras d'Or Lakes system, however its official geographic name is Bras d'Or Lake as it is a singular...
.
Transportation
Sydney is served by Highway 125Nova Scotia Highway 125
Highway 125 is a 30 km long controlled-access highway located in Nova Scotia's Cape Breton Regional Municipality.Part of the provincial 100-series arterial highway network, Highway 125 encircles the west side of Sydney Harbour, from an interchange with Highway 105 at Sydney Mines to Trunk 4 at...
which connects to Highway 105
Nova Scotia Highway 105
Highway 105 in Nova Scotia represents the Cape Breton Island leg of the Trans-Canada Highway. It runs from the junction just east of the Canso Causeway in Port Hastings to the Marine Atlantic ferry terminal in North Sydney, representing a distance of ....
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
Glace Bay, Nova Scotia
Glace Bay is a community in the eastern part of the Cape Breton Regional Municipality in Nova Scotia, Canada. It forms part of the general area referred to as Industrial Cape Breton....
. Trunk 22, connecting to Louisbourg
Louisbourg, Nova Scotia
Louisbourg is a community in Nova Scotia's Cape Breton Regional Municipality.-History:The town's name was given by French military forces who founded the Fortress of Louisbourg and its fortified seaport on the southwest part of the harbour, in honour of Louis XV...
, and Trunk 28, connecting Whitney Pier through to New Waterford
New Waterford, Nova Scotia
New Waterford is a Canadian urban community in Nova Scotia's Cape Breton Regional Municipality.-Geography:New Waterford is located north of Sydney and northwest of Glace Bay. It is named after the city of Waterford, in Ireland. It is located near the ocean and is bordered on one side by cliffs...
, form minor secondary roads.
Sydney is home to two private freight railroad companies. The Cape Breton and Central Nova Scotia Railway
Cape Breton and Central Nova Scotia Railway
The Cape Breton and Central Nova Scotia Railway is a railway operating in Nova Scotia between Sydney and Truro with spurs at Sydney, Point Tupper, Trenton and Stellarton....
makes Sydney its eastern terminus and provides rail connections to CN
Canadian National Railway
The Canadian National Railway Company is a Canadian Class I railway headquartered in Montreal, Quebec. CN's slogan is "North America's Railroad"....
in Truro
Truro, Nova Scotia
-Education:Truro has one high school, Cobequid Educational Centre. Post-secondary options include a campus of the Nova Scotia Community College, as well as the Nova Scotia Agricultural College in the neighboring town of Bible Hill.- Sports :...
via Port Hawkesbury
Port Hawkesbury, Nova Scotia
-Historical residents:*Henry Nicholas Paint , member of Parliament for Richmond county, merchant and land owner. His family received land grants at Belle Vue on the Strait of Canso in 1817 and at Point Tupper in 1863, and did much to develop the local communities in the area.*Arthur John Langley ...
. The Sydney Coal Railway
Sydney Coal Railway
The Sydney Coal Railway is a Canadian short-line railway operating in the eastern part of Cape Breton County, Nova Scotia.SCR operates from the international coaling piers on Sydney Harbour in Sydney to the Lingan Generating Station, a coal-fired electrical generating station near New Waterford...
connects a bulk coal unloading pier in Whitney Pier with the Lingan Generating Station
Lingan Generating Station
The Lingan Generating Station is a 600 MW Canadian electrical generating station located in the community of Lingan in Nova Scotia's Cape Breton Regional Municipality....
in Lingan
Lingan, Nova Scotia
Lingan is a Canadian suburban community in Nova Scotia's Cape Breton Regional Municipality.Lingan is located on the shore of the Cabot Strait, northeast from Sydney, east of New Waterford and northwest of Glace Bay....
. Daily passenger rail service was provided by Via Rail Canada until budget cuts on January 15, 1990. A weekly tourist train, the Bras d'Or was operated by Via Rail Canada from 2000-2004 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 ship
Cruise ship
A cruise ship or cruise liner is a passenger ship used for pleasure voyages, where the voyage itself and the ship's amenities are part of the experience, as well as the different destinations along the way...
s every year, with 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
Point Edward, Nova Scotia
Point Edward is a community in Nova Scotia's Cape Breton Regional Municipality.It is located on the southwest shore of the North West Arm of Sydney Harbour, immediately north of the community of North West Arm, south of Edwardsville and west of Westmount.Point Edward is also the name of a headland...
(Sydport) and North Sydney
North Sydney, Nova Scotia
North Sydney is a community in Nova Scotia's Cape Breton Regional Municipality.Located on the north side of Sydney Harbour, along the eastern coast of Cape Breton Island, North Sydney is an important port in Atlantic Canada as it is the western terminus of the Marine Atlantic ferry service...
(Marine Atlantic
Marine Atlantic
Marine Atlantic Inc. is an independent Canadian Crown corporation offering ferry services between the provinces of Newfoundland and Labrador and Nova Scotia.Marine Atlantic's corporate headquarters are in St...
ferry terminal).
The J.A. Douglas McCurdy Sydney Airport is located several kilometers outside the former city limits in Reserve Mines. Air Canada Jazz
Air Canada Jazz
Jazz Aviation LP is a Canadian regional airline based at Halifax Stanfield International Airport in Enfield and Halifax Regional Municipality, Nova Scotia, and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Chorus Aviation....
operates 7 flights daily with direct service to Halifax
Halifax International Airport
Halifax/Robert L. Stanfield International Airport, or Halifax Stanfield International Airport is an airport in Enfield, Nova Scotia and in Halifax Regional Municipality, Canada...
and Toronto
Toronto Pearson International Airport
Toronto Pearson International Airport is an international airport serving Toronto, Ontario, Canada; its metropolitan area; and the Golden Horseshoe, an urban agglomeration that is home to 8.1 million people – approximately 25% of Canada's population...
. As of February 13, 2009, WestJet
WestJet
WestJet Airlines Ltd. is a Canadian low-cost carrier that provides scheduled and charter air service to 71 destinations in Canada, the United States, Mexico and the Caribbean. Founded in 1996, WestJet is currently the second largest Canadian air carrier, behind Air Canada, operating an average of...
operates 1 flight daily to and from Toronto between May and November. Other carriers may also offer seasonal service.
Education
Sydney is home to two public English language secondary schools: Sydney AcademySydney Academy
Sydney Academy is one of two main secondary schools, along with Riverview, for the city of Sydney, Nova Scotia....
and Holy Angels High School
Holy Angels High School
Holy Angels was an all girls school in Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada, founded in 1885 by the Sisters of the Congregation of Notre Dame. They gave the school the Latin motto: meaning "He has entrusted you to the care of his angels"...
, both of which are linked to several elementary and intermediate schools. A French language school, Étoile de l'Acadie is also located in Sydney. Holy Angels will be closed after
the end of the 2011 school year.
There are currently no post-secondary institutions within the former city limits. Cape Breton University
Cape Breton University
Cape Breton University , formerly the "University College of Cape Breton" , is a Canadian university in Nova Scotia's Cape Breton Regional Municipality....
and the Nova Scotia Community College
Nova Scotia Community College
The Nova Scotia Community College, commonly referred to as the NSCC, is a community college serving the province of Nova Scotia.The college delivers a diverse program of trades, technology, health, human services, applied arts, new media, business administration and adult education through a system...
's Marconi Campus are located several kilometres east of Sydney along Trunk 4 in the community of Victoria Junction
Victoria Junction, Nova Scotia
Victoria Junction is a community in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia, located in the Cape Breton Regional Municipality.It is located approximately east of Sydney. The community developed as a result of the operations of the Sydney and Louisburg Railway where a junction existed a branch line...
and the Canadian Coast Guard College
Canadian Coast Guard College
The Canadian Coast Guard College is a maritime training college and Canadian Coast Guard facility located in Westmount in the Cape Breton Regional Municipality, near Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada....
is located in the suburb of Westmount
Westmount, Nova Scotia
Westmount is a community in the Cape Breton Regional Municipality.-Geography:Located on the west bank of the Sydney River at the point where Sydney Harbour begins, Westmount faces Sydney's downtown. Neighbouring communities include Point Edward, Coxheath and Edwardsville...
on the west bank of the Sydney River.
Sports
The Cape Breton Screaming EaglesCape Breton Screaming Eagles
The Cape Breton Screaming Eagles are a major junior ice hockey team in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. Their home rink is Centre 200 in Sydney, Nova Scotia.-Franchise history :...
of the QMJHL play their home games at Centre 200
Centre 200
Centre 200 is Cape Breton's primary sports and entertainment facility, located in Sydney, Nova Scotia. It is home to the QMJHL's Cape Breton Screaming Eagles and the NSMMHL's Cape Breton Tradesmen. Besides ice hockey, the arena hosts many other events, such as rock concerts, figure skating, and...
. The franchise, which came into the league in 1969 as the Sorel Éperviers
Sorel Éperviers
The Sorel Éperviers were a junior ice hockey team in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League from 1969 to 1981. The team was one of the founding members of the QMJHL. They mostly played at the Colisée Cardin in Sorel-Tracy, Quebec, but also spent a few seasons at the Verdun Auditorium in the...
, moved to Sydney from Granby, Quebec
Granby, Quebec
Granby is a city in southwestern Quebec, located east of Montreal. The population as of the Canada 2006 Census was 47,637. Granby is the seat of La Haute-Yamaska Regional County Municipality. It is the fifth most populated city in Montérégie after Longueuil, Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Brossard and...
in 1997, just one year after winning the Memorial Cup
Memorial Cup
The Memorial Cup is a junior ice hockey club championship trophy awarded annually to the Canadian Hockey League champion. It is awarded following a four-team, round robin tournament between a host team and the champions of the CHL's three member leagues: the Ontario Hockey League , Quebec Major...
.
From 1988 to 1996, Sydney was home to the Cape Breton Oilers
Cape Breton Oilers
The Cape Breton Oilers were a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. The team relocated from Halifax, Nova Scotia, in 1988 and was renamed for Cape Breton Island. Home games were played in Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada, at Centre 200...
of the AHL
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League...
, the primary farm team of the NHL's Edmonton Oilers
Edmonton Oilers
The Edmonton Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division in the Western Conference of the National Hockey League ....
. They won that league's championship, the Calder Cup
Calder Cup
The Calder Cup is awarded annually to the playoff champion of the American Hockey League. The trophy is the world's second oldest continuous professional ice hockey championship, having first been awarded in 1937 following the 1936-37 AHL season, and continuously being awarded every year.The cup...
, in 1993. The franchise moved to Hamilton, Ontario
Hamilton, Ontario
Hamilton is a port city in the Canadian province of Ontario. Conceived by George Hamilton when he purchased the Durand farm shortly after the War of 1812, Hamilton has become the centre of a densely populated and industrialized region at the west end of Lake Ontario known as the Golden Horseshoe...
after the 1995-96 season, becoming the Hamilton Bulldogs
Hamilton Bulldogs
The Hamilton Bulldogs are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. They play in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, at Copps Coliseum, nicknamed 'The Dog Pound'. They are the AHL affiliate of the NHL's Montreal Canadiens...
.
In 1993 and 1994, the Cape Breton Breakers
Cape Breton Breakers
The Cape Breton Breakers were a franchise in the National Basketball League that began play in 1993, the league's first season. The team played their home games at Centre 200, in Sydney, which was also home of the Cape Breton Oilers....
of the NBL
National Basketball League (Canada)
The National Basketball League that was based in Canada lasted only one and a half seasons in 1993 and 1994. It rose from the ashes of the World Basketball League which folded after the 1992 season, which had teams in various Canadian and American cities. The NBL's first game was played on May 1,...
also played at Centre 200
Centre 200
Centre 200 is Cape Breton's primary sports and entertainment facility, located in Sydney, Nova Scotia. It is home to the QMJHL's Cape Breton Screaming Eagles and the NSMMHL's Cape Breton Tradesmen. Besides ice hockey, the arena hosts many other events, such as rock concerts, figure skating, and...
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Notable people
- Paul BoutilierPaul BoutilierPaul André Boutilier is a retired professional ice hockey defenceman. He was a member of the Stanley Cup champion New York Islanders in 1983.-Playing career:...
, retired National Hockey LeagueNational Hockey LeagueThe National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
(NHL) hockey player, Stanley CupStanley CupThe Stanley Cup is an ice hockey club trophy, awarded annually to the National Hockey League playoffs champion after the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Finals. It has been referred to as The Cup, Lord Stanley's Cup, The Holy Grail, or facetiously as Lord Stanley's Mug...
Champion - John BuchananJohn BuchananJohn MacLennan Buchanan, PC, QC is a Canadian lawyer and former politician who served as the 20th Premier of Nova Scotia from 1978 to 1990 and as a member of the Senate of Canada from 1990 to 2006.-Early life:...
, former Premier of Nova ScotiaPremier of Nova ScotiaThe Premier of Nova Scotia is the first minister for the Canadian province of Nova Scotia who presides over the Executive Council of Nova Scotia. Following the Westminster system, the premier is normally the leader of the political party which has the most seats in the Nova Scotia House of Assembly... - Nathan CohenNathan CohenNathan Cohen is a New Zealand rower. He has won gold in the Men's Double Sculls in the 2010 and 2011 World Rowing Championships.- References :* at sports-reference.com* at stuff.co.nz...
, theatre critic, CBC Radio host and personality - David DingwallDavid DingwallDavid Charles Dingwall, PC is a former Canadian Cabinet minister and civil servant.A lawyer by training, Dingwall was first elected to the Canadian House of Commons in the 1980 Canadian federal election as the Liberal Member of Parliament for Cape Breton—East Richmond in Nova Scotia...
, former federal cabinet minister - Norm FergusonNorm FergusonNorman Gerard Ferguson is a Canadian former ice hockey player.Ferguson was a forward who played in either centre or right wing and played in the National Hockey League with the Oakland / California Seals. Ferguson holds the Seals single-season record for goals; he scored 34 during the 1968-1969...
, retired NHL hockey player, member of Nova Scotia Sport Hall of FameNova Scotia Sport Hall of FameThe Nova Scotia Sports Hall of Fame was established in 1964, to honor outstanding athletes, teams and sport builders in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia. The facilities are located at the World Trade and Convention Centre in the provincial capital city of Halifax.-External links:* website... - Mayann E. FrancisMayann E. Francis-External links:*...
, Lieutenant-Governor of Nova Scotia. - Danny GallivanDanny GallivanDanny Gallivan was a Canadian radio and television broadcaster and sportscaster.-Early life and career:Born in Sydney, Nova Scotia, Gallivan began his broadcast career at a local radio station in Antigonish, Nova Scotia while attending St. Francis Xavier University...
, Hockey Night in CanadaHockey Night in CanadaHockey Night in Canada is the branding used for CBC Sports' presentations of the National Hockey League...
sportscaster - John Jr. Hanna, retired NHL hockey player
- Fabian JosephFabian JosephFabian Joseph is a retired Canadian ice hockey player. He is most prominent for his role with the Canadian Men's national ice hockey team in the late 1980s and early 1990s. He is a winner of two Winter Olympic Silver medals. He was Captain of Team Canada at the Lillehammer Olympic games in 1994...
, former Captain of the Canadian National Hockey TeamCanadian national hockey teamThe Canadian national Hockey team may refer to:*Canadian national women's hockey team*Canadian national men's hockey team*Canada women's national field hockey team*Canada men's national field hockey team...
, two-time OlympicIce hockey at the Olympic GamesIce hockey tournaments have been staged at the Olympic Games since 1920. The men's tournament was introduced at the 1920 Summer Olympics and was transferred permanently to the Winter Olympic Games programme in 1924. The women's tournament was first held at the 1998 Winter Olympics...
Silver medalist - Donald MacDonald, President of the Canadian Labour CongressCanadian Labour CongressThe Canadian Labour Congress, or CLC is a national trade union centre, the central labour body in English Canada to which most Canadian labour unions are affiliated.- Formation :...
/MLA for Sydney - Daniel MacIvorDaniel MacIvorDaniel MacIvor is a Canadian actor, playwright, theatre director and film director. He was born in Sydney, Nova Scotia and educated at Dalhousie University in Halifax, and then at George Brown College in Toronto, Ontario....
, playwright - Al MacNeilAl MacNeilAllister Wences MacNeil is a former National Hockey League player and coach. He was the first person from the Maritime region of Canada to be a head coach in the NHL....
, retired NHL player and head coach, Stanley Cup Champion - Greg MacPhersonGreg MacPhersonGreg MacPherson is a Canadian singer-songwriter based in Winnipeg, Manitoba. MacPherson performs both as a solo performer and as part of a band...
, musician - Kevin MorrisonKevin MorrisonKevin Gregory Joseph Morrison is a retired professional ice hockey player who played 418 games in the World Hockey Association and 41 games in the National Hockey League....
, retired NHL hockey player - Maynard MorrisonMaynard MorrisonMaynard Morrison, a Canadian comedian, actor, director, and teacher from Sydney, Nova Scotia, has performed on tv, radio and in live venues across Canada. He is also an active teacher of performing arts at Sydney Academy in Sydney, Nova Scotia...
, Comedian - Scott OakeScott OakeScott Oake is a Gemini Award winning Canadian sportscaster for CBC Sports.-Early life:Oake was born in Sydney, Nova Scotia, and raised in Sydney's "shipyards" neighborhood until the age of 14, when his family relocated to Newfoundland...
, Hockey Night in CanadaHockey Night in CanadaHockey Night in Canada is the branding used for CBC Sports' presentations of the National Hockey League...
sportscaster - Lisa RaittLisa RaittLisa Raitt, PC, MP is a Canadian politician, who is the Conservative Party Member of Parliament for the riding of Halton. She is the current Minister of Labour in the Cabinet of Canada.-Background:...
(neé MacCormack), ConservativeConservative Party of CanadaThe Conservative Party of Canada , is a political party in Canada which was formed by the merger of the Canadian Alliance and the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada in 2003. It is positioned on the right of the Canadian political spectrum...
MP, federal cabinet minister - Rick RavanelloRick RavanelloRick Ravanello is a Canadian actor who has appeared in several television series and movies.One of several brothers, Ravenello was raised in the Trout Brook Road area of Mira, Cape Breton, and graduated from Riverview Rural High School in 1986.-Filmography:-Guest appearances:*In Justice playing...
, actor - Calvin RuckCalvin RuckCalvin Woodrow Ruck, CM was an anti-racism activist and a Canadian senator. He was born in Sydney, Nova Scotia; his parents were immigrants to Canada from Barbados.-Professional life:...
, activist and senatorCanadian SenateThe Senate of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the House of Commons, and the monarch . The Senate consists of 105 members appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister... - Gordie SampsonGordie SampsonGordie Sampson is a singer-songwriter and producer from Big Pond, Nova Scotia, Canada.He has written songs for Carrie Underwood , Martina McBride , LeAnn Rimes , and George Canyon and produced and sound engineered...
, Grammy AwardGrammy AwardA Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
winning singer-songwriter - D. M. SchurmanD. M. SchurmanDonald Mackenzie Schurman was a professor of history at Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, and also served at the Royal Military College of Canada. In the Festschrift published in his honour in 1997, the editors hailed D. M...
, imperial and naval historian - The Tom Fun OrchestraTom fun orchestraThe Tom Fun Orchestra is an indie rock ensemble from Cape Breton, Canada. The band features an unconventional mix of electric and acoustic instruments, including violin, banjo, accordion, trumpet, double bass, electric guitars and drums, and have elicited comparisons to acts ranging from The Clash,...
, indie rockIndie rockIndie rock is a genre of alternative rock that originated in the United Kingdom and the United States in the 1980s. Indie rock is extremely diverse, with sub-genres that include lo-fi, post-rock, math rock, indie pop, dream pop, noise rock, space rock, sadcore, riot grrrl and emo, among others...
band