Safety & Security

Cape Breton – Unama’ki is, overall, a safe place to live. Neighbours watch out and care for each other. According to Statistics Canada, Cape Breton Island crime rate ranks 31 per cent lower than the national average.  With an average of 4,900 crimes per 100,000 people

For all emergencies, call 911. All emergency services are controlled through the Enhanced Emergency 911 system from the Regional Communications Centre, supported by the Nova Scotia Emergency Management Office (EMO). That office is responsible for search and rescue operations, planning, and preparedness training.

Fire Services

Cape Breton-Unama’ki has approximately 53 registered Volunteer Fire Departments, three of which are full-time service fire departments and 50 volunteer departments. Most departments on the Island consist of on-call volunteers where training is mandatory for all members. These services are dispatched through the 911 system and depend on location and capacity.

Police Services

There are two police services in Cape Breton: Cape Breton Regional Police Services, which serves communities in the Cape Breton Regional Municipality, and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), which has approximately eight police departments throughout the region. Both the Cape Breton Regional Police and RCMP are dispatched through the 911 system.

Health Services

Residents of Nova Scotia need a Nova Scotia Health Card. To register for a Health Card in Nova Scotia, you must call the MSI Registration and Enquiry Department at 902.-496.-7008 or 1.-800.0-563.-8880 (toll-free within Nova Scotia), to start the application process. Blank applications are not available. More information can be found here. For more Health-related information, please visit this page.

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Last Modified: September 22, 2021