Christmas parade debate heats up again in Cape Breton Regional Municipality

NORTH SYDNEY, N.S. -

It's been a long time coming, but Christmas floats led by Santa Claus will make their way through the streets of North Sydney, N.S., again this year.

Over the last two years, no parade was held in the community because of COVID-19 restrictions.

"We're happy to report that we are having a Christmas Parade," said North Sydney Fire Chief Lloyd MacIntosh. "It's going to be a moving parade, it's going to follow the traditional parade route in town. It lines up on Blowers Street and basically follows the circumference of the town."

On Wednesday, the Glace Bay Volunteer Fire Department also announced they will host a moving Christmas parade in Glace Bay, N.S., like they did last year.

"We were the only one to actually do a moving parade last year in the CBRM," said Glace Bay Fire Chief John Chant. "Last year was an amazing success. We had more people than I've seen in 10 years at parades, so we're going to do it again."

Cape Breton Regional Municipality councillor Cyril MacDonald says he would like to see a moving parade in Sydney, N.S., this year, but like Glace Bay and North Sydney, it would have to be during daylight.

Three years ago, the municipality voted to end nighttime parades amid safety concerns after the death of a four-year-old girl during a parade in Yarmouth in 2018.

MacDonald says new safety rules and guidelines should be implemented before a traditional parade returns.

"Safety is huge for me. I certainly don't say lightly that I want to have parades back, but I do," MacDonald said. "Maybe the parade needs to take a more direct route, not so many twists and turns, not such a long parade perhaps. [There are] lots of things I think we can do, but yeah, I'd love to see a parade back but it has to be done right."

Last year, Sydney held a stationary nighttime light up.

When asked about any possible return to moving nighttime parades, MacDonald said he's open to discussion.

"There are ways that we can do nighttime parades safely, and if that's the case, let's do it. If not, let's meet in the middle. Do a daytime this year, and work on nighttime next year."

For now, Glace Bay's Christmas parade is scheduled for Dec. 3 at 2 p.m.

North Sydney's is set to follow a week later on Dec. 10 at the same time.