Damages from cold snap cancel classes, medical services in Nova Scotia
There were no students inside Sydney Academy on Wednesday, instead, the school was filled with workers from a local restoration company.
“We're definitely looking at weeks, possibly months and that doesn't include the repair part of it,” said Troy MacDonald, a project manager for Meco Construction DKI in Glace Bay, N.S.
Damage from last weekend's cold snap cancelled classes the last three days, and beginning Thursday, learning will be moved online.
“A sprinkler head let go causing water to migrate from the top floor basically right down to the basement floor, affecting contents and everything involved inside the school,” said MacDonald.
Nova Scotia Health is dealing with a clean-up of its own from one end of the province to the other.
“We had about 10 facilities affected,” said Steve Button, senior director of facilities management for Nova Scotia Health. “We had 15 different events and 14 out of the 15 were water-related.”
Temporary spaces are being set up to try to lessen the impact on services.
“A lot of them did have operational impacts. Anything from dialysis in Truro, we had our kitchen go down in New Glasgow and we had respiratory and therapy impacted in a couple of locations, waiting rooms, x-ray rooms, those sorts of things,” said Button.
The cost, at this point, is unknown. The health authority’s focus is on making repairs and getting back to normal, but that could take some time.
“I would expect in the next couple of days we will know more on what our projected costs will be,” said Button.
Back in Sydney, N.S., MacDonald's team is also tasked with cleaning up the Sydney Courthouse, which flooded from a burst pipe and remains closed.
“We're very busy. We had some very large claims come in, so we're trying to get through that and of course staffing is an issue,” said MacDonald.
In an email to CTV News, a spokesperson for The Cape Breton Centre for Education said it will continue to provide updates to students and their families of the Grade 9 to 12 school as more information becomes available.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
DEVELOPING Live updates as Stormy Daniels testifies at Trump hush money trial
Adult film star Stormy Daniels will take the stand a second time Thursday as former U.S. president Donald Trump’s hush money case continues in Manhattan. Follow live updates here.
NEW From yearning for a change to cost of living, why some Canadians have left or may leave the country
For some immigrants, their dreams of permanently settling in Canada have taken an unexpected twist.
Here are the ultraprocessed foods you most need to avoid, according to a 30-year study
Studies have shown that ultraprocessed foods can have a detrimental impact on health. But 30 years of research show they don’t all have the same impact.
NEW Capital gains tax change 'shortsighted' and 'sows division' business groups tell Freeland
Forging ahead with increasing Canada's capital gains inclusion rate 'sows division,' and is a 'shortsighted' way to improve the deficit, business groups are warning Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland.
Ontario man frustrated after $3,500 paving job leaves driveway in shambles
An Ontario man considering having his driveway paved received a quote from a company for $7,000, but then, another paver in the neighbourhood knocked on his door and offered half that rate.
Defence attacks Stormy Daniels' credibility as she returns to the stand in Trump's hush money trial
Stormy Daniels will return to the witness stand Thursday in Donald Trump's hush money trial as the defence tries to undermine the credibility of the porn actor's salacious testimony about their alleged sexual encounter and the money she was paid to keep quiet.
With contactless screening tech, this Toronto startup hopes to catch breast cancer early — and save lives
Amid evidence of rising breast cancer rates among young women in Canada, one Toronto startup is offering a contactless and radiation-free device that can help doctors identify suspicious changes in breast tissue. The company, Linda Lifetech, says this can lead to earlier detection of breast cancer.
Tornadoes tear through southeastern U.S. as storms leave 3 dead
Forecasters warned a wave of dangerous storms in the U.S. could wash over parts of the South early Thursday, a day after severe weather with damaging tornadoes and large hail killed at least three people in the region.
Police handcuff man trying to enter Drake's Toronto mansion
Toronto police say a man was taken into custody outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion Wednesday afternoon after he tried to gain access to the residence.