Safety rules prevent organization from stringing holiday lights in Sydney

The sign in front of City Hall says 'All is Bright’, but some would say that’s not the case a block away on Sydney’s Charlotte Street.

"I mean, it's a little disappointing when you get the news that you can't do things as you've done in the past”, said Michelle Wilson, executive director of Sydney Downtown Development Association.

Wilson’s organization, not the Cape Breton Regional Municipality, typically takes on the task of hanging holiday lights on the poles that line the downtown core. However, for the past two years, that hasn’t been allowed.

The ban on Christmas lights comes from two utilities citing safety concerns.

“While these types of attachments have been placed in the past without our consultation, current guidelines require the joint permission of both pole partners. Specifically, powered attachments such as lights are not permitted in the working space near our cables. This can create a hazard for our crews,” said Bell Aliant in a statement to CTV News.

“There are standards in place which allow for some festival lighting, such as wreaths or ornaments, on poles. For safety reasons, it does not allow for lights to be strung across the road. The other consideration is… the risk of a large vehicle accidentally catching the lights and pulling them down,” added Nova Scotia Power.

Cyril MacDonald, a councillor for the Cape Breton Regional Municipality, says they're not the only municipality affected.

"St. Peters, for example, was asked to take theirs down,” said MacDonald. "Do I agree with it? No. Do I think that this is going to ruin Christmas? No.”

Wilson points out that despite the pole restrictions, businesses have decorated their properties. There's a tree along Charlotte Street and she says there are also several city displays that look great at night.

"We're trying to focus on what we can do,” said Wilson. "Once we have the reconstruction finished of Charlotte Street too, we'll see the first block done next year. So we'll be able to do a lot more then."