Funding supports local fire departments and volunteers in Victoria County 

Posted on:
April 27, 2026

Funding for fire services in Victoria County will go towards firefighter training and water supply systems for local stations.  

Lyle Donovan, Emergency Management/Fire Services Coordinator, told Councillors at their regular meeting in April that Victoria County received $25,210 from the province. This funding will be used to support Level 1 Firefighting Training for local volunteer firefighters.  

Mr. Donovan also gave an update on previously approved municipal funding ($10,000 in both 2026 and 2027) for dry fire hydrants. Dry hydrants use a reliable source of water like a lake, pond or stream when there is no access to a traditional fire hydrant. Hardware has been purchased for 4 dry hydrants and the remaining funding will be used to install dry hydrants at two local stations this year. 

Fire Service Stats in Victoria County 

Victoria County is currently served by 11 volunteer fire departments, with substations in place to provide coverage across larger geographic areas. There are also three dispatch services operating in the County:  

• Cape Breton Regional Dispatch 
• Canso Dispatch 
• Shubenacadie Radio Communication Center (SRCC) 

The goal is to move toward one centralized dispatch system.

In 2025, fire departments responded to a total of 451 calls and of those 21% were medical related, highlighting the growing demand on volunteer fire services. The North Shore and District Volunteer Fire Department had 101 calls and of those 51 were medical related and the Ross Ferry Volunteer Fire Department responded to 28 calls and of those 22 were medical related.  

2025 Victoria County Fire Calls

Changes are coming to fire services in Nova Scotia

The province has introduced new legislation and is working to modernize how fire departments are supported, trained and coordinated.

These changes will guide how departments operate and work together across the province.  

Victoria County will continue to monitor developments and work with local departments to understand how these changes will impact the municipality’s role in:

• supporting local fire departments and volunteers and  
• ensuring residents continue to receive reliable emergency response. 

Residents can learn more about the province’s three-year implementation plan on their website: https://novascotia.ca/modernized-firefighter-training/ 

Related Links 

• Fires Services 
• Strengthening fire safety and services in Nova Scotia 
  • Strengthening and Modernizing Fire Services in Nova Scotia (PDF) 
  • Support for Fire Protection Services Act Factsheet (PDF)