All-Time List of Canadian Transit Systems

Sydney, Nova Scotia

Principal System

Cape Breton Electric Company (1901 - 15 June 1931)
Incorporated 30 March 1900 as Cape Breton Electric Tramway & Power Company. Name changed to CBE 1901. Operated local street railway service in Sydney, and a disconnected 6 mi. (9.5 km) line from North Sydney to Sydney Mines. Company also operated ferry service between Sydney and North Sydney (Due). For most of its existence the company was a direct subsidiary of the American Stone & Webster traction empire. Company went into receivership 23 March 1931.

Eastern Light and Power Company (15 June 1931 - October 1931)
Street railway operation abandoned in 1931. Interurban operations under separate ownership continued until 1947.

Sydney & Whitney Pier Bus Services Ltd. (01 October 1931 - 1975 or after)
Private unsubsidized transit service as late as 1975. Affliliated with the Irving Oil Company (Mike O'Neill 2007). (CR&MW 1931, TJ37-38, Dawes et al. 1972, TC75, Photo: Peter Cox).

Cape Breton Regional Transit Authority (1983? - present.)
(observed circa 1986). The City of Sydney, and the Towns of North Sydney, New Waterford, Glace Bay, Sydney Mines, Louisbourg, and Dominion amalgamated to form the Cape Breton Regional Municipality 01 August 1995. A 1997 web page cited Transit Cape Breton (pb89, CUTA 1989, CUTA 1991/2, CUTA 1992, photos: James B. Wyatt).

? (circa 1900's)
Cameron writes that "in the early days" [of Sydney & Glace Bay interurban service], a horsedrawn wagon met the interurban cars at Dominion to take passengers to New Waterford.

Frank King (1939 - 1953)
Local bus service in greater Sydney including routes to New Waterford, Gaburs, Castle Bay, West Bay, St. Peter's and others (Mike O'Neill 2007). Sold to CBB&T.

Mike Sullivan (1939 - 1948)
Local bus service Sydney - North Sydney (Mike O'Neill 2007). Photo suggests 1920's and Sydney - Florence (about 8 km beyond North Sydney). (photo Mike O'Neill collection).

Highland Lines Ltd. (circa 1950's - 1959)
Suburban carrier. Routes included Westmount, North Sydney, and New Waterford (Mike O'Neill 2007). Affiliated with intercity carrier Acadian Lines. (Leger & Lawrence).

Cape Breton Bus and Tram Company (- 16 May 1947 - 04 March 1957)
All-bus operation continued directly from interurban electric railway service (see below).

Glace Bay Bus Company (circa 18 March 1957 - 1970)
(CC74). Suburban service in Glace Bay. Assumed local Glace Bay service after the end of CBB&T bus operations. Also operated buses in Moncton, New Brunswick beginning in 1962. (photo: William A. Luke).

Eddy Gordon Bus service (? - ?)
Operated bus service between Sydney and East Bay (Mike O'Neill 2007).

Gus Leblanc (1960 - 1970)
Hourly bus service on the Westmount route. Also operated less frequent services from Sydney to Louisburg and Arichat (Mike O'Neill 2007).

Allen Buses Ltd.
(CC70). Sydney, North Sydney, Sydney Mines suburban service.

C and M Coach Lines (1961 - 1965?)
(CC74). Suburban service.

Modes

Sydney & Glace Bay Interurban

Sydney and Glace Bay Railway Company (October 1902 - 01 June 1911)
Incorporated 27 March 1902 (NS). A joint ownership venture of the Cape Breton Electric Company and the Dominion Coal Company. Operated from Sydney via Reserve Junction, Glace Bay and Dominion to Reserve Junction. From 07 January 1908 operated local streetcar service in Glace Bay (one car interleaved between interurban cars) which continued under successive operators until 1938. Merged with the CBE in 1911, Dom. Coal taking CBE stock in exchange for its share of the S&GB.

Cape Breton Electric Company (01 June 1911 - 15 June 1931)
Company went into receivership 23 March 1931.

Eastern Light and Power Company (15 June 1931 - 23 November 1931)
Application to abandon interurban operations granted, but employees stepped in to buy the operation and operate it for what they thought would be the year or so it would take to find other work.

Cape Breton Tramways Company Limited (23 November 1931 - 30 September 1944)
Employee owned operation. Local car operation in Glace Bay converted to buses 1938.

Cape Breton Bus and Tram Company (30 September 1944 - 15 May 1947 -)
(RFC). Company operated buses in intercommunity and local Glace Bay service until 04 March 1957 (see above). CYB erroneously reports end of electric railway service as 21 May 1947.

References

• Cameron, Weldon, Cape Breton Bus and Tram Co. Ltd, Glace Bay: Weldon Cameron, 1976.
• "Sydney and Glace Bay Railway," The Railway and Marine World, April 1911, p. 359.