June 15, 2006
Nova Scotia - The Cape Breton TT Festival of Speed, an open road race scheduled to take place on an island off the northeast coast of Nova Scotia, has been cancelled following the Provincial government's refusal to issue a permit for the event to happen on the 32.3-mile course. The announcement came after 12 months of planning and organization.
“The official word delivered by the Province came as a devastating blow and without notice after almost a year of work and official filings for sanctioning and insurance were completed,” said Maureen Carroll, chair of the Cape Breton Festival of Speed Association.
Carroll said the event had the support of the municipality and federal government and the economic development agencies on Cape Breton Island along with enthusiastic participation of community groups and organizations that are essential for the staging of an international event.
“The province has been well aware of the event and designated it as a signature event with no indication that they had fundamental issues beyond the understandable need to pass the public safety requirements which were being organized by a professional technical team and race director,” she said. “It appears that the process of proper and formal evaluation and communications were flawed within the departments.”
An event initiated by the Membertou Development Corporation in association with the Isle of Man TT, the Cape Breton Festival of Speed served as an opportunity to bring a major annual event to Canada's eastern most Province.
Organizers had forecast an economic impact to the island of $15 million dollars, and said 5,000 room-nights had been booked six months ahead of the event just on the prospect and rumor it would occur.
“The cancellation news is regrettable and disappointing for all of the volunteer members of the community who have acted in good faith and invested in the development of an event which promised to deliver significant economic return for the region,” Carroll said.
