The Municipality of the County of Antigonish has sent a formal letter to Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston raising resident complaints about declining cellular service across the county, saying spotty or no coverage is creating everyday connectivity and public‑safety problems for rural businesses, emergency communications and residents who rely on mobile devices. The municipality posted a notice about the letter on Dec. 3, 2025; local reporting says council moved to send the letter in mid‑November 2025.
Councillors said they have heard from residents in multiple communities who report worsening service on roads and at homes and businesses, and they asked the premier for immediate provincial engagement or action to address gaps. The municipal announcement says the letter was copied to other municipalities and the Nova Scotia Federation of Municipalities.
Warden Nicholas MacInnis told local broadcaster 989 XFM the county has been receiving complaints “for years” and that the decline is affecting rural businesses and everyday life; MacInnis also said the plan is to copy all other municipalities in the letter. (989 XFM, Nov. 19, 2025) Council is reported to be seeking meetings with federal MP Jaime Battiste (MP for Cape Breton—Canso—Antigonish) to discuss next steps and the federal role in improving coverage.
The letter comes amid provincial efforts to close cellular gaps, including the Cellular for Nova Scotia program run by Build Nova Scotia and announced with initial funding in October 2023. The provincial government has said it is investing in tower upgrades and other measures to improve coverage; a provincial release highlighted additional tower upgrades announced in July 2025.
Municipal officials framed their appeal as an urgent request for coordination, funding or other provincial action where private carriers have not restored or expanded adequate service. Telecommunications companies — including Bell Aliant, Rogers, Eastlink and Telus — operate the networks and have been at the centre of public scrutiny in Nova Scotia after major storm events, when outages and response times prompted criticism from government officials.
Antigonish councillors pointed to specific local impacts: call and data failures on county roads, unreliable service at some business locations that affects sales and bookings, and concerns that residents and first responders could be cut off during emergencies. The municipal notice says councillors continue to collect examples from residents to share with provincial and federal officials.
The county’s move follows similar actions by other rural Nova Scotia municipalities seeking clearer timelines and visible upgrades from provincial and federal programs. Build Nova Scotia’s cellular program includes mapping and project lists; municipal leaders say they want confirmation of where and when upgrades affecting Antigonish will occur.
