Repopulating Cape Breton: VICE News Tonight on HBO (Full Segment)

[@Mr_Hustles]

This idea hurts my head. Work 5 years at minimum wage in a place with some of the highest taxes to be given some of the cheapest land in Canada. How about I work 5 years where I'm at, at my doubled wage and then buy my own land so that I can actually afford to build on it. How on earth do these people suspect you're going to live off of minimum wage? Welcome to Nova Scotia, land of poor and home of the hopeless.

[@duncanmacleod8037]

Bud, that's the farmers daughter for you, LESS than minimum wage and land with nothing on it. And the price of building a road, house, installing running water and power, is more than the land. Cape Breton in a nutshell.

[@keeganmoonshine7183]

humans don't just live on land. They gravitate toward opportunity. There isn't any on cape breton and so they obviously leave for greener pastures. For Cape Breton to grow they need to offer a competitve advantage in something important like electricity, water, internet, education, resources, etc. Can't just be land.

[@kurt2rsenjazz]

"Try and build a life you don't wan't a vacation from". Gonna use that one line

[@CheapskateGardener]

It is sad to live here sometimes , but there is so many great things about Cape breton , Things you will never see unless you are here. its what my whole life is about

[@charlesbeaton1229]

I'm from the area, and the sad thing is, that there are a lot of people in the area that need work and would love work in there home town, but minimum wage is not enough to live on in a part of Canada that has the highest taxes, it's a great idea, but what they are doing by doing this is making other family struggle in the area or even move

[@davidb8777]

That's no deal in my opinion. Five years of extremely low wages for what? You wouldn't be able to save enough to build a house, heat it, maintain it, etc... I think anyone falling for this deal is being exploited.

[@VICENews]

Sisters Heather Coulombe and Sandee MacLean have received more than 100,000 applications over the past four months to work a minimum wage job in their country store called the Farmer’s Daughter in Whycocomagh on Cape Breton Island off the coast of Nova Scotia. All they had to do is promise their workers three acres of their land. Coulombe and MacLean own more than 100 acres of forested land on Breton Island. When it became clear that their store needed more workers, they came up with their unique offer to trade work for land. Many of their applicants are seeking a new way of life in addition to a new job. Coulombe and MacLean say there’s only one requirement that each applicant must meet to be considered: they must plan to permanently live on Breton Island, which has seen its year-round population shrink rapidly in recent years. Watch: "Half of the world's coffee could be gone by 2050, scientists say" - bit.ly/2hLG1lz Watch: "White people are paying this business to get rid of their white guilt" - bit.ly/2iL8oC4

[@dasalekhya]

Canadians have tried this plan for *300+ years ... DOES NOT WORK!* Eventually everyone HAS to move to the cities ... WHY ?? because *people grow old, become ill, have infirmities* - and healthcare in this region is still *leaches sucking blood* ... not to mention during snowy winters, you need *helicopter evacuation* for treating flu ....the nearest civilized medical care is Halifax (400 km) ... and this island will NEVER attract any specialist / doctors

[@Shawn-pk4hc]

@@dasalekhya It will now that nobody can afford to buy land anywhere else other than the maritimes! Just watch in the next 20 years.

[@StanTheMan709]

i gave up my shitty city life for a life in the country and an acre of land that costed about 1/9 the price of my small connected house in the city 5yrs ago and would not change it for the world. Cities are nothing more than a Tax farm for the government - pay big bucks for amenities that suck

[@sunnycopper9653]

what do you like the most about living in a country? Top 4 reasons!

[@StanTheMan709]

4. Its Quiet, you don't hear cars buses and vehicles going up and down roads all day and night, hardly even hear airplanes really. 3. The people are generally happy and more pleasant than in the city, people work together a lot more. 2. Lack of Crime and Violence to a degree, you can actually go to a bar and not worry about being jumped beaten or stabbed 1. The space and freedom! all the wild life and ability to go hiking, hunting, fishing pretty much all within walking distances of you're own home depending on you're area without an hour or 2 drive. That and also generally land and property is a lot cheaper - you trade in the ability to drive to the store everyday but you gain the ability to learn some basic skills to help be more self sufficient such as gardening, hunting, cutting wood. Thanks for the Question and feel Free to check out my channel Cheers!!

[@sunnycopper9653]

Stan The Man! Thanks for answering!

[@LazyBoyee65]

awesome dude

[@redrobbo1896]

You automatically don't like him because he said, "Dear Sirs"? You are literally throwing out his application because he didn't know you were two women and mistakenly called you sirs? He could have been the best employee you've ever had, and you've thrown his application out because your acting dumb. He probably dodged a bullet.

[@emmiwemmy]

If you have 100000 applicants you can probably afford to be a little choosier than normal.

[@KerriCz]

I don't think working 5 years on a minimum wage job would allow you enough savings to actually utilize the land. I could be wrong but it seems like you would need a pretty significant sum of money just to clear the land, let alone the additional construction/labor costs and purchasing the building materials. Then again I'm from the U.S. so I don't know what the Canadian minimum wage is and how it relates to cost of living. Though I'm sure it's probably comparable, in that minimum wage is not a living wage.

[@johnwayne6647]

But with our dollar comparison it’s a lot less then 11 dollars US money

[@sudbaleewall4319]

Depends what people are planning to do with the land. If you are using the land and your home to create revenue somehow, it's an excellent idea. Incorporate and invest to make something worth it to be a landowner...open a spa, an air B&B , bed and breakfast, a shop, garden etc....a hundred things you could do to have people come pay and visit, cape Breton is so gorgeous ....

[@seandonovan8915]

You’re totally right! A lot of People need help from their families to buy a house or estates passed down after death

[@Char12403]

This is just real life Animal Crossing...

[@armanddentremont9061]

I live in south west Nova Scotia and there are people from cities who are moving here and loving it. They sell there small overpriced homes, buy older fixer uppers and have enough money left over to retire or work part time.

[@katierose1893]

Is there snow? I live in Canada but can't stand snow and ICE

[@dylanbob9313]

"A small scenic island off the coast of Nova Scotia". I think you mean an island part of Nova Scotia. The little geographical knowledge Canadians know about east coast culture is equivalent to Americans knowledge of Canada as a whole.

[@thatinternetteen5616]

Dylan Bob well.. it is off the coast of nova Scotia so it isn't exactly incorrect but yeah, the way they worded it sounds like cape breton is a province

[@WannabeMarsanach]

What about the environmental impact though? You can't have over 40 acres of land deforested and expect nothing to happen.

[@jangamaster8677]

What environmental impact? They once had over 30,000 people living there and now they have around 13,000. I think they have plenty of room to bring in more people

[@WannabeMarsanach]

JangaMaster She's giving each person 3 acres of forested land, that at least one person intends to clear; Imaging the damage 15 families can do if they all choose to do the same.

[@TheNeilDarby]

The impact is completely overshadowed by the world's coal plants. It is literally nothing in comparison. Or, say, the deforestation of the Amazon, which mile for mile is a million times better at soaking up carbon than those northern forests.

[@WannabeMarsanach]

The deathless face of the unborn mind. Im talking local, not global. The deforestation can ruin the habitat and scenery of the island.

[@davethomas543]

Correction. tens of thousands of acres are cut every year in nova scotia.Then many of those acres are sprayed with poison. The province is already fucked from an ecological standpoint. Even Cape Breton itself is an ecological disaster. Hell just look at google earth, or forest watch.There is nothing left south of the park. 42% of all operable land in Nova Scotia has been cut in the past 25 years.In 2008 less then .8% of trees in the province were 100 years or older.We pay the highest taxes here so they can then be given to foreign corporations to completely destroy this province. It is disgusting what has been allowed to happen to this province, and every single Nova Scotian should hang their head in shame

[@LAMOE2012]

Many people dream of living a simpler life. People are leaving Cape Breton for a reason, and three acers is not a lot of land. I wonder how many of the people who are selected will be around at the end of the five years.

[@Morgai-Fly]

you niqqas hiring?

[@Nox1234567891011]

hahhahahahahhahahahhahah

[@tracinoble5396]

Soddin' TicTac there's actually no work In cape Breton island. the unemployment rate is 16%. the most work you'll get is brush clearing, or on the department of highways...mockingly called the department of holidays, since it take six months to repair a wooden bridge. it's a shame cause it was once a thriving place. especially after they found natural gas deposits.

[@Morgai-Fly]

Traci Noble washup

[@mitcht.410]

Legal Cannabis and Hemp farming with vapor lounges and dispensaries would be helpful too.

[@jarrod9001]

It happened lol

[@Ruuku1]

this is actually a really bad deal

[@ricomichel]

I'm sorry but a woman who carries a minidog can't swing an axe for shit. That's just how things are. That's my level of interest in this video

[@katierose1893]

LOL

[@sonjaandersen]

Hahahahaha you SO funny! Ignorant ass ;)

[@LAG09]

Working 5 years on minimum wage for a 3 acres of land? Is it just me or do people not know how much un-developed land costs in rural areas, how much land and acre is or both? Maybe it's a good deal if you're going to be unemployed or working minimum wage where you're currently living, but boy do they over-value the charm of an oversized retirement community like this.

[@davethomas543]

If you want to move to a once beautiful place. That has now been all but destroyed. Where corruption reigns supreme, especially with our politicians,and opportunities for future generations do not exist. Cape Breton has been pillaged for its once abundant resources to the point that now all it has to offer are seasonal minimum wage jobs, and places where people and nature use to be.

[@NSTIPPY]

There's no jobs.

[@GFkilla17]

create your own job

[@NSTIPPY]

GFkilla17 No.

[@BillyBob-fo7mq]

Jesus! Who's calling what a shitty island?

[@edlopez1576]

what about deforestation of the land 3 acres per person it's soon will be an urban community

[@americansniper1641]

Ed Lopez thats the finnal plan

[@katierose1893]

I know.. sounds like the forest and ecosystem is gonna suffer

[@BlaiseTighe]

That’s what the government seems to want for this island, but their plans never work.

[@AzWanderers]

if you like getting liquored up and doing oxy Cape Breton's for you

[@darcygoogoo2264]

I'm from the reservation (Wekoqmaq) before Whycocomagh and farmers daughter has always hired people from my community I don't think it's fair to say they are a whites only business but what do I know I only go there for the RBC bank machine

[@samgeorge4798]

1:58 for Canadian voice

[@duncanmacleod8037]

The farmers daughter offered free land for job applications. A buddy of mine that I grew up with, worked there for a year and got paid "training wages" 9$ an hour less than minimum wage which was 11$/ hour at the time. Everyone I know that works there hates it. Free land sounds great but there's no running water, no power and you'll have to build a house or buy a mobile home +and build a road)on land which you won't be able to afford because you work at farmers daughter. They're almost as bad as Cabot links, trust me I worked for those cheep bastards( the reason all the young people like myself leave Cape Breton is because we can make more money out west instead of struggling to get by like our parents) if you want wages that are to low for you to afford basic necessities such as food, gas and clothing; sure come to cape breton! Because we who live here know that the government really cares about us, and they definitely want to help us, because raising taxes and leaving minimum wage where it is, will benefit the people who can barely afford to drive to work in the morning. 👍 ( This is obviously sarcastic if you're to to stunned to understand that)

[@ericgarcia7710]

2years for two acres? no thanks ill pass

[@jangamaster8677]

Working for two years with wages and then receiving $10,000 worth of land is actually a good deal. Average acre of land there is worth approx $5,000 dollars.

[@freakyflow]

2 biggest jobs in Cape Breton is Tourism And Lobster fishing ...Tourism Gets money from the parks And is the reason people come to the cape Hotels and Motels make the most of the travelers money a 3rd would be camp grounds ( fee at the parks) and private owned parks (so you would need to own your property) And have a license Next would be Food ..Lobster, Pizza, Pub gub. If you go into Cheticamp NS They have a fish processing factory Money isn't too bad But the hours are very long standing ..None of the locals want to work there I talked to a driver of the company And he drives to Halifax to pick up Mexican workers to do the jobs

[@Yellowjellobelly11]

I've grown up here and it's beautiful and amazing but it's not worth it to live here

[@katierose1893]

what's a nice scenic place to visit aside from cape breton?

[@marypoppins-dem-pills4774]

wow that's super inspiring!

[@dragoncrackers7660]

Just looks so beautiful. I would love to live there. I just cant take the winters. Also, how would you work year round. Do people live off grid there, how could you pay the bills.

[@Wildeheart79]

It's a noble enough idea and 100,000 applications sound impressive but surely it's about quality not quantity? Personally I'd put my money on 100% of those applications being from two types of people; greedy losers trying to run away from the life they already messed up who are likely to bring their problems with them or alternative lifestyle hipsters who spout platitudes about getting back to nature all the while wondering how to get their next skinny latte and who has the best free wifi for their iPad. If that's what you want then you're welcome to them but frankly no positive, productive well adjusted member of society is going to take a long term minimum wage shop job just for 3 acres of Nova Scotia scrub land. If you want three acres of land and you've got something to offer why not just get a better paying job and buy it yourself? What's the going rate on 3 acres of North American/Canadian backwoods? Maybe $15,000 at a push? You could save that in 2 years easily on average wages and you wouldn't have to spend your life stacking shelves to do it.

[@drmodestoesq]

And I'll go you one better. 3 family members living in a city in cramped apartments with high paying jobs in a place like Vancouver, San Francisco..... insert city name here. They pool ten grand each and buy 3 or 4 acres an hour drive outside of the city. Build a shack on it for 60 grand. Oh, wait a second.... the human race has been doing that for hundreds of years. It's called a cottage.

[@katierose1893]

You can buy a cottage with other people? How does that work? I am living in a 1000sqft condo downtown need to do this but not sure if sharing is the way to go

[@katierose1893]

What about a greedy loser hipster? What the heck do kids do in the backwoods? Hang out with the 5 other kids in the neighborhood?

[@johnwayne6647]

Prices in Ontario and Nova Scotia can be very diffrent as the land in Ontario is generally more valuable

[@dbcopper10]

$15 grand for 3 acres on Cape Breton? Try $3000...Maybe $5 or $6k for a mature woodlot. Sure, waterfront is expensive, but you can find $1000 an acre all day long on CB. And larger parcels in the boonies with tougher access can be had for less than $500 an acre.

[@industrialadhesive6357]

3:30 not really hardest thing is shoveling and even that isnt bad

[@benksy96]

what's the value of the three acres?

[@southp55]

Land in that part of Nova Scotia goes for anywhere between 55-90K for those 3 acres

[@abrahamh6106]

Dan E. why would anyone buy that land tho?

[@JewTube001]

They wouldn't. That's why land/houses is so cheap in places like this.

[@Jenna08848]

I shopped a bunch of land values and there is no deals up there,,, NONE. There needs to be a Provincial Park or land value correction. Maybe that would stimulate growth, but I doubt it.

[@benfiander40]

3 acres no waterfront? call it 20k want water front call it 150K

[@evengarcia8054]

who else thought this was the girl from Napoleon Dynamite @ 2:22 lmao

[@WillyPark]

2:14, “we want to try and build a life we don’t need a vacation from” Good job dad!,

[@angelitorosales889]

let filipinos come and you will multiply exponentially.

[@Jenna08848]

The land values are off the charts if they are in dire straights as they say they are. There needs to be a adjustment in land values,, unless the future is looking at a Provincal Park.

[@AkashMishra23]

I'd live there if i had the chance...

[@AkashMishra23]

Awesome, Good for you then.....

[@JediMasterBaiter]

There goes your chance...

[@Giveneh]

Trust me u don’t want to

[@LobsterFishingAdventures]

Been 5 years what’s up !?

[@sallym3105]

Vice mentioned Nova Scotia!!

[@BillyBob-fo7mq]

Vice Mentioned Cape Breton!

[@SergioR00]

wow that's awesome! How much would 3 acres normally cost?

[@dasalekhya]

PEANUTS ... which why it is given for free. BUT the purchase price is not the issue .. ... what will FAK you is the *development cost* (clearing, leveling, water sources, sanitation etc). If they are having such hard time finding min wage waiters, imagine what will happen when they will need plumbers, electricians, architects etc

[@burkchub272]

Unless it comes with several Wives and free airfare I'll have to pass. Imagine the boredom

[@shyF0x]

work 5 years min wage for 3 acres in terrible soil scotia? gosh its cool but common. better idea would be to buy a few acres somewhere after 5 years of saving at your job...and buy somewhere productive which the cape isnt

[@frankrobertson3022]

This sounds like indentured servitude

[@trwwn3804]

You might repopulate with the wrong people..

[@justinross1927]

Build a life on minimum wage 🥳

[@danwaits]

If Canada immigration would let us come live there permanently, my wife & I would move there today! We're retired, have comfortable I come, good savings, & health insurance. We'd come & be good neighbors, contribute to the economy, & encourage our large, extended group of family & friends to come join us

[@katiastapleton]

We went there and we had a lovely time. Food was delicious.

[@meaning1875]

Are y'all welling to take a black Middle Eastern lesbian? cuz I'm so down

[@tudormiller887]

Looks a lovely place to emmigrate to, way better than Toronto. 😊

[@benalexender3046]

peace and love from Egypt I love USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA

[@mirandavanremortel8850]

Cape Breton is a part of nova scotia

[@AIvey]

To much going down the road..........the tail of Cape Breton.

[@YourMotivationalLifeAdvice]

Buy Bitcoin.

[@sonjaandersen]

Wow! So much negativity in these comments :( It's either a fit for someone or its not. For those that know and understand where and what they are moving into understand completely what we have signed up for. We all have our reasons for moving somewhere else in in our lifetimes other than just our own backyard. It's still the same country I was born and raised and I love all of Canada. And for the record: they don't hire "white" people.Love and peace

[@sonjaandersen]

Correction: "they don't JUST hire white people." As per some comments suggested

[@nancylazier917]

@@sonjaandersen its been 5 years now, so how is it going?

[@mirandavanremortel8850]

My license plate still says nova scotia, Canada oceans playground. It's all one province. We only have 13 provinces and territories, I know that may be confusing because it's 3 more then the number of fingers you have ;) joshing around, but seriously vice, I expected more Canadian geography knowledge.

[@ksmith9887]

yes by

[@sudbaleewall4319]

I would love to own land there someday and build eco-friendly tiny homes and yurts to make it a retreat center for reflexology, reiki, meditations, yoga, hyonosis, etc. Holistic healing would be beautiful surrounded by all the beauty and incorporate the hiking , yoga, etc into it all. Would need really good marketing to get tourists out but so worth it....my family is from Cape Breton , super cheap houses and land as is my dad has 12 acres...might be a start....😊

[@viktortsoi3994]

So white town for chosen whites

[@awookiefromendor]

Would you import crime?

[@yugen2562]

Cape Breton is largely white doesn't mean other people of different races sent welcome.