CNS celebrates 80th Anniversary of protecting Nova Scotians

On this day in 1938, our Nova Scotia Division opened it’s doors for business. Here are eight fun-facts to commemorate it’s 80th birthday:  

  1. On January 24, 1938, CNS officially began with only 20 men, all former members of the permanent force. Since then, it’s expanded to approximately 1,600 employees – both veterans and non-veterans.
  2. CNS was originally titled the “H” Division until March 28, 1952.
  3. The Nova Scotia Division was incorporated by an act of the Nova Scotia provincial legislature in 1955.
  4. Elsie Herman was welcomed as the first woman to be enrolled into the Division in 1972.
  5. 1997 – The Nova Scotia Division received its International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 9001 certification, marking the first security company of its kind in North America to achieve this recognition.
  6. 2000 – CNS was approved as an authorized agency by the RCMP to take fingerprints.
  7. CNS achieved ISO 14001:2015 registration (Environmental Management System), in 2017.
  8. In Fall 2017, a brand new Headquarters was opened in Bedford, NS after 50 years at the historic Black-Binney House in downtown Halifax. 

Happy Birthday, CNS! Cheers to the next 80 years. 

July 10, 1970 The MacKay Bridge was officially opened; approximately 30 commissionaires were originally employed by this bridge. Today over 60 commissionaires continue to perform safety and security duties at both the MacKay and MacDonald Bridge sites.

Left image: A tally of employee growth since the inception of Commissionaires Nova Scotia

Right image: July 10, 1970. The MacKay Bridge was officially opened; approximately 30 commissionaires were originally employed by this bridge. Today over 60 commissionaires continue to perform safety and security duties at both the MacKay and MacDonald Bridge sites.