Baddeck

Baddeck is a village in northeastern Nova Scotia, Canada. It is situated in the centre of Cape Breton, approximately 6 km east of where the Baddeck River empties into Bras d'Or Lake. Local governance is provided by the rural municipality of Victoria County, with an elected village council having limited authority. The population was 816 in the 2021 Census of Population. It was first settled by United Empire Loyalists in the late 18th century, and prospered in the 19th century with mining, milling, and shipbuilding. Today the economy depends on services, cultural activities, and tourism. Toponymy Baddeck is one of the few Nova Scotian Mi'kmaq language place names that was not replaced by colonial settlers. The French called it La Bedeque, while Canadian Gaelic speakers called it Badaig. Its original meaning has been variously reported as "reversing flow", "place with island near" (a likely reference to Kidston Island), "a portion of food set aside for someone", or "a sultry place".