It was the Sobeys bag that broke the camel’s back. A proposal to ban single-use plastic bags in HRM ignited a garbage fight between several city councillors during two hours of heated debate Tuesday. A staff report before council recommended the municipality work with the province to ban the use of shopping bags in all […]
Jacob Boon
Posted inNews + Opinion
Willow Tree roundabout: Verdict on polarizing development delayed
It’s either a landmark building that will put food on the tables of Halifax’s working-class, or a shakedown that’s anathema to positive urban design. Depends who you ask. Over 40 residents, planners and friends of the Common attended a public hearing Tuesday evening at City Hall to speak out both for and against Armco’s Willow […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
A decade late, Halifax police close the book on its Drug Exhibit Audit
Jim Perrin isn’t happy with the results of the final Drug Exhibit Audit, but he’s confident Halifax Regional Police will be a “better police department” because of its findings. The Criminal Investigations Division superintendent presented his final audit update to the Board of Police Commissioners on Tuesday, closing the book on a two-year black eye […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Abdoul Abdi released from custody, still facing deportation
Abdoul Abdi is a free man, but still not a Canadian according to the federal government. Lawyer Benjamin Perryman announced on Monday that his client will be released from custody, by order of the Immigration and Refugee Board, and sent to a halfway house in the greater Toronto area while he fights to remain in […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
The worst bus in Halifax
Halifax Transit’s buses continue to arrive on-schedule far below industry standards, with the flagship Route 1 being late over half the time during rush hour. A performance report headed to HRM council next week says the overall percentage of Halifax Transit’s fleet that arrived on time in the second quarter of 2017/18 was a humbling […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Cornwallis panel nominee’s sexual assault conviction
One of the names put forward to judge the actions of Edward Cornwallis has a violent history of his own. Chief Wilbert Marshall, who has been selected by the Assembly of Nova Scotia Mi’kmaq Chiefs to help lead Halifax’s examination of the city’s controversial founder, was himself convicted of sexual assault 10 years ago. Marshall […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Regional Main Streets plan pitched for HRM’s suburban and rural growth
Several citizen and economic advocacy groups joined together Tuesday morning in asking for a new strategy when it comes to guiding development in HRM: the Regional Main Streets Plan. The proposal would group together several separate planning documents—many of which haven’t been updated in decades—into a single strategy for HRM’s growth throughout both the suburban […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
You up? It’s time for The Coast’s Sex+Dating survey
Not to be too forward or anything, but can we ask you some questions about your sex life? Yes, it’s time once again for The Coast’s annual Sex+Dating survey. At this point, we’ve got a pretty good rhythm going, Halifax. Last year over 1,200 of you shared your biggest secrets, sweetest memories and kinkiest fantasies […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Province says HRM can dump plastics in Nova Scotian landfill
The province is letting Halifax ship its garbage mountain of trash bags to another Nova Scotia dump. The department of environment announced the temporary exemption in provincial recycling law on Friday. The change lasts for six months and only applies to the Halifax Regional Municipality’s dumping of plastic shopping bags and the plastic wrap around […]
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Halifax shelters scramble to keep people warm during winter storm
UPDATE: Despite HRM’s press release listing 1223 Lower Water Street as one of the comfort centres open all night, NS Power has apparently shut it down for the evening. The lights are on at Out of the Cold—for now, anyway. Organizer Eric Jonsson says the power has already gone out twice today, which has left […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Province wants extra $300,000 from HRM for new Convention Centre
The province wants HRM to reimburse it for $301,500 in transition costs for the new Halifax Convention Centre that it says was the municipality’s responsibility to pay. City staff, however, aren’t so sure about that. In a somewhat tautological statement to The Coast, finance manager Bruce Fisher says city hall is reviewing the bill’s validity. […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Who checks the street checkers?
It was just about this time last year that Halifax Regional Police released a decade’s worth of statistical data on the use of street checks. In the 12 months since the department has repeatedly shown it has a long way to go to combat racial bias both real and perceived in its policing. But while […]
