The pandemic has been called a lot of things, but lately it’s come to be known as “a race against time.” Humanity is rushing to get COVID-19 vaccines into as many arms as possible before the current viral variants, or a new mutation, render the vaccine useless. This race is happening everywhere at once, with […]
Victoria Walton
Victoria was a full-time reporter with The Coast from April 2020 until mid-2022, when the CBC lured her away. During her Coast tenure, she covering everything from COVID-19 to small business to politics and social justice. Originally from the Annapolis Valley, she graduated from the University of King’s College School of Journalism in 2017.
Posted inFood + Drink
Syriana Market opens new location with on-site restaurant
Rafat Harb is only 22 years old, but the recent NSCC graduate is already a business owner, working to open a market under the weight of the pandemic. “I graduated in December 2020, I studied the adult learning program, for the high school diploma and I took courses for the business administration,” he says. When […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Nova Scotia’s inviting you to its bubble for two
Due to a recent spike in COVID-19 cases in Newfoundland and Labrador, doctor Strang has kicked the province out of Nova Scotia’s Atlantic Bubble. The change takes effect tomorrow, Wednesday, February 10, at 8am. “They announced 30 cases today,” Strang said at today’s COVID-19 teleconference. “This is a reminder of how quickly things can change.” […]
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COVID-19 restrictions eased: spectators allowed at arts, cultural and sporting events
On Friday, in Stephen McNeil’s last press conference as premier, the Nova Scotia government announced another ease in COVID-19 restrictions—largely due to the fact that there are less than 10 active cases in the province. The relaxed rules come into effect Monday, February 8. “I’m so proud of this province and all of you,” said […]
Posted inFood + Drink
Seaport Market changes a long time coming
In January, the Halifax Port Authority announced a major change was coming for the Halifax Seaport Farmers’ Market building and the vendors that bring it to life. Instead of being a seven-day-a-week market as it’s been since before the Port Authority took over running the market in 2012, the market will now run weekends only […]
Posted inFood + Drink
Chenpapa departure an indication of larger changes at Seaport Market
T hirty years ago, Pi Yeng Chen, who goes by Yen and her husband Yi Chiao Chen, who goes by Steven, had to throw out tofu because no one would buy it. “They don’t want to try, they don’t want to taste, so we had a hard time for that. So my husband stopped make […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Fumes is re-establishing Black ownership in the cannabis industry
Josh Creighton and Treno Morton are over a decade younger than their brother Tyler Morton, but the trio all have a few things in common: ambition, drive and determination to create something. “We’ve been meaning to start a business for a while and we’ve been talking and ideating and discussing what could be beneficial, what […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Nova Scotia will temporarily run out of vaccines next week
On Tuesday, premier McNeil opened the COVID-19 press conference by saying the province—which until last week was unsure about future vaccine shipments—would not receive any COVID-19 vaccines next week. “We have some serious concerns about supply,” McNeil said. But while both Pfizer and Moderna vaccines will be missing next week, there will still be 1,950 […]
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Small retail stores still struggling to stay open while navigating COVID-19 restrictions
COVID-19 restrictions have plagued industries in Nova Scotia for the better part of a year. Some businesses have had forced shut-downs, modified regulations around opening hours and clear capacity guidelines. But for the retail store industry, restrictions have been less specific. “Retail is different from restaurants, gyms and beauty salons in the sense that we […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Restrictions eased for sports and arts, Strang gives details on some unique cases
The province announced Friday that most of the COVID-19 restrictions currently in place in Nova Scotia—which were set to expire at midnight Sunday—have been extended through February 7. “We’ll be remaining status quo for two more weeks at least, with two exceptions,” said Robert Strang during a press conference. Starting Jan. 25, sports, arts and […]
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Meet the entrepreneur passing her skills along to other Black women
In 2013 when she first had thoughts of opening a cleaning business, nobody would give Tia Upshaw a business loan. “It was a hard road,” she says. “A lot of not-for-profits just didn’t believe in what I was doing, they said there wasn’t a market for a cleaning company or there’s too many cleaning companies.” […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
How to apply for benefits if you’re laid off in 2021
Nova Scotia is in the midst of COVID-19’s second wave. Although we’re not particularly hard hit by case numbers, we’re still seeing the impacts of the pandemic in terms of business shutdowns, slowdowns, and a general lack of disposable income. “I believe that the darkest months—figuratively and literally—for restaurants and the hospitality sector, will be […]