Last Sunday, Nova Scotia saw its very own version of the Freedom Convoy to Ottawa, as those who are against continuing vaccine mandates, isolation requirements and gathering limits gathered to air their displeasure—loudly. According to Halifax Regional Police, over 1000 vehicles made their way through the downtown core (but there are no numbers on how […]
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 inNews + Opinion
What’s the best way to help the houseless—shelter now or housing later?
Friday is a storm day in Halifax. The buses have stopped running. Schools are shuttered. Coffee shops have locked their doors and even Halifax Central Library is closed. In an early morning press release, HRM directs unhoused people to the Hfx Warming Centre. The warming centre’s entrance to it isn’t particularly easy to find. The […]
Posted inFood + Drink
Dine Around brings people out to local restaurants (and restaurants home to people)
Wednesday morning in Nova Scotia, Shubenacadie Sam saw her shadow, meaning another six weeks of winter. There are also another couple weeks of COVID restrictions, which will last until February 14 at the earliest. It’s not great news in an already-slow time for restaurateurs. “January, February and even March to some degree is a slow […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Former Dartmouth Travelodge to be transformed into supportive housing
Late last week, three levels of government came together for a Zoom announcement that will see a former Dartmouth hotel turned into 65 supportive housing units. “I don’t want to be the mayor of the city where people don’t have a place to live,” said HRM mayor Mike Savage, who spoke during the Thursday call […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Lou Pécou aims to raise the bar for Halifax pizza
On a quiet Tuesday morning at Lou Pécou (5567 Cunard Street), owner Cédric Toullec removes a hefty armload of dough from the deep metal bowl where it’s been rising for the past 30 minutes. With effort and a loud slapping sound, he plops it onto the counter and douses it with a healthy dose of […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Downtown Dartmouth parking lot to be transformed into affordable housing
On Tuesday, Develop Nova Scotia announced an affordable housing development for downtown Dartmouth. Currently a parking lot with enviable waterfront views, the property on Alderney Drive between Prince and King Streets will soon be a mixed-use building, likely towering over nearby buildings. “That parking lot doesn’t really serve much of a use to anybody,” downtown […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
First modular move-in “was really great and very chaotic”
Despite bone-chilling wind and the temperature sitting around -16 degrees, a recent Sunday was warm and happy for the Out of the Cold housing association. The long-awaited day had finally arrived when a group of unhoused people got to move out of the Gray Arena, which was being used as a makeshift shelter since early […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
What should Prince Andrew High School’s new name be?
On Wednesday morning, Craig Campbell, the principal of Dartmouth’s Prince Andrew High School, sent out a mass email. “I am writing to share some exciting news!” he began, going on to say “we are resuming the process of changing the name of Prince Andrew High School.” The Woodlawn Road school first opened in 1960, and […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
What defunding the police means in Halifax
On Monday, January 17 the final report from the defining defunding the police subcommittee of the Halifax Board of Police Commissioners was presented at the commissioners’ virtual meeting. The 218-page report is the culmination of months of work by committee members El Jones, Tari Ajadi, Julia Rodgers, Harry Critchley and others. “The report is the […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Making peace with two years of COVID
In the beginning Two weeks. Remember when the pandemic was supposed to last two weeks? Now, it’s been almost two years since we “buckled down,” stocked up on toilet paper and cloth masks, and first locked down due to COVID-19. Now, 22 months after the virus first reared its ugly head in Nova Scotia, we’re […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
No respite from COVID at Halifax shelters
The Dartmouth modular housing units have finally finished construction, according to the city. “The municipality expects installation for the majority of modular units (providing access to 24 of the total 26 spaces) at the Dartmouth site, located on Alderney Drive near Church Street to be completed tomorrow,” said an HRM statement issued Monday, January 10. […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
How to plan for self-isolation like a lone star
The way the omicron wave is washing over the province, if you haven’t had to isolate due to potential COVID-19 exposure, chances are you’ll have to do so very soon. In Nova Scotia, there are currently over 6,000 active cases, and a recent (non-scientific) Coast poll found that 40 percent of people have already put […]