The Coast has never experienced anything like this. COVID-19 has turned things upside down for our readers, our staff, our city, our world. The base of local businesses whose advertising helps support The Coast—a base that tilts towards bars, restaurants and events—has been shut down. That shut-down extends to our ticketing service and the events […]
COVID-19
News updates and questions answered what you need to know about coronavirus COVID-19 virus pandemic in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
Posted inNews + Opinion
How to file for EI if you’ve been laid off because of COVID-19
Where to start Employment Insurance is administered by the federal government. Visit canada.ca to start an application. Types of benefits If you’re applying because you yourself are sick with COVID-19 or quarantined, apply for sickness benefits. If your workplace is shut down or has laid you off, apply for regular benefits. New due to COVID-19 […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
State of the arts
Why do you live in Halifax? Maybe you moved here for a job or for school, but what made you stay? Maybe you grew up here, but what keeps you here? A thriving arts scene makes Halifax bright for us all. And right now, as social distancing becomes a new normal—making theatres shut their doors […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
East Coast Music Awards get COVID-cancelled
Once the Junos called it curtains, we should’ve known this would be next: The East Coast Music Awards, a music festival, awards ceremony and local industry booster in equal measures, announced today it’s cancelling its 2020 event in St. John’s, Newfoundland as COVID-19 concerns continue. “We are admittedly devastated to cancel this event and our […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
“Everybody across the world has said they wished they had started sooner”
After announcements from PM Trudeau and the province today, Halifax Regional Municipality’s mayor Mike Savage, CAO Jacques Dubé and Erica Fleck, division chief of emergency management with Halifax regional fire and emergency, gave an update. Things are changing rapidly—but here’s where HRM stands as of Monday afternoon. 1 All Halifax public library branches are […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Canada bans entry to non-residents—with some exceptions
At a press conference today outside his home in Ottawa, prime minister Justin Trudeau announced new measures to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 in Canada. He says as the virus continues to spread “we’ve decided to take increasingly aggressive measures.” The first step is closing the Canadian border to non-residents of Canada with […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
11 things that changed Sunday around COVID-19
Sunday afternoon the province gave a coronavirus media briefing. It looked a lot like Friday’s briefing, with four officials—premier Stephen McNeil, health minister Randy Delorey, and both the chief and deputy chief medical officers of health, Robert Strang and Gaynor Watson-Creed respectively—sitting in a row, behind microphones, in front of Nova Scotia flags. But where […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Three cases announced in Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia announced its first three COVID-19 cases earlier today. (At this point they are technically presumptive—i.e. a local positive test hasn’t yet been formally confirmed by the national lab.) The province’s Facebook post, below, says all the cases are “related to travel.” An update will be webcast at 3pm. This morning, the federal government’s […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Ban on big cruise ships means a sinking number of visitors
From the moment the Diamond Princess was identified as a coronavirus hotspot, cruise ships have been a target of concern. “Avoid all travel on cruise ships” is the headline that’s been on official Canadian government travel advice since February. The advisory then explains why: Cruise passengers include travellers from around the world who may […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Rich Aucoin made a playlist to help you ride out COVID-19
The nicest guy in rock ‘n’ roll just made a playlist on Spotify, saying via Facebook “A friend was asking me for recs for these anxious times, so I made a playlist today.” Rich, we appreciate you. Get some headphones in your ears or make your living room the hottest disco around. Related Stories
Posted inNews + Opinion
How to test yourself for COVID-19
At this morning’s press conference on Nova Scotia’s coronavirus preparations, premier Stephen McNeil and Robert Strang—the provincial chief medical officer of health—talked about the 811 phone line. The 811 system takes pressure off hospitals by letting citizens connect with a registered nurse from the comfort of their phones. But the volume of calls about COVID-19 […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
An update from Ticket Halifax about COVID cancellations
Please note that due to the current (and evolving) situation with COVID-19 and the provincial government’s recommendation to limit mass gatherings over 150 people, many of the events we ticket for on Ticket Halifax have been postponed or cancelled. We are working with our partnering organizers and venues to execute accurate messaging to our ticket […]
