News + Opinion

City

Council wants HRM’s enforcement of bad landlords to have some teeth

Council wants HRM’s enforcement of bad landlords to have some teeth

Councillor Waye Mason proposed the maximim fine—$10,000—for landlords who intentionally make their places suck.
At this week’s Halifax Regional Council meeting, District 7 councillor Waye Mason got a last-minute item added to the agenda, concerning HRM’s upcoming review of rental requirements.

By Caora McKenna Dec 3, 2020

Were you exposed to C19?

Were you exposed to C19?

All the places and times the province is warning about in Nova Scotia's second wave.
There are two main ways to find out if you might have been unintentionally near someone with the coronavirus.

By Kyle Shaw Dec 3, 2020  2:15 pm

Greening Nova Scotia’s healthcare system in a COVID-19 world

Greening Nova Scotia’s healthcare system in a COVID-19 world

The pandemic taught us we can make sweeping changes to healthcare when crisis arrives. The climate crisis has arrived.
The grim state of the climate had been in the back of neurosurgeon Sean Christie's mind for a while, "but as my kids get a bit older and start to ask questions and are much more environmentally conscious than I was at their age, it just kind of hit me: Listen, we have to do something." 

By Mira Dietz Chiasson Dec 3, 2020

Get seasonally socially-distant with our Holiday Planner

Get seasonally socially-distant with our Holiday Planner

Your guide to avoiding large groups, buying local masks, and keeping your spirits up while confined to your house.

Dec 3, 2020

Pour one out for the Halifax renters left behind

Pour one out for the Halifax renters left behind

The city's rental housing state of emergency isn't new, which makes the pandemic push for rent control worth celebrating.
Light a candle for the hundreds of Halifax renters who had to move in the last few years because their rent increased by 10 or 15 or 22 or 33 or 45 percent when it came time for lease renewal. The increase notice, delivered in writing, at least four months before the renewal date, fell like a hammer through their hearth.

By Caora McKenna Nov 26, 2020

Nova Scotia announces temporary rent control

Nova Scotia announces temporary rent control

Here's the nitty gritty on Nova Scotia’s new protections for renters.
You read that right.

By Caora McKenna Nov 26, 2020

Three local organizations get government cash to provide affordable housing

Three local organizations get government cash to provide affordable housing

Adsum Women & Children, the Mi'kmaq Native Friendship Centre and the North End Community Health Association to add 48 housing units by March 2022.
Halifax Regional Council gave the green light to three affordable housing projects this week. The city got money to pay for the projects from the federal government's rapid housing initiative; the funding was earmarked for at least 28 units to the tune of $8.65 million.

By Caora McKenna Nov 26, 2020

“If you haven't woken up to the second wave, this is your wake-up call”

“If you haven't woken up to the second wave, this is your wake-up call”

UPDATED: Nova Scotia locks Halifax down in hopes of quickly beating back COVID-19’s second wave.
Update December 4: Today top doc Strang announced that the restrictions described below are going to be in effect until at least Wednesday, December 16.

By Kyle Shaw Nov 25, 2020  11:35 am

Here's what happened at council this week

Here's what happened at council this week

A look at the use of “Micmac” in municipal streets and buildings, year-round cafe approval and more.
Another day, another dollar, another look at the use of Micmac instead of Mi'kmaq in Halifax. As usual, The Coast live-'grammed Tuesday's council meeting on our Instagram stories—click here to see what happened in real time—but we hope you enjoy this recap, too.

By Caora McKenna Nov 19, 2020

Halifax sees increase in homelessness, renting is still getting harder

Halifax sees increase in homelessness, renting is still getting harder

And two Liberal leadership candidates are considering rent control.
Mount Saint Vincent University student Mila McKay has been in and out of homelessness since they moved to Halifax in 2015 because of the high rent prices in Halifax. The only time they’re not homeless is when school is in session and they can live in residence.

By Seyitan Moritiwon Nov 18, 2020

"They're on the right path," says western First Nation chief about purchase of Clearwater by Mi’kmaq coalition

"They're on the right path," says western First Nation chief about purchase of Clearwater by Mi’kmaq coalition

What does Alberta’s oil sands industry have in common with the east coast lobster fishery?

By Stefan Sinclair-Fortin Nov 17, 2020

Halifax's board of police commissioners OKs committee to look at reimagining policing

Halifax's board of police commissioners OKs committee to look at reimagining policing

Now to set a budget, find representatives, and get to work.
With a proposal that insists on all kinds of community engagement—even from those wholly opposed to the idea— Halifax's board of police commissioners moved the process for community consultation on defunding the police forward this week. After a messy start, the board's request for a committee made up of community stakeholders to look at a definition of defunding finally has some legit direction.

By Caora McKenna Nov 17, 2020

How did it get to this? A recent timeline of Indigenous lobster-fishing rights.

How did it get to this? A recent timeline of Indigenous lobster-fishing rights.

Governments have avoided the moderate livelihood issue for over 20 years.
Despite a decades-old Supreme Court ruling squarely in their favour, Indigenous fishers still struggle to assert their rights to fish for a moderate livelihood.

By Stefan Sinclair-Fortin Nov 15, 2020

HRM hopes landlord registry will make a dent in the rental housing crisis

HRM hopes landlord registry will make a dent in the rental housing crisis

Fingers crossed.
Clutch your pearls, landlords of Halifax. This week at its regular Tuesday meeting, Halifax Regional Council passed the second reading of updates to bylaw M-200, which outlines the standards for residential occupancies based on the basic foundation that people should live in a place that's "safe, warm, dry."

By Caora McKenna Nov 12, 2020

Take Halifax's budget survey and have your say on how money's spent

Take Halifax's budget survey and have your say on how money's spent

Council nears the start of budget szn and that means it's your time to shine, citizen.
Every year, Halifax Regional Municipality presents a proposed budget to councillors, and councillors then vote on that budget. And every year HRM works to make citizen engagement a bigger part of that process.

By Caora McKenna Nov 12, 2020

We love how the Trellis Collective brings pedal power to the pandemic

We love how the Trellis Collective brings pedal power to the pandemic

Mohammad Aljenadi is giving new life to 100+ bikes and a group of bike mechanics.
What was the nicest thing you saw during the pandemic?

By Caora McKenna Nov 12, 2020

We love that Halifax knows Black Lives Matter

We love that Halifax knows Black Lives Matter

We have community advocates like Kate Macdonald to thank for that.
Kate Macdonald remembers the peculiar quiet of 6,000 Haligonians trying their best to hear the words being spoken out of a PA system that was not expecting such a huge turnout. The crowd, assembled along Spring Garden Road on the first Monday in June, was there to take a knee for eight minutes and 46 seconds—the same amount of time a Minneapolis police officer knelt on George Floyd's neck, killing him

By Caora McKenna Nov 12, 2020

The Coast is back with the 26th annual Best Of Halifax readers' survey results

The Coast is back with the 26th annual Best Of Halifax readers' survey results

Special for this pandemic year, the theme is reasons we love the city.
window.location='https://www.thecoast.ca/halifax/reasons-we-love-the-city/Category?oid=25183110' If not automatically redirected, click here.

Nov 12, 2020

Mi’kmaq Coalition buys Clearwater, becomes Canada’s largest holder of shellfish licenses

Mi’kmaq Coalition buys Clearwater, becomes Canada’s largest holder of shellfish licenses

We’koqma’q chief says she’s excited about how the deal will benefit future generations.
On Monday, a coalition of Mi’kmaq First Nations, led by Membertou and Miawpukek First Nations, reached a deal to buy Clearwater Seafoods.

By Stefan Sinclair-Fortin Nov 10, 2020

Halifax to rally for rent control this weekend

Halifax to rally for rent control this weekend

The policy, which exists in PEI, Ontario, Manitoba and BC would mean landlords have to stop jacking up the rent by however much they feel like.
The rent at Aidan Tompkins’ three-bedroom apartment on Almon Street went up by 29 percent in 2019.

By Seyitan Moritiwon Nov 6, 2020

Do you ever feel like a plastic bag? Obsolete.

Do you ever feel like a plastic bag? Obsolete.

Nova Scotia's plastic bag ban comes into effect today.
We hope you’ve got a year’s worth of Nova Scotia briefcases saved up ready to serve their duty as cat litter collector. Or as your lunchbox.

By Feleshia Chandler Oct 30, 2020

A look inside Halifax Regional council's head and the next four years

A look inside Halifax Regional council's head and the next four years

Hot questions, hot takes, it's all hot hot hot.
All but one of Halifax's councillors will take their oath of office this evening.

By Caora McKenna Oct 29, 2020

How Halifax Halloweens in 2020

How Halifax Halloweens in 2020

Getting paranormal with pandemic precautions
The scariest part of Halloween this year may be the rising case numbers outside the Atlantic bubble. But here in Halifax, children and adults alike are asking whether the scary season's big day will make a comeback this fall.

By Victoria Walton Oct 27, 2020

The school where plants fill the halls

The school where plants fill the halls

A janitor at École du Carrefour in Dartmouth has taken Covid as an opportunity to go green—literally.
Due to Covid, schools and workplaces alike have had to increase sanitization and decrease high-touch surfaces. “Over the last few months, and even before kids returned back to school, we had to clean out a lot of classrooms, and a lot of teachers had to bring home or move a lot of their personal things, like couches, tables, libraries, toys.

By Victoria Walton Oct 23, 2020

Halifax Regional Council is about to get a bit more diverse

Halifax Regional Council is about to get a bit more diverse

Results are in and we're looking at two people of colour, at least seven women and no one named Steve.
In a record-breaking year for number of candidates running, Halifax elected a fresh crop of councillors to direct its fate for the next four years.

By Caora McKenna Oct 22, 2020

Nigerians in Halifax call for an end to police brutality in Nigeria

Nigerians in Halifax call for an end to police brutality in Nigeria

“People are getting killed in Nigeria like chickens and the west is not saying anything about it,” says Kunle Fakiyesi.
In April 2008, Halifax resident Kunle Fakiyesi left his home in Lagos, Nigeria.

By Seyitan Moritiwon Oct 22, 2020

More »

Archive Spotlight »
City

Building a better Mooseheads

CITY »

Building a better Mooseheads

For three years, the Halifax Mooseheads junior hockey club has been crafting a team to host—and win—the 2019 Memorial Cup. But what if it’s built too well too soon?

by STEPHEN KIMBER, Apr 5/18

C19 Need to Know

In Print This Week

Vol 28, No 4
December 3, 2020

Cover Gallery »

Real Time Web Analytics

© 2020 Coast Publishing Ltd.