The Liberal government announced its 2016-17 provincial budget today, predicting a surplus of $127.4 million in revenue—but not in cold, hard cash. Most of that surplus is coming from federal and municipal contributions to the Halifax Convention Centre. That one-time $110.3 million influx will be eaten up to finance the replacement costs for the Victoria […]
Nova Scotia
Posted inArts + Music
All of the 2016 East Coast Music Award winners
[Image-1] Hey Rosetta! took home the hardware at East Coast Music Awards this past weekend in Sydney. The Newfoundland group won four of the six seven awards they were nominated for—Album of the Year, Song of the Year, Group Recording of the Year and Rock Recording of the Year. Other big winners included Amelia Curran […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Province hands out $70,000 to combat sexual violence
[Image-1] Six organizations in the Annapolis Valley and South Shore regions will receive $70,000 from the province to combat sexual violence. Keith Irving, MLA of Kings South, announced the “Prevention Innovation Grants” Tuesday morning at Acadia University. The Wolfville university will receive nearly $27,000 to invest in prevention strategies focused around consent and coercion. Other […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Long Lake park upgrades met with criticism
[Image-1] Fifteen minutes from downtown Halifax sits over two thousand hectares of gorgeous green space. But some nearby residents say upgrades to the park are destroying the area’s natural beauty. “It’s absolutely ruining the park, at least that portion of the park,” says Lesley Hartman. Developers Polycorp and Atlantic Developments are in the midst of sprucing […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
The resiliency of Direction 180
[Image-3] “Morning,” I say to the group of men huddled outside Direction 180 as I walk by. After years in this small city, many of their faces are familiar to me—I note that today is the first time that I’ll ask them how they’re doing. A short man with scruffy grey hair, who is 71 […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
New data registry aims to improve health care in First Nations
[Image-1] Mi’kmaw people aged 20-39 are five times more likely to get diabetes than other Nova Scotians, according to a newly-created health care data-sharing registry for Indigenous communities. The First Nations Client Linkage Registry is a joint project of First Nations chiefs, the provincial government and Health Canada. The new registry was announced Thursday at […]
Posted inArts + Music
Bill Niven and Jay Dahl want to throw a $300,000 Halloween Party
[Image-1] Nearly $300,000 in funding from the province might not be enough to keep Bill Niven’s next feature in Nova Scotia. This week, Nova Scotia Business Inc. announced feature film Halloween Party, will receive a funding commitment of $299,143 through the Nova Scotia Film and Television Production Incentive Fund. Niven’s producing the movie, which is […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
One-on-one with Stephen McNeil
[Image-1] Earlier this month premier Stephen McNeil joined other Canadian premiers on the other side of the country for the much-publicized first ministers conference in Vancouver with prime minister Justin Trudeau. Those meetings covered such environment-related topics as climate change and carbon pricing, and were meant to lay the foundation for a national climate strategy. […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Meet Nova Scotia’s first Mi’kmaw child welfare specialist
[Image-1] These days, Natalie Doucette has been on the road more than she’s used to. With 24 years of experience working with Mi’kmaw Family and Children’s Services under her belt, Doucette recently became the province’s first Mi’kmaw child welfare specialist. Doucette’s work includes a regular commute between offices in Sydney and the Mi’kmaq community of […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
For-profit plasma clinics exploit blood for profit say NDP
[Image-1] Blood is becoming big business in Canada and Nova Scotian veins could be tapped next. The privately-owned Canadian Plasma Resources has met with provincial government officials in Nova Scotia about opening pay-for-plasma clinics in this province. Canadian Plasma Resources’ CEO confirmed to the NDP that the Liberal government is supportive of the idea. Dave […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Additional $10 million in tech upgrades needed for Halifax Convention Centre
[Image-1] The province of Nova Scotia has finally finalized its agreement with Argyle Developments for the design, construction and lease of the new downtown convention centre. With that announcement Wednesday comes news that the cost of the $164-million project is once again going up. An additional $10 million will be needed to upgrade technological infrastructure […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Province offers support to clarify Preston land titles
[Image-1] Help is on the way for African Nova Scotians without legal title to property their families have lived on for generations. The Department of Natural Resources says it will work with representatives from the Department of African Nova Scotian Affairs, the Nova Scotia Barristers’ Society and the Association of Nova Scotia Land Surveyors to […]
