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🗞️ A plague on our city
Plus, Halifax-based artisan named top 100 pizza chefs in the world, new basketball court officially opens in city's north end and Tart & Soul looks to community for help.
Julie Lawrence
July 02, 2025
Good morning Halifax,
If nobody else is going to say it, I will: There is a plague on our city worse than any bubonic that came before it. It’s teenage boys on free scooters and we continue to ignore it at our own peril.
HRM launched “The Shared Micromobility Pilot” in May after an extensive RFP process, which means that scooters and e-bikes are just hanging around rent-free for anyone to hop on and off of. A nice idea in theory because of the environment, economics, active transport, etc.
But the problem with making things available to all of society is that includes teenage boys and, frankly, they are running amok. They’re weaving in and out of traffic. They’re almost running people over on crowded sidewalks. And just yesterday a shirtless gaggle of them came full speed at me on the wrong side of the road and they laughed at me as they narrowly changed course at the last minute. I’m too young to feel that old!
And 98% of the time, the helmets that come with the vehicles are just hanging off the side of the handle bars because teenage boys are, of course, immune to brain injury. Also, whatever happened to police giving people tickets for not wearing helmets? Are we just not doing that anymore?
In Halifax, failing to wear a helmet while cycling, skateboarding, in-line skating, roller skating, or riding a scooter is a violation of the Nova Scotia Motor Vehicle Act and can result in a $151.25 fine for a first offence. But because of this pilot project, we now have the same amount of police on the streets, but hundreds more death traps.
The math ain’t mathin’.
Just please be on high alert so you don’t get side swiped by Rufio and his band of lost boys.
– Julie
🌡️ Traffic & Weather
Today: 🌦️ 28°
Tomorrow: 🌧️ 26°
Next Day: 🌤️ 24°
🚗 Driving, biking or busing today? Check out the current traffic conditions and ongoing road closures.
💨 Here is Halifax’s Air Quality Index and the smoke report.
CITY
Tart & Soul Café looks to community to help downsize and thrive
📸 Credit: Tart & Soul Website
Tucked into the corner of Oxford and Coburg, Tart & Soul Café has long been a fixture in Halifax’s south end — known as much for its giant cinnamon buns and ethically-sourced coffee as its cozy atmosphere, cross-stitched David Bowie, and famously eclectic playlists.
Tart & Soul is a safe and welcoming space for many in the community. Now, the beloved café is asking for the community’s help.
🤔 Need To Know
🌊 Prospective buyers of coastal property in Nova Scotia are being given the option to request disclosure forms from sellers on erosion, flooding or drainage risks—the province says the forms will help buyers make informed decisions before purchasing coastal property.
🍕 Halifax-based master artisan pizzaiolo Cédric Toullec was shocked when he found out he had been named one of the top 100 pizza chefs in the world—the chef at Lou Pécou Pizzeria in the north end thought he was being scammed at first.
☠️ The food industry has until Jan. 1, 2026 to comply with Health Canada’s new labels that warn people if a food is high in sugar, sodium or saturated fat—and some companies are getting a head start.
🍗 The Pint’s Wing Wednesdays are simple: half-price wings, $6 Diablo pints, and a crowd that brings the vibe - it might just be the best night of the week.*
*Sponsored Post
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CITY
"We all need healing": Halifax creator launches Afro-futurist comic series
📸 Credit: Submitted
Illustrator, designer, and now comic series creator, Robert Batuo Mbu, has spent the better part of three decades wielding a pencil like his own personal wand. In his words, “I take pride in using my art to spread light, liberation, and stories from deep within, and sharing them with the world.”
The Halifax-based creative is turning heads with Orakl: The Legend of Akung, a newly launched comic series that brings together Afro-futurism, healing, and long-overdue conversations around men’s mental health.
🗞️ In Other News
🏀 A new basketball court has officially opened in the city’s north end—Highland Park Junior High School Park is now home to the third court in Canada to be built by Giants of Africa, a foundation co-funded by former Toronto Raptors president Masai Ujiri.
🤰🏽 A new report from scientists at the organization Climate Central have found that climate change is increasing the prevalence of what they call “pregnancy heat-risk days”—including in the Maritimes.
🥼 Nova Scotia’s health system is improving its methods for early detection of sepsis—a life-threatening condition that occurs when the immune system reacts to infection by attacking the body’s organs.
🖼️ A Toronto-based textile artist has found inspiration in Nova Scotia and created what she's calling The Scenic Route—a punch-needle embroidery series that highlights summer road trips on the East Coast.
🚨 A man from Ontario is facing multiple charges related to human trafficking—according to police, the Human Trafficking Unit got a report in February about a man forcing a woman into the sex trade in Nova Scotia in 2016.
🥪 The end of the school year also means an end to school lunch programs for the summer—charities that provide food for those in need say they are worried about the difficulties this could present for children that rely on these lunches.
💰 A Nova Scotian tourist’s body was found washed up on a beach in the Dominican Republic hours after he was reported missing in mid-June—his family is asking for financial support to fly his remains back to Canada.
🎫 Magnetic World Music Festival—which will take place at the Wanderers Grounds Sept. 26 to 28—announced Dom Dolla will be this year’s headliner.
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🗓️ Things To Do
Looking for something to do this week? Check out these Coast picks:
🗓 Improv - The Musical: Each show, these seasoned improvisers create the next big musical, with each scene and song made up on the spot! | July 3 | 7:30pm | $15 |
🗓 Woodside Tavern Comedy Night: Don’t miss the third installment of this awesome event, featuring headliner Drusilla Connor who hails from Australia. With a great line up of featuring acts and Dartmouth's favourite comedy host, Stu Anthony, you’ll be sure to be in stitches. | July 4 | 8pm | $10 |
🗓 Robin Hood in Concert: Get ready to laugh your tights off—ROBIN HOOD: The Legendary Musical Comedy (Best Theatre Production 2011/2012 by Coast Magazine’s BEST OF Halifax) is back and bolder than ever for its 20th anniversary! This riotously funny, fast-paced musical helped launch a tradition of family theatre in the Park. | July 5-Aug 30 | From $34 |
Have an event to share? Let us know at [email protected].
⚓️ What’s In The Harbour
➡️ The MSC Bhavya V container ship leaves Halifax for Antwerp, Belgium at 12am.
➡️ The One Minato container ship arrives in Halifax from Colombo, Sri Lanka at 12:15am.
🚢➡️ The MSC Floriana VI container ship arrives in Halifax from Mundra, India at 5:15am and leaves for New York at 5pm.
🚢➡️ The Atlantic Sea container ship arrives in Halifax from Liverpool at 5:20am and leaves for New York at 4pm.
🚢➡️ The Tirranna vehicle carrier arrives in Halifax from Southampton at 5:55am and leaves for New York at 1pm.
🚢 The MSC Anya container ship arrives in Halifax from Liverpool at 3:15pm.
🚢 The Box Endurance container ship arrives in Halifax from New York at 3:20pm.
🍴 Where To Eat & Drink
🐄 Try this elegant beef dish at The Ostrich Club (new home of Top Chef Canada runner-up Moira Murray): braised cheek, anise, ginger, spinach, red pepper marmalade.
🥐 The croissant of the week at Two If By Sea is S’mores: chocolate filled with marshmallow creme, chocolate drizzle, graham crackers, toasted mini marshmallows on top.
👀 In Case You Missed It
🎧 The Sunset Beats Festival came to Halifax over the weekend. Local DJ Madison Saldarriaga, better known as Badi, performed her first major set at the fast-growing music festival on June 29. This marked her breakthrough moment in her unconventional, double-life journey from the classroom to the club. The Coast’s Warren D’Silva has more with Madison 'Badi' Saldarriaga on balancing primary school teaching with her growing DJ career.
👗 A Halifax-based designer, creative, and advocate, Marie Webb brings her signature style to her first in-person market since the pandemic. She is a longtime champion for inclusion and the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. At the Supernova market, Webb showcased one-of-a-kind wearable art that is entirely made in Halifax, hand-designed by Webb herself. The Coast caught up with Webb as she prepared for the big day.
That’s it!
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