🗞️ All hail the queen

Good morning Halifax,

I’d like to start today by saying that I know cults are bad, OK? I’m not suggesting they’re good. But that does not mean I can’t find them endlessly fascinating and if you’re really honest with yourself, you can’t get enough cult content either. Jonestown? Crazy. Heaven’s Gate? Tell me more. NXIVM? Sign me up.

What can I say? Seekers gonna seek.

Which is why I am obsessed right now with what’s going on in Saskatchewan with Romana Didulo—aka the self-proclaimed “Queen of Canada”. Didula, a QAnon-inspired conspiracy theorist, leads a group called the "Kingdom of Canada" who have been living in the village of Richmound for the past two years.

Authorities obtained a search warrant for the property after receiving a report last month that someone at the property had a firearm, which are federally regulated in Canada. The Queen of Canada was arrested along with the property owner and 14 others last Wednesday before being granted bail on Monday.

Upon her release, The Queen stood in front of media and sent a strong message directly to her supporters: "For the team, secure the royal puppies and the funds, you know who to get ahold of.”

@thepetcollective

That look he gives her. 🤣🐶🗽 (via CREDIT IG - @mmrt.jp ) #cutepuppy #doglover #dogcrown

The drama continued as provincial officials declared parts of a former school that was serving as a compound for the group “unfit for human habitation”, and the residents have been ordered out. Waco style!

In an online video posted by the group Saturday, Christopher Justin Maffenbeier—aka “second prime minister of the kingdom of Canada”—said members were safe at a new location.

Heavy is the head that wears the crown 👑

– Julie

📷 @editorjulesl

🌡️ Traffic & Weather

Today: ☀️ 21°

Tomorrow: 🌧️ 19°

Next Day: 🌦️ 24°

7-day forecast

🚗 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

Local teacher launches online IB school after struggling to find work in Halifax

An International Baccalaureate teacher who spent decades working abroad has launched an online school after struggling to find a teaching job in Nova Scotia.

“I had been thinking about an online school for over five years, and tutoring students beyond any barriers,” said Jason Bogart in an interview with The Coast.

The result? Corestone Tutors, an online teaching platform that aims to support students with tutoring and university counselling.

Warren D’Silva has more with Bogart on his experience and inspiration for delving into a new and innovative new teaching platform.

🤔 Need To Know

🏛️ Premier Tim Houston and members of his Nova Scotia government cabinet have not made themselves available as a group to the legislature's press gallery for more than five weeks—and it will be another week still before they return to a convention governments for decades before them followed.

🚧 The Barrington Street on-ramp to the bridge will be closed from 8pm to 5:30am each night this week from Monday to Thursday—the MacDonald bridge will be closed overnight this Wednesday and Friday, and Monday and Wednesday and Friday of next week.

🚰 Halifax Water says it will impose mandatory water conservation measures sometime this week due to low water levels—violations of the mandatory measures could mean fines or even loss of water service, according to the utility.

🏠 More evacuees in Nova Scotia’s Annapolis County will be allowed back into their homes, as the province changes the Long Lake wildfire’s status from out of control to “being held.”

🧑‍🌾 Don't miss it! Open Farm Day is Sunday, September 21st at participating farms across the province. Grab the family and check it out!*

*Sponsored Post

SPONSORED BY CANADIAN MUSEUM OF IMMIGRATION AT PIER 21

Calling NS Chefs and Cooks

Join the Perfect Pairings program, a unique project-based program that brings together diverse Nova Scotia community members in the design of co-creating recipes by blending elements of their unique cultural food traditions. Celebrate diversity, connect through cooking and showcase your heritage. Created by the Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21.

The Museum is looking for participants for 3 different groups - One in September, October and December of this year. Apply today to be part of this unique culinary collaboration!

BEST OF HALIFAX

Get your nominations in today

Think your favourite coffee shop or sushi spot is one of Halifax’s best? Nominate it! We’ve got loads of categories for bars, restaurants and their staff, and the places that get the most nominations now move on to the final BOH ballot this fall. 

Want to give your barber, cat groomer or tattoo artist the ultimate tip? Nominate them for Best of Halifax recognition. The city’s original consumer choice award is an instantly recognized sign of success with hundreds of categories—and the BOH winners attract a lot of attention all year round.

Or think YOU are the best in your business? We love that confidence! Nominate yourself; there ain’t no shame in the game!

Hop on over to The Coast and start nominating today!

🗞️ In Other News

🧑‍💻 A new report from Nova Scotia Power lays out the timeline and extent of the cyberattack last spring and it notes all customers may have been impacted by the security breach.

🪧 A conciliation meeting happened yesterday to help end a labour dispute between Dalhousie University and its faculty association—two weeks ago, the university locked out about 1,000 professors, librarians and other teaching and support staff, forcing the cancellation of many classes.

🚒 The Halifax Professional Fire Fighters union says more funding is needed to help improve response times across the entire municipality—in 2024, the Halifax Regional Fire and Emergency (HRFE) only reached its own response target 54.5% of the time.

🕺 Proposed disciplinary action against The Dome nightclub is on hold as the company that owns the business—and several other downtown establishments—tries to avoid bankruptcy.

🦈 Guests aboard a Nova Scotia whale-watching tour boat witnessed a great white shark eating a floating whale carcass—the apex predator was spotted last Tuesday in the Bay of Fundy, about two miles offshore from Freeport.

✈️ Air Canada flight attendants have massively rejected the employer’s wage offer following a vote on a new contract that ended Saturday—99.1% voted down the airline’s offer.

🛍️ Businesses in Atlantic Canada will be able to access $80M of the tariff relief fund set up by the Liberal government—Ottawa has set aside $1B for a regional tariff response initiative to help small- and medium-sized businesses diversify their markets and adopt new technologies.

📱 Regional police have charged a Halifax man with child luring offences—on Sept. 1, police responded to a complaint that a child received a sexually explicit message over social media from a man she knew.

🏢 Tenants have been without power in their downtown Halifax apartment building for 10 days, prompting a call from the Opposition NDP for the provincial government to step in to ensure their rights are protected.

SPONSORED BY SPRING GARDEN AREA BUSINESS ASSOCIATION

Experience Atlantic Film Festival Magic

The Atlantic International Film Festival brings world premieres, acclaimed directors, and unforgettable stories to Halifax from September 10–17, 2025, at Cineplex Cinemas Park Lane. Audiences can explore a diverse lineup, connect with filmmakers, and celebrate cinema together. Don’t miss one of Atlantic Canada’s most anticipated cultural events this fall.

SPONSORED BY HALIFAX TRANSIT

Help shape the future of Halifax Transit

Share your thoughts on the Core Service Plan 2025-2027 by participating in the survey or attending a pop-up event.

🗓️ Things To Do

Looking for something to do this week? Check out these Coast picks:

🗓 Atlantic International Film Festival: Past. Present. Popcorn. The Atlantic International Film Festival returns for its 45th anniversary. This year’s program features exciting world and regional premieres, never-before-seen stories, and bold new voices in cinema. From debut filmmakers to internationally acclaimed directors, the 2025 lineup is a dynamic mix of fresh talent and celebrated storytellers. Expect powerful documentaries, daring narratives, and unforgettable characters. | Sept 10-17 | 

🗓 Coal Bowl Queen at Alderney Theatre: A basketball tournament, a pageant queen and a decades-long mystery. Featuring a community of characters sharing their stories of first kisses, dramatic reliving of basketball games and bittersweet memories of lost loves, Coal Bowl Queen celebrates the spirit of a tournament that has captivated a community, players, coaches, fans, and families for over forty years. | Sept 11-21 | From $25 |

Have an event to share? Let us know at [email protected].

⚓️ What’s In The Harbour

➡️ The MSC Donata container ship leaves Halifax for Montreal at 4:30am.

➡️ The Tropic Hope container ship leaves Halifax for West Palm Beach, FL at 6am.

🚢➡️ The Volga Maersk container ship arrives in Halifax from Montreal at 6:15am and leaves for Bremerhaven, Germany at 5pm.

🚢➡️ The Volendam cruise ship arrives in Halifax at 9:30am and leaves for Canadian seas at 6pm.

🚢➡️ The Celebrity Silhouette cruise ship arrives in Halifax at 10am and leaves for Canadian seas at 6pm.

🚢 The APL Dublin container ship arrives in Halifax from New York at 3:45pm.

🍴 Where To Eat & Drink

🍄 Earthy, cheesy and baked to perfection, the Mushroom Pizza at Salt + Ash Beach House is all about rich flavours and simple pleasures.

🥖 Get that fancy Parisian feel at Angelique French Cafe with the Panini Français: Paris ham, gruyère cheese, salted butter.

👀 In Case You Missed It

🎙️ Hospital Gossip’s newest single, “In Rain”, is a reflection on legacy. Rather than focus on the loftier aspects of who we are, it homes in on the connections essential to our being—the relationships we develop with those who will carry our memory forward. In committing to this topic with such introspective honesty, with a music video that expertly builds a narrative around this theme, Hospital Gossip is establishing its own legacy. The Coast’s music reporter Brendyn Creamer has more with the alternative ‘not-punk’ band as they prepare to release their first full-length album “Not Tragedy” this fall.

That’s it!

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