🗞️ Bottomless greed

Hello Halifax 👋

If I stole your driver’s license and asked you for $50, would you give me the money?

My guess is no, probably not. If you did, I’d take the money from your hand and prance off while calling you mean names like a schoolyard bully.

This is essentially what Nova Scotia Power is trying to do. After losing the personal information of nearly 300,000 Nova Scotia residents earlier this year, the province’s premier energy utility is once again asking the Nova Scotia Utility and Regulatory Boards (NSUARB) for another rate increase. This time, it’s looking for a 3.9 percent increase for both 2026 and 2027.

The last rate increase was in 2022, raising rates by 4.1 percent over two years. While Nova Scotia Power CEO Peter Gregg says the company is prioritizing affordability, CBC reports that the utility will also use its increased revenue to meet its targeted profit margins while focusing on maintenance work. The utility also owes contractors hundreds of thousands of dollars. Reporting from Global News earlier this year also showed some customers were being vastly overcharged on their power bills with no explanation from Nova Scotia Power. This is all on top of losing half of its customers’ data to cyber thieves.

On a positive note, Premier Tim Houston has derided Nova Scotia Power, calling the proposal for a rate increase “out of touch.” However, when the province attempted to intervene in the last increase through legislation, it was unsuccessful.

I am continually bewildered that the Nova Scotia government of 1992, where the Conservative government sold off the utility in what was the largest private equity transaction in Canadian history up to that point. As I continue to curse the Nova Scotia Power of now and the government of the day, let’s hope this government can actually do something about Nova Scotia Power’s bottomless greed—especially considering the ongoing affordability crisis.

Take care,

– B

📷 @creamy_yet_smooth

🌡️ Traffic & Weather

Today: 🌧️ 6°

Tomorrow: 🌧️ 3°

Next Day: 🌤️ 0°

7-day forecast

🚗 Driving, biking or busing today? Check out the current traffic conditions and ongoing road closures.

MUSIC WEEK INTERVIEW SERIES

Alexander Gallant talks social media, 'Rubber Monster Suit' and Best of Halifax nomination

Alexander Gallant is Halifax’s most mysterious musical figure.

Following in the grand tradition of "guy with a guitar", Gallant has made this cold heart beat once more with his two albums: Waiting Table Blues in 2023 and his latest project, Rubber Monster Suit, from earlier this year.

Everyone at Nova Scotia Music Week had a chance to witness this phenom for themselves when Gallant played a set on Thursday, Oct. 23 at Th’YARC. Social media posts from onlookers described the performance as one of the most intimate they’d ever witnessed. Others chose not to post to social media at all, enraptured by Gallant’s magnificent combination of strumming and storytelling. One thing is certain: our readers at The Coast are cognizant of Gallant’s skill set. He’s been prominently featured previously as a Best of Halifax nominee and is once again nominated in several categories this year.

The Coast’s Brendyn Creamer chats with Gallant for the second part of our Nova Scotia Music Week Interview Series.

🤔 Need To Know

🛒 The Competition Bureau Canada has been subtly investigating the ability for grocers to set up shop in HRM—the bureau is looking into documents by Sobeys and Loblaws that block competitors from setting up stores via property controls.

🏫 Parents of children who attend French schools in Halifax’s South End are questioning the lack of a French-language high school in the area—students who want to go to a French school must be bused elsewhere in the city.

🚨 A 25-year-old has been charged with scamming seniors, with police claiming the man pretended to be a family member needing bail money or a person of authority—Tarun Verma was allegedly involved in five incidents of fraud.

🥁 Live Art Dance and Mayworks present MAYDAY's Confession Publique, an autobiographical dance-theatre piece from two of Montreal's fiercest women creators. Get your tickets today!*

🎁 Support local this holiday season with Benjamin Bridge’s curated corporate gifts — premium Nova Scotia wines crafted to impress clients, colleagues, and partners alike.*

🍟 Turn up the flavour! Try Willy’s new Cajun Spice Fries with Garlic Mayo — crispy, bold, and impossible to resist. Halifax’s favourite fries just got even better. Get yours today!*

🎁 Join the Agricola Street Holiday Market this Sunday, from 12–5 PM, for festive shopping, local artisans, and seasonal cheer. Discover unique gifts and joyful moments!*

✨ The holiday season kicks off in Downtown Halifax with the Nova Scotia Power Holiday Parade of Lights this Saturday, November 15. Discover more festive events happening here!*

*Sponsored Post

SPONSORED BY THE 12th ANNUAL ATLANTIC JEWISH FILM FESTIVAL

12th annual Atlantic Jewish Film Festival: November 20 - 23 | Bronfman Theatre, Pier 21

Experience the joy of Jewish film! Stories that move, inspire, and make you laugh!

Saturday Night Gala: Film + Comedy + Party (Nov 22 | 8:00 p.m.)

• Laugh out loud with Montreal comedy duo Eli Batalion & Jamie Elman — aka YidLife Crisis!

• Swedishkayt: YidLife Crisis in Stockholm + live comedy set!

• After-party with kosher bites (included!) & cash bar.

Closing Night | The Ring (Nov 23 | 6:30 p.m.)

• A dramady based on a true Holocaust story of love, laughter, and a wild hunt through Budapest for the legendary ring that once saved their family.

Opening Night | World Premiere (Nov 20 | 7:00 p.m.)

• Sheitel - Beauty in the Hidden, a beautifully crafted documentary from Halifax filmmaker Lynda Medjuck Suissa exploring tradition, faith, and female empowerment.

Get your tickets now!

BEST OF HALIFAX 2026

Get your votes in for the Best of Halifax 2026

Our second round of voting is still underway for the Best of Halifax 2026 and will continue until midnight on Nov. 30.

From your favourite actors and actresses to the best restaurants in the city, cast your ballot for this year’s Best of Halifax. There are seven nominees for each category. Out of those seven contenders, only one can be chosen, and it’s all up to you, our readers. Feel free to skip any categories you want, but make sure to get to the end and hit submit. Otherwise, your votes won’t count.

Make sure your voice is heard during our 31st annual Best of Halifax Awards. Get your votes in now!

🗞️ In Other News

🏒 Two PWHL games are coming to Halifax as part of the league’s Takeover Tour—Toronto and Montreal will play on Dec. 17, and Ottawa and Boston will face off on Jan. 11.

🎄 Halifax mayor Andy Fillmore met with Boston mayor Michelle Wu to send off a Christmas tree to Boston as thanks for their help during the Halifax Explosion—Wu says the ties between the two cities remain strong despite the international trade war.

⛳ The company looking to build a golf course in West Mabou Beach says it would take up a third of the park’s green space—Cabot Golf also operates a 46-hole golf course in Inverness.

SPONSORED BY SYMPHONY NOVA SCOTIA

🎄A Gunning & Cormier Christmas🎄

Get in the holiday spirit with an evening of music, laughter, and East Coast charm! Dave Gunning and J.P. Cormier join forces for an unforgettable Christmas concert with Symphony Nova Scotia. Join these two beloved Canadian troubadours for a festive, feel-good concert filled with holiday classics, homegrown humour, and plenty of maritime spirit. It’s the perfect way to kick off the season—joyful, heartwarming, and unmistakably Nova Scotian!

November 28 & 29. Tickets start at $48.50. Book here.

SPONSORED BY CROWTHER & BRAYLEY

FALL ONLINE AUCTION

Rare Halifax Explosion material, artworks by Mabel Day, Miller Brittain, Leroy Zwicker, Joe Sleep, & more, portrait miniatures, Danish teak furniture, Georg Jensen flatware, Lorenzen mushrooms & pottery, antique rugs, jewellery - 100 lots, Tiffany glass, Inuit carvings

REGISTER & BID NOW
BIDDING CLOSES – THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 20th
902-860-0111
[email protected]

🗓️ Things To Do

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

🗓 The Beaches - No Hard Feelings Tour: Canadian all-femme rock group The Beaches take over the Scotiabank Centre for this one-night performance. | Nov. 13 | 8:00PM | From $57.25 |

🗓 In the Trenches, Among the Tanks: Learn about all the resources available to research military history in Halifax. From personnel records and service files to digitized records, such as diaries, photographs and more. Taking place at the Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21. Registration required. | Nov. 14 | 2:00PM |

🗓 Suite Surrender: The Bedford Players transport viewers back to the luxurious lifestyle of Hollywood in the 1940s in Michael McKeever’s farcical play, directed by Robin Saywood. | Nov. 6-22 | 7:30PM, 2PM | From $17 |

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

⚓️ What’s In The Harbour

🚢➡️ The Zenith Lumos container vessel arrives in Halifax from Colombo at 4:45am and departs for New York at 4pm.

🚢 The Algoscotia oil tanker arrives in Halifax from Sydney at 5:15am.

🚢➡️ The Don Carlos carrier arrives in Halifax from Southampton at 5:55am and departs for New York at 11:30am.

🚢➡️ The Pictor container vessel arrives in Halifax from Portland (Maine) at 8:15am and departs for Argentia at 6pm.

🚢 The Nolhan Ava cargo ship arrives in Halifax from St. Pierre at 10:45am.

🚢 The Nicobar tug/supply vessel arrives in Halifax from Providence at 12:30pm.

➡️ The Ezra Sol tug boat departs Halifax at 6pm.

➡️ The AP Revelin dry cargo ship departs Halifax at 6pm.

➡️ The Atlantic Sail container vessel departs Halifax for Liverpool at 9:30pm.

🍴 Where To Eat & Drink

🍗 Just looking at this chicken burger from CHKN CHOP will leave you salivating! Fried chicken and bacon, roasted jalapeno ranch, pineapple salsa, pickled onions, lettuce, and Hawaiian barbecue glaze. This week only.

🧀 WaveFood’s Queso Chop Cheese is on for another week. Quarter-pound chopped cheese with pepperjack cheese, queso sauce, red onion, lettuce, crispy jalapenos, and Wave Sauce on a ciabatta.

👀 In Case You Missed It

🪖 Last week, Premier Tim Houston used his office and considerable public platform to admonish the judiciary over the issue of wearing poppies in courtrooms. For anyone who missed it: Houston took to X to rage against two Nova Scotia judges who supposedly asked people not to wear poppies in the courtroom. The outrage cycle that followed was immediate, and almost certainly intentional. Conservative politicians and commentators from across Canada seized the moment, denouncing “activist judges” and casting Houston as some kind of modern-day defender of patriotism. This is not new behaviour. Houston’s government has repeatedly used the military and its symbols for political gain. Opinion writer Liz LeClair tackles premier Tim Houston’s most recent attempt to capitalize on the military for his own public gain.

🚨 Mike Smith, the actor best known for playing Bubbles on Trailer Park Boys, is being charged with sexual assault in Halifax for an incident dating back to December 2017—Smith had faced a battery charge back in 2016 for another incident involving a woman in Los Angeles, but the charges were dropped a month later.

⚖️ A Halifax judge has approved a $32 million settlement for around 2,600 disabled residents in Nova Scotia for being wrongly denied social assistance benefits from the province—this is one of the largest settlements in the history of Nova Scotia.

That’s it!

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