🗞️ Breaking out of the suburban trap

Good morning!

With the Heritage Day holiday fast approaching, things are going to look a little different for The Coast’s small crew next week. Ordinarily, you’d be seeing us in your inbox on Monday. Instead, we’ll be back with a packed newsletter on Thursday morning—along with our usual stories on TheCoast.ca on Tuesday and Wednesday. A slight break from the norm to give our team a chance to recharge.

But that’s not all: On Wednesday, you’ll get a rare preview of our Coast Insider perks with a special City Hall-focused newsletter. Our Insiders get this newsletter every week, and it’s well worth the price of admission.

– Martin

🌡️ Traffic & Weather

Today: ⛅ -3°

Tomorrow: 🌤️ 0°

Next Day: 🌨️ -4°

7-day forecast

🚗 Driving today? Check out the current traffic conditions and ongoing road closures.

CITY HALL

Breaking out of the suburban trap

It seems Halifax has finally turned a corner and started to stem the tide of suburban sprawl: For the first time in three years, urban building permits outnumbered suburban ones last year.

This week, the HRM’s Budget Committee approved the Planning and Development Department’s $13-million budget—which came with a few more signs of promise, The Coast’s Matt Stickland reports. For one, the budget leaves room for hiring suburban planners and transportation engineers, which could be the missing link to getting keystone plans like the Integrated Mobility Plan implemented.

Get caught up on the HRM’s budget—and what it means for the city’s future.

EDUCATION

MSVU prof looks at the link between police dogs and anti-Black violence

Before MSVU’s largest faculty union went on strike this week, professor El Jones was teaching online from her research post at the UK’s University of Cambridge.

And while class is paused for now, Jones’s own work—a research into the use of police dogs in Canada, and in part, their intersection with race—continues. In 2020, the Toronto Star reported that Black people are six times likelier than their white counterparts to be taken down by a Toronto Police dog. Jones traces a line back through history to look at police use of dogs in anti-Indigenous and anti-Black violence.

Jones says the way police dogs are framed—as “model officers” sometimes and as “canines” otherwise—sheds light on our shifting perceptions of policing and race.

🗞️ In Other News

💰 Nova Scotia’s government says it plans to spend about $1.6B on roads, schools, hospitals and other projects in the next fiscal year—with the lion’s share going to what will be the most expensive project in the province’s history.

⚖️ The man accused of killing rapper Pat Stay will face a first-degree murder trial in April—but for an entirely different murder he’s accused of.

💸 The feds are rebranding Canada’s carbon pricing rebate, and Nova Scotians will see among the lowest rebates of any province. Here’s why.

🌲 Nova Scotia’s government says it’s designating 15 new provincial parks and expanding two others; critics say the change doesn’t do enough to actually protect the land from development.

🚑 An Eastern Passage woman was sent to hospital with serious injuries after she was hit by a driver Thursday morning. As The Coast has reported, Halifax has seen more pedestrian and cyclist injuries in recent years—a direct contrast to the HRM’s goal.

⛺ Cleanup work is underway at several tent encampment sites across Halifax after unhoused residents were told they have until Feb. 26 to pack up and leave.

🎭 Support4Culture is a proud supporter of arts, culture, and heritage in Nova Scotia. Supporting individuals and their art helps to share the voices and unique talents of NS communities.*

🍄 Canada’s first clinical trial involving psilocybin for treatment-resistant depression shows promise for the drug—but it’s a long road ahead. Meanwhile, as The Coast has reported, the Maritimes are already witnessing a ‘shroom boom when it comes to other forms of psychedelics in therapy.

🎫 Last chance to see The Last Show on Earth tm! "Amazing, fabulous, stupendous!!!"- S. Andic. Ends Sunday, February 18. Tickets start at $25. Book today.*

📺 A Halifax meteorologist got a special shout-out when her weather reports were mentioned as a trivia clue on Jeopardy!

*Sponsored Post

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BEDROOM BLUNDERS

Haligonians dish on the most cringe-worthy things they’ve said—and heard—during sex

Based on The Coast’s 2024 Sex + Dating Survey, it seems all of us get a little tongue-tied when our hands are busy. Or, uh, other things.

In this year’s survey, we asked you to share the worst pillow talk you’ve delivered—and heard in return. Your answers didn’t disappoint. One Coast reader says they were proposed to “immediately after a blow job,” while another had an equally unfortunate memory: “Hearing your parent call for you while you’re bent over is pretty cringeworthy,” they wrote. No arguments there.

Head on over to The Coast, where we’ve compiled a list of the worst of the worst when it comes to dirty talk.

SPONSORED BY LIVE ART DANCE

Live Art Dance presents surFace Dance

Live Art Dance presents the Moncton-based choreographer Jalianne Li, and her company surFace Dance. Founded in 2013 Jalianne Li’s work has been presented in the Netherlands, England, and across the Maritimes. An evening of multi-disciplinary dance works by this local solo artist - February 23rd & 24th, Get your tickets TODAY!

🚢 What’s in the Harbour

Here’s a look at what’s coming in and out of Halifax Harbour today:

➡️ The Navios Indigo container ship arrives at the Fairview Cove Terminal from Valencia, Spain, around 6:20am.

⬅️ The ONE Crane container ship leaves Halifax for Singapore around 9am.

⬅️ The CB Pacific oil tanker leaves Halifax for New York around 1pm.

➡️ The NYK Nebula container ship comes into Fairview Cove from Saint John, NB, around 3:20pm.

⬅️ The Pacific Sentinel, Nolhan Ava, NYK Romulus and Oceanex Sanderling all leave Halifax around 6pm.

🍴 Where To Eat & Drink

🍣 If you’re craving maki, Kibo Sushi just opened its doors at 1551 South Park Street, between YKN Sunglasses & Eyeglasses boutique and the Lord Nelson Hotel.

🍽️ Ristorante a Mano’s hand-rolled gnocchi bolognese is just the right warm meal for a cold winter day.

🛍️ Shop Talk

• Barrington Street’s Mera Cafe + Bar is undergoing an ownership change. The restaurant opened last June under head chef Sunpreet Singh and co-founder Khush Chahal—who both spoke to The Coast during its opening.

👀 In Case You Missed It

🚨 Two Halifax-area teens are facing charges of conspiracy to commit murder after an incident at an Eastern Passage school last week.

🗳️ With Mike Savage having announced that he won’t be running for re-election as Halifax’s mayor, The Coast took a look at some of the likeliest candidates to vie to replace him.

🤫 Our Sex + Dating Survey brought a treasure trove of responses—including Coast readers dishing on their sex secrets.

💸 Halifax councillors approved the Department of Public Works’ $113M budget—which might have been a mistake, as The Coast’s Matt Stickland reports. Here’s why.

❄️ Sick of the snow yet? Halifax got another shovel-load this week—and so, too, did Cape Breton.

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