🗞️ Council decides on better future for Halifax

Happy Monday Halifax,

I hope you had a restful weekend and enjoyed the sunshine and warm temps.

This past Friday was a big day for Halifax housing as Council voted unanimously to approve a slew of zoning changes that will allow for the development of thousands of new homes. Which is great news ‘cause our population is only getting larger and younger.

And although these changes have (tried to be) explained on Halifax’s website, on the CBC and other media outlets, and in councillors Sam Austin’s and Waye Mason’s newsletters, there still seems to be a lot of confusion.

Fear not, our very own Matt Stickland has you covered below with an in-depth analysis of what the heck these changes are and what exactly they will mean to the city (and to you).

Have a great week!

– Julie

🌡️ Traffic & Weather

Today: 🌤️ 20°

Tomorrow: 🌧️ 14°

Next Day: ☁️ 20°

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.

HALIFAX COUNCIL

Council decides on better future for Halifax: What the Housing Accelerator Fund means to you

After a gruelling three-day council meeting that started on Tuesday morning and ended in the late afternoon on Thursday, Halifax’s city councillors unanimously voted to approve a suite of zoning bylaw changes that will allow the city to access $79 million of federal Housing Accelerator Fund money. 

These zoning changes have been in the works for a while. The federal government set up the fund in March 2023, and Halifax submitted its application for funding in June 2023. Some bureaucracy happened and then the city started doing public consultations, and as a result of concerns expressed in 170 emails, the city backed off on some proposed density around universities in April 2024. Then, also in April of this year, council gave first reading to the Housing Accelerator Fund bylaw changes and scheduled a public hearing. Then last week over a three-day meeting, Halifax’s city councillors held a public hearing before unanimously voting for the bylaw changes after a second reading in the afternoon of May 23, 2024.

The Coast’s Matt Stickland explains in depth and detail what these changes are and how they will impact our city. 

🤔 Need To Know

🚙 Starting June 17, Barrington Street—between Upper Water Street and Duke Street—will be closed for six months for maintenance and upgrades.

🎫 Upgrade your TD Halifax Jazz Festival experience with reserved seating options, new for 2024. Ticket add-ons start at only $10!*

🚌 Transit changes are coming to Scotia Square. Learn more about the bus bay relocations starting June 17.*

*Sponsored Post

SPONSORED BY SCOTIA FESTIVAL OF MUSIC

Halifax’s premier classical music festival begins today!

Scotia Festival of Music kicks off its 2024 edition tonight at the Joseph Strug Concert Hall.

Since 1980, Scotia Festival of Music has brought internationally renowned soloists to Halifax for a two-week celebration of chamber music. With nightly concerts that include everything from standards of the repertoire to brand-new works—performed by ensembles that often won’t be found elsewhere—Scotia Festival’s spirit of spontaneous collaboration creates an environment where the alchemy is just right for musical magic.

With Canadian virtuoso violinist Kerson Leong, Montréal-based percussion dynamos Architek Percussion, and international operatic superstar Jane Archibald as just a few of the artists on the billing, Scotia Festival of Music 2024 has something for everyone.

MUSIC

 Mat Elliott delivers soothing soundscapes and sincere heartbreak in ‘South Endings’

Lush psychedelic soundscapes. Funky melodies. Lyrics describing heartbreak and healing. Mat Elliott’s newest EP has it all.

The Truro native has found inspiration across the musical spectrum for his debut record, from Tom Mirsch to Still Woozy. And yet, South Endings is truly all his own as the singer-songwriter reminiscences of a past relationship that came to an unceremonious end several years ago. 

“I went through a breakup, and, you know, I would say that I was kind of the bad guy,” said Elliott. “I sort of broke up with no explanation whatsoever.”

Following this, Elliott said he had been alone for two full years, reflecting on himself and how he could be better, both as a partner and a person. South Endings is a testament to his reflection.

“It was those two years that I spent working on music and kind of living on my own that just kind of put me into that headspace of like, how can I be better?”

The Coast’s Brendyn Creamer spoke to Elliott about his debut EP and its themes of heartbreak.

🗞️ In Other News

🚨A 25-year-old Halifax woman is one of three dead after a vehicle plunged down an embankment near Shediac, N.B. on Friday morning.

🎓 Dalhousie is walking back a 63% tuition increase for its master of architecture program after an outcry from students. The change—which was communicated just weeks prior to the start of the program—would have meant students would have paid about $7,000 more per term.

🏒 A heart disease clinic at the QEII was renamed in honour of Jordan Boyd—a 16-year-old hockey player who died as a result of an undiagnosed inherited heart condition in 2013.

🗓️ Things To Do

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

Riturang x Indian Colours - An Evening of Indian Classical Music and Dance: From the graceful movements of Bharatanatyan to the vibrant energy of Bhangra, each dance form tells the story of culture, history and expression. Enjoy a celebration of the beauty and diversity of Indian dance. | May 27-28 | 7pm | Free 

Scotia Festival of Music: One of the premier events in Nova Scotia’s annual festival scene, this year promises to pack a punch. Halifax is welcoming over 20 of the world’s best classical musicians and dozens of talented young artists to an intimate, collaborative environment where the alchemy is just right for musical magic. | May 27-June 9 | Prices vary based on ticket package

The Halifax Independent Filmmakers Festival: In the 18th edition of this annual festival, enjoy four days of boundary-pushing cinema from Canada and around the world, plus filmmaker Q+As, panels, parties and more. | May 29-June 1 | $49.26

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

⚓️ What’s In The Harbour

🛳️➡️ The Atlantic Sky container ship arrives in Halifax from Liverpool at 5:20am and leaves for New York at 5pm.

🛳️➡️ The MS Europa 2 cruise ship arrives in Halifax at 7am and  leaves for Canadian seas at 5pm.

🛳️➡️The Tropic Hope container ship arrives in Halifax from Philipsburg at 6:15am and leaves for West Palm Beach at 6pm.

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

🛳️➡️ The Zim Pacific container ship arrives in Halifax from Valencia at 6:20am and  leaves for New York at 6pm. 

🛳️➡️ The CMA CGM T Jefferson container ship arrives in Halifax from Tangier at 5:45am and leaves for New York at 11pm.

🛳️The CB Pacific oil tanker arrives in Halifax from Albany at 3:40pm.

🍴 Where To Eat & Drink

🍫 Looking for some extreme decadence? Try the Kinder Bueno hazelnut chocolate cake at Rumi Coffee Company. The cake is 8 inches, with layers of chocolate cake filled and topped with hazelnut chocolate whipped cream and hazelnut spread ganache…all topped with mini Kinder Bueno pieces.

🧀 If you find yourself in Halifax’s North End, stop by The Halifax Cheese Shop and pick up one of their delicious cheeseboards. No need to order ahead! Or try their small batch homemade churned ice cream.

👀 In Case You Missed It

🛼 The Halifax Harbour Grudges roller derby team took the track by storm this past weekend in a ranked match—the first on their territory. On Saturday, they faced off against the Maine-based Aroostook BiohazARDS, ranked 82nd in the division, at the Mayflower Curling Club. The Coast’s Brendyn Creamer spoke to Lyndsay Anderson about the Grudge’s bout and the passion their team brings to the track.

🎓 On Friday, May 17 at Acadia University in Wolfville, El Jones convocated with graduates from the Faculty of Professional Studies and the Faculty of Education. Jones received an honourary doctor of letters for her teaching career. Read The Coast’s Lauren Phillips recap of Jones’ inspiring address to Acadia students last week.

🏥 Gail Tomblin Murphy—the senior executive who had a hand in establishing virtual care in Nova Scotia and setting up clinics in pharmacies, in addition to being a driving force behind the YourHealthNS app—is quitting her job.

🚌 A Halifax school bus driver is being hailed a hero after he was able to brake and stop his bus—which was full of students— just as a truck came barreling off an overpass on Highway 102 last week.

That’s it!

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