🗞️ Dancing in Dartmouth

Hows it going, Halifax? 👋

One of the biggest stories breaking yesterday is the retirement of Halifax fire chief, Ken Stuebing, after calls from the Halifax Professional Fire Fighters union for him to resign.

The union cited multiple issues with Stuebing over the years, including his refusal to enact a call-in policy for off-duty firefighters, with union president Brendan Meagher telling the Todd Veinotte Show that he was “exploiting volunteers and resources from outside of HRM.”

For most folks in the city, however, problems with Halifax Fire’s executive stem from the 2023 Tantallon wildfires, which tore through the community. A delayed response meant reinforcements didn’t make it on scene until 151 homes had already been destroyed. Over 200 off-duty firefighters were available at the time. The same issue occured with this year’s Ostrea Lake wildifre, when no off-duty firefighters were called in to help as evacuations were ongoing.

Upon the news breaking of Stuebing’s retirement, the union released a statement commenting on the decision, stating that his failures go further than emergency operations—racism, homophobia and misogyny within Halifax Fire’s management went unaddressed by Stuebing, according to the union.

Not only did Stuebing fail to curtail several wildfires due to a delayed response in calling in off-duty firefighters, but it sounds like he let the workplace he managed turn into a cesspool of hate and vitriol for anyone that isn’t a cis white man.

Good riddance and happy retirement.

Best,

- B

📷 @creamy_yet_smooth

🌡️ Traffic & Weather

Today: ⛅ 16°

Tomorrow: ☀️ 20°

Next Day: ☀️ 22°

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.

MUSIC

Nowadays Festival bringing international talent to Dartmouth

The Nowadays Festival has a proven track record of bringing great artists to venues throughout Dartmouth, and now in their third year, there’s no sign of the annual festival slowing down.

From Oct. 9 to 11, local and international talent alike will play shows at four fantastic venues: the Buffalo Club, Mic Mac AAC, Morley’s Cafe, and the Sanctuary Arts Centre. Names include Polaris Music Prize-winning folk band The Weather Station and singer-songwriter Charlotte Cornfield, American avant-garde guitarist Hayden Pedigo, Toronto’s Weird Nightmare and Philadelphia’s Sheer Mag. Local acts include idialedyournumber, Century Samuel, Dark for Dark, Jennah Barry, Sam Wilson, Teleri and many more.

The Coast’s Brendyn Creamer speaks with Nowadays artistic director Andrew Neville about the Dartmouth-based festival.

🤔 Need To Know

🪙 Nova Scotia has increased the provincial minimum wage to $16.50 per hour—Nova Scotia is one of five Canadian provinces to raise their minimum wage on Oct. 1.

🔥 The province announced wildfire-related restrictions will stay in place until Oct. 31—daily burn restrictions will remain in place, while a full burn ban is still in effect for Annapolis County.

📭 The city and province are warning of impacts due to the Canada Post strike—the province says high priority mail will be able to be dropped off, while the city is warning of delays for property tax bills and vendor payments.

🎶 Reggae powerhouse Jah’Mila reunites with Symphony Nova Scotia to premiere Radiant Reggae Roots, featuring original music, popular hits, and unreleased tracks from her highly anticipated upcoming album. October 3 & 4 at Rebecca Cohn Auditorium.*

*Sponsored Listing

SPONSORED BY THE SPRING GARDEN AREA BUSINESS ASSOCIATION

Soccer, Steins & Celebration with The Wanderers

Join the Halifax Wanderers on October 4 for a thrilling home match and a festive Oktoberfest celebration! Enjoy high-energy soccer, live music, local brews, and an authentic German experience. Don’t miss this perfect blend of sport and celebration—cheer on your Wanderers and raise a stein to a good time!

🗞️ In Other News

🏥 A tender has been awarded by the province to develop a master plan for the QEII Health Sciences Centre—the province has enlisted international firm BDP Quadrangle and partner FBM Architecture Ltd. to work with provincial departments to make improvements.

🏛️ The Nova Scotia NDP is calling out the province for cutting around 46,000 households from the home heating program this year—-the cost of the program is projected to be $32 million this year, as opposed to $71 million last year.

🫐 Blueberry yields are down by around 55 % this year after this summer’s drought—blueberries are typically Nova Scotia’s most valuable export crop.

SPONSORED BY CRAFT NOVA SCOTIA

Art exhibition on human touch

Through enamel, silk, and sculpted forms, Mengnan Qu’s Hands On explores how touch affirms resilience and intimacy. This exhibition asks us to reconsider the role of contact in an age shaped by distance and technology. See it at the Mary E. Black Gallery, Sept 25–Oct 26. Learn more here.

🗓️ Things To Do

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

🗓 First Thursday’s Monthly Market: This monthly evening market brings over 40 local makers, artists, vintage curators and food creators under one roof at the Park Lane Mall. | Oct. 2 | 4:00PM |

🗓 Halifax Mooseheads: The hometown team faces down the Drakkar De Baie-Comeau at the Scotiabank Centre. | Oct. 2 | 7:00PM | $25.25 |

🗓 Halifax Tides: The Tides face off against Roses de Montreal FC at the Wanderers Grounds. | Oct. 2 | 7:00PM | $32.66 |

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

⚓️ What’s In The Harbour

🚢➡️ The Viking Mars cruise vessel arrives in Halifax at 8am and departs for Canadian seas at 6pm.

🚢➡️ The Pictor container vessel arrives in Halifax from Portland (Maine) at 8:15am leaves for Reykjavik at 3pm.

🚢➡️ The Norwegian Getaway cruise ship arrives in Halifax at 8:30am and departs for Canadian seas at 6pm.

🚢➡️ The McAsphalt Advantage tanker leaves Halifax for Montreal at 9am.

🚢➡️ The Insignia cruise ship arrives in Halifax at 10:30am and departs for Canadian seas at 7pm.

➡️ The Eagle II container vessel leaves Halifax for Villagarcia (de Arousa) at 6pm.

➡️The One Milano container ship departs Halifax for New York at 11pm.

🍴 Where To Eat & Drink

🍔 2 Doors Down is going back to the basics. Try their Old School Burger, an uncomplicated sandwich with double smashed beef chuck patties, smoked bacon, American cheese, dill pickles, grilled onions, ketchup, mustard and house burger sauce.

🍪 Upward Kitchen & Cafe at The Nook has a chocolate chip cookie that’ll make you never want the packaged alternative ever again. They’re chewy in the middle with warm, rich chocolate and a dash of salt.

👀 In Case You Missed It

👠 Seventeen-year-old model Corinne Iris Cameron is preparing to take on the runway at Paris Fashion Week this October—a milestone she once thought would be impossible after a devastating car accident two years ago left her with life-threatening injuries and a stroke. Cameron, who recently graduated from high school, says her recovery journey has shaped her outlook on life and her future in modelling. The Coast’s Warren D’Silva has more on Cameron’s rise in the world of modelling and how she carries her learned lessons with her.

🏍️ A 16-year-old died in a motorcycle accident in Halifax on Saturday afternoon—police are asking anyone with information about the incident to contact them.

🔥 An out-of-control wildfire in Kings County has forced people to leave their homes—a mandatory evacuation order was sent out to residents near Lake George.

That’s it!

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