🗞️ Drag me into the holidays

Good morning, Halifax.

Whenever I talk about housing issues, I tend to gravitate towards arguments about loopholes and ineffective policy in rental housing.

This morning, I was reaffirmed in my repetition. According to new numbers from Turner Drake & Partners, Nova Scotian renters face the highest pressure to find affordable housing among all Canadian provinces.

Turner Drake & Partners used four indicators to measure this: demand pressure, supply pressure, rent pressure and ownership pressure. While Nova Scotia is third overall, behind British Columbia and Ontario, it is first overall in rental pressures.

So, what does this mean? According to a Dalhousie professor interviewed by CBC, it means the province’s strategy to create more market housing may not be the way to go. Renters are still struggling to find affordable housing, and are being pushed out of their homes through the fixed-term lease loophole so landlords can avoid following the provincially-imposed 5 percent rent cap. Market housing will continue to fall into the pitfalls of poor government policy until those policies are addressed, and even then, they are still left to the whims of a market that will only see prices increase.

The solution, as other provinces have started to figure out, is non-market housing. This includes public housing, non-profit housing and co-operatives. The province is working on more public housing and says non-profits have been encouraged to do the same, but timelines on the non-market sector may be too long for some renters to wait.

Speaking from my own experience, the growing pressures of rental housing had previously left me considering my own options. Even working a full-time job making decent money, and in a dual-income household, keeping the lights on was incredibly difficult. It had me considering whether to move back to Newfoundland.

First things first—let’s deal with loopholes that permit landlords to jack up rent and make more of a profit. That’s certainly not helping the situation.

Have a great Monday.

– B

📷 @creamy_yet_smooth

🌡️ Traffic & Weather

Today: 🌤️ 8°

Tomorrow: 🌧️ 6°

Next Day: 🌧️ 12°

7-day forecast

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

ARTS + CULTURE

Mrs. Claus is starting Christmas early in Jingle Belle drag cabaret

A Moncton-based drag artist is bringing holiday cheer to Halifax with Jingle Belle: A Cabaret that Sleighs.

Starring Mrs. Ruby Claus, played by creator CJ Norris, this special night is one stop on a three-city tour across the Maritimes, with the show also coming to Moncton and Charlottetown. As Ruby tells the story of her work behind the scenes to make sure Santa’s sleigh leaves on time, she will spark joy with songs from the likes of Aretha Franklin, Patti LaBelle, Ariana Grande and Kelly Clarkson, going full diva for a performance packed with positivity.

The Coast’s Brendyn Creamer speaks with Norris about his upcoming holiday drag show at the Bus Stop Theatre this Friday.

🤔 Need To Know

🚑 A 34-year-old woman is in the hospital with life-threatening injuries after being struck by a garbage truck Monday morning—the incident occurred in the 200 block of Lacewood Drive at around 5:35am.

⚖️ Sentencing is underway for former St. FX football player Omogbolahan (Teddy) Jegede, who was convicted of two counts of sexual assault earlier this year—the Crown is seeking a sentence of 27 to 36 months.

⚡ Nova Scotia Power has been summoned to appear before the Natural Resources and Economic Development Committee this week after customers reported serious inaccuracies with their bills—NSP has also been in hot water for its data breach earlier this year and for delays in paying contractors.

🍯 Winnie the Pooh! Whether you’re an adult who grew up with Pooh or a child discovering these beloved characters for the first time, this joyful production will captivate your heart and imagination. Get tickets here.*

💃 Live Art Dance presents a double bill featuring Gillian Seaward-Boone’s new solo, and the celebrated work of Compagnie ODD with Raphael Wenroth-Browne! Get tickets today!*

🤣 See Comedian Derek Seguin at the Spatz Theatre Nov. 28. Expect twisted, Juno-nominated comedy and nonstop laughs from this CBC Debaters’ favourite.*

🌯 Halifax’s Best Late-Night Food lives at Tony’s! For nearly 50 years, our sweet sauce, spiced meat, and family tradition have made us a true Halifax icon. Vote Tony's for Best Late-Night Food!*

🗳️ The people have spoken! Sabrosa is thrilled to have been nominated by YOU the people! Now is your time to shine and vote Sabrosa for Best Burrito and Best Nachos in HRM! Gracias Amigos!*

*Sponsored Post

SPONSORED BY CANADIAN MUSEUM OF IMMIGRATION AT PIER 21

Visit eat make share: a taste of immigration

The donair was invented in:

a. Toronto
b. Calgary
c. Halifax

Discover the surprising histories of the Canadian foods we love and so much more. Don't miss out on eat make share: a taste of immigration exhibition open at the Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21 only until Jan 2026.

Presented by BMO.

🗞️ In Other News

🪖 The federal government plans to spend more than $29 million on a secure facility for classified defence projects in Dartmouth—this will be the first maritime defence lab of its kind in Canada, says defence minister David McGuinty.

🚨 40-year-old Sluaghan MacDonald has been charged with second-degree murder in the death of a woman in Cape Breton over the weekend—the incident occurred in the community of Hillside Bouldarderie early Sunday morning.

🚗 A 44-year-old Shubanacadie man died in a single vehicle crash on Highway 215 on Nov. 21—police had found a Nissan Pathfinder in a nearby ditch with the driver being pronounced dead at the scene.

SPONSORED BY FEED NOVA SCOTIA

Take a crack at the pot!

Get your Feed Nova Scotia 50/50 tickets today!

Buying a 50/50 ticket helps to address the immediate need for food support province wide AND allows us to continue advocating for solutions to the root causes of insecurity – factors like low wages, food systems issues, and food access.

🗓️ Things To Do

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

🗓 suddenlyLISTEN Improv Kitchen: This monthly workshop with Tom Richards held at the Radstorm space seeks to engage all ages and skill levels with improvisational music in a judgement-free zone. Free of charge. | Nov. 25 | 7:00PM |

🗓 Tuesday Night Jazz at The Shoe: Join The Shoe every Tuesday night for three sets of live jazz featuring Leo Cox (Bass), Dante Kierstead (Drums), and Ben Tucker (Guitar). Happy hour is from 4pm-7pm. | Nov. 25| 7:00PM |

🗓 2025 Montana's Canadian Curling Trials: Canada’s top eight men’s and women’s teams compete for the chance to represent Canada at the 2026 Olympic Winter Games. | Nov. 22-30 | Ticket prices vary. |

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

⚓️ What’s In The Harbour

🚢 The APL Southampton container ship arrived in Halifax from Colombo at 4:45am.

➡️ The Atlantic Sky container vessel departed Halifax for Liverpool at 5am.

🚢➡️ The Atlantic Sun container vessel arrived in Halifax from Liverpool at 5:20am and departs for New York at 4pm.

🚢 The CMA CGM Ambition container ship arrived in Halifax from Algeciras at 5:45am.

🚢 The Szare Szeregi container ship arrives in Halifax from Port Canaveral at 7:15pm.

🍴 Where To Eat & Drink

☕ The holidays are almost here, and with them comes the Eastern Tea Bar’s Holiday Afternoon Tea! An array of sweets and pastries that’ll have your mouth watering. Brown butter oat scones, apple cranberry loaf, a slice of New York-style cheesecake, Christmas tree springerle cookies and sandwiches. DM or email to make a reservation.

🍔 Now’s your chance to experience a burger for breakfast. 2 Doors Down’s Breakfast Burger is made with a smashed chuck patty, 2 Boy’s Smokehouse double-smoked bacon, fried egg, Canadian cheese, hash brown, avocado mayo and ketchup.

👀 In Case You Missed It

🛢️ “Do not try,” warns the Treaty Truckhouse Resistance in a letter addressed to the CEO and executive members of Calgary-based Rockpoint Natural Gas Storage: “Our collective willingness to defend this land and water persists.” As reported last month in AllNS.com, Rockpoint is expressing interest in reanimating the now long-defeated Alton Gas project. CEO Toby McKenna (son of former New Brunswick Premier Frank McKenna) asserts that Mi’kma’ki is “an obviously ideal market” for storing natural gas, claiming it will succeed where Alton Gas failed because they will be able to gain an elusive thing called “social licence.” Opinion writer Sadie Beaton goes over why rebooting the Alton Gas project will fail, and it has everything to do with Rockpoint’s opposition.

🌲 The Nova Scotia government will bid on the assets for Northern Pulp, including 162,000 hectares of timberland and a nursery and seed orchard in Debert—this follows a protracted legal battle between the province and the original owners.

⚖️ Despite pleas for an absolute discharge, 43-year-old Serena Tobaccojuice has been sentenced to an additional 12 months behind bars for confining two correctional guards at the Nova Institution—Tobaccojuice is serving a life sentence for a murder she committed when she was 15.

That’s it!

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