Good morning!

Something that has been laying under the surface and a little too hush hush for my liking is what’s going on with CUPE and the impact it will have—especially on working moms. Shout-out to Paige for bringing this important information to my attention.

A bit of background (*wheels in trusty screen projector from 1998*):

CUPE Local 5047 represents more than 2,800 Halifax Regional Centre for Education support staff, including Educational Program Assistants (EPAs), Early Childhood Educators (ECEs), library support staff and other workers who help students.

On September 29, the provincial school support staff council reported that bargaining had reached an impasse. That means a strike is a possibility, but not that one has been called.

BUT, there is a recent indication that Educational Program Assistants (EPAs) and Early Childhood Educators (ECEs) could be in a strike position the week of October 19.

For thousands of working moms across Halifax, this could mean an unexpected scramble to solve a problem that no amount of calendar planning can fix: who looks after the kids when school is no longer an option?

And before you even think it, much less say it, I am aware that working dads exist, but we all know that the women do the bulk of the logistics around childcare in a family where a man and woman have kids. Ever heard of what sociologists call The Second Shift? It’s the unpaid work women often do after finishing their paid workday that they don’t get paid for, like cooking, cleaning, childcare, homework and managing the household.

When schools close unexpectedly, that second shift gets even heavier. Women often end up barely juggling work deadlines with full-time childcare, not because they aren’t working hard enough, but because their workday never really ends.

People often forget too that working from home is still working. I know how hard it is to focus with one baby in the house, much less multiple children. And not every mom has grandparents on standby, affordable emergency childcare or an employer who understands.

The reality? Some parents can adapt. But others may have to choose between showing up for work and showing up for their kids. And with little notice, that’s not a choice anyone should have to make.

So please, I beg of you as these \negotiations continue, support school workers and support working moms. There has to be a way to find a solution that protects everyone.

Love and light!

– Jules

📷 @editorjulesl

Today: 🌦️ 11°

Tomorrow: 🌤️ 9°

Next Day: 🌧️ 11°

7-day forecast

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

Olivia LeBlanc was only 14 when she was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis.

It was during the pandemic. The Upper Tantallon teen was in pain. An appointment at a medical clinic led to a referral to a gastroenterologist at the IWK hospital. She had a chronic inflammatory bowel disease.

"I went in and out of remission, with and without symptoms for about two years," says LeBlanc in an interview with The Coast. "I tried a whole bunch of different medications and there was nothing that was really working for me, personally."

When she was 16, she became very sick. Her ulcerative colitis would lead to her having surgery. Part of her colon removed and an ostomy was installed—an opening that allows waste to exit from a stoma in the abdomen into a pouch.

The Coast’s Brendyn Creamer speaks with medical science student Olivia LeBlanc about her personal experience with IBD.

🐢 Gus the Tortoise is said to be resting comfortably after a surgery was performed on Tuesday to remove a urinary stone causing irritation in his bladder—the beloved 104-year-old gopher tortoise, who lives at the Museum of Natural History, will be under close observation for a couple days and will need to recover for at least eight weeks.

⛳ A 33-year-old man has been charged with impaired driving after rolling over a golf cart near the Brunello golf course—police say breath samples indicated his blood-alcohol level was at 130 mg per cent.

💃 Live Art Dance’s 2026-2027 season energizes connections between dance communities here, across the country, and across the world! Tickets on sale! Get Yours Today!

🍷 November 7: La Dolce Vita at the Italian Club. Six Italian courses, six Italian wine or aperitif pairings, with sommelier Mark DeWolf guiding the evening.*

*Sponsored Post

Taste your way through Chef Pamela's story during an evening of Afro-Caribbean and globally inspired vegan dishes, storytelling and music. Through food, guests will discover how meals can carry stories of identity, belonging, and home. This is an opportunity to experience the rich connections between culture and cuisine while gathering around the table in the spirit of community.

Expect:

Get your tickets today!

🎓 Limitations on international student visas may have led to a significant decrease in university enrollments across Atlantic Canada—Nova Scotian universities have seen 1,544 fewer students enrolled on Oct. 1, 2026 compared to the same day last year, a 3.3% decrease.

🚲 A couple are touring around the province on their bicycles in support of a vaccine for Group B Streptococcus, or GBS—the two lost their infant child, Lupine, due to the disease and have named the ride in her memory.

🚗 Two people were sent to hospital after a two-vehicle collision on Prospect Road near Ragged Lake Tuesday morning—a 60-year-old man and a 59-year-old woman are said to be in serious condition, while the driver of the other vehicle was uninjured.

⚕️ The province will have a new top doctor in Dr. Jesse Kancir, the deputy chief medical officer under Dr. Robert Strang—Strang intends to retire from his position in January 2027 following three decades of service.

🏥 The eighth floor of the QEII Halifax Infirmary Tower project has been completed, according to the province—the tower is set to be 14-storeys high, costing $4.5 billion in construction and $2.9 billion over 30 years to operate the new facility.

When you choose local, you’re choosing to support real people like the Wilbers, the family behind Elmsdale Lumber. For all your lumber product needs, shop local and be Nova Scotia Loyal.

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

🗓 Dracula - A Comedy of Terrors: This is Dracula like you've never seen before. An irreverent, Mel Brooks inspired romp, this 90 minute comedy is laugh out loud funny. Full of wordplay, rapid fire anything-goes pop culture references, this is gothic horror reimagined. | Sept 29 - Oct 25 | From $35 |

🗓 Nocturne - Art at Night: This free annual event transforms streets, waterfronts, galleries, storefronts, and public spaces into a city-wide showcase of art, featuring installations, projections, performances, and interactive works by local, national, and international artists. Guided by the 2026 theme,“Embodied City,” Nocturne invites visitors to explore art in unexpected places while discovering new ways of experiencing the urban landscape. | Oct 15 - 18 | 

🗓 Frenchy's - The Thrift Musical: The hilarious new musical comedy about finding yourself—at a fraction of the retail cost! The iconic Maritime thrift store is hitting the stage in a brand-new musical comedy, written by award-winning playwright David Craig and composer John Roby. | Oct 16 - Nov 1 | $35 |

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

➡️ The One Crane container vessel departed Halifax for Singapore at 2:30am.

🚢➡️ The Majestic Princess cruise vessel arrives in Halifax at 6am and departs at 6pm.

🚢➡️ The Pearl Mist cruise vessel arrives in Halifax at 8am and departs at 6pm.

🚢 The Nolhan Ava container vessel arrives in Halifax from St. Pierre at 8:15am.

🚢 The Algoma Integrity tanker arrives in Halifax from New York at 8:21am.

🚢➡️ The MSC Vidisha R. container vessel arrives in Halifax from Cadiz at 11:15am and departs for Montreal at 11pm.

🚢➡️ The Leeway Odyssey research vessel arrives in Halifax at 11:15am.

➡️ The Ocean Victory cruise vessel departs Halifax at 1pm.

➡️ The Neoliner Origin roll-on/roll-off vessel departs Halifax for St. Pierre at 1pm.

🚢 The Star Pride cruise vessel arrives in Halifax at 7pm.

➡️ The Victory II cruise vessel departs Halifax at 7pm.

CMHA Halifax-Dartmouth’s Annual Art Exhibition & Sale takes place October 15-27 in The Craig Gallery, Alderney Landing. Over 1200 colourful artworks by 400+ artists are for sale online for $35 each, plus silent auction bidding at www.cmhahalifaxdartmouth.ca. Proceeds support Social Connection Programs for adults living with mental illness.

🎞️ How much horror can you convey in only seven minutes? The Tide has an answer: plenty. Filmed on the Mavillette Beach near Clare, The Tide is one of several short films being shown at Hellifax Horror Fest, playing during the final block of their short film programming at the Carbon Arc Cinema on Oct 18 at 3:30pm. The Coast’s Brendyn Creamer delves into the depths of The Tide with co-creator Danielle LeBlanc.

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