Good morning, Halifax.

If you are upset about the recent provincial budget cuts, please do not take them sitting down.

There are several rallies occurring this week to protest Tim Houston gouging our province and pivoting everything towards the energy sector.

If you’re able, go down to the legislature around 12pm today and participate in the Shoulder to Shoulder rally. Join together with your fellow Treaty People and demand that the government listen to those they’re supposed to govern.

If you can’t make this one, keep on the lookout for other rallies in your area protesting these cuts. Email and call your local MLA’s office. Continue to talk about what’s happening. This government would love it if we all shut up, so make sure you keep saying how you feel.

– B

📷 @creamy_yet_smooth

Today: 🌤️ 1°

Tomorrow: 🌨️ 9°

Next Day: ☁ -1°

7-day forecast

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

It’s late February. The winds of winter are blowing. Standing at the corner of Barrington and Blowers streets, you would be hard-pressed to see Obladee Wine Bar.

The 15-year-young operation is wrapped in snow- and ice-laden scaffolding, metal poles, plywood and mesh, obscuring what was once one of downtown Halifax’s most recognizable windows. It is also wrapped in a legal battle for survival. Recently, a Superior Court judge granted Obladee a three-month extension to its lease after the original agreement was terminated following the sale of the Tramway Building, where the restaurant occupies the ground floor.

At a time when restaurant operations are already challenging, having your exterior hidden behind construction materials does little to help. The scaffolding was installed after debris fell from the building, prompting a municipal safety order. Nearly three years later, despite changes in ownership, it remains, but how much fight does one restaurant have? For a restaurant, visibility is like oxygen. Remove it, and the business is often left struggling for breath. Admirably, Heather and Christian Rankin, sibling owners of this institutional Halifax wine bar, seem to be fighting to the end.

The Coast’s food expert Mark DeWolf speaks to the difficulties of running a restaurant, the doors that have shuttered, and the city’s newest openings.

🧹 Scotian Shores, a marine cleanup organization, is feeling the federal and provincial cuts, but the founder and her team are saying they will work without pay to ensure the environment remains clear of trash and debris—this would mean finding work outside of the organization, and they will lose time to focus on administrative tasks.

🪓 Nova Scotia Community College is planning for staff cuts as its operating grant was reduced by $9.4 million—acting president Anna Burke told staff in an email that the college will reduce its workforce by three percent.

📣 Premier Tim Houston was loudly booed at the African Heritage Month Gala in Halifax on Saturday night after his government cut $130 million in grants—programs aimed at Black and African Nova Scotian communities were part of those cuts.

🎻 Symphony Nova Scotia presents The Beatles: The Long & Winding Road with Jim Witter. This magical multimedia concert is onstage March 13 -15.*

🎶 Live Art Dance partners with suddenlyLISTEN to present “Graveyards and Gardens”, a mesmerizing dance piece and concert in one. Limited tickets – don’t miss out!*

🎭 French and Culture come alive on stage March 28th with Maud Andrieux and Alliance Française. English captions available, tickets on sale now!*

*Sponsored Post

Anxiety is no longer a quiet undercurrent in people’s lives. It is surfacing in workplaces, classrooms, relationships, and homes. Mental health professionals are seeing a rise in persistent worry, racing thoughts, disrupted sleep, and physical tension that disrupts daily focus. While occasional stress is normal, ongoing anxiety can narrow your world, limiting confidence and functioning.

Early support can prevent symptoms from intensifying and help you regain control. Evidence-based approaches and skills-based interventions provide practical tools to manage anxious thoughts and calm the nervous system. Your Counselling offers in-person and virtual support. Fill out a short matching form to find a therapist who fits your needs. It starts with a conversation.

🍺 Brian Titus, president of Garrison Brewing, says there has been an unheard of number of closures of craft brewers in Nova Scotia over the last two years—he says the number of craft breweries has sunk from around 60 to 50.

💸 Halifax millionaire John Risley has his $14.9 million South End mansion up for sale as he faces lawsuits and his investment firm’s heavy debt—Risley has not confirmed whether or not the sale is related to his financial troubles.

🏒 Out of the four youth originally arrested for sexual assault in the hockey hazing incident near Truro, two of them have not been charged with any crimes—the RCMP say their information indicates a criminal threshold had not been met.

From babies to grown ups, gut health matters at every age. Probiotics help maintain a balanced gut microbiome, the community of bacteria that support digestion, immunity and everyday health. Orange Naturals probiotic supplements are available in easy-to-use formats and made with the whole family in mind. Learn more.

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

🗓 Megadeath Tribute @ The Rox Live: Megadeath tribute band The Conjuring host the biggest MegaParty in Halifax, with special themed drinks. | March 3 | 10:30pm | $15 |

🗓 Alan Doyle @ Light House Arts Centre: Newfoundland’s own Alan Doyle is joined by PEI folk-duo The East Pointers for this Atlantic Canadian tour. | March 3-6 | 8PM | $78+|

🗓 Uncorked Connections: Visit The Wine Spa on the first Wednesday of every month for an evening designed for professionals to connect in a vibrant social setting. | March 4 | 5:30PM | $55+|

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

🚢 The CMA CGM Passion container vessel arrived in Halifax from Colombo at 4:15am.

➡️ The Tropic Lisette container vessel departs Halifax form West Palm Beach at 6am.

🚢➡️ The AS Felicia container vessel arrives in Halifax from New York at 8:20am and departs for Kingston at 6pm.

🚢 The Bagheera arrives in Halifax from Baton Rouge at 10:30am.

🚢➡️ The Volga Maersk arrives in Halifax from Montreal at 11:15am and departs for Antwerp at 10pm.

➡️ The BBC Switzerland heavy lift vessel departs Halifax at 6pm.

➡️ The Algoscotia tanker departs Halifax for Sydney (Cape Breton) at 8pm.

➡️ The Algoma Acadian tanker departs Halifax for Saint John at 10pm.

🍸 An end-of-day cocktail that’s right for you: the Hey Bartender at 2 Doors Down, made with Bearface Whiskey’s Wilderness 3.0, James Roue Brûlée Rum, Deeproots Distillery’s coffee liqueur, demerara, and espresso.

🧁 The Bao Journey has a new dessert dropping—Japanese Chiffon Lava Cupcakes! Soft and fluffy with a rich lava centre. Comes in three flavours: custard, chocolate, and matcha.

📽️ The 2026 Winter Olympics and the Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL) prove that women's hockey is growing. Whether it be the gold medal game between Canada and the US or the PWHL exhibitions that had Halifax fans fighting for a team of their own, the sport has been on a positive upswing. However, opportunities for women are still scarce, and the new adaptation of Youngblood understands this. The Coast’s Brendyn Creamer speaks with Alexandra McDonald, who plays Jessie in the new Youngblood film, about her connection to the character and the advancements in women’s sports.

🪓 $110,000 in cuts are coming to two programs associated with the mass casualty event in 2020—a program for those seeking trauma-informed care is getting cut by 10 percent while another program targeting unmet mental health, grief, and bereavement needs in northern Nova Scotia will see a $40,000 reduction.

🏢 Halifax regional council may now be able to raise development-related fees after the province says it will no longer stand in the way—a freeze has been active since 2023, with Halifax having some of the lowest development fees amongst Canadian cities.

Thanks for reading The Coast Daily today.

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