Good morning!

I’m going to be completely honest with you. I had no idea what a Snowbird was until yesterday afternoon.

Turns out, these aircraft are beloved Canadian jets that have been active since the 1960s, used mainly in airshows. As you can imagine, people were genuinely peeved to hear that the squadron will be decommissioned after the 2026 season as they become more costly to maintain and as the armed forces experiences a pilot shortage.

Defence minister David McGuinty says a replacement is coming—CT-157 Siskin II, to be specific—but we have no idea how many, though McGuinty says negotiations for the aircraft are underway.

I’m more of a boat person myself. Growing up around hulking vessels in the harbour will shape your interest. However, I can relate to those that are upset the Snowbirds are decommissioned for now. If I had lost the sight of those ships on the water, I would feel similarly dismayed.

Let me know your thoughts on this predicament. If you’ve had the chance to see the Snowbirds yourself, feel free to share some memories.

Best,

– B

📷 @creamy_yet_smooth

Today: ☀ 30°

Tomorrow: ☀ 17°

Next Day: ☀ 15°

7-day forecast

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

A new report from real estate marketplace Zumper leaves a dire impression: the housing crisis in Halifax is far from over, but there's a chance rents will continue to cool.

Zumper's Canadian Rent Report median rent prices in cities across the country for the month of May 2026. Out of Canada's 23 largest cities, Halifax is the fourth most expensive. More expensive than Ottawa, Victoria, Montreal, Kingston, and more.

The median rent for a one-bedroom unit in Halifax is $2,000. The two-bedroom rate is $2,500.

The Coast’s Brendyn Creamer digs into the stats from the new report from Zumper.

🏛️ Documents reveal that Halifax mayor Andy Fillmore met with an Uber lobbyist one day before council delayed a proposal that would have seen stricter regulations around ride-hailing drivers—Uber had also pressured councillors by asking their drivers to complain about the regulations, which resulted in hundreds of emails.

⚕️ Women in Halifax are coming out against the 15-month wait period for mammograms with concerns over late-stage cancer diagnoses time—wait times in other parts of the country range from a few months to a couple weeks.

🕊️ Robert K. Irving, co-CEO of J.D. Irving Ltd. and president of Cavendish Farms, has died at the age of 71—he worked with his brother Jim Irving to establish J.D. Irving’s Moncton operations in 1977.

💃 “Bogotá” comes to Kjipuktuk/Halifax! Andrea Peña’s long anticipated and highly celebrated work arrives May 20th, presented by Live Art Dance. Get your tickets today!*

🧑‍🎨 Indigenous Glass Art Cultural Experience with Tribal Fusion Art at the Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21. Get your tickets today!*

*Sponsored Post

You notice the changes slowly. Sleeping more. Snapping over small things. Staying in their room longer. The conversations that used to happen in the car or at dinner become one-word answers and silence.

Many parents worry they are doing something wrong, while many youth feel overwhelmed trying to explain emotions they do not fully understand themselves. Anxiety, stress, school pressure, friendships, identity, and social media can all affect a young person’s mental health.

Counselling can provide youth with a safe, neutral space to talk openly, learn coping skills, and feel understood without judgment. Early support can make a significant difference in confidence, emotional regulation, relationships, and overall wellbeing. Support starts with a conversation.

⛴️ As of Tuesday, the Alderney Landing ferry between Dartmouth and Halifax is back to its regular schedule—the usual 15-minute turnaround had been halted due to repairs to the Vincent Coleman ferry which is now back in use.

☀️ A heat warning was issued for several counties in Nova Scotia as temperatures on Tuesday and Wednesday were expected to 30 C—Halifax has not issued it’s own warning as of yet, though it will receive a similarly high temperature.

🚗 The Park Lane Mall on Spring Garden Road is now pricing its daily maximum rate for parking at $40—this is over double the usual rate of $10 to $15.

“Bogotá” comes to Kjipuktuk/Halifax! Colombian Montreal-based choreographer Andrea Peña leaves it all on the table with a work that has sparked conversation and debate among dance lovers around the world. Join Live Art Dance on this raw, challenging, and beautifully danced contemplation of death and resurrection. Get your tickets today!

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

🗓 Date Night at Beaty Centre for Marine Biodiversity: Wander under the twinkling lights of the Beaty Centre’s aquaria space under the waves. | May 21 | 6PM | $14+|

🗓 East Coast Amusements Fair: The fair is coming to Dartmouth! Experience heart-pounding rides like the Zipper or Tilt-A-Whirl or get a good look of the city from the top of a Ferris wheel. | May 21-25 |

🗓 The Ghost of Violet Shaw: The Eastern Front Theatre presents this Victorian-era farce featuring a family dealing with their supposed curse. | April 28-May 24 | 2PM, 7:30PM | $25+|

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

➡️ The Mersey Venture factory fishing vessel departs Halifax at 2pm.

➡️ The AS Felicia container vessel departs Halifax for Kingston at 6pm.

➡️ The Leeway Odyssey research vessel departs Halifax at 6pm.

🚢 The Oceanex Sanderling container vessel arrives in Halifax from St. John’s at 7:20pm.

Halifax Transit is offering a new way for riders to keep track of service updates. Get real-time updates on detours, stop closures, trip cancellations, and snow plans.

🥪 Upward Kitchen & Cafe at The Nook partnered with Dani Squires to introduce Dani’s Sammy: turkey, Brothers Meats bacon, pesto mayo, romesco sauce, microgreens from Upward Farms, all on house-made focaccia.

🍨 Churned has a special Halifax Tides-themed ice cream for you to enjoy this summer: Tides Cookie Monster. Vanilla base coloured teal with spirulina with plenty of house-made chocolate chip cookies.

🥘 When a restaurant is launched by The Bertossi Group, the hospitality company behind establishments such as The Bicycle Thief, Amano, Il Mercato, Water Polo, Matadora, and Pane e Circo, there are certain expectations. When Via Condotti arrived recently, it did so carrying lofty ones. The Bertossi Group does not lack bravado or confidence, and its past successes naturally invite a higher degree of scrutiny than many others receive. The Coast’s food and drink critic Mark DeWolf describes his experience at the Bertossi Group’s newest establishment, Via Condotti.

🎒 The Nova Scotia Teachers Union is warning against the province’s slated education cuts, which will see 150 positions eliminated—they less support and larger classrooms with make a strained education system even worse for students and teachers alike.

👮 A new commanding officer has taken charge of the Nova Scotia RCMP—Dan Morrow, who has lived in Nova Scotia since 2017, comes in after the retirement of former commander Dennis Daley who departed in March.

Thanks for reading The Coast Daily today.

If you found something useful, consider forwarding this newsletter to another Haligonian.

And before you go, let us know: