Good morning, Halifax!

Since the pandemic, I’ve always had some time to work from home.

Even when I was technically required to work full-time in office (thanks, Saltwire), I found time to sit at my own desk in my own home and do whatever work needed to be done. It was more comfortable, less stress-inducing, and I was able to keep an eye on my new kitten without any impact to my productivity.

As someone who is able-bodied, it is a privilege. Yet, for the many folks out there who are living with a disability, working from home can be a necessity, and allowing lax policies around working from home can allow them the comfort they require while also not requiring a full deep-dive into their medical history.

But for some inane reason, the provincial government, in all of it’s deficit-defying wisdom, has ordained that unionized government employees must return to the office by April 20. Their reason? “A focus on collaboration,” and “strong connections across teams.”

Despite data showing that working from home doesn’t negatively impact productivity, the government is moving ahead with this anyway, only for employees to presumably be sectioned off in their own department with, just guessing here, not a lot of collaboration.

It’s also another added stress for folks with disabilities, as they will now likely have to go through an entirely new process to work from home that will probably require doctor’s visits, notes, medical records, and possibly more, just to have the comfort that they did before the government decided to do something stupid—again.

This doesn’t help employees. This doesn’t help people with accessibility needs. This doesn’t help the billion-dollar deficit. It doesn’t help traffic congestion. This is nonsense. This is drivel. This is a distraction: a way for the government to signal that they’re doing something to help while not helping anyone.

I’m starting a petition to have the higher-ups in our provincial government, politicians included, leave their roles and join a circus. They’ve sure got a talent for acting like clowns.

– B

📷 @creamy_yet_smooth

Today: 🌨️ 4°

Tomorrow: 🌤️ -1°

Next Day: 🌤️ -2°

7-day forecast

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

A Canadian consumers are eager to purchase locally-made goods, the federal government has made an investment into one Dartmouth business with a certain specialty: bakery mix.

On Tuesday, MP Braedon Clarke announced on behalf of Minister Sean Fraser that the federal government, through the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, would be supporting Dartmouth-based pancake mix manufacturer CanaPacking with repayable funding of $475,000. This money will support a facility expansion, the addition of automated equipment, and allows CanaPacking to hire seven-to-10 new full-time workers

According to a press release from ACOA, this will allow CanaPacking to package their own mix on-site in resealable pouches, using less material than traditional packaging. The government agency touts that this will allow the the company increase production to meet growing demand for flour mixes across Canada and the world.

On top of pancakes, CanaPacking also creates baking mixes for bread, cakes and muffins while also working with supply retailers. It is the only flour mixing plant in Atlantic Canada, and only one-in-four throughout Canada.

⚡ Nova Scotia’s potential for offshore wind projects is high but the amount of energy is lower than politicians project, according to an engineering firm enlisted by the feds and the Atlantic provinces—this is due to several factors, including geographical limitations like ocean floor conditions and ice issues as well as economic challenges.

🫁 Nova Scotia’s new lung screening program has serviced 1,500 people so far, with 55 people having been diagnosed, or in the process of being diagnosed, with cancer—this is a positive result as radiologists are picking up more cases of Stage 1 cancer, which is sometimes curable.

🍎 Some fruit growers are feeling positive about the increased snowfall totals this year as they hope the extra snow will replenish water storage in the soil—this comes after a drought that left many farmers in the province with low yields.

🛋️ Feeling anxious? Overwhelmed? Your Counselling offers practical, compassionate support to help you understand anxiety, build coping tools, and regain a sense of calm and control.*

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🐳 French officials had the chance to view the proposal from the U.S.-based Whale Sanctuary Project of the plans they have for a whale sanctuary on Nova Scotia’s eastern shoreline—France’s last two captive orcas are looking for a place to call home and they are set to make a decision by the end of March.

⚖️ The Supreme Court of Canada has ruled in favour of the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador in a case pursued by a Nova Scotian woman who couldn’t attend her mother’s funeral during the pandemic—while the government did restrict travel during that time, the court found it to be justified under Section 1 of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

🚨 A man and woman have been arrested in an RCMP investigation into drug trafficking between Nova Scotia and Ontario—police also seized shatter, psilocybin, cannabis, cash and around 175,000 unstamped cigarettes and 18 bottles of alcohol.

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

🗓 Dine Around 2026: All of February, stop into specific restaurants across the province for special prix fixe menus for every taste and every budget. | Feb. 1-28 |

🗓 Better Times Comedy at Good Robot Brewing: This weekly comedy show features regulars like Clare Belford, Dan Hendricken, Travis Lindsay, Adam Myatt, and a rotating cast of local and visiting comics. | Feb. 19 | 7:30PM | $15 |

🗓 Carnaval Na Hali: The biggest Brazilian Carnaval party in Halifax is happening at UNKNWN this Friday. Wear your brightest and most colourful clothes and get ready to dance the night away. | Feb. 20 | 10:30PM | $19.00+|

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

➡️ The AS Caspria container vessel departed Halifax for Kingston at 4am.

🚢➡️ The ZIM China container vessel arrives in Halifax from Valencia at 5:20am and departs for Norfolk at 6pm.

🚢 The Algoma Acadian tanker arrives in Halifax from Saint John at 12:40pm.

🚢➡️ The Atlantic Sun container vessel arrives in Halifax from Norfolk at 3:20pm and departs for Liverpool at 11:30pm.

➡️ The Saimaagracht general cargo vessel departs Halifax for Houston at 6pm.

🥪 This week only! Try out The Buffalo from CHKN CHOP, a sandwich featuring fried chicken, buffalo hot sauce, celery, pickled onions, lettuce and creamy blue cheese dressing.

🦪 Carbonara with a seafood twist! Try 2 Doors Down’s Scallop Carbonara, made with caramelized Digby scallops, rigatoni, pancetta, sweet peas, pecorino romano and cured egg yolk.

🎶 Over the span of several records and EPs, Harmz has claimed that he's one to watch out for. His new album, Early 20s, aims to support that with a riveting and vulnerable coming-of-age story. With collaborator Acalus, a dance and hip-hop producer based in Halifax, Harmz weaves a narrative about heartache, ambition and self-discovery over '80s-inspired synth-wave beats. It's all based on his own time learning and growing as a young adult with roots in South Africa, Saskatchewan, Halifax, and now Montreal. The Coast’s Brendyn Creamer chats with Harmz about his upcoming record and the approach he took to penning his most vulnerable album to date.

🪧 Activist Eddie Carvery, known for his lifelong protest of the destruction of Africville at the hands of the Halifax municipal government, has died of cancer—Carvery took up his protest in 1970, living in a trailer on the former town site.

🏫 Classes start Wednesday at the long-delayed St. Joseph’s-Alexander McKay Elementary School—the original school was destroyed in 2022, with expectations of a new school ready for students in 2023.

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