🗞 Atlantic Canada and the international student cap

Good morning!

If you’re looking for a dose of nostalgia on this Monday, check out this old Mic Mac Mall commercial from the ‘80s. Ring any bells?

Also, a heads up that there is a snowfall warning in effect across Nova Scotia with up to 15cm expected through Monday afternoon. Stay warm, and happy shovelling!

– Alyssa

🌡️ Traffic & Weather

Today: ❄️ -1°

Tomorrow: ⛅️ -4°

Next Day: ⛅️ 0°

7-day forecast

🚗 Driving today? Check out the current traffic conditions and ongoing road closures.

EDUCATION

Nova Scotia and PEI likely to suffer from cap on international students

It’s application season for universities, a time animated by stress and excitement for the future. Deciding on where to spend the next four years can be a challenge. Budgeting for tuition, food and rent in a city experiencing a housing crisis—another. Figuring out if your chance of getting into school just got slashed by 35%? That’s a challenge that students won’t be sharing equally.

Marc Miller is Canada’s minister of immigration, refugees and Canadian citizenship, or IRCC. On Monday, Jan. 22, Miller announced that Canada would be capping incoming international study permits at 360,000 country-wide starting Sep. 1, 2024. That’s a 35% reduction from the number of study permits issued in 2023. This cap is meant to last two years, although how much of a reduction is needed next year will be re-assessed by the end of 2024.

The IRCC hasn’t yet announced how exactly the 360,000 international student permits will be spread across the country, but if Nova Scotia was to get 2.5% to match its share of the national population (roughly 1 million of Canada’s 40 million people are Nova Scotians), that would be 9,000 permits. And the Association of Atlantic Universities reported in October that there are over 14,500 international students in Nova Scotia.

Read Lauren Phillip’s full story at The Coast.

🤔 Need to know

🗑 Solid waste collection has been cancelled in the HRM today due to the expected inclement weather. The makeup date is set for this Saturday, Feb. 3.

🔒 The Maritime Museum of the Atlantic has announced it will be closed from February 5 to 16 to improve the museum space and galleries. 

🎓 A new Master of Nursing in Mental Health and Addictions, the first of its kind in Atlantic Canada, will be offered at Dalhousie starting this fall.

*Sponsored Post

MUSIC

Customer Service’s new video for “Grad Day” is a punk rock triumph

Halifax-based punk band Customer Service has been enjoying a growing following these days: The Coast’s readers voted them silver and bronze winners in the annual Best of Halifax Readers’ Choice Awards for Best Band and Best Rock Band, respectively.

In their recently released first official music video, the band hit the beach and deliver a propulsive single that, at its peak, is every bit as energy-charged as the best of the band’s forebears. In the words of the Halifax foursome, we hope their family’s proud.

🗞️ In Other News

🏠 Despite the complaints surrounding the proposed pallet shelter community in Whitney Pier, Nova Scotia’s minister of community services has confirmed the proposal is moving forward. 

🧴 A Halifax dermatologist is speaking out about the dangers of children using adult skin care products trending on social media.  

🥌 Curling star Colleen Jones speaks to CBC about how it feels to be returning to the sport as a coach. 

🌶 How much money would it take for you to eat the world’s spiciest foods? Nova Scotia’s Mike Jack is a competitive spicy pepper eater, who holds the title of League of Fire World Chili Eating Champion. 

🛣 The Burnside Connector, an expansion of Highway 107 meant to connect Burnside to Bedford and Sackville, will finally be completed this year according to public works minister Kim Masland. 

🏒 Queer Hockey Nova Scotia is opening its own league this fall.

🗣 The Nova Scotia provincial legislature’s 64th General Assembly will resume on February 27.

🗓️ Things To Do

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

🗓 Paint Night: The Smokehouse Brewery is holding a paint night this week. Grab your ticket for a night of good drinks and creative energy. The event is 19+ and all supplies will be included | Jan. 30 | 6:30pm | $43.49

🗓 Joe H Henry Trio: The Joe H Henry Trio will be at the Halifax Central Library in Paul O’Regan Hall for a performance full of “grit and soul” to promote Henry’s newest EP Keep the Fire Burning | Jan. 31 | 7pm | Free

🗓 Lobster Crawl: The annual Nova Scotia Lobster Crawl kicks off along the south shore this week. Enjoy a variety of lobster classics and other lobster-infused dishes while also engaging with lobster lore | Feb. 1-29

Find more Halifax events in The Coast listings

🍴 Where To Eat & Drink

Coming soon: Keep your eyes peeled on Dee Dee’s Ice Cream’s socials. It’s set to announce Valentine’s Day mini cakes and a special limited edition ice cream flavour. We’ll be sure to announce it in the newsletter when we hear the news.

🛍️ Shop Talk

Halifax ReTales: Here is Halifax ReTales’ weekly update of all the comings and goings of Halifax businesses.

👀 In Case You Missed It

• 2023 was a big year for UFO sightings in Canada. Read the full story here 

• An ancient shipwreck emerged from the ocean last week on the southwestern tip of Newfoundland, prompting questions of where it came from and how old it is. 

• Thanks to new genetic genealogy technology, charges have been laid in PEI’s 35-year-old cold case of the murder of Byron Howard Carr.

That’s it!

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: