🗞️ Maple-washing

Good morning!

Patriotism is so hot right now, which means our poor little maple leaf has been having to do some serious heavy lifting. From merch to memes—this girl is putting in the work.

And nowhere is that more evident than at the grocery stores, where maple leafs adorn products to let us know that they are—at least a little—Canadian-made. But does the leaf mean what we think it means?

CBC did some investigating at a Halifax Sobeys and Superstore, and found little rhyme and reason around which products got the leaf of approval and which didn’t. Some got a leaf, some got a NS Loyal sticker, some got both, some got none. The whole thing makes me cross-eyed. I guess the placement of the indicators is at the discretion of the store manager, which means we’re relying on the worst of the worst—human beings.

For example, Kicking Horse Coffee had a maple leaf sticker on the shelf at one Sobeys, while Newfoundland-based Jumping Bean Coffee did not. Kicking Horse Coffee started in BC, and was sold to an Italian company in 2017. Coffee beans from Tim Hortons—which is partly owned by a Brazilian investment firm—did not have the sticker at Sobeys, but did have a shelf talker at the Superstore saying it was "prepared in Canada."

But Sobeys also labels almost all of its own Compliments brand products as local—even the coconut and orange juice. The company itself is a local company, granted, but does it still count as buying local if the products are imported? 🤷🏻‍♀️

One professor of agriculture said there’s a risk of maple-washing (love) and that people should go to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency to see what’s what. As if anyone is going to do that.

Love your least helpful editor of all time,

– Julie (locally made, NS loyal, proudly Canadian, 🍁)

📷 @editorjulesl

🌡️ Traffic & Weather

Today: 🌧️ 7°

Tomorrow: 🌤️ 3°

Next Day: ☀️ 6°

7-day forecast

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

CITY HALL

How cutting property taxes can end up costing you

Halifax’s budget season is closing, and there is nothing left to do but cry. Our newly elected city council is putting the finishing touches on their first municipal budget, which is clocking in at $1.3 billion. The fate of most of that money is settled—call that the budget regular season—but there are still some decisions to make. 

On Wednesday, March 19, council will start the playoffs, going over its Budget Adjustment List, in order to finalize city spending for the 2025 fiscal year. 

Being debated during the playoffs is about $6 million in new spending, which will help the city get ready for the future. There’s also a proposal from the mayor for $20 million in spending cuts, which will save most property owners a bit of money this year, but make the city a bit worse and likely increase the tax burden for Haligonians in the future. 

For a preview of Halifax’s budget playoffs and the folly of mayor Fillmore’s tax cut, The Coast’s Matt Stickland has more in his budget season report.

🤔 Need To Know

🇺🇸 US president Don Trump said Tuesday that he will double the tariff on steel and aluminum imports coming from Canada in response to Ontario’s surcharge on electricity exports to the United States.

🪴 Little Shop of Horrors opens this week at Neptune Theatre. This cult classic about a bloodthirsty, human-devouring alien plant is on stage until May 11. Tickets start at $40. Book here.*

🩺 According to officials with the province's health authority, Nova Scotia recruited nearly 200 more doctors than it lost over the past year.

🐄 At Purple Cow Internet, we keep things simple: Great service matched with great prices that don’t go up. Make the switch, join the herd today.*

*Sponsored Post

SPONSORED BY LIVE ART DANCE

Live Art Dance presents Kira Arts, Aly Keita. "Altération"

Aly Keita depicts a humanity that oscillates, on an intimate and societal level, between stability and uncertainty, anchoring and uprooting, change and resistance, renewal and repetition.

Exploring the meaning of relationships in our society in a wide-ranging way, both interpersonal relationships and those with other-than-human beings, "Altération" opens the way to the construction of possible new links that are formed through ecological and spiritual dimensions.

Memories of past experiences and scars—in other words, "Altération"—are transmuted into a vital breath through reactivating movements, both individual and collective, that revitalize our bodies and rekindle our inner power.

Don't miss out on a breath-taking experience. Get your tickets today.

"Altération"
May 3rd & 4th, 2025
Breaking Circus

EDUCATION

Groundbreaking disability lecture series isn’t over yet

A popular lecture series that began in January at the University of King's College will soon conclude. Called “Representations of Disability in Historical, Scientific and Artistic Perspectives,” this original series of public talks has brought together leading disability scholars, researchers, writers, and artists to examine how ideas of “disability” and “normality” are represented in art, science, philosophy, and activism. 

Series co-organizer, King’s professor, Dorota Glowacka, tells The Coast that these talks are meant to open up conversations while recognizing that “there’s still so much stigma and so many taboos around different dimensions of accessibility and disability.”

Now, the first three lectures are available to watch, and there’s one talk left.

🗞️ In Other News

🎤 Grammy-nominated American rock band The Killers have been announced as the closing act for the 2025 Halifax Music Fest at the Garrison Grounds on June 29.

🚆 A non-profit organization—Rail Connects Nova Scotia—is looking to raise awareness on the idea of connecting the province by rail.

📃 The province has granted a five-week extension to Northern Pulp as the company works on plans to build a new paper mill on the southwestern shore four years after it was granted protection from creditors.

🚨 A 39-year-old man is facing multiple charges in connection with an armed robbery at Crystal’s Convenience store at 1268 Hollis Street.

❄️ A pair of Dalhousie University scientists are aboard the HMCS Margaret Brooke in the Southern Ocean—the first-ever Canadian-led research mission to the Antarctic.

🚍 Halifax has a new transit boss for the first time in nearly a decade and he's learning the system by taking the bus everyday—Robin Gerus became the executive director of Halifax Transit in January.

SPONSORED BY VAUGHN ENTERTAINMENT CO

Musical Journey of Neil Diamond Show

For over 50 years Neil Diamond’s music has bridged generations and captured the hearts of millions. Jay White has received Neil’s written and verbal approval, while appearing on Neil’s stages.  It was here Neil told Jay to “Keep up the good work.” This concert experience is not only for the eyes and ears, but for the heart.

🗓️ Things To Do

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

🗓 Opera Kitchen Party Divas Edition: Bunni Lapin, Halifax's own Diva-extraordinaire, will host an all-women cast to perform the best opera arias alongside music from your favourite contemporary divas. This is sure to be an unforgettable night of music, games, prizes and opera shenanigans! | March 12 | 7:30pm | $30

🗓 Our Lady Peace 30th Anniversary Tour With Collective Soul: In celebration of their 30-year career, iconic Canadian rock band Our Lady Peace has announced their highly anticipated OLP30 Tour, kicking off in February 2025 with shows across Canada, including the Scotiabank Centre in Halifax. | March 13 | 7pm | From $56

🗓 Aysanabee Now and Then Tour: Join two-time JUNO Award-winning Oji-Cree artist Aysanabee (Ace-in-abbey) on his first-ever Canadian headlining tour. | March 13 | 8pm | $34.55

🗓 Improv Party Show—Fancy Edition: The seasoned improvisers will make up wacky scenarios based on your suggestions. Watch them compete in games, do challenges to win over the audience and get you laughing. | March 13 | 7:30pm | $15

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

⚓️ What’s In The Harbour

➡️ The Atlantic Sky container ship leaves Halifax for New York at 1:30am.

➡️ The AS Felicia container ship leaves Halifax for Kingston at 3am.

➡️ The Ijsselborg general cargo ship leaves Halifax for Moa, Cuba at 1pm.

➡️ The Frissian Octa general cargo ship leaves Halifax for Moa, Cuba at 6pm.

🍴 Where To Eat & Drink

🌈 Your friends will be green with envy when they see your box of Saint Patrick’s Day minis from Layers Cupcakes: chocolate chip with gold dust and vanilla golden oreo with lucky charms.

🍮 At Da Zero, they’ve mastered the art of dessert with the Panna Cotta in a jar: creamy and balanced with a hint of vanilla, topped with raspberry compote.

👀 In Case You Missed It

🥀 A 25-year-old man died in Halifax on Feb 22, after police found him "experiencing a mental health crisis" and Tasered him when he allegedly became aggressive. Six days later, police say a 37-year-old man who was having a "mental health episode" and became aggressive with officers also died in custody after he was Tasered. They are stories that bring up a gamut of emotions for Jeannette Rogers—whose son, Corey, was killed in police custody. The Coast’s Julie Lawrence spoke with Rogers about why she’s “not surprised at all” that this is still happening.

🚴 Halifax bike mechanic Ashleigh Myles has a goal in mind: To become the fastest woman to pedal the entire length of the Pan-American Highway—a 23,000-kilometre route that runs from chilly Prudhoe Bay, Alaska, all the way down to Ushuaia, Argentina, at the mountainous southern tip of South America. And if that wasn’t ambitious enough, she plans to do it solo. Over the next few months, she’ll be gearing up for the longest ride of her life—one she aims to complete in less than 100 days. As The Coast’s Martin Bauman reports, there might be no better athlete than Myles to set the record.

That’s it!

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