Happy Friday, Halifax!

Thanks for everyone who shared their opinion on the AAA bike network issue yesterday. We should have a full article including some of your responses to the question next week.

There’s a lot going on at Halifax regional council right now, with the bike lane issue being only one facet of a larger budget issue—that, as I said yesterday, could have been prevented with a small amount of foresight.

One little piece of news that dropped out of council yesterday that I caught in my BlueSky feed (I had meetings all day and missed council, I’m sorry) was that, allegedly, Mayor Andy Fillmore paid a consultant around $13,000 to write a single speech, despite having trained staff who could write a speech for him.

For context, that’s more than some families can afford for a down payment on a house. That’s a little less than half of what a minimum wage worker makes within a year. I’ve never had that much money in my bank account in my lifetime, and probably never will.

And he spent all that on a consultant to write one speech?

Andy, buddy… if you need a speech written, I’ll do you a solid. $500 bucks and a pack of gum. That’s my going rate. Your people can talk to my people. We’ll make it happen.

Have a good weekend, folks.

– B

📷 @creamy_yet_smooth

Today: 🌤️ 2°

Tomorrow: 🌤️ -3°

Next Day: 🌤️ -2°

7-day forecast

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

The federal government announced in Dartmouth on Thursday that it will be investing over $4 million in the development of Nova Scotia’s defence sector in the name of protecting sovereignty and keeping Canada safe.

This comes from the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency’s Regional Defence Investment Initiative, which will allocate $38 million in defence spending over three years. The feds are funding nine companies in the development of military technologies. These companies include: Sensor Technology Ltd., Mathers Logistics Ltd., Salient Energy Inc., AML Oceanography Ltd., GALAXIA Mission Systems, Marine Thinking Inc., Atlantic Hardchrome Limited., L&M Highland Outfitters Limited, and Leeway Marine.

With this funding, announced by federal minister of justice Sean Fraser, the government hopes to see the capacity of these organizations grow as they scale-up and develop new technologies while creating 24 new jobs in Nova Scotia. While most of the funding is repayable, the $50,000 allotted for Atlantic Hardchrome Limited and the $45,000 for Leeway Marine is non-repayable.

In a press release on the matter, Fraser, who is also the minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, focused on the economic aspect of the federal government’s attempts to ramp up defence sector while playing on Canadian sovereignty in the wake of threats from the U.S.

“Through Canada’s new Defence Industrial Strategy, local companies are growing, innovating, and building more of what Canada needs at home to stay secure, sovereign, and economically strong,” says Fraser.

The release mentions the need for Canada to respond to “evolving global security challenges.” Whether this means these technologies will be sold for profit to other countries, or to help Canada in scaling up its military, is unclear.

A full list of what each company received and what it will be used for can be found here.

🗳️ Premier Tim Houston’s approval is slipping, according to new polling data—while still in the lead, the PC Party lost four points for a total of 48 percent, while the NDP gains two points at 25 percent.

💰 An investment firm owned by Clearwater Seafood’s co-founder John Risley owes more than US$776 million and is facing a change in ownership—this is while a former associate sues the firm for $22 million .

🏛️ Sources say the provincial budget is set to be tabled on Monday as the spring legislative session kicks off—it is unusual for sessions to begin on Monday, let alone one concerning the budget, but NSNDP leader Claudia Chender notes it may be because it’s a nighttime meeting and there’s no question period.

🛸 It's a cosmic clash of science-fiction titans in Symphony Nova Scotia's Star Wars vs Star Trek! Hosted by Jonathan Del Arco. February 27&28.*

*Sponsored Post

This iconic masterpiece hits harder than ever when the games get mean and the night gets late…

Grab your tickets, brace yourself, and step into the living room where nothing, and no one, comes out unscathed.

February 27 - March 15, 2026

🍺 After nearly a decade of operations, Halifax-based business 2 Crows Brewing will be shutting down—the company announced via social media that March 7 will be the last day for people to visit the taprooms.

🔬 Dalhousie University says it plans to reopen its anatomy lab in the fall after failing repeat air quality tests last October—the problem came down to the level of formaldehyde, which is typically used to preserve and disinfect specimens but is also a carcinogen.

📉 All of the Atlantic Canadian provinces experienced a population decline in 2025, according to new data—this marks the end of a population boom for the region, with Nova Scotia losing 1,400 in the fourth quarter of 2025.

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

🗓 Spontaneity Improv: Combo Show: Experience an evening of musical improv comedy as they hold an opening night (and closing night) of their next big improvised musical. Happening at the Bus Stop Theatre. | Feb. 20 | 7:30PM | $17.31 |

🗓 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+|

🗓 Yuk Yuks Halifax presents Mike Dambra: The Smart-Ass King of Comedy is back this weekend, taking the stage with host Liam Godson and featuring comedian Steve Mackie. | Feb. 20-21 | 8PM | $25+|

🗓 National Karate Championships: The best of the best karate athletes throughout all of Canada are coming to Halifax for the Karate Senior and U21 National Championships. Taking place at the Halifax Convention Centre. | Feb. 20-22 | Various prices |

🗓 Halifax Black Film Festival: The Halifax Black Film Festival is an annual event celebrating Black stories, voices, and filmmakers from Canada and around the world. |Feb. 20-24 |

🗓 2026 Bell AUS Basketball Championships: The Atlantic University Sport basketball championships brings out the best university teams from across Atlantic Canada to face off in this national tournament at the Scotiabank Centre. | Feb. 20-22 | Various prices |

🗓 Great Canadian Kilt Skate: This second annual event celebrates Scottish contributions to Canada’s multicultural mosaic. Come out and skate in your favourite kilt or tartan. Held at the Emera Oval. | Feb. 21 | 4PM |

🗓 Christian Paquette & Steve Cowan: Flutist Christian Paquette and guitarist Steve Cowan present a wonderful program that spans a range of musical styles, blending classical repertoire, contemporary sound worlds, and folk traditions. | Feb. 21 | 7:30PM | $30+|

🗓 MRG Live Presents Phil Hanley: A Canadian comedian with a firm footing in the NYC comedy scene, Phil has appeared on many late night shows while also being an advocate for dyslexia awareness and mixes it in with his comedy. Taking place at the Light House Arts Centre| Feb. 22 | 7PM | $41+|

🗓 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 |

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

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

🚢➡️ The MSC Eleni container vessel arrives in Halifax from Sines at 6:15am and departs for Montreal at 9:45pm.

➡️ The Algoma East Coast tanker departs Halifax for Saint John at 7am.

➡️ The Oceanex Sanderling container ship departs Halifax for St. John’s at 6pm.

➡️ The Nolhan Ava container vessel departs Halifax for Argentia at 10:30pm.

🍺 Grab a craft beer at 2 Crows Brewing this weekend and celebrate all they’ve accomplished in their near-decade of business. They deserve the support.

🍗 The Stubborn Goat Gastropub is serving Cinnamon Heart Chilli Crisp Wings, tossed in a rich blend of chilli crisp, soy sauce and maple syrup, topped with sesame seeds.

💔 One-in-five children in Nova Scotia are living in poverty. That's the biggest takeaway from the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives-Nova Scotia (CCPA-NS) 2025 report card on child and family poverty in the province, which analyzes the most recently available tax-filer data to identify gaps within our system. The report was released on Wednesday, Feb. 18, alongside partners Campaign 2000 and Fed Family Lab. This report is dropped days after Brendan Maguire, the minister of education, announced that the province will not meet it's $10-a-day childcare deadline on March 31. The Coast’s Brendyn Creamer goes over some of the statistics from the report, as well as the recommendations made for government.

💰 An investment firm owned by John Risley is facing a lawsuit from longtime business associate Brendan Paddick who says Risley owes him $22 million—this happened on the same day that Risley submitted a plan to the Nova Scotia Supreme Court to transfer the firms’ assets to a new owner.

🏒 Framed jerseys signed by Sidney Crosby and Nathan MacKinnon have been stolen from the Big Leagues Brew Pub, with the business sharing video footage of the incident—the owner, Jamie Latter, got the jerseys at an auction in Cole Harbour, where both players grew up.

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