🗞 Halifax's looming money problems

FINANCE

Halifax’s looming money problems take shape

The municipal Audit & Finance Standing Committee met Wednesday to get an update on the city’s financial performance in the second quarter of this fiscal year. And there was some good news, as the city’s investments did okay in Q2. The city made $9.6 million from its portfolio during April, May and June 2023, including “operating fund investment income” of just over $4.2 million, about $700,000 more than the expected $3.5 million. Staff expect this trend to continue as long as interest rates remain high.

That said, as of Sep. 30 the HRM’s business units are running a projected $8 million deficit with most of the business units running at a loss in Q2. One of the only business units that’s helping to offset the massive drop in the deed transfer tax (an estimated $10 million) is transportation and public works, which managed to claw back over $600,000 of municipal driving subsidies through parking fees.

This deficit will be a hard one for council to deal with as they are not allowed, legislatively, to carry a deficit year to year.

Read the full story at The Coast. 

Need to know

🏠 An emergency overnight shelter for unhoused individuals opened in Bridgewater Wednesday evening, and the newly announced Dartmouth shelter will open its doors today—with the province announcing it will remain open until 2026.

🛍️ Kick-off your holiday shopping and support local at the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia’s Gallery Shop—open Tuesday to Sunday, 10am-5pm, and until 9pm on Thursdays.*

💡 The Holiday Parade of Lights that was scheduled for tomorrow has been postponed to Nov. 25 due to that heavy rain in the forecast.

🚌 Halifax Transit service changes are coming on November 20, 2023. With new and redesigned service, we’re investing in high ridership routes to make transit more efficient for people travelling throughout the region.*

*Sponsored Post

SPONSORED BY CRAFT NOVA SCOTIA

Designer Craft Show 2023

Craft Nova Scotia's Designer Craft Show is back at Pavilion 22 on the Halifax Waterfront. Running annually since 1977, with a break during the pandemic, dates are:

Nov 17 12pm-7pm
Nov 18 10am-5pm
Nov 19 10am-5pm

Featuring makers from across the Maritimes bringing ceramics, textiles, woodwork, visual art, jewelry, leather, craft spirits, body care, treats and more. You can also enjoy artist demonstration in printmaking, weaving, ceramics and spinning.

Weekend admission is $8 and supports the programs & services of Craft Nova Scotia, our provincial craft organization. Founded in 1973, Craft Nova Scotia is a non-profit, charitable service organization that works to promote craft, the appreciation of craft products, and craft work in Nova Scotia.

On The Coast

SPONSORED BY NEPTUNE THEATRE

Cinderella Opens Next Week

Neptune Theatre's Cinderella is a delightful comedic twist on the timeless classic. Yearning for a better life, one magical evening Cinderella is granted her wish to attend the royal ball. Packed with pop songs, laughter and surprises, this family-friendly musical comedy runs from November 21 to January 7.

Tickets start at $40, incl. fees & taxes. Secure your seats today!

In other news

📰 A new newspaper has hit shelves in Atlantic Canada: Arabic Atlantic. Founder Ali Ettarnichi says its purpose is to act as “a link for all those people from back home, from different parts of the country, to their home, to their heritage, to their culture.”

🏈 The CFL has potentially found an owner to finally make the dream of a Halifax pro football team a reality, but CFL analyst Dave Naylor isn’t optimistic.

🪟 A Truro artist took inspiration from abandoned Nova Scotia houses to create his latest miniature exhibit, Broken Windows, on display at MMFI gallery.

✈️ WestJet will soon be offering new direct flights to London, Dublin and Edinburgh from Halifax.

🏅 This year’s Nova Scotian recipients of the YMCA Peace Medals were presented at a special ceremony this week. CBC has the story.

⏸️ The federal government’s plan to explore Sable Island for petroleum has been put on hold.

🗣️ Peter van Praagh spoke with CBC about what we can expect from this year’s Halifax International Security Forum, the 15th annual.

🧑‍⚖️ Tracy Kitch, the former CEO of the IWK Children’s Hospital, will be re-tried for her 2018 fraud charges.

SPONSORED BY CROWTHER & BRAYLEY

Online Auction: Preview now!

Online bidding opens: Friday November 24
Closes: Thursday November 30

Artists include: Alex Colville, Maud Lewis, Elizabeth Cann, Mabel Day, Helen Weld, Jack Gray, Arthur Lloy, Anthony Law, Brian Porter, Lewis Smith, Dusan Kadlec. Jewellery-Rolex watch, diamond, sterling, rugs, Lorenzen mushrooms, Inuit, maps, chronometers, Jonathan Otter furniture.

Preview the online auction here.

MUSIC

Songwriter series aims to shine spotlight on women, non-binary artists across Maritimes

When Lisa MacIsaac was making a name for herself as a fiddler and singer in Creignish, Cape Breton, she was used to being the only woman in the folk bands she played with. That extended to festival lineups, where the JUNO-nominated artist found herself in concert rooms and on stages with very few faces that looked like hers.

“I saw it a lot growing up,” MacIsaac says, speaking by phone with The Coast. “A lot of the time, it would be all men, and then a female fiddle player. That was the norm.”

Even when she moved to Toronto and formed the folk-pop duo Madison Violet with Brenley MacEachern in the 1990s, the two found it challenging to book gigs when other female-led acts were already on the showbill.

As MacIsaac tells The Coast, she’s ready to put that industry bias to rest. She’s organizing a 10-date east coast concert series featuring all women and non-binary artists, starting with a show at The Stage at St. Andrew’s this Sunday, Nov. 19.

Read Martin Bauman’s full story at The Coast.

Sure things

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

🗓 Rock of Ages: King Harvest Academy of Music is honouring the classic album Rock of Ages at the Marquee this weekend. | Nov. 18 | 8pm | $23.69.

🗓 The Glenn Miller Orchestra: In the mood for an evening of jazz? The Glenn Miller Orchestra is making a stop in Halifax at the Rebecca Cohn Auditorium for its In the Christmas Mood show. | Nov. 20 | 7pm | $81.65-$109.25.

🗓️ Candlelit concert series: The Rostova String Quartet will play back-to-back nights this weekend at the Sanctuary Arts Centre in support of the North Grove community hub. | Nov. 18 & 19 | 7pm | $42.42.

Find more Halifax events in The Coast listings

Shop talk

🍩 The infamous Vandal Doughnuts is opening up a location in Dartmouth!

🧁 Bramble Bakery has found a permanent home in Halifax.

Eat this

🍽️ Looking for some help when it comes to planning Christmas celebrations with your friends and loved ones? Tasty meals-to-go shop Jane’s Next Door has released its holiday menu and it sounds nothing short of delicious. Be sure to get your order in!