🗞 Should Halifax de-amalgamate?

Hello Coast readers,

I’m writing the intro today to let you know about the City Hall Insider newsletter that I write. Most of the reporting I do, especially the regular council meeting recaps, are free and accessible to everyone through this Daily newsletter and thecoast.ca site. But the sad reality of the state of journalism is that The Coast doesn’t have a robust newsroom anymore, and not many places do. We simply can’t cover as much as we used to for free.

But we can pick a really important subject in the city, come up with a way to cover it that keeps costs as low as possible, then recruit an audience of interested readers who are able to help pay for it. Enter the City Hall Insider. What this newsletter offers is a way for you to catch up on all the meetings that have happened in our municipal government, like that important committee nobody’s ever heard of, delivered to your inbox every Monday. The City Hall Insider is included as part of paid Coast Insider memberships—you can support The Coast and get the city’s best source of city hall news for as little as $8.25 a month—but we’re happy to send a free sample to anyone who’s interested in getting Halifax’s best city hall coverage.

– Matt Stickland

SHIPPING NEWS

Honest Abe arrives a wee bit tardy into Halifax Harbour this week

Abraham Lincoln never lied—or so the former president’s lore goes. But was he ever late? Just a smidgen, even? His namesake, the CMA CGM A. Lincoln, is running two days behind schedule on its voyage from Tanger Med, Morocco, The Coast’s Martin Bauman reports.

As well as a late Lincoln, this week’s harbour report detours into Chinese philosophy, Seinfeld quotables and Spanish bullfighters. As Kramer himself said, “giddy up.”

Need to know

🏠 Nova Scotia has released a new five-year, $1 billion housing plan the government says will help speed up housing construction in the province.

⌨️ Apple has launched a new Mi’kmaw language keyboard on their devices, a move that will help support the next generation of Mi’kmaq language speakers.

🙏 Thank you, Kjipuktuk, for making Nocturne an absolute success. Your feedback is important; take our survey and be entered to win a Nocturne prize pack!*

🎥 Portland Street from Prince Street to Alderney Drive will be closed again today for filming between 9am and 8pm.

❤️ The annual Remembrance Day ceremony has been moved from the Grand Parade to Sullivan’s Pond in Dartmouth. 

*Sponsored Post

SPONSORED BY SALTSCAPES EAST COAST EXPO

Get Your Holiday shopping off to the Perfect Start at Saltscapes East Coast Expo—Oct. 27 to 29!

Come down to the Halifax Exhibition Centre from October 27 to 29 for the Largest Fall Saltscapes East Coast Expo Ever! If you think handmade and homespun are the key ingredients for a magical holiday season then you won't want to miss Saltscapes Expo this fall. Festive farm-to-table inspiration, crafters and artisan retailers will inspire holiday gift-giving and entertaining over three jam-packed days.

Don't forget to buy your tickets early and save!

On The Coast

SPONSORED BY LIVE ART DANCE

Christopher House: on stage this weekend!

Live Art Dance presents Canadian contemporary dance icon Christopher House, October 27 & 28 at Light House Arts Centre!

After serving as Toronto Dance Theatre’s Artistic Director for over 25 years, Christopher House shares his intimate solo work, New Tricks. You can’t teach an old dog new tricks… or can you?

PODCAST

The Grand Parade: Should Halifax de-amalgamate?

In this week's Grand Parade podcast episode, Coast reporters Matt Stickland and Martin Bauman dive into the HRM's Integrated Mobility Plan and what it secretly not-so-secretly suggests: Maybe Halifax would've been better off had the province not amalgamated the region in 1996?

Matt fills Martin in on why John Lohr's housing power play is a recipe for abuse—if not by the current housing minister, then by his eventual successor. Also, the two discuss one of the biggest cracks in the foundation of the HRM's governance: Really bad minutes. That's right: Minutes.

In other news

🥂 A new study conducted by associate professor Kara Thompson at St. Francis Xavier University found that Nova Scotia post-secondary schools aren’t doing a great job at managing alcohol consumption on campus.

🎃 It may be pumpkin season, but severe weather events that swept over the province this year have heavily affected harvest numbers.

🏒 Unlike the NHL, the CHL will continue to allow players to support causes and organizations on the ice.

🏥 The province has launched a Healthcare Improvement Challenge—a contest where Nova Scotian health workers submit their ideas on how the healthcare system can be improved for a chance to win $1,000. The contest is open until November 22.

🔥 Here’s a look at how areas in the HRM impacted by this year’s wildfires are recovering.

EDUCATION

Universities Studying Slavery conference full recap is on its way

Over the last week, something very important happened in Halifax: the Universities Studying Slavery conference. The Coast was there every day from Wednesday Oct. 18 through Saturday Oct. 21, and a comprehensive report of what happened is coming soon. In the meantime, you can read the intro and three brief daily recaps. Please reflect on why this important international consortium of Black excellence—in activism and academia moving the needle on reparative justice in Nova Scotia and the world—has yet to receive the media attention it deserves.

Sure things

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

🗓️ Murder for Two: Check out a showing of Neptune Theatre’s Murder for Two in the final few weeks of its run. Synopsis: Officer Marcus Moscowicz is a small town cop with dreams of making it to detective. One fateful night, shots ring out at the surprise birthday party of novelist Arthur Whitney and the writer is killed… fatally. With the nearest detective an hour away, Marcus jumps at the chance to prove his sleuthing skills. | Oct. 25 | 7:30pm | $28-$60.

🗓️ Rube & Rake: St. John’s duo Rube & Rake will be ringing in autumn with a “dreamy” live setlist at Ramblers this week. | Oct. 27 | 8pm | $20.

🗓️ The Haunted Honky-Tonk: The ultimate country and Halloween mash-up will be happening at the Buffalo Club in Dartmouth this weekend, with a live performance by The Ordeals. | Oct. 28 | 8:30pm | $5-$10.

Find more Halifax events in The Coast listings

Shop talk

🍕 A third Nayya Pizza location, popular for its Pictou-style pies, is opening up on King Street according to Halifax ReTales.

Eat this

🌮 Wave Foods is having its final taco Tuesday of the year at The Local Halifax today.

Shop this

👚 Check out Lake City Cider’s new merch. Get your hoodie, crew neck or ¼ zip in the taproom or online.

🌱 Prepping for next year’s gardening season? The Halifax Plant Library is giving away plants, bulbs and seeds. First come, first served!