🗞️ School program teaches teens to stop violence before it happens

Oh hey Halifax,

You thinking about taking a trip this summer? Well, just when you thought air travel couldn’t possibly get any worse…WestJet has done it! The airline has introduced a whole new way to fly and they’re calling it UltraBasic.

UltraBasic comes with a number of sweet perks, like no carry-on bags unless you’re flying over an ocean and automatically being assigned seats at the back of the aircraft that are not necessarily with the people you're travelling with.

But fear not my friends, you can always pay extra to sit with your sister or bring a carry-on on board!

You better REALLY “love where you’re going” to fly UltraBasic.

You’re doing great out there!

– Julie

🌡️ Traffic & Weather

Today: 🌦️ 25°

Tomorrow: 🌧️ 18°

Next Day: 🌧️ 15°

7-day forecast

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

💨 Here is Halifax’s Air Quality Index and the smoke report.

NEWS + OPINION

Healthy Relationships for Youth Program teaches students to stop violence before it occurs

It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to confirm that there is something very amiss in HRM schools. The threat of violence seems to be looming like a dank fog. Ongoing bomb threats and fear of violence has led many teens to go as far as arming themselves. Just last week, students staged a walkout, waving signs that read “we don’t feel safe” and “we want safe schools.”

It seems clear that whatever the province is doing (if they’re doing anything) to make kids feel safe is not working. So, maybe it’s time to look at something…else?

The Antigonish Women's Centre and Sexual Assault Services Association—a community-based registered charity—is (and has been since 2006) delivering a program to local schools that teaches students about healthy relationships as a way to mitigate gender-based violence; to be proactive rather than reactive, and ultimately, to make kids feel safe at school.

It’s called The Healthy Relationships for Youth Program (HRP) and by all accounts, it’s working. According to program data, 77% of youth facilitators and 49% of participants feel their school is a safer space because of it. 

The Coast’s Julie Lawrence spoke with Anita Stewart—executive director of the Antigonish Women's Centre and Sexual Assault Services Association—about how the program works and why it should be mandatory in all schools across the province.

🤔 Need To Know

🏦 The Bank of Canada cut its key interest rate for the first time in more than four years, marking a major turning point in its fight against inflation.

⛺The province will contribute $500K to help people experiencing homelessness. The support—known as diversion funding—will go to 14 community-based organizations including 7 in HRM.

🎫 There is still time to get tickets for the Feed Nova Scotia spring 50/50! Don't miss your chance to win cash and support food-insecure Nova Scotians. Buy your tickets here!*

⛵ Set sail this summer at Armdale Yacht Club's Sailing School! Learn the ropes through our Adult Keelboating lessons. Term 1 starts next week. Term 2 starts late July. Enroll today!*

*Sponsored Post

SPONSORED BY DOWNTOWN HALIFAX BUSINESS COMMISSION

Downtown Halifax launches Vision 2030 

Downtown Halifax Business Commission (DHBC) has revealed the “big ideas” that will inform Downtown Halifax’s success for the future.

Downtown Halifax Vision 2030 is the result of both stakeholder and public engagement, and from it, four Transformational Moves, along with 17 programs, policies and priorities, were created.

Visit here for more information.

CITY

North End Bikeway Corridor may not be enough for experienced cyclists

Steve MacKay has been cycling in the city for the last 15 years.

As construction on the North End Bikeway Corridor continues—the city’s project to create a safe route for cyclists from the north end to downtown—MacKay has chosen to remain on his route through Agricola Street.

“There’s not enough there to bring me over four blocks,” he said. “It’s two blocks down from Agricola, which is my usual route.”

Furthermore, he finds the design to be counter-intuitive to cyclists like himself, who are comfortable riding in traffic and are looking to get from point A to point B without hindrance.

“If I go there, I have all these stop signs where I have to yield the right of way to people in cars, or dismount and almost fight for my right of way,” explains MacKay. 

“I can appreciate it being more appealing to somebody who’s not comfortable biking with traffic on Agricola, where there is less traffic, but for me, where I am comfortable biking with traffic, it doesn’t offer enough to bring me over.”

The Coast’s Brendyn Creamer has more on the North End Bikeway Corridor and who it’s intended for.

🗞️ In Other News

🛍️ Theft is on the rise in downtown Halifax, according to the Spring Garden Area Business Association.

🏒 Simon Sports—a brother-owned sports investment firm and management group—now owns 100% of the Halifax Mooseheads.

🕺🏻 A new bar—Rumour Cabaret—is looking to end the LGBTQ+ nightlife drought in Halifax. The owners hope the new spot will be a hot one for drag queen and king performances, live music and dancing, with community space for meetings in the daytime.

🛃 More than 9,000 union members who work for Canadian border services will strike starting Friday afternoon if no deal is reached. The key issues include pay parity with other law enforcement agencies, flexible telework and remote work options, pension benefits and stronger workplace protections.

💸 A Halifax woman battling cancer was scammed out of $5k when she received a call ironically alleging she was the victim of fraud and needed to help recuperate the money.

🗓️ Things To Do

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

🗓 STAGES Theatre Festival 2024: Eastern Front’s annual Spring festival of new works, STAGES focuses on bold and innovative new work that pushes the boundaries of what theatre can be. From full productions to family offerings and interactive pieces, STAGES highlights new performances from Atlantic Canada and beyond. | June 5-9

🗓 Fairview Farmers Market: Drop by for the grand opening of the Fairview Farmers Market. There will be free face painting and balloon animals for the little ones. Enjoy a little music as you browse the great assortment of vendors. | June 6 | 4pm | Free

🗓 Cirque du Soleil presents CORTEO: Corteo, the most enchanting arena production from Cirque du Soleil, is heading to Halifax to charm audiences for the very first time at the Scotiabank Centre for six performances. This unique production, directed by Daniele Finzi Pasca, was performed for the first time in Montreal in April 2005. Since its creation, Corteo—presented by Sun Life Global Investments—has amazed over 10 million people, in 22 countries. | June 6-9 | $49

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

⚓️ What’s In The Harbour

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

🛳️➡️ The Vivienne Sheri D container ship arrives in Halifax from Portland at 8:15am and leaves for Argentina at 1pm.

🛳️➡️ The Volendam cruise ship arrives in Halifax from Canadian seas at 8am and leaves for Canadian seas at 4pm.

🛳️➡️ The MSC Sines R container ship arrives in Halifax from Sines at 6:15am and leaves for Montreal at 5pm.

🛳️➡️ The Island Princess cruise ship arrives in Halifax from Canadian seas at 7am and leaves for Canadian seas at 6pm.

🍴 Where To Eat & Drink

🥗 The Falafel Bowl is back on the lunch menu at The Canteen: house-made falafel, tomato, cucumbers, pickles, feta, greens, garlic sauce, hummus and crispy chickpeas. 

🐟🍟 Calling all fish and chip lovers! Drop by Rudy and Olive’s on the Bedford Highway for their signature fresh fried fish and hand cut fries.

👀 In Case You Missed It

📣 Graduation season is behind us in Halifax. But Students for the Liberation of Palestine - Kjipuktuk–or SLPK–are still on campus at Dalhousie University. In May, the SLPK’s calls for divestment and disclosure from Israel were joined by two motions passed by the Dalhousie Faculty Association–or DFA–to take a stand against the war on Gaza. The Coast’s Lauren Phillips has more on Dal faculty’s call for action.

🏠 The province announced new housing options for people experiencing homelessness. One in Westphal will provide 35 spaces for Black and African Nova Scotians. The province will pay $2.3 million for operating costs and 902ManUp, a violence advocacy organization, will be providing services. The second—specifically for seniors— will be a new pallet shelter village made up of 41 units on Atlantic Street.

That’s it!

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