Hello family,

Unfortunately, it’s me again, this time with a video message from EJ Global Headquarters. I had hoped it wouldn’t come to this, but I’ve had to invoke the baby in my threats:

Luckily, this will not apply to most of you because you have been standing on business for Poppy and I.

Ok, all jokes aside, I will be the first to admit that the length of this competition is getting way out of control and had I known that it would be this cumbersome from the start, I may have just kept on scrolling and saved myself a lot of annoying people.

But then I revisit my why. And that is that I want other moms who are parenting through complicated grief—and somehow surviving—that they are absolutely not alone. This isn’t about being “better” than the other moms, it’s about being a different type of superhero; one that might not be thriving, but is just doing her very best with the hand she was dealt.

Also, Meta has banned the Super Mom competition on its platforms because god forbid we celebrate women in any organized way. But The Coast doesn’t ban shit, so vote away here: https://thesupermom.org/2026/julie-lawrence

I am WAY behind in the semi-finals, so I’m once again calling on this great city to get behind a woman that is simply holding on for dear life. After this round, I will officially be in the FINAL 8 of the over 200,000 moms that started out in this competition. How cool would that be?

A reminder you can vote once for free, but if you are financially able, you can buy votes (up to 250) and all the money collected from those will go to The Children’s Miracle Network.

Thank you times a million as always. What a privilege it is to have a whole city to call on to have my back as I navigate this crazy, scary, incredible, devastating, and hilarious new reality.

All the love and light!

Jules

📷 @editorjulesl

Today: 🌤️ 18°

Tomorrow: 🌤️ 25°

Next Day: 🌥️ 28°

7-day forecast

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

The annual Halifax Pride festival is coming up fast, with around 45 events taking place from July 16-18.

One of its biggest events, the Halifax Pride Parade, is set to take place on Saturday, July 18 at 12pm. Beginning at the east end of Cogswell Street, the parade will make its way through downtown Halifax before returning to the Garrison Grounds where the festivities will continue with music, drag, and more.

The Pride organization says their programs are expanding as they prepare for Canada Pride 2027 in Halifax, a momentous celebration put on through a partnership between Halifax Pride and Fierté Canada Pride. One of the new additions is called Pride Live, a concert at the Garrison Grounds featuring nationally acclaimed musician RALPH, along with Burry, Good Dear Good, Minoe, and more. The event will take place on Friday, July 24. Tickets can be purchased here.

Other events include queer film screenings, a family-fun day at the Garrison Grounds, a QTBIPOC showcase titled melaNATION (July 16), a drag event featuring Shea Couleé, Eboni La'Belle, and Mya Foxx titled The Bump (July 17), a queer twist on traditional East Coast music with The Gaylidh (July 22), and the Dykes vs Divas kickball game (July 26).

“We’re expanding the festival this year to help prepare for the increased number of visitors we expect next summer, while continuing to invest in community events, local talent, and the grassroots spirit that makes Halifax Pride unique,” says Fiona Kerr, executive director of Halifax Pride. “Our goal is to showcase Halifax on a national stage without losing what makes Pride here feel personal and welcoming.”

To stay up to date on what Halifax Pride has planned this summer, check out their website.

🪧 A tentative agreement has been reached between long-term care workers and the province according to the union—the eight-week action has seen 3,600 workers on strike as they asked for higher wages.

🏠 A contentious housing development in Musquodoboit Harbour funded by John Wesley Chisholm has been canned with Chisholm selling the land and cutting his losses—this is due to the province declaring part of his property a special planning zone for a new long-term care home without reaching a sale agreement with Chisholm after 19 months of trying.

⚕️ A new mobile clinic for non-urgent medical care has opened on Dresden Row, according to Nova Scotia Health—it says the clinic will take patients who are connected to one of their doctors or nurse practitioners in the daytime but will take after hours requests on certain days.

🍕 Mystic Pizza: The Musical at TAG. A fun story set to hits from the 80’s. Closes June 21. This show is selling out! Tickets here!*

🏡 Is aging in place the new downsizing? This free home walkthrough resource helps homeowners decide if a house is suitable for a long-term fit.*

*Sponsored Post

Sips and Sails invites guests to experience Halifax’s waterfront like never before. Timed with the city’s biggest international sailing weekend, this exclusive event blends stunning harbour views, ice cold Garrison Beer, live entertainment, and an electric atmosphere. Guests can gather with friends, soak in the excitement on the water, and enjoy a front-row setting for world-class racing action just offshore. Whether celebrating a special occasion or simply embracing the energy of the weekend, Sips and Sails offers an unforgettable way to enjoy Halifax’s vibrant waterfront. Limited tickets are available, making this a must-attend experience for visitors and locals seeking the ultimate summer event.

📚 Nova Scotians are rallying to save five Annapolis Valley libraries that were announced to be shutting down due to what the regional library organization calls frozen funding—the organization would be left with only six libraries in its network.

🏒 The Halifax Mooseheads were trading to win at the QMJHL draft this weekend—the team traded their number three overall and two current players to pick up a Mateo Nobert, a third-round NHL pick for the Vegas Golden Knights.

🔥 RCMP are investigating a potential connection between a homicide in Upper Big Tracadie and several fires in the area on May 31 and the morning of June 1—police are asking for anyone with information or footage of the fires to contact them.

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

🗓 Indigenous Glass Art Experience: Immerse yourself in Indigenous culture, creativity, and storytelling with this special package that grants museum admission, a personal tour of Welcome Turtle Island with the artists, and a hands-on mosaic glass art workshop. | June 9 | 1PM | $185 |

🗓 Steel Cut Oats and The Gilberts: Check out the indie pop band Steel Cut Oats and local talents The Gilberts in this special show at the Carleton. | June 11 | 7:30PM | $15+|

🗓 Neptune Theatre: Come From Away: This musical about the experiences of Gander, NL residents during the September 11 attacks is playing at the Neptune Theatre. | March 31-June 21 | $40+|

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

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

🚢➡️ The Atlantic Star container vessel arrives in Halifax from Liverpool at 5:20am and departs for New York at 4:30pm.

➡️ The Tropic Lissette container vessel departs Halifax for West Palm Beach at 7am.

🚢➡️ The Norwegian Breakaway cruise vessel arrives in Halifax at 7am and departs at 4:30pm.

🚢 The HMM Victory container vessel arrives in Halifax from New York at 3:15pm.

🚢 The Marti Cloud container vessel arrives in Halifax from New York at 3:20pm.

🍹 Warm weather means house-made seltzers at Churned. Rhubarb mint and hibiscus lemonade. Make it a float with a scoop of delicious ice cream.

🥪 Need a sandwich to go this weekend? Larry’s Sandwiches has your back. Sandwiches wrapped to go anywhere you need to go: picnics, beach, or back home.

💖 For Donna Howard, helping people has always come first. Long before she became the face behind Halifax Happy Hours, Howard spent years caring for others as a registered nurse. The profession taught her the importance of connection, community, and well-being, which are values that continue to guide her work today. "I think being a registered nurse, I see the importance for people to get out in the community and be social," Howard says. "Whether it's going to the Saturday morning market or going for a happy hour with some friends or colleagues after work, having that experience and time as an outlet really benefits your health." The Coast’s Warren D’Silva speaks with Howard about the transition from nursing to social media influencer—and how some of her skills carried over.

🚨 The wife of a Nova Scotian man accused of making AI deepfake material of multiple women is calling on the federal government to pass the Protecting Victims Act—the law would criminalize the practice of sharing deepfakes.

⚕️ Nova Scotia Health says the province has brought in 278 new doctors over the past year, which includes 111 family doctors—there are still over 60,000 on the need-a-family-practice registry.

Thanks for reading The Coast Daily today.

If you found something useful, consider forwarding this newsletter to another Haligonian.

And before you go, let us know: