Happy Friday Halifax,

Today I ride (er, skate) for the gays because I’m outraged to report that Heated Rivalry was snubbed by the Emmy Awards—deemed ineligible for consideration because it was fully funded by a Canadian outfit.

Under Television Academy rules, foreign shows are ineligible unless they are official U.S. co-productions that secure financial and creative partnerships before filming begins. Because HBO Max only acquired distribution rights after production was completed, the show doesn't qualify.

To me, this is simply homophobia and a collective Canadian boner killer. I said what I said.

The show absolutely dominated the 2026 Canadian Screen Awards with 16 wins, so people naturally assumed that the Emmy nominations would come rolling in. But according to creator Jacob Tierney, the news wasn't exactly a surprise. "It never even occurred to us," he said. "It's like asking if you wanna go to a thing you know you're not gonna get invited to. It's great to be here, but awards are stupid."

Obviously as a living, breathing human with eyeballs, I was mesmerized by this show. I was so blinded by lust that I chose to ignore the perplexingly complete lack of research anyone did about the actual sport of hockey. And you know when I say anything in support of hockey, it’s bad.

I was particularly obsessed by how the face-off between Hollander and Rozanov was like the huge, pivotal moment in the whole hockey season—and the OLYMPICS!—when we all know that there are like 65757857 of those per game. It’s just how they start the play, dolls.

That said, I’m not complaining because I love seeing these hotties stare into each other’s eyes all sweaty and competitive, but also, tender and loving while having strangely long conversations before the puck drops without anyone noticing. More face-offs should involve whispering sweet nothings, in my humble opinion.

It’s a bummer too because Connor Storring—who playa Russian sex god Rozanov—couldn’t compete for a Canadian Screen Award because he’s American and now can’t compete for an Emmy because the show is Canadian.

I just think Trump’s America isn’t evolved enough for sweaty hockey-playing gays and a bevy of BJs. To which I say: their loss. We’ll keep it all for ourselves.

Have a sexy weekend with so much love and light!

– Jules

📷 @editorjulesl

🌡️ Traffic & Weather

Today: ⛈️ 25°

Tomorrow: 🌤️ 27°

Next Day: 🌤️ 26°

7-day forecast

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

ENTERTAINMENT

How a booming fan culture helped Hal-Con sell out months in advance

📸 Hal-Con/Contributed

Months before thousands of fans don elaborate costumes, line up for celebrity panels and fill the halls of the Nova Centre, the work behind Hal-Con is already well underway.

For organizers and cosplayers alike, Canada’s largest fan-run science fiction and fantasy convention is no longer a weekend event. It’s a year-round undertaking.

That growth has become increasingly visible. Hal-Con 2026, scheduled for Nov. 6-8, sold out all of its tickets by July 8,  nearly four months before the convention opens its doors. Organizers announced the milestone in an Instagram post, thanking fans for the “absolute feral energy” that drove ticket sales faster than expected.

The Coast’s Warren D’Silva speaks with one of Hal-Con’s organizers and cosplay artist Cait Freire about what makes the convention a huge success.

🤔 Need To Know

🏛️ Tim Houston is touring across Nova Scotia—stopping in several communities over the next few weeks—to speak with residents about challenges and opportunities.

🩺 Nova Scotia’s Need a Family Practice Registry decreased by 2,106 people last month—as of July 1, Nova Scotia Health says there are 58,473 Nova Scotians on the family doctor waitlist, down from 60,579 reported on June 1.

🍚 A new Consumer Reports investigation found that numerous rice products have high levels of inorganic arsenic—a dangerous form of a heavy metal and known carcinogen.

🛋️ You don't have to wait until you're overwhelmed to ask for support. Small conversations today can prevent bigger struggles tomorrow. Book a counselling appointment.*

*Sponsored Post

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INFRASTRUCTURE

Windsor Street Exchange project advances to second development phase

📸 Halifax Regional Municipality

On Wednesday, the Halifax Regional Municipality announced that the Windsor Street Exchange development project would be moving on to phase two.

As many Halifax drivers are aware, the first phase of construction of the Windsor Street Exchange began in fall 2025. According to a press release from the city, this phase focused primarily on enabling detours, retaining walls, underground utilities, site preparations and foundation activities.

The real work on the exchange will begin in the second phase, when construction of a new overpass will begin. The municipality says this overpass will allow for "efficient, uninterrupted movement between the Bedford Highway and Highway 11/the MacKay Bridge." It also promises to reconfigure intersections on the Bedford Highway, Windsor Street and Lady Hammond Road for safety and to reduce congestion.

The Coast’s Brendyn Creamer has more on the Windsor Street Exchange development.

🗞️ In Other News

🏗️ Nova Scotia's premier says the province has the infrastructure and people needed to meet the expected demands of hosting a new submarine fleet—but critics say more should be done to address clogged roads and hospitals and increased housing prices.

🍓 Strawberry u-picks may be open for fewer weeks—or not at all—this year, as producers navigate a slow start to the season.

⛺ A New Glasgow homeless shelter named after civil rights icon Viola Desmond has changed its name after a request by the family of the late Black rights activist—the shelter has been the subject of recent complaints related to disturbances, thefts and drug use.

🌳 A Dartmouth couple has saved a number of large trees that are encroaching on transmission lines from being cut down on their property after striking a compromise with Nova Scotia Power.

🚦 There has been an increase in the number of pedestrian and motor vehicle collisions in 2026 so far—from January to July in 2025, there were 55 vehicle pedestrian collisions and in 2026, from January to July, there were 74 vehicle pedestrian collisions.

🏥 Tim Houston says in many situations it would make sense to have an open competition for a newly created government job, but not in the case of the one announced last week for the former interim CEO of Nova Scotia Health.

📻 As the airwaves fell silent at Halifax talk radio station News 95.7, observers say the closure of the station is a loss—the radio station was abruptly taken off the air as its owner, Rogers Sports & Media, shuttered six radio stations in four Canadian cities.

🦞 A lobster fishing group in Nova Scotia has failed in its bid to persuade a judge that a First Nation does not have the treaty right to commercially fish for lobster out of season and without a licence.

🗓️ Things To Do

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

🗓 Dome is Boss: The Dome is turning up the heat with a full night of big sound, bright lights, lasers, and dance floor energy. Featuring Magic Mike, Adriana and Karate Kactus and powered by the BASSBOSS sound system, this night is built for anyone ready to dance, party, and kick off the weekend properly. | July 10 | 10pm | $5 | 

🗓 Dan Hendricken live at YukYuks: One of the Maritimes’ top comics, Dan has headlined clubs across Canada, appeared on CBC, and performed at the Halifax Comedy Festival. His easygoing style and razor-sharp storytelling make every show a must-see. Grab your tickets and join us for a weekend of big laughs! | July 10 and 11 | 8pm | $25 | 

🗓 Lo & the High Road at Bus Stop Theatre: This Canadian Celtic-inspired, five-piece indie folk band mixes traditional folk music and originals. Their music is inspired by the whimsical, from fantasy to Greek Mythology, all tied together with traditional Celtic instruments and a love of storytelling. Come down to hear some of your favourite Celtic tunes and also find some new Canadian music to love. | July 10 | 7pm | $24.25 | 

🗓 Men I Trust Presented by TD Halifax Jazz Festival: Renowned for their hypnotic melodies and captivating vocals, the band has earned acclaim for their distinct approach to music. Self-producing their tracks, they showcase a maturity beyond their years in the industry. Men I Trust’s influence extends from their evocative compositions to their understated yet compelling live performances, offering audiences a genuine and intimate musical experience. | July 10 | 7:30pm | From $72 | 

Check out FULL TD Halifax Jazz Fest Line-up

Have an event to share? Let us know at newsletter@thecoast.ca.

⚓️ What’s In The Harbour

➡️ The HMM Sapphire container vessel departs Halifax for Singapore at 5am.

🚢➡️ The ZIM Atlantic container vessel arrives in Halifax from Valencia at 5:20am and departs for New York at 12:30pm.

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

🚢➡️ The Elene general cargo vessel arrives in Halifax from St. Pierre at 8:15am and departs for St. Pierre at 4:30pm.

🚢➡️ The Selfoss container vessel arrives in Halifax from Portland (Maine) at 8:15am and departs for Reykjavik at 5pm.

➡️ The St. Petri tanker departs Halifax for Come By Chance at 1pm.

➡️ The Asian Vision vehicle carrier departs Halifax for New York at 1pm.

🚢 The Algosolis tanker arrives in Halifax from Nanticoke at 5:15pm.

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

🍴 Where To Eat & Drink

🥭 Looking to cool off on a hot day? Churned has exactly what you need. Pair a cone of their finest ice cream with their mango passion fruit seltzer to chill out under the sun.

🦞 It’s that time of year again. Lobster rolls are hot right now, and Stubborn Goat Gastropub has you covered. Order with some fries on the side and a nice cool beverage.

👀 In Case You Missed It

That’s it!

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:

Oh, hello Halifax,

Let’s start with a funny joke today, shall we?

Ah-hem…

Why did the pervert cross the road?

To buy a pair of Meta glasses!

These atrocities have been living rent free in the back of my mind since they launched, but now they have been pushed to my frontal lobe because Meta has paid Kylie Jenner millions to hawk these new “cool” looking versions of them. Talk about “disguise with intent”.

Let’s not even get into the irony of this collab. Mz. Jenner—gated homes, security teams, NDAs, lawsuits over privacy violations—promoting glasses that let strangers record people without their knowledge. It’s almost as rich as she is.

Earlier this year, Meta faced backlash over privacy concerns surrounding its AI-powered smart glasses. According to an investigation by a Swedish newspaper, contractors in Kenya reviewing AI data may have seen highly personal footage captured by the glasses. This includes bathroom visits, intimate moments and credit card information.

To which I say…duh!

The glasses, which first launched in 2021, are a collaboration between Meta and Italian-French eyewear company EssilorLuxottica—which owns Ray-Ban among many other brands. The smart glasses feature two small cameras, open-ear speakers, a microphone and a touch panel built into the temple of the glasses.

Let’s put aside the insane fact that everything recorded on these things is immediately uploaded to Meta’s AI mobile app—which is required to set up the glasses—allowing Meta to super-surveil you. The really scary thing is that anyone can sit at a playground or a pool or a dressing room with these now cool and normal looking sunglasses on and record whatever the eff they want.

I know that you little devil’s avocados just want to yell: “but Julie, people can already record you without your consent with a phone!”, which is true. But phones are so much more conspicuous and, deep down, you know that.

If you’re honestly just wanting to video your day from a first person perspective, put a Go-Pro on your head so that everyone can at least SEE that you’re a freak and avoid you if they want.

Either these glasses need to emit a flashing laser when they are recording to let everyone around them know OR anyone that buys them needs to have their name and address put on a registry. Those are the only two options that I would be comfortable with and I will not be taking questions at this time.

Love and light!

– Jules

📷 @editorjulesl

🌡️ Traffic & Weather

Today: ☀️ 29°

Tomorrow: 🌦️ 28°

Next Day: 🌤️ 28°

7-day forecast

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

NEWS + OPINION

“Awful but not unlawful”: White nationalism is on the rise in Nova Scotia—and we need to talk about it.

Contributed

Police in Halifax say racial hatred motivated a recent assault at a Costco in the city’s west end and are asking for the public’s help as the search continues for the suspect. Officers were dispatched Saturday to the store on Chain Lake Drive after receiving reports that a man was yelling racially offensive language at a family.

If you find this story shocking, you shouldn’t. The Coast has been covering the rise of white nationalism for over a year. From online harassment to fascist photo ops, white supremacy is becoming more emboldened. Liz LeClair explains why we can’t stay silent.

🤔 Need To Know

🎷 The Halifax Jazz Festival has cancelled its Saturday night show after headline act Broken Social Scene pulled out late last week—the last-minute change comes after drummer Justin Peroff of the Toronto-based indie rock band fell during a June 26 performance.

🚨 Halifax police are investigating the discovery of human remains near Long Lake—officers responded to a report of human remains in the area of the southern end of lake near Old Sambro Road just before 8 a.m. on Wednesday.

👕 Edwin Theriault, founder of Frenchy’s—a chain of regional thrift stores that helped transform the experience of buying and selling second-hand clothes in the Maritimes—has died at the age of 94.

🏳️‍🌈 Join the Museum for an evening of film with Parade: Queer Acts of Love & Resistance, a documentary that shaped Canada’s 2SLGBTQI+ movement.*

🏡 Seniors and their families are thinking ahead about a home’s long-term fit for aging in place. This free screening guide helps with the process.*

*Sponsored Post

🗞️ In Other News

😡 The man who recorded a video of a racist, profanity-laden tirade and was allegedly assaulted by the suspect in a Halifax Costco store says he is shocked and angered by what happened.

🚧 The overhaul of the Windsor Street Exchange is entering its next phase—early preparations for the redesign are finished and major construction will now get underway.

🚨 Police were called to the intersection of Quinpool Road at Quingate Place for a pedestrian who was struck and seriously injured—officials said that the vehicle collided when the 72 year-old woman in a marked crosswalk.

🏛️ The University of King's College says "hard choices" may be necessary as it aims to reduce its workforce due to budgetary concerns—the Halifax university is implementing a "workplace adjustment program" in an effort to reduce its employee numbers by 14.

🚢 Two Canadian warships sailed out of Halifax harbour on a NATO mission to detect and neutralize sea mines in European waters—the mission is part of Operation Reassurance, which has been dedicated to deterring Russian aggression in central and eastern Europe since Russia invaded and seized Ukraine’s Crimean Peninsula in 2014.

🎓 Acadia University is moving forward with a plan to restructure its faculties starting in the 2027-2028 academic year—the reconfiguration will leave the university with two faculties, compared to its current three.

🗓️ Things To Do

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

🗓 Public Lecture Night at Beaty Centre - Sharks: Join Beaty Centre for Marine Biodiversity to meet a PhD candidate in Marine Biology at Dalhousie University, Esteban Salazar Cervantes, who will share his recent field expeditions in Mexico, detailing the process of tagging whale sharks and discussing how these field data are directly applied to advance regional science and dynamic conservation planning.  | July 9 | 6:00pm | $14 | 

🗓 Virginia MacDonald Quartet with special guest Kirk MacDonald Presented by the TD Halifax Jazz Festival: Juno Award-winning clarinetist Virginia MacDonald has established herself as a leading voice of  her generation. Known for her lyrical and dynamic approach to the clarinet, she has been described by legendary clarinetist Doreen Ketchens as playing “like a scholar, very refined with plenty of soul.” As an in-demand bandleader, sidewoman, and composer, she maintains a busy international performance schedule across North America and Europe.  | July 9 | 7:30pm | $47.65 | 

See FULL TD Halifax Jazz Fest Line-up

🗓 Spontaneity - Improv the Musical: Join ‘Improv the Musical’ for their opening AND closing night of a brand new improvised musical inspired by YOU! Each show, these seasoned improvisers create the next big musical, with each scene and song made up on the spot! | July 9 | 7:30pm | $15 | 

Have an event to share? Let us know at newsletter@thecoast.ca.

⚓️ What’s In The Harbour

➡️ The Atlantic Sun container vessel departed Halifax for Liverpool at 1am.

🚢➡️ The HMM Sapphire arrived in Halifax from New York at 4:45am and departs for Singapore at 11pm.

🚢➡️ The MSC Giada III arrives in Halifax from Sines at 6:15am and departs for Montreal at 5pm.

🚢 The Asian Vision arrives in Halifax from Southampton at 11am.

🍴 Where To Eat & Drink

🍗 R&B Kitchen has a favourite returning to their menu: fried chicken! Pair it with some mac & cheese, candied yams and cornbread.

🦪 2 Doors Down is serving a classic seafood dish you need to try: Mussels Mariniere. Made with mussels, white wine, shallot, garlic, tomato and focaccia from Maria’s Pantry.

👀 In Case You Missed It

That’s it!

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:

Hey Halifax, you look so pretty today!

I’m here to let you know that the kids simply aren’t alright.

Last night on the American news I saw that there was a violent “teen takeover” on the 4th of July. Authorities in Charleston, South Carolina say a brawl led to an officer being tackled and pummeled repeatedly by a gaggle of angry teenagers and I, for one, was shaken to my core by this story because I’m famously terrified of teenagers. Always have been, even when I was one.

But now they are striking out here at home. They’re target? One of our most beloved and potent-smelling national treasures: Canadian Tire.

Halifax police say that an 18 year-old and two youths were arrested after breaking into not one, but TWO Canadian Tire locations. In broad daylight. These crazy kids pillaged the BB gun display and made off with several other items (I’m thinking a tube of sealant, a very small grill and streamers for a child’s bike…but that’s just conjecture).

Then, as they made their great escape with the goods, the 14 year-old female sprayed a sales associate with a sensory irritant—which they probably also lifted from the store. That place really does have everything.

Police say Garik Johnny, 18, was in provincial court on Monday facing charges of robbery and disguise with intent. I’m a bit obsessed with “disguise with intent”. Intent to what? Anything? What if you’re in disguise with intent to drive by your ex’s house wearing this to see if he’s out on his lawn and then completely panicking when he is? This law seems roomy is all I’m saying,

The 16-year-old male and 14-year-old female were both in youth court Monday, facing several charges including robbery, theft and weapon possession.

This story is not funny and I fear a harbinger of things to come; underestimate the audacity of teens at your own peril. I ask you with ardent earnestness: do you know where your kids are right now?

Stay safe and much love and light!

– Jules

📷 @editorjulesl

🌡️ Traffic & Weather

Today: 🌦️ 24°

Tomorrow: 🌤️ 29°

Next Day: 🌦️ 27°

7-day forecast

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

TECH

Talberon Games proves video game development is still alive in Halifax

📸 Trevor Kendrick

If you were only to look at the presence of multinational corporate video game developers in Halifax, you might consider the scene to be dead.

Earlier this year, Ubisoft shut down its Halifax-based mobile division shortly after they voted to unionize. In 2024, Microsoft shuttered Alpha Dog Studios. Two of the biggest employers in the world of video games emptied out of Nova Scotia just a couple of years apart despite lucrative tax breaks under the guise of broader restructurings that continue to this day.

However, looking beyond the surface of the Nova Scotian game dev world, it's clear there is still a passion for video games and their creation. Halifax might not attract any multi-million dollar studios anytime soon, but there are several dozen independent developers who keep the scene alive with ingenuity, passion, and an infinitesimal budget.

Talberon Games is one of these developers.

The Coast’s Brendyn Creamer dives deep into Talberon Games and the upcoming Nintendo Switch release of Superstar Strategy.

🤔 Need To Know

🌉 The Angus L. Macdonald Bridge will be closed to all vehicle traffic overnight Tuesday and Wednesday to facilitate repairs to a section of asphalt on the bridge deck.

💰 According a naval analyst and researcher, Canada’s decision to choose German company Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems (TKMS) to build up to 12 new submarines could transform Halifax’s economy.

👀 Halifax police are looking for a suspect in an assault at a Halifax Costco over the weekend—a man allegedly went on a racist tirade and threatened violence.

🥀 Shakespeare By The Sea is ON STAGE NOW! Join us for Beauty & the Beast: A Fairy-Tale Game-Show Musical. Get your seats today!*

*Sponsored Post

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Be Kinder To Yourself Every Day

Your inner voice shapes more than your mood—it shapes your confidence. The next time you make a mistake, replace self-criticism with curiosity: What can I learn from this? Growth comes from reflection, not punishment. Counselling can help you build a kinder, more resilient relationship with yourself.

🗞️ In Other News

📻 Rogers Sports & Media is shuttering six radio stations in four Canadian cities, including Halifax.

🐟 An associate director for a Halifax environmental group says there are reasons to both celebrate and be skeptical of the province's approach to aquaculture in its recently unveiled seafood sector strategy.

🇨🇦 Prime Minister Mark Carney met with Turkish President Recep Erdogan and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy Tuesday on the margins of the NATO leaders’ summit in Ankara.

🚀 The company vying to build Canada's first commercial space launch pad in Nova Scotia says it has signed a deal with a German aerospace firm that could see orbital launches by 2028.

🚨 Officers from the Halifax detachment of the RCMP laid charges against a woman after a crash that resulted in a vehicle rolling over in Bedford—when speaking to the 25-year-old driver, officials said they “observed signs of impairment.”

SPONSORED BY QUINPOOL ROAD MAINSTREET DISTRICT ASSOCIATION

Quinpool is the Place to Be!

Something exciting is happening on Quinpool! Join us for the Halifax Mural Festival, celebrate creativity at the Big Reveal Day, and enjoy our first-ever Outdoor Movie Night under the stars. Art, entertainment, community, and fun come together for an unforgettable celebration. There's something for everyone. Don't miss it!

🗓️ Things To Do

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

🗓 Neptune Theatre Presents RENT: In 1996 Jonathan Larson took the world by storm with the Tony Award & Pulitzer Prize-winning rock musical RENT. The story of a group of young artists living a bohemian life in New York City's East Village. Full of anthemic rock tunes, heartbreaking ballads, and lyrics that inspired a generation, RENT is a cultural phenomenon you do not want to miss. | July 7 - Aug 30 | From $30 | 

🗓 Tower of Power and The Mellotones Presented by TD Halifax Jazz Festival: The Mellotones have been bringing their high-octane party to stages around the world for over two decades. Lighting up dance floors wherever they go, the R&B Funk band is an 8-piece powerhouse. For 58 years, Tower of Power has delivered the best in funk and soul music. | July 8 | 7:30pm | From $78.52 | 

🗓 Better Times Comedy at Good Robot: Don’t miss this award-winning stand-up comedy show at Good Robot Brewing on Robie St. Regular guests include Clare Belford (writer, This Hour Has 22 Minutes), Dan Hendricken (CBC LOL, Halifax Comedy Festival), Travis Lindsay, and Adam Myatt, plus a rotating cast of Halifax and visiting comics. | July 9 | 8:00pm | $15 |

Have an event to share? Let us know at newsletter@thecoast.ca.

⚓️ What’s In The Harbour

🚢 The Oceanex Sanderling container vessel arrives in Halifax from St. John’s at 8:20am.

➡️ The Atlantic Sun container vessel arrives in Halifax from Norfolk at 3:20pm.

➡️ The Queen Mary 2 cruise vessel departs Halifax at 5pm.

🍴 Where To Eat & Drink

🍣 Looking for cozy Japanese cuisine? Check out Doraku in Dartmouth, serving seasonal tempura this summer, including crispy fiddleheads and sweet beetroot.

☕ The Props Caffiene Bar at the Propeller Brewing taproom is serving hot and cold with their affogato—fresh espresso poured over DeeDee’s Ice Cream.

👀 In Case You Missed It

🏳️‍🌈 Last year, a small group of friends from the St. Margaret’s Bay area started something special. A dream to create a Pride festival celebrating 2SLGBTQIA+ folks in their area became reality. A month full of events. A market featuring queer vendors and businesses. A parade where the community could show their colours. The Coast’s Brendyn Creamer has more.

⚖️ A convicted sex offender with a history of violent crimes is about to be released from prison even though the Parole Board of Canada says he has a high risk of reoffending—Joshua James Turner, 42, has reached the statutory release phase of his latest prison sentence and authorities have no choice but to let him go.

🏗️ Halifax councillors have rejected a Bedford heritage development—with some saying they did not think the right balance of extra height in exchange for preserving history had been struck.

That’s it!

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:

Oh hello Halifax,

The long winter of the soul is over and I am so excited to be back in your inbox. But first, a huge shout-out to my brother from another mother, Mr. Brendyn Creamer, for keeping the machine running while I ostensibly became food for nine months.

According to a recent poll, about a quarter of Nova Scotians are watching the World Cup, although I suspect those numbers will drop now that Canada has been knocked out and our Nova Scotia boy Jacob Shaffelburg—who did us so proud as a super sub all tournament long—is nestled safely back in the valley where he belongs.

But the real bullshit was not Morocco knocking us out, it’s that Trump has managed to sully the whole tournament with his filthy Cheeto dust fingers. 

A little background for those non-footie fans: the best player on the American team was given a controversial-ish red card in their last game for stepping on the ankle of an opposing player. It was an iffy call for sure and it meant that said player was suspended and thus not available for the USA’s quarterfinal match against Belgium.

Enter Dumpy Trumpy (just made that up, copyrighted Julie Lawrence, 2026) who is good ol’ pals with the head of FIFA—the governing body for world soccer and (probably) fellow sex pest. Trump spoke to (threatened) him and—quelle surprise!—after a review the red card was suspended, likely causing the Belgian players to choke on their waffles.

Trump was all “I saw the play and it wasn’t a foul” and I’m like, sir, you clearly don’t think anything in life is a foul. Also, I dare someone to ask Trump to explain how soccer even works. It would be the verbal version of watching him try to pit on this guy’s medal of honour by almost choking him to death. 

The real shame here is that the Americans were actually doing really well in the tournament and have a great depth of talent; they could have won the game anyway (maybe). But now it’s giving that time when you didn’t get invited to the sleep-over party, so your mum called the other girl’s mom and insisted you be invited and then you’re there and everyone knows why and have to pretend to be nice to you. I’ve heard…

So, now, the whole World Cup is dumb and stupid and every other country should be like, “we’re leaving.” But I will still be watching because I’m famously a hypocrite

Love and light!

– Jules

📷 @editorjulesl

p.s - I stayed up to watch the game for YOU because there’s no end to my giving and Belgium dominated 4-1. The Americans took it like adult professionals: by crying like babies.

🌡️ Traffic & Weather

Today: 🌤️ 27°

Tomorrow: 🌦️ 25°

Next Day: 🌤️ 28°

7-day forecast

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

PRIDE 2026

St. Margaret’s Bay Pride kicks off second-annual
Bay Pride Fest

📸 Sherrie Redden

Last year, a small group of friends from the St. Margaret’s Bay area started something special.

A dream to create a Pride festival celebrating 2SLGBTQIA+ folks in their area became reality. A month full of events. A market featuring queer vendors and businesses. A parade where the community could show their colours.

This year, it’s planned to be even bigger.

“It’s going to be the biggest event we’ve ever put on,” says Tania Cheng, one of the group’s founders.

The Coast’s Brendyn Creamer speaks with Cheng about Bay Pride Fest 2026 and the impact St. Margaret’s Bay Pride has had on the community in just two short years.

🤔 Need To Know

🚨 Halifax Police are investigating a shooting in Williamswood on Thursday night—there were no physical injuries, but responding officers located a residence that had been hit by gunfire.

⚖️ A convicted sex offender with a history of violent crimes is about to be released from prison even though the Parole Board of Canada says he has a high risk of reoffending—Joshua James Turner, 42, has reached the statutory release phase of his latest prison sentence and authorities have no choice but to let him go.

🦕 Before extinction, dinosaurs fought to survive! Dinosaur Exploration 2 is a sequel to the hit 2024 exhibit, featuring some of your favourite dinosaurs.*

🇫🇷 Alliance Française in Halifax: an historic Haligonian French learning Centre and cultural hub. Rich, varied and accessible programs await you. À bientôt!*

🧘🏽‍♀️ Free yoga in Victoria Park! Join in every Thursday in July at 12:05 PM. All levels welcome—breathe, stretch, and unwind in nature.*

*Sponsored Post

🗞️ In Other News

🇨🇦 Mark Carney announced in Halifax yesterday that Canada will buy its next fleet of submarines from Germany’s TKMS—meaning Canada is choosing subs built by a NATO ally over South Korea’s Hanwha Oceans.

🚍 Six communities across Nova Scotia are set to receive nearly $1M to support local public transit—the province says $925K from the Public Transit Assistance Program will help municipalities buy vehicles, bus terminals, shelters and other assets.

🗳️ For Tim Houston, the fallout from this year’s budget continues, but a recent byelection win in Cheticamp-Margarees-Pleasant Bay provided a boost for the Tories.

🎣 The fisheries director of a marine conservation group says Ottawa’s decision to triple the total allowable catch for Atlantic mackerel is “risky” and “unfortunate.”

🏗️ Halifax councillors have rejected a Bedford heritage development—with some saying they did not think the right balance of extra height in exchange for preserving history had been struck.

🗓️ Things To Do

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

🗓Tuesday Night Tunes at the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic: Enjoy a range of live music performances as part of the summer vibe on Halifax's waterfront! Performances will be held in the museum's anchor yard where you can watch from the boardwalk and enjoy an outdoor evening of live music.  | July 7 | 4-8pm  | Donations | 

🗓 Halifax Mural Festival: Watch as local and international artists transform blank walls into bold, colourful murals, bringing creativity to life right before your eyes.This community-driven festival invites you to explore neighbourhoods on foot, meet artists in action and experience art in real time. Along the way, enjoy live music, artist talks, markets and family-friendly activities, all culminating in a lively “big reveal” of newly completed works. | July 4-11 |

🗓Shakespeare by the Sea presents Beauty and the Beast: This summer sees the world premiere of the new family musical Beauty and the Beast: The Fairy-Tale Game Show. This musical reimagines Beauty and the Beast through the chaotic world of gameshow television, bringing a modern, comedic edge to the classic “tale as old as time.” | July 4-Aug 30 |

Have an event to share? Let us know at newsletter@thecoast.ca.

⚓️ What’s In The Harbour

🚢➡️ The Norwegian Jewel cruise vessel arrives in Halifax at 6am and departs at 1pm.

🚢 The St. Petri tanker arrives in Halifax from Antwerp at 6:15am.

🚢 The Queen Mary 2 cruise vessel arrives in Halifax at 7am.

➡️ 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 BBC Eagle general cargo vessel arrives in Halifax at 8:30am and departs for Houston at 4pm

🚢 The Leeway Odyssey research vessel arrives in Halifax at 5:15pm.

🍴 Where To Eat & Drink

🍅 Looking for comfort from the intense heat? Look no further than 2 Doors Down’s Heirloom Tomato Toast, a refreshing dish to give you boost after a day under the sun. Made with heirloom tomatoes, whipped ricotta and feta, kalamata olives, red pepper relish, hot honey, and basil on grilled sourdough.

🍔 Larry’s Sandwiches is coming in clutch for a vegan lunch with their Falafel Smash Burger, made with two chickpea falafel smash patties, tahini dressing, sliced cucumber, fresh tomato salsa, and sprouts on a roasted vegan brioche bun.

👀 In Case You Missed It

🎶 Idialedyournumber’s newest album, Teenage Widow, is out today on streaming platforms. The musical project of musician and audio engineer Jessie Everill, Idialedyournumber is equal parts emotional punk rock and glitchy, bit-crush production. Emo tracks guitars and vocals interrupted with pulsing breaks that pound against your eardrums. It is it’s own type of sonic bliss that may not be for everyone, but is uniquely powerful. Listen to the new album here.

⚕️ Some hospital services in Halifax are back to full capacity after scaling back to 50 percent for the One Person One Record system rollout—doctors from both the QEII Health Science Centre and the Dartmouth General Hospital report a fairly smooth

🛥️ Two men have died after a boating incident in Annapolis Valley on Canada Day—they were thrown from their boat of five occupants when water surface conditions changed, with their bodies recovered on Wednesday and Thursday respectively.

That’s it!

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:

Good morning!

I have some good news, and I have some bad news.

The good news? Our amazing Editor Jules is returning to The Coast next week! She’ll be handling the newsletter once again, writing the intros for you every morning.

The bad news? As Julie returns, I am stepping away from writing daily newsletter. Not to say I won’t contribute here or there, but when it comes to these daily intros, I bid farewell for now.

With Julie’s return, she’s laid down a few ground rules in this video that a certain selection of our readership really needs to watch.

Instagram post

As for me, I will still be writing for The Coast as much as I’m able. However, if you are a true fan, there’s a couple places you can find me on the internet. Earlier this year, I started a Substack focused on media criticism and analysis. I also have a YouTube channel where I host a monthly video podcast called Shooting the S**t with my best bud Kendall Hutchings.

Take care, everyone. It’s been a pleasure!

– B

📷 @creamy_yet_smooth

🌡️ Traffic & Weather

Today: 🌤️ 31°

Tomorrow: 🌤️ 29°

Next Day: ☀️ 24°

7-day forecast

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

MUSIC

Idialedyournumber third full-length album, Teenage Widow, is out now

📷 Food for the Ears Society

Idialedyournumber’s newest album, Teenage Widow, is out today on streaming platforms.

The musical project of musician and audio engineer Jessie Everill, Idialedyournumber is equal parts emotional punk rock and glitchy, bit-crush production. Emo tracks guitars and vocals interrupted with pulsing breaks that pound against your eardrums. It is it’s own type of sonic bliss that may not be for everyone, but is uniquely powerful.

Teenage Widow is an evolution of Idialedyournumber’s previous work. In a blog post on her website, Everill says she’s been working on the album for over a year and that it took a “more professionally recorded direction” than some of her past albums. The singles present a clear picture of this. Previous albums have a shelled, bedroom-production sound. “Holy Escrow” and “Lovebird” are both open, with notes flying past the listener as they play—sharp, clear, but still tinged with the rawness of a bedroom recording.

Idialedyournumber is one of the most interesting acts in Halifax right now, and you can see them live tonight at the Army Navy Air Force Club on Maynard Street with Earth Moon Transit, Fencing, and Wastehaven, starting at 7pm. There will also be a listening party for Teenage Widow live on Bandcamp at 12pm today.

🤔 Need To Know

☀️ Nova Scotia is experiencing a heat wave that drifted over from Ontario and Quebec, bringing temperatures into the 30s until Saturday evening—with humidity, the heat may feel more closer to 40 degrees.

🛥️ Two men have died after a boating incident in Annapolis Valley on Canada Day—they were thrown from their boat of five occupants when water surface conditions changed, with their bodies recovered on Wednesday and Thursday respectively.

⚕️ Some hospital services in Halifax are back to full capacity after scaling back to 50 percent for the One Person One Record system rollout—doctors from both the QEII Health Science Centre and the Dartmouth General Hospital report a fairly smooth

🏡 Seniors and their families are thinking ahead about a home’s long-term fit for aging in place. This free screening guide helps with the process.*

*Sponsored Post

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• A screening of the feature documentary

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🗞️ In Other News

🛥️ A 19-year-old was arrested and released following a fatal boating incident that killed a 24-year-old on Tuesday night—the boat had run aground on Oak Island in the Wallace Bay when the victim was thrown from the boat.

⚡ The province has approved an environmental assessment for a 158-turbine wind farm in Guysborough County, making it the biggest wind farm in Nova Scotia—the Ocean Lake Wind Project is developed by EverWind and Membertou Development Corp.transition.

🚨 A 28-year-old man was arrested after allegedly holding a woman in her car against her will, driving from Moncton to Elmsdale—police seized a knife from the man.

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🗓️ Things To Do

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

🗓 North by Night Market: The second North by Night market of 2026 features vendors, food, a live DJ, and much more at The Local back patio. | July 3 | 7PM |

🗓 Chad Noonan at Yuk Yuks: Chad Noonan has taken his comedy coast-to-coast, and now it’s time for him to take over Halifax for two nights this weekend. | July 3-4 | 8PM | $25+ |

🗓 National Bank Tattoo Festival: Musical events are happening across the city as part of this tattoo festival, with some free of charge. | July 1-4 |

🗓 Harbourside Ribfest: Mouthwatering ribs await your taste buds at Alderney Landing with lively music and family fun. | July 3-5 | 11AM | $2 |

🗓 Beauty & The Beast: Shakespeare by the Sea put on this fairy-tale game show musical at Cambridge Battery. | July 4-Aug 29 | 7PM | $30 |

🗓 Halifax Mural Festival: Halifax becomes an open-air art gallery as artists transform the city’s blank walls into colourful murals. | July 4-11 |

🗓 Halifax Jollof Festival: Explore variations of Jollof rice and African cuisine in this festival full of food and music. | July 4 | 11AM | Free |

🗓 Haligonian Vendor Market: Over 35 local vendors at this market on the Foundation Wharf. | July 4 | 10AM |

🗓 Halifax Tides FC: Watch your hometown heroes take on AFC Toronto at the Wanderers Grounds. | July 5 | 4PM | $30.12 |

🗓 ICF Junior & U23 Canoe Sprint World Championships: The International Canoe Federation holds this event for juniors and paddlers under 23 in Lake Banook. | July 1-5 |

Have an event to share? Let us know at newsletter@thecoast.ca.

⚓️ What’s In The Harbour

➡️ The Oceanex Sanderling container vessel departed Halifax for St. John’s at 12am.

➡️ The Atlantic Sea container vessel departed Halifax for Liverpool at 1:30am.

🚢➡️ The Elene general cargo vessel arrives in Halifax from St. Pierre at 8:15am and departs for St. Pierre at 4:30pm.

🚢➡️ The Pictor container vessel arrives in Halifax from Portland (Maine) at 8:15am and departs for Argentia at 5pm.

🚢➡️ The ZIM Pacific container vessel arrives in Halifax from Valencia at 8:20am and departs for New York at 6pm.

🍴 Where To Eat & Drink

🥪 Larry’s Sandwiches is back yet again with yet another delicious sandwich of the week: the Hawaiian BBQ Pork. Made with smokey pulled pork, chipotle BBQ sauce, pineapple and cilantro salsa, house mayo, and sliced cabbage on a toasted bun.

🍺 2 Doors Down now has ice-cold Propeller Cerveza in stock. Grab a bite to eat on their patio and pair your food with this delightful summer beer.

👀 In Case You Missed It

🤺 For many Canadians, fencing remains one of the most misunderstood sports in the country. Often associated with Olympic competition, historical dramas, or swashbuckling films, the sport is quietly experiencing growth as more families discover its unique blend of athleticism, strategy, and opportunity. Across Canada, clubs are reporting increased interest from young people looking for an alternative to traditional team sports, while parents are recognizing the sport's academic, physical and safety benefits. In Halifax, that growth is reflected in organizations like Niles Fencing Academy, where founder and head instructor Christian "Xian" Niles has watched interest steadily climb over the past decade. The Coast’s Warren D’Silva seeks to understand why the sport of fencing is growing in Halifax and beyond.

🏠 A surplus land pilot in Halifax meant to encourage affordable housing developments has only had one sale, but the build could encourage more developments like it—the municipality sold 48 Pinecrest Drive for $1 to Rooted, a non-profit who seeks to build a multi-unit affordable apartment building on the lot worth around $300,000.

🛣️ The province has added over 80 pieces of equipment to its maintenance fleet to deal with potholes across the province—the new tools, which include loaders, sweepers, and asphalt rollers, cost around $8 million, with $26 million set aside for summer maintenance.

That’s it!

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:

Good morning!

Nova Scotia Health has a new president and CEO, and… yeah, I don’t know about this one.

Dr. Nicole Boutilier was named the new permanent lead of Nova Scotia Health after the health authority’s CEO and board were fired about five years ago. She has taken the reigns from interim leader Karen Oldfield, a lawyer who has operated the authority since 2021 with no board in sight—an issue the opposition has been asking premier Tim Houston and his party to address for a number of years.

There’s two things about this that leave me feeling cautious—on top of there not being a board to aid in prioritizing Nova Scotia Health’s efforts. The first is Boutilier’s salary. She’ll be making $500,000 annually in the role, while Oldfield made $298,456 in 2025 according to CBC. This is an absurd increase, one that doesn’t really fit her own priority to keep Nova Scotia Health’s budget in check.

The second is where Oldfield is ending up after all this: as the head of a new organization, Accelerate Nova Scotia, which seeks to create investments in healthcare innovation in Nova Scotia and selling these innovations to the rest of the world, with an annual salary of $310,000. I don’t know why Nova Scotia thinks it can lead anything to do with healthcare innovation when our officials are consistently spending millions on third-party contractors instead of building up our provincially-run system so it can last.

It just seems like an easy way to dump money into the private sector, in my opinion, which is no surprise given Houston’s love for corporations.

Let me know what you think about this change and I hope you have a great day ahead of you.

– B

📷 @creamy_yet_smooth

🌡️ Traffic & Weather

Today: ⛈️ 29°

Tomorrow: 🌤️ 30°

Next Day: 🌤️ 29°

7-day forecast

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

SPORTS

Why more Canadians are picking up the sword

📸 Contributed

For many Canadians, fencing remains one of the most misunderstood sports in the country.

Often associated with Olympic competition, historical dramas, or swashbuckling films, the sport is quietly experiencing growth as more families discover its unique blend of athleticism, strategy, and opportunity. Across Canada, clubs are reporting increased interest from young people looking for an alternative to traditional team sports, while parents are recognizing the sport's academic, physical and safety benefits.

In Halifax, that growth is reflected in organizations like Niles Fencing Academy, where founder and head instructor Christian "Xian" Niles has watched interest steadily climb over the past decade.

"People want to do something different," says Niles. "They want a sport that challenges them physically, but also mentally."

The Coast’s Warren D’Silva seeks to understand why the sport of fencing is growing in Halifax and beyond.

🤔 Need To Know

🏠 A surplus land pilot in Halifax meant to encourage affordable housing developments has only had one sale, but the build could encourage more developments like it—the municipality sold 48 Pinecrest Drive for $1 to Rooted, a non-profit who seeks to build a multi-unit affordable apartment building on the lot worth around $300,000.

🛣️ The province has added over 80 pieces of equipment to its maintenance fleet to deal with potholes across the province—the new tools, which include loaders, sweepers, and asphalt rollers, cost around $8 million, with $26 million set aside for summer maintenance.

🚨 Two men were found dead in Fall River on Monday with police considering the deaths suspicious—the Nova Scotia Medical Examiner Service is still working to discover the cause of death while police ask that anyone for information steps forward.

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If stress, anxiety, or low mood continue to impact your daily life, counselling can help. Book an appointment today.

🗞️ In Other News

🚨 65-year-old inmate Dominique Tremblay died at the Springhill Institution according to Correctional Services Canada—Tremblay was serving three years in prison for possessing child exploitation materials.

🛢️ The price of diesel shot up 7.6 cents on Wednesday as the provincial regulator invoked the interrupter clause—the price went from 185.4 cents per litre to 193 cents.

⚖️ The trial for two young hockey players charged with sexual assault in a hazing incident will begin in February—the incident occurred on Oct. 3 and involves three victims.

SPONSORED BY SHAKESPEARE BY THE SEA

🌊 Sea a show in the park this Summer! 🎭

Shakespeare By The Sea is Atlantic Canada’s longest-running outdoor theatre company! This year, they're bringing you the world premiere of Beauty & the Beast: A Fairy-Tale Game-Show Musical and Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar to Point Pleasant Park!

Shows run from July 4 to August 30 - Get your tickets TODAY!

🗓️ Things To Do

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

🗓 Better Times Comedy at Good Robot Brewing: This weekly comedy show features regulars like Clare Belford, Dan Hendricken, Travis Lindsay, Adam Myatt, and a rotating cast of local and visiting comics. | July 2 | 8PM | $15 |

🗓 North by Night Market: The second North by Night market of 2026 features vendors, food, a live DJ, and much more at The Local back patio. | July 3 | 7PM |

🗓 ICF Junior & U23 Canoe Sprint World Championships: The International Canoe Federation holds this event for juniors and paddlers under 23 in Lake Banook. | July 1-5 |

Have an event to share? Let us know at newsletter@thecoast.ca.

⚓️ What’s In The Harbour

🚢➡️ The Box Endurance container vessel arrives in Halifax from New York at 5:20am and departs for Kingston at 3:30pm.

🚢➡️ The Viking Neptune cruise vessel arrives in Halifax at 8am and departs at 5pm.

🚢➡️ The Zuiderdam cruise vessel arrives in Halifax at 8am and departs at 4pm.

🚢➡️ The Pictor container vessel arrives in Halifax from Portland (Maine) at 8:15am and departs for Argentia at 6:15pm.

🚢 The Atlantic Sea container vessel arrives in Halifax from Norfolk at 6:20pm.

SPONSORED BY QUINPOOL ROAD MAINSTREET DISTRICT ASSOCIATION

Big reveal day on Quinpool Road

Join in for the Big Reveal Day on Quinpool, July 11 from 11am-3pm! Celebrate the new murals from the Halifax Mural Festival with performers, acivities, food, and fun for the whole family! The street will be buzzing with creativity. Bring your friends, bring the kids, and come see Quinpool like never before.

🍴 Where To Eat & Drink

🍺 2 Doors Down now has ice-cold Propeller Cerveza in stock. Grab a bite to eat on their patio and pair your food with this delightful summer beer.

🥪 Larry’s Sandwiches is back yet again with yet another delicious sandwich of the week: the Hawaiian BBQ Pork. Made with smokey pulled pork, chipotle BBQ sauce, pineapple and cilantro salsa, house mayo, and sliced cabbage on a toasted bun.

👀 In Case You Missed It

🐕 Charges have been laid in the case of a couple rescuing their dog after their vehicle was stolen in Pictou County—three people have been arrested for the crime, with the dog back in the possession of it’s owners.

🚨 A 39-year-old North Preston man was shot and killed in Dartmouth Friday night around 10:30pm—police have identified the victim has Thomas Junior Downey and are asking people with any information to step forward.

🏏 The province’s cricket association says racism and inaccurate info has been present in discussions and debates around the conversion of the Dartmouth Common ball diamonds into a cricket facility—the city continues to look into the development.

That’s it!

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:

Good morning!

We’re a day off from Canada Day, our nation’s 159th birthday.

With this occasion in mind, we’re going to take a day off on Wednesday to rest our minds, bodies, and spirits in anticipation of what we’re hoping will be a thrilling summer in the city.

If you need me, I’ll be outside my apartment grilling pork chops and asparagus on the barbecue, beer in hand, wearing an apron that reads “Kiss my Dad” with an arrow pointing directly towards my beautiful face.

Happy Canada Day. If you have the day off, I hope that its rejuvenating. If you don’t, I pray that your pay stub reflects the holiday.

– B

📷 @creamy_yet_smooth

🌡️ Traffic & Weather

Today: ⛈️ 25°

Tomorrow: 🌦️ 23°

Next Day: 🌦️ 27°

7-day forecast

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

EVENTS

Everything to do in Halifax on Canada Day 2026

📸 File photo

Canada Day, July 1, is this Wednesday, and there are plenty of activities to participate in throughout Halifax to celebrate the nation's 159th birthday.

In honour of all the people organizing events on what is most people's day off, here are all the events we could find happening on Canada Day throughout the city.

The Coast’s Brendyn Creamer tells you about everything happening in Halifax this Canada Day.

🤔 Need To Know

🐕 Charges have been laid in the case of a couple rescuing their dog after their vehicle was stolen in Pictou County—three people have been arrested for the crime, with the dog back in the possession of it’s owners.

🚨 A 39-year-old North Preston man was shot and killed in Dartmouth Friday night around 10:30pm—police have identified the victim has Thomas Junior Downey and are asking people with any information to step forward.

🏏 The province’s cricket association says racism and inaccurate info has been present in discussions and debates around the conversion of the Dartmouth Common ball diamonds into a cricket facility—the city continues to look into the development.

🦕 Before extinction, dinosaurs fought to survive! Dinosaur Exploration 2 is a sequel to the hit 2024 exhibit, featuring some of your favourite dinosaurs.*

🫂 Life can become heavy before we realize we're carrying too much. You don't have to navigate stress, change, or challenges alone. Let's talk.*

🌙 Come to The Local's back patio for the North by Night Market on July 3 from 7–10pm. Shop local vendors, enjoy music, food, and community.*

🏡 Seniors and their families are thinking ahead about a home’s long-term fit for aging in place. This free screening guide helps with the process.*

*Sponsored Post

🗞️ In Other News

🚗 Paid on-street parking is soon coming to downtown Halifax and Dartmouth on Saturdays—starting July 18, the new parking charges will be applicable in zones B, C, and H from 8am to 6pm.

🏒 Two players from the Halifax Mooseheads have been selected by NHL teams in the draft—this includes Russian rookie Oleg Kulebiakin to the Tampa Bay Lightning and Shawn Carrier to the Colorado Avalanche.

🚔 Two days of roadside inspections led to 24 cars too dangerous to drive taken off the roads in Nova Scotia—police say they handed out dozens of tickets during this time, inspecting 68 vehicles in total.

🗓️ Things To Do

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

🗓 Halifax Wanderers FC: Enjoy Canada Day with the Halifax Wanderers as they take on Atlético Ottawa at the Wanderers Grounds. | July 1 | 5PM | $30+|

🗓 Better Times Comedy at Good Robot Brewing: This weekly comedy show features regulars like Clare Belford, Dan Hendricken, Travis Lindsay, Adam Myatt, and a rotating cast of local and visiting comics. | July 2 | 8PM | $15 |

🗓 ICF Junior & U23 Canoe Sprint World Championships: The International Canoe Federation holds this event for juniors and paddlers under 23 in Lake Banook. | July 1-5 |

Have an event to share? Let us know at newsletter@thecoast.ca.

⚓️ What’s In The Harbour

➡️ The Beaver Key barge departed Halifax for Point Tupper at 12am.

🚢 The APL Esplanade container vessel arrives in Halifax from Colombo at 5:15am.

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

➡️ The Barge Scow S12 departs Halifax for Point Tupper at 8am.

🚢➡️ The Vista cruise vessel arrives in Halifax at 10am and departs at 6pm.

➡️ The Algotitan tanker departs Halifax for Sept-Iles at 6pm.

🍴 Where To Eat & Drink

🍰 Real Fake Meats is serving a delicious treat—a Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble Cheesecake made with local ingredients. Contains nuts and gluten.

🍔 There’s nothing like the Bacon Ham quarter-pounder from WaveFoods. A quarter-pound smash burger with melty cheese, bacon jam, lettuce, pickle, and Wave sauce on a brioche bun.

👀 In Case You Missed It

🎶 When Halifax singer-songwriter Jah'Mila takes the stage in England next month, she will be carrying both her Jamaican heritage and the support of a Nova Scotia community that has helped shape her career. The JUNO-nominated artist will perform July 2 and 3 with the Welsh National Opera Orchestra at The Grange Festival in Hampshire, England, marking her first orchestral performance outside Canada. The Coast’s Warren D’Silva talks with Jah’Mila about her international orchestral debut in England and the reasons behind her performance.

🌿 Attorney general Scott Armstrong announced new fines under the Cannabis Control Act— this includes fines for people under 19 who possess cannabis, for purchasing cannabis outside of the NSLC, and further fines for selling cannabis illegally.

✈️ A flight bound for Halifax from Newark had to take an emergency diversion after the captain appeared to have been suffering a seizure and was incapacitated—one passenger described the plane as violently swerving.

That’s it!

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:

Good morning!

Before we get into the news of the day, I wanted to check in with you all regarding the Halifax Music Festival happening this weekend.

Unfortunately, I will be unable to make it due to Truro’s Pride Parade being on the same day, but if I had to go to either of the two nights, I know my answer.

However, I’m sure your opinion differs, and as a little bit of Friday fun, I want to see who is winning the popularity war amongst our readers: Halifax Music Fest’s Friday lineup, or the Saturday lineup?

Whether your going or not, let me know in the poll below which you prefer.

We’ll tally the votes next week and let you know the results. Till then, have a great weekend and stay safe out there!

– B

📷 @creamy_yet_smooth

🌡️ Traffic & Weather

Today: 🌤️ 24°

Tomorrow: 🌦️ 19°

Next Day: 🌧️ 23°

7-day forecast

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

MUSIC

Halifax community rallies behind Jah’Mila ahead of international orchestral debut in England

File photo

When Halifax singer-songwriter Jah'Mila takes the stage in England next month, she will be carrying both her Jamaican heritage and the support of a Nova Scotia community that has helped shape her career.

The JUNO-nominated artist will perform July 2 and 3 with the Welsh National Opera Orchestra at The Grange Festival in Hampshire, England, marking her first orchestral performance outside Canada.

The Coast’s Warren D’Silva talks with Jah’Mila about her international orchestral debut in England and the reasons behind her performance.

🤔 Need To Know

🌿 Attorney general Scott Armstrong announced new fines under the Cannabis Control Act— this includes fines for people under 19 who possess cannabis, for purchasing cannabis outside of the NSLC, and further fines for selling cannabis illegally.

✈️ A flight bound for Halifax from Newark had to take an emergency diversion after the captain appeared to have been suffering a seizure and was incapacitated—one passenger described the plane as violently swerving.

⚖️ The Bridgewater teen charged for planning an attack on a nearby school is facing a new charge of counselling someone to commit an indictable offence, on top of charges of uttering death threats and conspiracy to commit murder—the teen was allegedly working with another in Manitoba to plan violent acts at their respective schools.

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🗞️ In Other News

⚕️ The province’s chief medical officer, Dr. Robert Strang, is set to retire in December 2026—Strang has worked with the province since 2007, leading the province through both H1N1 and the COVID-19 pandemic.

⚖️ Kathryn Pentz, a former senior Crown attorney, is being accused by the province of wasting tax payer money in a lawsuit she put forward against the government and the Public Prosecution Service—the lawsuit alleges director Rick Woodburn put her on administrative leave without giving her a reason and demoted her.

🚗 A 20-year-old man was arrested for impaired driving after a crash in Fall River on Wednesday night—police found a Honda Civic off of Sutherland Drive and administered a breathalyzer.

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🗓️ Things To Do

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

🗓 Spontaneity Improv June Showcase: An evening of improvised theatre with some of Halifax’s best improvisors. Talented performers, no script, scenes and games made up on the spot, inspired by audience suggestions. | June 26 | 7:30PM | $17.31 |

🗓 Soapbox Science Halifax: Fun discussions and demonstrations on scientific topics, celebrating women and non-binary scientists. Taking place at The Wave on the Halifax Waterfront. | June 27 | 11:30AM |

🗓 Singing by the Sea: Halifax Jazz Fest and Build Nova Scotia bring the Big Sing experience to the Halifax Waterfront. | June 27 | 1PM |

🗓 Dartmouth Yard Party + Pop Up Market: Local vendors, live music, food trucks, local brews, and a bubble party. Shop with local creators while you enjoy the festivities at Burnside Brewing. | June 27 | 12PM |

🗓 Mat Hughes at the Lilian Piercey Concert Hall: The amazingly talented pianist Mat Hughes performs his energetic and existential piano pop hits with special guest Emilea May. | June 27 | 7:30PM | $22.50 |

🗓 Alexander Gallant Album Release: Alexander Gallant celebrates the release of his new album ‘The Prince of Birchy Head’ in this special performance at the Sanctuary Arts Centre with special guest Andrea Cormier. | June 26 | 7PM | $26.24 |

🗓 Musical Improv Workshop: Sophie Nadeu hosts this musical improv workshop where you can learn to make spontaneous songs come alive. | June 28 | 10:30AM | $39 |

🗓 Tattoo Festival Performances: The Bundeswehr Ceremonial Band from Germany and the Scots College Old Boys Pipes and Drums band perform at the open street party on Portland Street in Dartmouth. | June 28 | 2PM |

🗓 Dartmouth Players Presents Sinners by Norm Forster: A fast-paced comedy about a moral scandal in a conservative small town, performed by the Dartmouth Players at the Stairs Memorial United Church. | June 11-27 | 7:30PM, 2PM | $20 |

🗓 Gusto Italian Food and Wine Festival: The flavours, culture, and spirit of Italy is coming to Halifax with this vibrant celebration with special menus participating restaurants, food and beverage tastings, and more, all in support of Feed Nova Scotia. | June 22-28 |

🗓 ICF Masters Canoe Sprint World Championships: The International Canoe Federation holds this event for adult and veteran paddlers in Lake Banook. | June 25-27 |

🗓 Halifax Music Fest: Weezer. The Chicks. Jimmy Eat World. Shaboozey. Dashboard Confessional. Blue Rodeo. Silversun Pickups. The Barr Brothers. There’s something for everybody at this year’s Halifax Music Fest at the Garrison Grounds. | June 26-27 | $177+|

Have an event to share? Let us know at newsletter@thecoast.ca.

⚓️ What’s In The Harbour

🚢 The CSL Tacoma bulk carrier vessel arrived in Halifax from Tampa at 12:51am.

🚢➡️ The Bakkafoss container vessel arrives in Halifax from Portland (Maine) at 8:15am and departs for Argentia at 5pm.

🚢 The Algoscotia tanker arrives in Halifax from Sydney (Cape Breton) at 11:30am.

➡️ The Novus offshore supply vessel departs Halifax at 12pm.

🚢➡️ The MSC Eleni container vessel arrives in Halifax from Sines at 12:15pm and departs for Montreal at 11pm.

🚢➡️ The Elene general cargo vessel arrives in Halifax from Providenciales at 12:15pm and departs for St. Pierre at 11pm.

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

➡️ The Morning Cecilie vehicle carrier departs Halifax for New York at 10pm.

🍴 Where To Eat & Drink

🧇 The Better in Boxes bistro is serving brunch favourites all weekend, with signature drinks, french toast, focaccia, you name it. Open Saturday 10am-6pm and Sunday 10am-3pm.

🍟 Add a little pickle with your fries at Stubborn Goat. Their Pickle and Parmesan Loaded Fries feature truffle salt, fresh dill and chives, cracked black pepper, parm, dill pickles, crispy fried pickle chips, fried capers, garlic dill aioli, and lemon zest.

👀 In Case You Missed It

🗳️ Nova Scotia’s PC Party has picked up another seat. On Tuesday, a byelection was held for the new riding of Chéticamp-Margarees-Pleasant Bay—the 56th seat in the house of assembly, bringing premier Tim Houston’s party up to 43 seats. The NSNDP hold nine, the Liberals three, with one independent. The results are as follows: PC candidate Claude Bourgeois garnered 48.76 percent of the vote. The Liberal candidate, Denis Cormier, was runner-up with 40.04 percent. Trailing behind were NDP candidate Trevor Poirier at 9.57 percent and Green Party candidate Nik Boisvert at 1.63 percent.

💸 Halifax councillor Shawn Cleary says it’s too early to say whether or not mayor Andy Fillmore should step down after the auditor general revealed four transactions from the mayor’s office that didn’t follow the municipality’s policy—two of the legal expenses, Fillmore says, were related to code of conduct complains last year, amounting to more than $7,500.

📃 The federal immigration minister spoke on a wave of citizenship document recalls that were triggered for an unknown reason last week—she says the department is investigating the issue, which is apparently impacting those who received citizenship under a law that allows people born before Dec. 15, 2025 to claim it if they have a direct ancestor.

That’s it!

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:

Good morning.

On Monday, a shooter fired outside a hotel in Montreal, leading to the deaths of a civilian, a police officer, and eventually himself. His information was released Tuesday morning, identified as 25-year-old Seth Scott Hatfield from Lethbridge, Alta.

These tragedies speak for themselves. It isn’t fair to anyone, in particular the families, that one person can steal so much from others.

The reason I bring it up today is because the gunman reportedly wrote a manifesto calling for violence, and while we are unable to assume what that may have entailed, police say there were warned of the manifesto being notably anti-police.

As always, I encourage people not to speculate, especially not online, as the investigation unfolds. It’s helpful to absolutely no one.

Instead, I ask you to think about the victims, officer Mohamed Lamine Benredouane and civilian Michel Moshe Mizrahi, and to hold your loved ones close.

Best,

– B

📷 @creamy_yet_smooth

🌡️ Traffic & Weather

Today: 🌤️ 23°

Tomorrow: 🌤️ 23°

Next Day: 🌧️ 19°

7-day forecast

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

PROVINCIAL

Reigning PC Party picks up its 43rd seat in the Chéticamp-Margarees-Pleasant Bay byelection

📸 PC Party of Nova Scotia

Nova Scotia’s PC Party has picked up another seat.

On Tuesday, a byelection was held for the new riding of Chéticamp-Margarees-Pleasant Bay—the 56th seat in the house of assembly, bringing premier Tim Houston’s party up to 43 seats. The NSNDP hold nine, the Liberals three, with one independent.

The results are as follows: PC candidate Claude Bourgeois garnered 48.76 percent of the vote. The Liberal candidate, Denis Cormier, was runner-up with 40.04 percent. Trailing behind were NDP candidate Trevor Poirier at 9.57 percent and Green Party candidate Nik Boisvert at 1.63 percent.

The riding was coupled with Inverness, who have had PC leadership since 1999, before splitting earlier this year. This was the result of a Nova Scotia Supreme Court ruling, which determined the existing boundaries violated the Charters of Rights and Freedoms. This was to ensure the representation of Acadians and francophones in the area.

Despite the victory for the PCs, Houston’s popularity continues to be at an all-time low, due in part to the impacts of his budget cuts and the lack of visible progress in the affordability crisis.

🤔 Need To Know

💸 Halifax councillor Shawn Cleary says it’s too early to say whether or not mayor Andy Fillmore should step down after the auditor general revealed four transactions from the mayor’s office that didn’t follow the municipality’s policy—two of the legal expenses, Fillmore says, were related to code of conduct complains last year, amounting to more than $7,500.

📃 The federal immigration minister spoke on a wave of citizenship document recalls that were triggered for an unknown reason last week—she says the department is investigating the issue, which is apparently impacting those who received citizenship under a law that allows people born before Dec. 15, 2025 to claim it if they have a direct ancestor.

⚖️ A second man is facing a first-degree murder charge in the death of 61-year-old Steven Boudreau, who went missing on April 19 with his remains found last month—36-year-old Travis Shaun Jennings was arrested on June 22 and appeared in court on June 23.

SPONSORED BY NORTH END BUSINESS ASSOCIATION

Come join for another Night at the North by Night Market!

🌙 North by Night Market 🌙

Come by July 3, from 7-1pm at The Local's back patio (2037 Gottingen Street) for an evening of local shopping, music, and community.

Browse a variety of vendors featuring handmade goods, art, vintage finds, and unique creations from local makers. Enjoy the lively atmosphere, connect with neighbours, and discover something new as the patio comes alive after dark.

Whether you're looking for a special find or simply a fun night out, North by Night Market is the perfect place to spend a summer evening. Hope to see you there!

🗞️ In Other News

🏗️ Dutch Village Road closed on Wednesday as a crane that threatened to collapse earlier this month, causing evacuations, is dismantled—the closure is expected to last into Thursday.

⚽ Halifax pubs are reporting a surge in business during the FIFA World Cup, thanks in part to Canada’s success in the soccer tournament—some pubs are reporting packed bars as people watch the game on the screens.

🚨 Two youths have been arrested after one had allegedly pointed a gun at another in Fall River—a search warrant on Saturday lead to police finding two airsoft guns, leading to one arrest, with another arrest afterwards for failure to comply with conditions of an undertaking.

SPONSORED BY QUINPOOL ROAD MAINSTREET DISTRICT ASSOCIATION

Halifax Mural Festival returns to Quinpool Road

From July 4-11, Quinpool Road becomes a canvas for the 5th Annual Halifax Mural Festival! Experience the energy as artists paint bold, new murals live. With creative vibes, eye-catching art, and a festival atmosphere, this is a colourful celebration of community and culture you won’t want to miss.

🗓️ Things To Do

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

🗓 Gusto Italian Food and Wine Festival: The flavours, culture, and spirit of Italy is coming to Halifax with this vibrant celebration with special menus participating restaurants, food and beverage tastings, and more, all in support of Feed Nova Scotia. | June 22-28 |

🗓 ICF Masters Canoe Sprint World Championships: The International Canoe Federation holds this event for adult and veteran paddlers in Lake Banook. | June 25-27 |

🗓 Halifax Music Fest: Weezer. The Chicks. Jimmy Eat World. Shaboozey. Dashboard Confessional. Blue Rodeo. Silversun Pickups. The Barr Brothers. There’s something for everybody at this year’s Halifax Music Fest at the Garrison Grounds. | June 26-27 | $177+|

Have an event to share? Let us know at newsletter@thecoast.ca.

⚓️ What’s In The Harbour

🚢➡️ The YM Wind container vessel departed Halifax for Singapore at 3:30am

🚢➡️ The CSL Tacoma bulk carrier arrives in Halifax from Tampa at 7:21am

🚢➡️ The Independence of the Seas cruise vessel arrives in Halifax at 7:30am and departs at 6pm.

🚢➡️ The Lois M tug boat departs Halifax for North Sydney at 6pm.

🚢➡️ The Parian Trader tanker arrives in Halifax from Antwerp at 6:15pm.

SPONSORED BY CANADIAN MUSEUM OF IMMIGRATION AT PIER 21

FREE Canada Day at the Museum

Join the Museum this Canada Day. Don't miss out on FREE admission and activities all day. Explore exhibitions, enjoy live music, performances and a special screening of a live World Cup game, take part in scavenger hunts and family-friendly crafts, witness a citizenship ceremony, and so much more!

🍴 Where To Eat & Drink

🍟 Add a little pickle with your fries at Stubborn Goat. Their Pickle and Parmesan Loaded Fries feature truffle salt, fresh dill and chives, cracked black pepper, parm, dill pickles, crispy fried pickle chips, fried capers, garlic dill aioli, and lemon zest.

🍰 Real Fake Meats is serving a delicious treat—a Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble Cheesecake made with local ingredients. Contains nuts and gluten.

👀 In Case You Missed It

📽️ This weekend, I finally brought myself to watch Code of Misconduct. If you have not heard of it, Code of Misconduct is a Canadian documentary directed by Sébastien Trahan that premiered at the Hot Docs festival in April.  It features investigative journalist Rick Westhead, who broke the story of the Hockey Canada sexual assault scandal.  This is a case in which five former World Junior Hockey players were charged with sexually assaulting a woman in 2018, and in which Hockey Canada paid close to $3 million in a civil settlement to help cover it up. The documentary draws on text messages, conversations, and other evidence that did not reach the public during the trial due to publication bans. What it reveals is both infuriating, heartbreaking, and oddly clarifying. Columnist Liz LeClair shares her thoughts on the 2026 documentary detailing the sexual assault trials of five hockey players.

🛒 Canada’s competition bureau is still investigating Empire, the parent company of Sobeys, for using property controls to limit competition from other grocery stores—these controls limit how property is used after its sold, allowing the grocery giant to determine whether or not grocery stores can set up shop after the transaction.

🚓 A police officer who shot and killed a woman who was in distress and wielding a knife during an incident in Eastern Passage last year has been cleared by the Serious Incident Response Team—police say stun guns didn’t prevent the woman from approaching with the knife, which led to one of the officers taking the shot.

That’s it!

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:

Good morning!

The news regarding Halifax mayor Andy Fillmore’s expenses was shocking to some—especially since it’s now an open police investigation.

However, we were also supposed to hear from Lunenburg council on Mayor Jamie Myra’s allegations, which include getting kicked out of a taxi while intoxicated, and then following up the next morning with a phone call coaxing the cab owner to not tell the public, which apparently included the possibility of changing some bylaws in the company’s favour.

Last we heard, Lunenburg council were seeking legal advice on what to do next. In short? Not a whole lot.

In a statement following their special meeting on Monday night, Lunenburg council says they have no legal power to take action in this instance. With no legal avenues to go down, they say they’re hoping for the cab owner and the mayor to resolve the situation amicably.

I was personally hoping for more drama, but it seems we’ll have to stay focused on Halifax’s mayoral issues for our fix.

– B

📷 @creamy_yet_smooth

🌡️ Traffic & Weather

Today: 🌧️ 19°

Tomorrow: 🌥️ 23°

Next Day: 🌥️ 22°

7-day forecast

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

OPINION

What 'Code of Misconduct' taught me about silence, survival, and consent in hockey culture

📸 Code of Misconduct Movie Poster

This weekend, I finally brought myself to watch Code of Misconduct.

If you have not heard of it, Code of Misconduct is a Canadian documentary directed by Sébastien Trahan that premiered at the Hot Docs festival in April.  It features investigative journalist Rick Westhead, who broke the story of the Hockey Canada sexual assault scandal.  This is a case in which five former World Junior Hockey players were charged with sexually assaulting a woman in 2018, and in which Hockey Canada paid close to $3 million in a civil settlement to help cover it up. The documentary draws on text messages, conversations, and other evidence that did not reach the public during the trial due to publication bans. What it reveals is both infuriating, heartbreaking, and oddly clarifying. 

Columnist Liz LeClair shares her thoughts on the 2026 documentary detailing the sexual assault trials of five hockey players.

🤔 Need To Know

🛒 Canada’s competition bureau is still investigating Empire, the parent company of Sobeys, for using property controls to limit competition from other grocery stores—these controls limit how property is used after its sold, allowing the grocery giant to determine whether or not grocery stores can set up shop after the transaction.

🚓 A police officer who shot and killed a woman who was in distress and wielding a knife during an incident in Eastern Passage last year has been cleared by the Serious Incident Response Team—police say stun guns didn’t prevent the woman from approaching with the knife, which led to one of the officers taking the shot.

🚨 A 23-year-old man is left with life-threatening injuries after a shooting in the area of St. Andrews and Federal avenues Tuesday morning—police say the investigation is ongoing but they do not believe the shooting to be random.

🧓🏼 Seniors and their families are thinking ahead about a home’s long-term fit for aging in place. This free screening guide helps with the process.*

*Sponsored Post

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🗞️ In Other News

🍎 High schools in Nova Scotia will now have the province’s pay-what-you-can lunch program that exists within elementary and junior high schools—the lunch program will also feature new foods.

📱 The province’s education minister says the school cellphone ban introduced two years ago has been successful so far—according to a freedom of information request, there have been 4,790 disciplinary actions enforced as part of the ban.

⚕️ The province is failing to oversee mental health and addictions, according to the auditor general—she says the office responsible did not inform staff of provincially funded centres that offer care.

🗓️ Things To Do

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

🗓 Halifax Natural Watch Party: Scotland v Brazil: Check out this FIFA World Cup 2026 game at the Foundation Wharf with like-minded soccer fans. | June 24 | 6PM |

🗓 Better Times Comedy at Good Robot Brewing: This weekly comedy show features regulars like Clare Belford, Dan Hendricken, Travis Lindsay, Adam Myatt, and a rotating cast of local and visiting comics. | June 25 | 8PM | $15 |

🗓 Dartmouth Players Presents Sinners by Norm Forster: A fast-paced comedy about a moral scandal in a conservative small town, performed by the Dartmouth Players at the Stairs Memorial United Church. | June 11-27 | 7:30PM, 2PM | $20 |

Have an event to share? Let us know at newsletter@thecoast.ca.

⚓️ What’s In The Harbour

🚢 The YM Wind container vessel arrives in Halifax from New York at 10:45am.

➡️ The Leeway Odyssey research vessel departs Halifax at 12pm.

➡️ The Novus offshore supply vessel departs Halifax for Canso at 12pm.

🚢 The Oceanex Sanderling container vessel arrives in Halifax from St. John’s at 12:20pm.

➡️ The Morning Prosperity vehicle carrier departs Halifax for New York at 3:30pm

🍴 Where To Eat & Drink

🍰 Real Fake Meats is serving a delicious treat—a Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble Cheesecake made with local ingredients. Contains nuts and gluten.

🍨 Strawberry short cake ice cream is now available at Churned, a mix of strawberry swirls and perfect crumble. Scoops and pints, gluten-free.

👀 In Case You Missed It

🌈 Editor Brendyn here. As I’ve eluded to in the past, I work part-time for Truro Pride, a non-profit Pride organization based in—you guessed it—Truro, Nova Scotia. I’ve been their program coordinator for about a year-and-a-half. Before that, I had covered the annual Pride parade and celebrations when I was writing and editing our local paper. I’ve had the pleasure of getting to know a lot of the people behind the organization, from its origins to present day. This year, it’s the 10th anniversary of the first Truro Pride parade. If you know anything about Truro’s history with the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, you’ll understand how important that is. If you don’t know anything about it, well, I’ve got the story for you.Brendyn Creamer dives into the history of Truro Pride, which hosts one of the largest rural Pride parades in Nova Scotia, as it celebrates the 10 year anniversary of its first parade.

💰 Mayor Andy Fillmore is being investigated by the RCMP due to four transactions that violated HRM’s procurement policy—the city’s auditor general spoke to their report of the Office of the Mayor audit on Monday.

⚖️ Prosecutors are still mulling over evidence in the case of the newborn baby who was found deceased in the woods outside Halifax in May—a 23-year-old and 26-year-old are charged with disposing of the body and indignity to a dead body, as well as obstruction.

That’s it!

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:

Good morning!

The auditor general’s report regarding the Office of the Mayor expenses was released today, and oh boy. It did not look good for Mayor Andy Fillmore.

The report brought up four transactions that violated HRM’s procurement policy, two of which were expense claims paid by legal that didn’t get the approval of the municipal solicitor. Another concerned the fees for a speechwriter and the other, an HR consultant.

While Fillmore paid back the legal fees ($7,700), the auditor general reported his findings to the RCMP, saying that some of the infractions were starting to look worse than simple non-compliance.

The problem with the speechwriter and HR consultant is that there is a standard procurement process municipalities have to undergo to allow for competition between bidders for the job. Basically, handing the work off to someone without this process is a big no-no. Especially when that procurement was valued at $50,000 and later skyrocketed to over $90,000.

So, essentially, Fillmore has potential legal trouble on his hands after either ineptly or intentionally making money moves without the proper authorization, whether it be by the solicitor or through the procurement process. Fillmore says he accepts the report and his staff now understands the procurement process, which is devastating considering he’s been the mayor of Atlantic Canada’s biggest city since 2024.

All in all, it’s an absolute mess.

– B

📷 @creamy_yet_smooth

🌡️ Traffic & Weather

Today: 🌧️ 18°

Tomorrow: 🌧️ 20°

Next Day: ⛅ 25°

7-day forecast

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

PRIDE

The history behind one of Nova Scotia’s largest rural Pride parades

Jenna McNeil

Editor Brendyn here. As I’ve eluded to in the past, I work part-time for Truro Pride, a non-profit Pride organization based in—you guessed it—Truro, Nova Scotia.

I’ve been their program coordinator for about a year-and-a-half. Before that, I had covered the annual Pride parade and celebrations when I was writing and editing our local paper. I’ve had the pleasure of getting to know a lot of the people behind the organization, from its origins to present day.

This year, it’s the 10th anniversary of the first Truro Pride parade. If you know anything about Truro’s history with the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, you’ll understand how important that is. If you don’t know anything about it, well, I’ve got the story for you.

Without knowing a lot of the history myself, I interviewed a few of the people essential to its rise and those who had kept it going past the dreaded pandemic years. Now, I’m sharing that with you here.

The problem is, I’m paid by both The Coast and by Truro Pride, so objectivity is nearly impossible. However, I think the story behind Truro Pride is interesting, and I want to share the conversations I’ve had with folks who have been involved in this work.

To hopefully iron out what bias may exist, I did not ask for pay from either The Coast or Truro Pride for this piece. Additionally, I wrote this on my own free time—not on company time for either of my employers.

Does that make this article completely unbiased? Of course not. Does it mean that I took on extra unpaid work out of my own self-indulgence? Absolutely.

Nonetheless, I hope you enjoy the piece.

Brendyn Creamer dives into the history of Truro Pride, which hosts one of the largest rural Pride parades in Nova Scotia, as it celebrates the 10 year anniversary of its first parade.

🤔 Need To Know

⚖️ Prosecutors are still mulling over evidence in the case of the newborn baby who was found deceased in the woods outside Halifax in May—a 23-year-old and 26-year-old are charged with disposing of the body and indignity to a dead body, as well as obstruction.

🏏 The Dartmouth Common’s baseball field could convert over to a cricket field, and some baseball organizers aren’t too pleased about it—the provincial cricket association says that while there are other cricket fields, they are often shared and it’s very difficult to get playtime.

👮 A judge stayed the proceedings of a sexual assault case against RCMP officer William McNutt due to delays—the case would have went over the 18-month limit between charges being laid and a trial coming to an end, though McNutt still faces another decision in Amherst and trial in Shubenacadie for sexual assault.

🦕 Before extinction, dinosaurs fought to survive! Dinosaur Exploration 2 is a sequel to the hit 2024 exhibit, featuring some of your favourite dinosaurs.*

*Sponsored Post

🗞️ In Other News

🫐 The provincial agriculture minister says they are keeping an eye on a potential drought in Nova Scotia—to combat the impacts of last year’s drought, the province and the feds have partnered on a $25-million package to help sheep, dairy, beef, and blueberry farmers.

🏛️ Children aged 17 and under can now access the province’s 16 museum sites for free, including the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia throughout the summer—people aged 18 to 24 are eligible for a 50 percent discount.

🚨 Police are investigating after a 30-year-old man was found with stab wounds on Cunard Street on Friday—Halifax Regional Police ask anyone with information to step forward.

🗓️ Things To Do

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

🗓 Halifax Natural Watch Party: Scotland v Brazil: Check out this FIFA World Cup 2026 game at the Foundation Wharf with like-minded soccer fans. | June 24 | 6PM |

🗓 Better Times Comedy at Good Robot Brewing: This weekly comedy show features regulars like Clare Belford, Dan Hendricken, Travis Lindsay, Adam Myatt, and a rotating cast of local and visiting comics. | June 25 | 8PM | $15 |

🗓 Dartmouth Players Presents Sinners by Norm Forster: A fast-paced comedy about a moral scandal in a conservative small town, performed by the Dartmouth Players at the Stairs Memorial United Church. | June 11-27 | 7:30PM, 2PM | $20 |

Have an event to share? Let us know at newsletter@thecoast.ca.

⚓️ What’s In The Harbour

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

➡️ The Tropic Lissette container vessel departs Halifax for West Palm Beach at 6am.

🚢➡️ The Norwegian Breakaway cruise vessel arrives in Halifax at 6am and departs at 3:30pm.

🚢➡️ The Celebrity Silhouette cruise vessel arrives in Halifax at 7am and departs at 5pm.

🚢 The Morning Prosperity container vessel arrives in Halifax from Southampton at 11am.

🚢 The SL Falcon container vessel arrives in Halifax from New York at 6:20pm

🍴 Where To Eat & Drink

🍨 Strawberry short cake ice cream is now available at Churned, a mix of strawberry swirls and perfect crumble. Scoops and pints, gluten-free.

🍔 There’s nothing like the Bacon Ham quarter-pounder from WaveFoods. A quarter-pound smash burger with melty cheese, bacon jam, lettuce, pickle, and Wave sauce on a brioche bun.

👀 In Case You Missed It

🥘 Walk into Trattoria Vesso on the corner of Hollis and Morris Street in Halifax at lunch and you’ll see exactly what a trattoria is supposed to be. A business meeting unfolds beside a family with young children. A couple shares a pizza while another table passes around antipasti before bowls of fresh pasta arrive. A dock worker stops at the bar for a quick espresso before heading to work. Nobody seems rushed. Nobody appears out of place. For Chef Vesso Mrakic, that’s entirely intentional. The Coast’s food critic Mark DeWolf visits Trattoria Vesso and speaks on its quality and how it honours tradition through its dishes and atmosphere.

🏚️ NSNDP leader Claudia Chender says the case of a tenant who’s apartment was demolished while under a tenancy order shows how lacking Nova Scotia’s rental protections are—the minister in charge of the Residential Tenancies Act says although the contract with the tenant was violated, the issue was outside of the act’s purview.

🏗️ A controversial demolition and construction facility has been approved by Halifax council for Porters Lake—some councilors voiced their displeasure in approving the development, citing the municipality’s requirements.

That’s it!

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:

Good morning.

I know there’s plenty in Halifax and Nova Scotia to talk about, but I need to mention the fake email phishing scam that plagued Newfoundland and Labrador healthcare workers on Wednesday.

That morning, I woke up to several messages from friends and family who work in the province’s healthcare system about a fake phishing email that promised the June holiday off—June 17th, to be specific. It’s a John Cabot thing. I don’t understand it, but that’s irrelevant.

I say fake phishing because this email came from the health department’s own cybersecurity branch—whether this was a third-party contractor or a government department itself, I am not sure.

The problem is, like Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Labrador’s healthcare system is stretched incredibly thin, and has been for a long time. So, as you can imagine, a fake phishing attempt promising workers who have to book their vacation time a year in advance a day off is more than just annoying. It’s down right antagonizing.

I bring this up partly because of how baffling this is, but also because it’s important to keep in mind how essential our healthcare workers are and how we shouldn’t take that for granted.

– B

📷 @creamy_yet_smooth

🌡️ Traffic & Weather

Today: 🌧️ 23°

Tomorrow: 🌦️ 22°

Next Day: 🌤️ 20°

7-day forecast

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

FOOD + DRINK

Simplicity, generosity, hospitality: Trattoria Vesso’s key ingredients

Contributed

Walk into Trattoria Vesso on the corner of Hollis and Morris Street in Halifax at lunch and you’ll see exactly what a trattoria is supposed to be. A business meeting unfolds beside a family with young children. A couple shares a pizza while another table passes around antipasti before bowls of fresh pasta arrive. A dock worker stops at the bar for a quick espresso before heading to work. Nobody seems rushed. Nobody appears out of place.

For Chef Vesso Mrakic, that’s entirely intentional.

The Coast’s food critic Mark DeWolf visits Trattoria Vesso and speaks on its quality and how it honours tradition through its dishes and atmosphere.

🤔 Need To Know

🏚️ NSNDP leader Claudia Chender says the case of a tenant who’s apartment was demolished while under a tenancy order shows how lacking Nova Scotia’s rental protections are—the minister in charge of the Residential Tenancies Act says although the contract with the tenant was violated, the issue was outside of the act’s purview.

🏗️ A controversial demolition and construction facility has been approved by Halifax council for Porters Lake—some councilors voiced their displeasure in approving the development, citing the municipality’s requirements.

🪧 The union representing long-term care workers says they are still unable to resolve issues despite the tentative agreement reached with three long-term care centres—CUPE says these homes are unwilling to settle on standby pay and mandated, scheduled time off.

SPONSORED BY CANADIAN MUSEUM OF IMMIGRATION AT PIER 21

FREE Canada Day at the Museum

Join the Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21 this Canada Day, July 1 from 8:30am - 5:30pm for FREE admission and activities for all visitors throughout the day. Explore all exhibitions, enjoy special activities, a scavenger hunt, witness a citizenship ceremony, sing along the Big Sing and so much more. The Museum is the perfect place to connect and celebrate cultures and experiences from across the country.

Want help planning your day? Check out the full schedule of activities here.

Located on the Halifax waterfront with FREE parking in front of the Museum for Canada Day. Plan your visit today!

🗞️ In Other News

🚆 A Halifax woman suffered non-life-threatening injuries after being struck by a train in Bedford—the 24-year-old was walking on the tracks with another woman on Wednesday night when the incident occurred.

⚡ Marco MacLeod, the province’s new energy minister, says he’s open to integrating power grids across Atlantic Canada—he says conversations surrounding this have already been happening with New Brunswick and P.E.I.

🎶 A retired music teacher has been sentenced to four years in prison for sexual crimes against a student from around 20 years ago—68-year-old Lorna Letcher also faces a civil lawsuit from her victim.

SPONSORED BY UNIVERSAL REALTY GROUP

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Ideally located in the heart of Halifax, these thoughtfully designed suites offer modern comforts, premium finishes, and convenient access to dining, shopping, entertainment, and everyday essentials, all just steps from your door. 🌻

For leasing information, contact: Kuldeep Bhimani
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🗓️ Things To Do

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

🗓 Travis Lindsay Live at YukYuks: This Hour Has 22 Minutes writer and Canada’s Got Talent finalist takes the stage at YukYuks this weekend. | June 19-20 | 8PM | $25+|

🗓 We Might Need Therapy: Stand Up Comedy Showcase: Professional comedians display their mental illnesses on stage for all to see at this wonderfully funny show at Good Robot Brewing. | June 19 | 7PM | $12.19 |

🗓 Argyle Street Shore Party: Three nights. Four zones. 20+ artists. A different experience each night at this street party to celebrate the SailGP races. | June 19-21 | 6PM |

🗓 Tim Hicks Going Somewhere Tour: Country singer Tim Hicks takes over the Light House Arts Centre this Friday with supporting act The Martin Boys. | June 19 | 8PM | $43.86 |

🗓 Canada Sail Grand Prix: SailGP returns to Halifax with two days packed full of harbourfront sail races. | June 20-21 | 3PM | Varying prices |

🗓 Bruce Guthro’s Songwriters Circle: Dylan Guthro hosts this songwriter’s circle with Dave Gunning, Irish Mythe and Rose Cousins all together in one room, sharing their stories and songs. | June 20 | 8PM | $86.88 |

🗓 Downtown Dartmouth Harbour Watch Party: Check out the SailGP races from the Dartmouth Harbour at this fun and exciting watch party. | June 20 | 3PM |

🗓 Leo Burke East Coast Memorial Cup: The biggest night in Maritime pro-wrestling is almost here. Eight wrestlers enter the ring, and only one can take home the cup. | June 20 | 7:30PM | $33.28 |

🗓 Sips and Sails: Halifax Marriott Harbourfront and Garrison Brewing present this special race-watching event from the Sable Ballroom and Patio, with a kickoff performance by Rankin MacInnis and the Broken Reeds. | June 20 | 2:30PM | $169+|

🗓 Philippine Fiesta 2026: The fifth annual Philippine Fiesta is happening at the Garrison Grounds, with authentic cuisine, performances and a marketplace. | June 20-21 | 11AM | $6.66+|

🗓 Foil4All Halifax 2026: A dynamic week of on-water experiences and high-performance foiling, organized by weCANfoil and hosted by the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic Boat School. | June 13-19 | 10AM |

🗓 Hot Ones: A spicy burlesque and drag show with some hot sauce in the mix, with performers taking on the dreaded wings of death at the Seahorse Tavern. | June 21 | 7PM | $16.50+|

🗓 Shades of Indian Music - A Concert with Ashwani Kumar: Singer and composer Ashwani Kumar is joined by some amazing instrumentalists in this celebration of Indian music at the Halifax Central Library. | June 21 | 3:30PM |

🗓 Dartmouth Players Presents Sinners by Norm Forster: A fast-paced comedy about a moral scandal in a conservative small town, performed by the Dartmouth Players at the Stairs Memorial United Church. | June 11-27 | 7:30PM, 2PM | $20 |

🗓 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 newsletter@thecoast.ca.

⚓️ What’s In The Harbour

Brendyn here! Sorry folks, seems that the Port Control website where we get our harbour information is down as I’m writing this section.

Your regularly scheduled Harbour Report will return on Tuesday.

🍴 Where To Eat & Drink

🍔 There’s nothing like the Bacon Ham quarter-pounder from WaveFoods. A quarter-pound smash burger with melty cheese, bacon jam, lettuce, pickle, and Wave sauce on a brioche bun.

🥪 A lovable plant-based sandwich fresh from Larry’s Sandwiches in Dartmouth. Marinated beets, tahini dressing, cucumber and herb salad, and fresh sprouts on a house sub bun.

👀 In Case You Missed It

📱 When Conrad Scotchburn first arrived in Halifax, it wasn't with dreams of launching a startup. The recent graduate of Saint Mary's University came to Nova Scotia to play basketball. Growing up in Saudi Arabia, Scotchburn was raised in a diverse international community where service and connection were central values. His father had played university basketball, and following in those footsteps eventually brought him to Halifax after a year in Calgary pursuing opportunities to compete at the collegiate level. “My dad played university basketball. I always wanted to play university basketball, so I was really making a push to do that." While injuries eventually led him away from competitive basketball, they opened the door to another passion: entrepreneurship with a social purpose. The Coast’s Warren D’Silva speaks with Scotchburn about the Blyyss app and how it helps people reduce their grocery spending.

🏚️ An apartment building was demolished despite a residential tenancy order that said a resident had until the end of September to vacate—the tenant involved says they had no choice but to vacate when the demolition began, with Dal Legal Aid calling it an illegal demoviction.

📖 A Holocaust denialist meme found its way into a West Bedford yearbook as a quote from one of the students—the school is recalling and reprinting the books to remove the hateful message.

That’s it!

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:

Good morning!

One of the most insane stories from over the weekend (that I may have forgot to mention yesterday despite it’s insanity) is the situation involving Lunenburg’s mayor, Jamie Myra.

The owner of Saltwind Transportation, a taxi service in the town, says the mayor tried to get in cab with his friends and family while intoxicated. When there were too many people in the car, the owner says he told them they could not all legally be allowed in the vehicle and that it was too busy for multiple trips.

This is when, allegedly, one of the people started screaming at him, which led the owner to telling the mayor and his friends to get out. According to the owner, this led to a call from the mayor regarding the incident, in which the owner was allegedly told that the mayor’s family and friends might come after the business if the incident was made public, and that the mayor would be willing to chat with the owner about possible “changes to bylaws.”

The mayor’s response to these allegations? He says he has a different view of what happened that night—a blurry one, if I had to guess.

Now, none of this has been tested in court. We don’t know exactly what happened, just what one person told us and what one person chose not to say (the mayor declined an interview request from CBC, by the way).

As I was writing this, I came across a Facebook post from Saltwind stating they would be suspending service for the time being due to harassment the owner has faced while on the job, which they say included homophobic slurs used against them.

This story does overshadow the other interesting mayor story of the week. Halifax mayor Andy Fillmore was the only “no” vote on a motion regarding rules around councillors meeting with private interest groups—probably stemming from the Uber lobbying situation.

It’s just been a weird one for Nova Scotian mayors, I guess.

– B

📷 @creamy_yet_smooth

🌡️ Traffic & Weather

Today: 🌤️ 23°

Tomorrow: 🌦️ 23°

Next Day: 🌦️ 23°

7-day forecast

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

TECH

From Saudi Arabia to Halifax, this recent graduate is using technology to tackle food insecurity

📸 Contributed

When Conrad Scotchburn first arrived in Halifax, it wasn't with dreams of launching a startup.

The recent graduate of Saint Mary's University came to Nova Scotia to play basketball.

Growing up in Saudi Arabia, Scotchburn was raised in a diverse international community where service and connection were central values. His father had played university basketball, and following in those footsteps eventually brought him to Halifax after a year in Calgary pursuing opportunities to compete at the collegiate level.

“My dad played university basketball. I always wanted to play university basketball, so I was really making a push to do that."

While injuries eventually led him away from competitive basketball, they opened the door to another passion: entrepreneurship with a social purpose.

The Coast’s Warren D’Silva speaks with Scotchburn about the Blyyss app and how it helps people reduce their grocery spending.

🤔 Need To Know

🏚️ An apartment building was demolished despite a residential tenancy order that said a resident had until the end of September to vacate—the tenant involved says they had no choice but to vacate when the demolition began, with Dal Legal Aid calling it an illegal demoviction.

📖 A Holocaust denialist meme found its way into a West Bedford yearbook as a quote from one of the students—the school is recalling and reprinting the books to remove the hateful message.

🏘️ The executive director of the Affordable Housing Association of Nova Scotia told the provincial public accounts committee that community housing is the only real solution to the housing crisis—while some housing experts are acknowledging that Nova Scotia’s vacancy rates are improving, a report from the association outlines the importance of a sustainable housing system over reactive models.

🫂 Summer isn't always relaxing. Busy schedules, family demands, and constant expectations can increase stress. Prioritizing your well-being can help restore balance.*

*Sponsored Post

🗞️ In Other News

⚖️ A hacker was issued a conditional discharge after being convicted of posting an antisemitic message to the social media account of a government employee and former political candidate—they had been had been employed by the province to manage the victim’s social media before the incident occurred.

♿ Premier Tim Houston is asking residents to open their homes to participate in the province’s new home-share program for people with disabilities—run by 10 organizations across Nova Scotia, the program comes as the government seeks to close its institutions and move people into their communities.

⛽ A gas station in Truro was allegedly robbed by a man with a pitchfork on Wednesday morning—the 38-year-old supposedly held up a clerk with the pitchfork and stole some cigarettes.

🗓️ Things To Do

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

🗓 Canadaland Live in Halifax: Canada’s biggest independent news podcast is recording live in Halifax with Noor Azrieh interviewing MLA Becky Druhan with a guest appearance from comedian Clare Belford. | June 18 | 7PM |

🗓 Foil4All Halifax 2026: A dynamic week of on-water experiences and high-performance foiling, organized by weCANfoil and hosted by the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic Boat School. | June 13-19 | 10AM |

🗓 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 newsletter@thecoast.ca.

⚓️ What’s In The Harbour

🚢➡️ The Volendam cruise vessel arrives in Halifax at 7am and departs at 3pm.

🚢➡️ The Zuiderdam cruise vessel arrives in Halifax at 8am and departs at 4pm.

➡️ The Leeway Odyssey research vessel departs Halifax for Dartmouth at 8am.

➡️ The MTM Southport tanker departs Halifax for the United States at 2pm.

🚢➡️ The MSC Barbados container vessel arrives in Halifax from Sines at 4:15pm and departs for Montreal at 10pm.

🍴 Where To Eat & Drink

🥪 A lovable plant-based sandwich fresh from Larry’s Sandwiches in Dartmouth. Marinated beets, tahini dressing, cucumber and herb salad, and fresh sprouts on a house sub bun.

🍨 For a limited time, Churned is serving scoops of strawberry matcha, made using frozen strawberries from last season. Get yours while you can!

👀 In Case You Missed It

🎵 A few weeks ago, I sat with singer-songwriter Alexander Gallant outside Cafe Goodluck in Dartmouth. Gallant is a special sort. A folk artist that is equally unconcerned about the virality of his art and cognizant of the system he has to work within to have it be seen. A man with a guitar who sings about how he feels with both sincerity and wit, focused on the wistful nature of living life during what I think we can all agree is a slow apocalypse fueled by greed. When Gallant sent me an early preview for his latest album, The Prince of Birchy Head, I snickered at the title and the cover art. “That’s Alex for you,” I said to a friend who was with me when I received the link. In a way only Gallant can, that chuckle transformed into a strange feeling between melancholy and nostalgia. It felt like an ocean breeze bristling against my beard as I watch the waves form on the water, over and over. That is what it felt like listening to Gallant’s new album, out this Friday. I had the pleasure to speak with Gallant about his new record in an article released last week. We talked about many things, the album included, and I think it’s worth a read if you haven’t already.

🏠 The Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation released a report indicating Halifax has low vacancy rates, low turnover rates, and high costs for rent—the city’s vacancy rate is 2.7 percent, less than Toronto and Montreal’s housing markets.

🔎 A 12-year-old girl who was reported missing by Halifax RCMP in the Ostrea Lake area has been found safe—an alert was issued around 9:30pm Monday night, with an update one hour later indicating she had been found.

That’s it!

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:

Good morning!

It is with a heavy heart that I inform you all that a sacred Canadian tradition has died.

After failing to come to an agreement with rights-holder Rogers Sportsnet, the CBC will no longer be airing Hockey Night in Canada—a Canadian staple that has survived the transition from radio to television; a tradition that has survived many, many years.

All in all, it’s unsurprising that the world of business has once again interfered in the world of sports (I almost typed entertainment, but I don’t want to antagonize anyone in their time of grieving). It’s easily my least favourite aspect of sports—the industry of it all.

Regardless, as the hockey season comes to a close, we’ll all be tuning into Rogers for our NHL fix next fall instead of CBC on Saturdays, though the latter plans to switch to Olympic-based content for the foreseeable future, which may be more inline with CBC’s general programming, in this writer’s opinion.

Either way, I will one-hundred-percent be consuming my NHL legally through Rogers, just as I have always done for years, and years, and years. Definitely. Yes. Yep.

– B

📷 @creamy_yet_smooth

🌡️ Traffic & Weather

Today: ️🌦️ 24°

Tomorrow: ⛅️ 22°

Next Day: ☁️ 23°

7-day forecast

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

MUSIC

Heavy is the crown on ‘The Prince of Birchy Head’

Eric Stephen Martin

A few weeks ago, I sat with singer-songwriter Alexander Gallant outside Cafe Goodluck in Dartmouth—seen above with pie in his face.

Gallant is a special sort. A folk artist that is equally unconcerned about the virality of his art, and cognizant of the system he has to work within to have it be seen. A man with a guitar who sings about how he feels with both sincerity and wit, focused on the wistful nature of living life during what I think we can all agree is a slow apocalypse fueled by greed.

When Gallant sent me an early preview for his latest album, The Prince of Birchy Head, I snickered at the title and the cover art. “That’s Alex for you,” I said to a friend who was with me when I received the link.

In a way only Gallant can, that chuckle transformed into a strange feeling between melancholy and nostalgia. It felt like an ocean breeze bristling against my beard as I watch the waves form on the water, over and over. That is what it felt like listening to Gallant’s new album, out this Friday.

I had the pleasure to speak with Gallant about his new record in an article released last week. We talked about many things, the album included, and I think it’s worth a read if you haven’t already.

🤔 Need To Know

🏠 The Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation released a report indicating Halifax has low vacancy rates, low turnover rates, and high costs for rent—the city’s vacancy rate is 2.7 percent, less than Toronto and Montreal’s housing markets.

🔎 A 12-year-old girl who was reported missing by Halifax RCMP in the Ostrea Lake area has been found safe—an alert was issued around 9:30pm Monday night, with an update one hour later indicating she had been found.

✈️ Flights from Halifax to Europe are up by 40 percent this summer compared to this time last year, according to an aviation analytics company—this is likely due to less Canadians choosing not to travel to the United States.

🍕 TAG’s Mystic Pizza: The Musical is such a smash hit that the run is completely sold-out! Check out what’s next: TAG 2026-27 Season!*

🍷 Explore Nova Scotia wine country with guided tours departing daily from Halifax and Wolfville. Transportation, tastings, and curated culinary experiences included. Relax and enjoy the Annapolis Valley.*

*Sponsored Post

🗞️ In Other News

⛽ Diesel prices will have changed overnight due to the interruptor clause going into effect—this clause was also used on Monday to shift the price of diesel down 7.1 cent, though the price of gasoline will not be impacted.

⛵ The municipality is warning residents of the busy weekend ahead as the SailGP Canada Sail Grand Prix kicks off in Halifax—the biggest impacts will be a closure on Argyle Street and the disruption of the Alderney ferry schedule to allow for racers to travel safely.

🚨 Two people have been charged with weapons offences after being found unresponsive but breathing in a Halifax home—police say they were found next a large amount of cash and a loaded handgun.

🗓️ Things To Do

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

🗓 Canadaland Live in Halifax: Canada’s biggest independent news podcast is recording live in Halifax with Noor Azrieh interviewing MLA Becky Druhan with a guest appearance from comedian Clare Belford. | June 18 | 7PM |

🗓 Foil4All Halifax 2026: A dynamic week of on-water experiences and high-performance foiling, organized by weCANfoil and hosted by the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic Boat School. | June 13-19 | 10AM |

🗓 Dartmouth Players Presents Sinners by Norm Forster: A fast-paced comedy about a moral scandal in a conservative small town, performed by the Dartmouth Players at the Stairs Memorial United Church. | June 11-27 | 7:30PM, 2PM | $20 |

Have an event to share? Let us know at newsletter@thecoast.ca.

⚓️ What’s In The Harbour

🚢➡️ The Grande Cameroon container vessel arrives in Halifax from Valencia at 5:55pm and departs for Baltimore at 4pm.

➡️ The Harbour Progress tanker departs Halifax for Montreal at 9am.

🚢➡️ The Oceanex Sanderling container vessel arrives in Halifax from St. John’s at 12:20pm.

🚢➡️ The Atlantic Sky container vessel arrives in Halifax from Liverpool at 4:20pm and departs for New York at 11pm.

🚢 The MTM Southport tanker arrives from Port Alfred at 11:30pm.

🍴 Where To Eat & Drink

🍨 For a limited time, Churned is serving scoops of strawberry matcha, made using frozen strawberries from last season. Get yours while you can!

🥩 Hux Bar & Bistro has quickly become one of Halifax’s hottest tables. Chef Neil MacLean (ex Five Fishermen) and Dylan Brentwood (formerly of Bar Kismet) have created a modern bistro with confident cooking and an excellent cocktail program. The steak tartare was outstanding and paired with Pinot Noir came in under $50. Halifax’s most exciting opening since Mystic.*

*Sponsored Post

👀 In Case You Missed It

🍔 After tallying all the burgers bought from The Coast’s Halifax Burger Bash 2026 with Garrison Brewing, we have a final total for the donation amount received by Feed Nova Scotia. From April 16-26, Haligonians purchased a total of 79,053 burgers across 150+ restaurants throughout the city. Together, we raised $125,066 in support of Feed Nova Scotia. The Coast’s Brendyn Creamer has more on the final numbers from The Coast’s Burger Bash 2026 with Garrison Brewing.

⛴️ A keel-laying ceremony took place at in Halifax on Friday for Canada’s first River-class destroyer, a vessel named after the HMCS Fraser, the first Royal Canadian vessel to sink during the Second World War—a coin was welded into the keel to bring good luck to the new vessel.

☀️ Municipal affairs minister John A. MacDonald says another drought in Nova Scotia is an inevitability, encouraging residents to look into conservation methods—the province has issued a tender to find a company that can provide emergency potable water for when the next drought strikes.

That’s it!

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:

Hello Coast family,

If you follow me over on the socials, you've heard the news by now. But for the rest of you, I'm sad to announce that I did not make it into the finals of the Super Mom competition.

Voting in the semi-final round closed at 11pm PST on Thursday night and at 10:58pm I was sitting pretty in first place, just waiting for the minutes to tick by to my triumphant victory and then BAM, someone snatched my win at the last minute.

Sigh.

Instagram post

This is, however, a blessing and a curse because although we lost, you guys never have to hear about it again or be psychologically manipulated into voting via adorable baby baiting. That's not to say I will not employ this tactic in the future, but for now you are safe.

Thank you. Thank you for rooting, voting, donating, supporting, messaging, and just generally loving Poppy and I. As I'm finishing up my may leave, I feel refreshed (ish) and excited to get back to writing for you guys. You are the best.

Until then...

Love and light,

- Jules

Note from Brendyn: Give Julie a follow on Instagram. She’ll be posting about her plans for a grand return to The Coast when she’s ready!

📷 @editorjulesl

🌡️ Traffic & Weather

Today: 🌧️ 21°

Tomorrow: ☀️ 23°

Next Day: ☀️ 24°

7-day forecast

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

BURGER BASH

Over $125,000 raised for Feed Nova Scotia from The Coast’s Burger Bash 2026 with Garrison Brewing

📸 The Coast Illustration

After tallying all the burgers bought from The Coast’s Halifax Burger Bash 2026 with Garrison Brewing, we have a final total for the donation amount received by Feed Nova Scotia.

From April 16-26, Haligonians purchased a total of 79,053 burgers across 150+ restaurants throughout the city. Together, we raised $125,066 in support of Feed Nova Scotia.

The Coast’s Brendyn Creamer has more on the final numbers from The Coast’s Burger Bash 2026 with Garrison Brewing.

🤔 Need To Know

⛴️ A keel-laying ceremony took place at in Halifax on Friday for Canada’s first River-class destroyer, a vessel named after the HMCS Fraser, the first Royal Canadian vessel to sink during the Second World War—a coin was welded into the keel to bring good luck to the new vessel.

☀️ Municipal affairs minister John A. MacDonald says another drought in Nova Scotia is an inevitability, encouraging residents to look into conservation methods—the province has issued a tender to find a company that can provide emergency potable water for when the next drought strikes.

🚧 The owner of a construction company says the province “stole” over $300,000 worth of equipment through its ongoing civil forfeiture of an illegal landfill which the company has no involvement in—Nova Scotia’s Civil Forfeitures Act is used mainly to deal with organized crime, not environmental concerns.

🏠 Seniors and their families are thinking ahead about a home’s long-term fit for aging in place. This free screening guide helps with the process.*

*Sponsored Post

SPONSORED BY YOUR COUNSELLING

When Summer feels overwhelming

Summer is supposed to feel easy, yet for many people it becomes one of the busiest times of the year. Between family visits, childcare changes, vacations, social events, and the pressure to make the most of the season, stress can quietly build. You may find yourself feeling overwhelmed, irritable, exhausted, or struggling to keep up with competing demands. The expectation that summer should be relaxing can make these feelings even harder to acknowledge. Taking time to slow down, set boundaries, and prioritize your own well-being is not selfish; it is necessary.

If summer stress is affecting your mood, relationships, or daily life, counselling can help you regain balance and enjoy the season more fully. Book today.

🗞️ In Other News

🌈 A new Canada Post stamp honours the historic Turret gay and lesbian club in Halifax, which opened in the Khyber building in 1976—the city is currently trying to buy back the Khyber building from the Turret Arts Space Society, with the society attempting to preserve the space’s historical significance.

🚗 Two impaired driving crashes within the Halifax Regional Municipality over the weekend led to the arrests of a 20-year-old man and a 19-year-old man—new police stats show 50 drivers were charged with impaired driving last month.

⚕️ The province is offering grants up to $25,000 for community groups seeking to bring healthcare professionals to Nova Scotia—the provincial government has administered 82 grants focused on recruitment initiatives since 2022.

SPONSORED BY PARRSBORO INTERNATIONAL PLEIN AIR FESTIVAL

Where Art and Geology collide

As you read this there are thirty artists interpreting the land, the sea, the architecture, the waterfalls and an abandoned wreck. Out of sixty applicants these thirty were chosen to capture and compete. Saturday evening is when it all comes to a peak. Over $7000 in prizes and international prestige. June 16-21.

Buy Art - Enjoy Life - Join the Crowd

🗓️ Things To Do

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

🗓 Foil4All Halifax 2026: A dynamic week of on-water experiences and high-performance foiling, organized by weCANfoil and hosted by the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic Boat School. | June 13-19 | 10AM |

🗓 Dartmouth Players Presents Sinners by Norm Forster: A fast-paced comedy about a moral scandal in a conservative small town, performed by the Dartmouth Players at the Stairs Memorial United Church. | June 11-27 | 7:30PM, 2PM | $20 |

🗓 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 newsletter@thecoast.ca.

⚓️ What’s In The Harbour

🚢➡️ The Norwegian Breakaway cruise vessel arrives in Halifax at 6am and departs at 3:30pm.

🚢➡️ The Oceana container vessel arrives in Halifax from New York at 7:20am and departs for Kingston at 6pm.

➡️ The Harbour Princess tanker departs Halifax for Montreal at 9pm.

SPONSORED BY CANADIAN MUSEUM OF IMMIGRATION AT PIER 21

FREE Canada Day at the Museum

Join the Museum this Canada Day. Don't miss out on FREE admission and activities all day. Explore exhibitions, enjoy live music, performances and a special screening of a live World Cup game, take part in scavenger hunts and family-friendly crafts, witness a citizenship ceremony, and so much more!

🍴 Where To Eat & Drink

🥩 Hux Bar & Bistro has quickly become one of Halifax’s hottest tables. Chef Neil MacLean (ex Five Fishermen) and Dylan Brentwood (formerly of Bar Kismet) have created a modern bistro with confident cooking and an excellent cocktail program. The steak tartare was outstanding and paired with Pinot Noir came in under $50. Halifax’s most exciting opening since Mystic.

🥪 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.

👀 In Case You Missed It

🎉 When Alvaro first stepped onto the stage at the Philippine Fiesta in Halifax three years ago, he was a relatively unknown local performer testing the waters of live music. This year, the Filipino-Canadian pop artist is returning to the festival as an established performer who has appeared at Nova Scotia Music Week, sung the national anthems at Halifax Thunderbirds games, and is preparing to take the main stage at the TD Halifax Jazz Festival. The Coast’s Warren D’Silva speaks with the festival’s organizers about the upcoming celebrations, including Alvaro’s performance.

🪧 Long-term care workers at the St. Vincent’s Nursing Home in Halifax are the first to ratify a tentative agreement with the province, which could bring the eight-week strike to an end—the union says they managed to get a minimum $5 raise for all workers, better layoff protections, and additional wages for supervisors and training students.

📊 A new Angus Reid poll shows Premier Tim Houston is the third-least popular premier in the country with only a 34 percent approval rating, far below previous ratings—below Houston are Ontario’s Premier Doug Ford at 21 percent and British Columbia’s Premier David Eby at 31 percent.

That’s it!

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