Caitlin Snow is an award-winning news anchor who started in the radio business nearly 20 years ago. She is based in Halifax, reporting on and broadcasting stories across Nova Scotia. Contact Caitlin at snowc@radioabl.ca.
Nova Scotia Power has made good on two commitments it promised after last year’s cyberbreach.
The utility says all social security numbers have been permanently deleted from their systems and meter connections have been restored, with customer billing returning to normal.
However, Nova Scotia Power warns it may take a while for this to be reflected on your bill.
The utility gave itself until March 31 to deliver on both.
It follows a massive cyberbreach from March 2025 that gave hackers access to personal information of 900,000 customers.
Nova Scotia Power has been under fire since the attack with many questioning its reliability, including Premier Tim Houston who called it, “out of touch”.
The utility was just approved for a rate hike of 3.8 per cent in 2026 and 4.1 per cent in 2027. They had applied for 8 per cent over two years.
There has also been a leadership change. Former CEO Peter Gregg stepped down only weeks ago to be replaced by Vivek Sood, who promises to rebuild trust.
Two Canadians are gearing up for the first mission to the moon in more than half a century.
Artemis II is set to launch Wednesday from the Kennedy Space Station in Florida for the first manned mission to moon since Apollo 17 in 1972.
It will be a historic moment for Jeremy Hansen who will be the first Canadian to ever make the journey.
The 47-year-old former fighter pilot was announced as part of the four-person crew, two years ago, and has been in quarantine for the last nine days to prepare for the big launch.
In a post on social media last week, he thanked everyone who cheered him on.
“From leaving our home to the moment we will step onto the launchpad, these last few days are made even more special knowing we have such an incredible community behind us,” says Hansen.
In an interview with Acadia News, Jamie Sevigny, the director of space exploration development with The Canadian Space Agency tells us they are thrilled to have Hansen on board.
“Jeremy will be the first Canadian going around the moon,” says Sevigny. “He’s also going to make Canada the second country to send a human around the moon. So, this is pretty big.”
The agency says his role as mission specialist is to make sure everything is functioning properly to set them up for the Artemis III mission.
Sevigny says a big reason a Canadian is part of the mission is because of Canadaarm 3. A robotic system set to be on the Lunar Gateway – a small station that will orbit the moon.
Hansen’s backup is Jenni Gibbins.
The Canadian Space Agency says the 37-year-old will also be a “vital” link between the flight controllers on earth and the crew as the Capsule Communicator (capcom).
The mission will take ten days to fly around the moon and back taking observations and pictures.
It looks like El Nino is on the way for Canada which could mean a less active hurricane season on the east coast.
Meteorologist Tyler Hamilton tells us all signs point to the weather phenomenon taking shape in the Pacific Ocean with sea surface temperatures warmer than normal.
“Normally, there’s strong trade winds that are pushing the warm water towards Asia,” says Hamilton. “Over the next several months, those winds are forecast to weaken.”
He says that will cause warm water to spread to South America, shifting thunderstorms, influencing the jet stream and normal flow of the atmosphere.
It means, a possible “good news” scenario for Atlantic Canada.
“We can really track El Nino to creating some hostile conditions for the development for hurricanes,” says Hamilton. “So, I’m curious to see how that develops over the coming months to see if maybe we’re in for a quieter than normal Atlantic hurricane season for the summer ahead. “
He says it’s also possible for higher temperatures but that remains to be seen.
Looking ahead, El Nino could also influence weather patterns into the fall and winter as well.
“It will actually play more of a role in our winter forecast because El Nino’s are famous for providing milder than normal winters across Canada, especially central and eastern regions,” says Hamilton.
He adds that could add some drawbacks for next year’s ski season after having been in a more La Nina weather state for the past six, seven years.
“Typically, [with El Nino] you can sometimes get a bit more milder air pushing in and more rain at lower elevations,” explains Hamilton.
The last time we saw a strong El Nino was in 2023/24, however Hamilton says it is possible for it to develop without affecting the jet stream.
“That will be another facet of how this develops to see if it actually is impacting the atmosphere a lot and then ultimately shifting weather patterns over Canada for the months and seasons ahead.”
Nova Scotia hockey legend, Bill Riley, has passed away.
Hockey Nova Scotia says Riley made history as the third black player to play in the NHL and the first of African Nova Scotian descent.
The organization says the Amherst native played over 139 NHL games with the Capitals and Winnipeg Jets and “embodied everything a teammate and competitor should be”.
He was captain of the New Brunswick Hawks and Nova Scotia Voyageurs.
Riley then coached in the QMJHL for the Moncton Wildcats and the Maritime League’s Amherst Ramblers.
“Bill Riley’s legacy goes beyond the stats, championships, and games won behind the bench. He inspired future generations through his determination, spirit and sheer love of the game,” says Hockey Nova Scotia in a social media post.
He was inducted into the Nova Scotia Sports Hall of Fame in 1998.
Flying from Halifax to Montreal is about to get easier.
Porter Airlines has announced a direct flight between Halifax Stanfield and Montreal Metropolitan starting this June.
It will begin June 17, be year-round with up to two flights a day.
“This new route makes it even easier for Canadians to stay connected, strengthening Halifax’s role in Porter’s expanding North American network,” says Porter.
It was implemented March 15 after an assault that briefly sent three individuals to hospital for treatment.
Correctional Service Canada (CSC) says in a news release, an exceptional search has been completed, and operations have returned to normal.
During the search, contraband and other unauthorized items were seized, including “homemade stabbing weapons”.
CSC says they are strengthening measures to prevent contraband from getting into its facilities for a safe and secure environment. They work with police to take action against those who bring contraband in.
Another huge crowd gathered at a rally in Halifax on Friday afternoon.
It is in response to the spring budget that was tabled one month ago with $300 million worth of cuts to sectors such as arts and culture, tourism and disabilities.
There was singing, chanting and a slew of speakers including writer and activist Angela Bowden who said we need to stick together.
“We have so much work to do and we will do it together because the people united will never be divided,” said Bowden as the crowd started to chant with her.
Writer and activist Angela Bowden speaks to a crowd in Halifax. PHOTO: NATALIE CHAISSON/ACADIA BROADCASTING
The spring budget originally had $300 million worth of cuts.
Chris O’Neil with the Nova Scotia Arts Coalition said although they had wind of the cuts a few days before, when the budget got tabled, it was really shocking.
“It literally took all of us about a week to really go through everything and figure out all of the impacts,” said O’Neil.
She said she met with Finance Minister John Lohr a few days later on the matter.
“We said, ‘John, what were you thinking? And he couldn’t really give us an answer. Which is what we’ve seen over and over again with all of the MLA’s,'” explained O’Neil.
Protestors gathered outside Province House in Halifax. PHOTO: NATALIE CHAISSON/ACADIA BROADCASTING
However, O’Neil said there are still issues that affect the Mi’kmaw and African Nova Scotian communities.
“It’s an unprecedented number of people who have actually spoken. Not just people who actually live and work this stuff all the time, but ordinary Nova Scotians who come from all walks of life,” added O’Neil.
It was Tuesday evening when MLA’s were finishing the debate when the public observing, broke out into song to urge the government to change its mind. This caused legislature to be delayed until the next day and banned the public from the House.
O’Neil said this created a bizarre narrative.
“I mean literally people were singing, ‘it’s okay to change your mind’, and part of the reason they did that is because the politicians are not meeting with us,” says O’Neil. “At a certain point, we exhaust our options.”
She says there is a big difference between safety and comfort, and she feels the singing just made them uncomfortable.
“[It] was not threatening at all. It was super joyful.”
O’Neil said they are tired though.
“We are exhausted. We have been fighting this using every tool we can possibly find,” explains O’Neil. “There’s such a profound lack of interest in the government right now to hear our voices. So, our voices have to get a little louder. And we’re going to just keep going.”
A big boost from Ottawa for military-related investment in Atlantic Canada.
Prime Minister Mark Carney made the announcement in Halifax Thursday morning for $3 billion to Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, which he says meets their NATO 2 per cent defence spending target.
“For the last ten months, Canada’s new government has been working with unprecedented speed and scale. In ten months, we have invested over $60 billion in our defence and security,” said Carney.
“That’s the largest year on year increase in defence investment in generations. So, the first time, as I said, since the fall of the Berlin Wall, we will be spending that 2 per cent of GDP on defence.”
PM Carney in Halifax. PHOTO: NATALIE CHIASSON/ACADIA BROADCASTING
Nova Scotia:
$1.2 billion for upgrades to heating, electrical and fire protections at CFB Halifax Dockyard and Stadacona
$648 million to build two new hangars and drone infrastructure at 14 Wing Greenwood, supporting the Air Force’s CP-8A Poseidon Fleet and CQ-9B Guardian
Over $180 million to build the Combatant Training and Integration Centre
$82.5 million to buy Halifax Gate – a 475-acre waterfront industrial site
$60 million for a new 140-unit apartment for military members near 12 Wing Shearwater
New Brunswick:
More than $1 billion for new ground-based sir defence systems sat CFB Gagetown Range and Training Area
$20.2 million to upgrade transition centres at CFB Gagetown
While taking questions from reporters at the Halifax Dockyard, Carney was interrupted by the cannon on Citadel Hill to mark 12 p.m.
He was explaining how the federal government will reach 5 per cent of GDP by 2035 pointing to examples like northern operating support hubs, when the boom of the cannon sounded.
“That’s some of our investment in defence has been tested there,” Carney said. “Don’t be alarmed, it’s all part of the plan. But also, investment that’s relevant there.”
PM Carney in Halifax. PHOTO: NATALIE CHIASSON/ACADIA BROADCASTING
Carney said Ottawa will also spend on transportation corridors and artificial intelligence.
In a statement, Thursday, Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston said Nova Scotia is ready to lead.
“Nova Scotia has always answered the call. At sea, on land and in the air.
I’m sure in part that’s why the prime minister chose Nova Scotia to make this significance investment in defence.
We are Canada’s capital of defence and that didn’t happen by accident. It happened because of who and where we are.”
Houston said he’s “thrilled” Carney recognized what we have to offer.
The prime minister is expected to meet with Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston on Friday to talk about Wind West, an offshore development that would create enough energy to cover nearly a quarter of Canada’s needs.
