Evan Taylor

Fuel prices are down slightly in Nova Scotia following the latest weekly adjustment.

The Nova Scotia Energy Board lowered the minimum price of regular self-serve gasoline by 1.7 cents per litre, bringing it to 185.4 cents.

Diesel prices saw a larger decrease, dropping 6.1 cents to 237.6 cents per litre.

The drop marks one of the first decreases in months after fuel prices climbed sharply.

Recent increases have been tied to global oil disruptions linked to the conflict in Iran, which pushed prices higher due to supply concerns and instability in key shipping routes.

Fuel prices in Nova Scotia are adjusted weekly based in part on global oil markets.

While prices have eased slightly, they remain significantly higher than levels seen earlier in the year.

The weekly adjustment takes effect every Friday across the province.

Rallies are being held across Nova Scotia as long-term care workers prepare for a possible strike.

The Canadian Union of Public Employees says workers at 21 long-term care homes are set to walk off the job Monday at 7 a.m.

The union says that would involve about 2,200 workers, with more facilities expected to join in the following days as legal requirements are met.

Union officials say negotiations have stalled, with little movement at the bargaining table.

Despite that, the union says it remains open to returning to talks if the employer is willing to negotiate.

Four rallies are planned as part of the lead-up to the strike, giving workers a chance to gather and raise awareness about the dispute.

The potential job action could impact long-term care services across multiple communities if a deal is not reached.

A person was rescued from a house fire in Thunder Bay.

Thunder Bay Fire Rescue says crews were called to a home on Luci Court around 3:30 p.m on Thursday.

Firefighters arrived to find heavy smoke coming from the residence and upgraded the call to a second alarm.

Crews launched an interior attack and were able to knock down the fire, which started in a rear bedroom.

During the response, firefighters located an unconscious occupant inside the home and brought them outside, where they were treated by crews until paramedics arrived.

The fire was brought under control quickly.

In total, six pumpers, an aerial ladder, and a command unit responded to the scene.

Nova Scotia is remembering one of its most accomplished athletes.

Nancy Garapick has died at the age of 64. Swimming Canada says she passed away peacefully at her home in Langley, British Columbia.

Garapick rose to prominence at a young age, becoming Canada’s youngest Female Athlete of the Year at just 14 in 1975.

That same year, she set a world record in the 200-metre backstroke at just 13 years old while swimming with the Halifax Trojan Aquatic Club.

She went on to represent Canada at the 1976 Olympic Games in Montreal, winning bronze medals in both the 100-metre and 200-metre backstroke.

Over the course of her career, Garapick won 17 national titles and 38 championship medals, along with multiple international honours.

She was inducted into the Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame, the Nova Scotia Sports Hall of Fame, and the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame.

Garapick later continued her involvement in swimming at the university level and remained connected to the sport throughout her life.

In a statement, Swimming Canada extended condolences to her family, friends, and the broader swimming community, noting her lasting impact on the sport in Canada.

The possibility of a strike by long-term care workers in Nova Scotia was front and centre during question period yesterday.

Halifax Armdale MLA Rod Wilson said workers are nearing a breaking point, with some earning only slightly above minimum wage even after years on the job.

“Long-term care workers have been telling me they don’t want a strike but they can no longer afford to pay their bills,” Wilson said.

He urged the province to act quickly, adding, “The minister could prevent a strike today by presenting a fair raise to long-term care workers.”

Wilson also raised concerns about how a strike could impact care inside nursing homes.

“We know a strike will mean reduced staff… there will be no kitchen staff, no housekeeping staff, no laundry staff,” he said. “Without them the risk of infection will go up.”

Seniors Minister Barb Adams defended the province’s position, saying a comparable deal has already been accepted elsewhere in the system.

“The offer that was made is the exact same offer that was made to acute care workers… and home care workers… and over 23 other long-term care facilities have already accepted the deal,” Adams said.

She also pushed back on concerns about safety during a potential strike.

“What the member just suggested… is just factually incorrect,” Adams said. “There is a legal requirement called an essential service contract.”

Adams added long-term care workers will continue to provide care if job action occurs.

“Our long-term care staff care so much about their clients, they are going to make sure that that care is provided.”

Wilson, however, said the current offer is not enough to prevent a strike, warning job action could begin as early as next week.

A proposed whale sanctuary in Nova Scotia is moving closer to reality with new funding announced to support construction.

The Whale Sanctuary Project says it has secured additional donor contributions, including a three-million U.S. dollar donation, to help advance work at its site in Port Hilford Bay.

The funding will support early infrastructure as the sanctuary prepares to eventually receive whales currently held in captivity.

A key part of that plan includes the potential relocation of two orcas, Wikie and Keijo, currently in France.

The organization says it is awaiting a final decision from the French government on the future of the whales, which could either be moved to another facility in France or transferred to the Nova Scotia sanctuary.

Project leaders say they are prepared to receive the whales if approval is granted, noting the site is being designed as a more natural, ocean-based environment for animals that have spent their lives in captivity.

The sanctuary would provide long-term care while allowing whales to live in a larger, more natural habitat compared to traditional marine parks.

The project also comes as attention grows around the future of other captive whales, including belugas in Canada, with increasing pressure to find alternative care options.

Organizers say the Nova Scotia sanctuary is intended to serve as one of those options, offering a different model focused on long-term welfare and rehabilitation.

New federal funding is set to support wastewater upgrades in Bridgewater, with local officials pointing to housing growth as a key benefit.

The federal government has announced just under $950,000 for upgrades to sanitary sewers on Jubilee Road.

The work will help improve service for current residents while also allowing for future development in the area.

Mayor David Mitchell says the investment is significant for a community the size of Bridgewater.

“It’s another investment in the community… these dollars go a long way and we’ve been very fortunate to receive this support,” he said.

Mitchell says the upgrades will help address capacity issues in the town’s existing system.

“We are at capacity throughout this entire side of the river,” he said, adding the work will include increasing pipe size and modernizing aging infrastructure.

The project is expected to support future housing growth, with Mitchell estimating it could help unlock close to 1,000 new housing units in the area.

He says there is already strong interest from developers, including proposed projects near Jubilee Road and Exhibition Drive.

Federal officials say the funding is part of the new Build Communities Strong Fund, a national program aimed at supporting infrastructure tied to housing and economic growth.

Jessica Fancy says the project stood out because it is ready to move forward and involves collaboration between multiple municipalities.

“This is a generational project… what we build now will support development for years to come,” she said.

Mitchell says while the funding moves the project forward, more investment will still be needed to complete broader wastewater upgrades across the community.

He says the town is now moving into the design phase, with work expected to begin once additional funding and planning are in place.

A snowfall warning is in effect for parts of northwestern Ontario, including Kenora and Dryden, with significant accumulation expected through midweek.

Environment Canada says 10 to 15 centimetres of snow is forecast from Tuesday night through Wednesday night.

The snow is expected to begin Tuesday evening near the Ontario-Manitoba border before spreading eastward overnight into communities like Kenora and Dryden.

Areas to the north of Kenora like Red Lake and Sioux Lookout could actually see more snow, with 20 centimeters in the forecast.

Periods of heavy snow are possible, particularly as the system moves through overnight and into Wednesday.

Forecasters say travel could be impacted, with roads and walkways becoming snow-covered and visibility reduced at times.

The snow is expected to gradually taper off from west to east Wednesday night.

Residents are advised to allow extra time for travel and take care when clearing snow, including taking breaks to avoid overexertion.

A Montreal-based real estate firm has purchased the Atlantic Superstore in Bridgewater as part of a larger national deal.

Leyad acquired the property through a portfolio of grocery stores leased to Loblaw Companies Limited.

Company CEO Henry Zabryev says shoppers in Bridgewater shouldn’t expect any noticeable changes.

“Customers shouldn’t notice any changes whatsoever — business as usual,” he said.

He says the company views the store as an important part of the community and plans to maintain that role moving forward.

Zabryev says the decision to invest in Bridgewater was driven by steady, long-term growth.

“If we look at a five or ten-year period… we just see consistency and we like that,” he said.

Leyad focuses on necessity-based retail, investing in properties tied to everyday needs like groceries.

While Leyad now owns the building, Loblaws will continue operating the store and handling day-to-day operations and upgrades.