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2 appear in court after newborn found dead in Halifax

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The man and woman who are facing charges in relation to the newborn found dead in Halifax, Nova Scotia, are now facing a new offence.

The province’s public prosecution service says Sukhpreet Singh, 23, and his 26-year-old wife Ramandeep are now facing a charge of resisting a peace officer after appearing in court briefly Monday, by video.

They were already facing charges including obstructing justice, concealing the body of a child and indignity to human remains.

It was Friday night when Halifax police say they received a call about a woman in life-threatening condition, in hospital, who appeared to have just given birth.

A search for the infant began in Clayton Park and lasted day and night over the weekend until police found the body, Sundayafter receiving a tip.

The baby was in the woods off Old Coach Road – about 15 minutes from Halifax.

Police say they believe the 23-year-old mother experienced a medical emergency and her condition was not the result of violence.

As of Sunday, she remained critical.

Two others who were brought into custody, were released without charges.

The suspects remain in custody and are scheduled for a bail hearing on May 28.

Macdonald Bridge

New traffic light sensors to speed up cars over Macdonald Bridge

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Some upgrades to traffic lights could speed up your trip over the Macdonald Bridge in rush hour.

The provincial government plans to spend $700,000 to upgrade three intersections along Nantucket Avenue and five along North Street, according to a news release.

Minister Fred Tilley says the sensors will help get people through faster

“We’ve all sat at that red light, when it is green in the opposite direction, and there’s no traffic, and it can be frustrating as traffic lines up behind us,” says Tilley.

The sensors can detect which side has more traffic and, on the fly, switch the light to prioritize which side has more cars lined up.

The city will take care of the installation, implementation, and ongoing monitoring, the release says.

Those new sensors are coming to intersections at:

  • Nantucket Avenue at Victoria Road
  • Nantucket Avenue at Zatzman Sportsplex
  • Nantucket Avenue at Wyse Road
  • North Street at Gottingen Street
  • North Street at Agricola Street
  • North Street at Robie Street
  • North Street at Windsor Street
  • North Street at Oxford Street.

Halifax Mayor Andy Fillmore says this is a practical way to improve the transportation infrastructure we already have.

“Not every improvement requires years of construction or major disruption — some of the most effective changes come from using smarter tools and better coordination,” wrote Fillmore in a news release from the mayor’s office.

He adds that people in the Halifax area expect multiple levels of government, like the municipality and the province, to work together on projects like this one.

Halifax Firefighter

Halifax gas station damaged after vehicle fire

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A vehicle fire caused significant damage to a gas station Sunday morning.

According to the Halifax Professional Firefighters, crews from Station 5 responded to the scene at a Mobil station on Joseph Howe Drive at 4:10 a.m.

The vehicle was near the gas pumps with fire extending into the gas station.

Crews had to work quickly to get the fire under control due to the location and potential for rapid spread.

The fire was quickly knocked down and brought under control, but not before significant damage to the building.

Halifax Regional Police car

Halifax cop pleads not guilty to selling stolen bicycles

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A Halifax cop has pleaded not guilty to selling stolen bicycles and other property in the fall of 2025.

The province’s prosecution service says Const. Fallon Sarah Clarke made the plea in Halifax Supreme Court, Thursday.

It was in October when SiRT says Const. Clarke was charged with breaching trust in her role, false pretense, as well as obstructing another officer’s duties, and possessing property obtained by crime that is worth more than $5000.

She has been suspended without pay since the investigation started.

The matter is scheduled to return to court May 19 for a pre-trial conference.

Halifax Alehouse

Former Halifax bouncer out on bail after manslaughter sentencing

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A former bouncer at a bar in downtown Halifax who was sentenced to four years in jail for the death of a patron from over three years ago, has been released on bail pending appeal, according to the province’s public prosecution service.

It comes just two weeks after Alexander Levy, 40, learned of his fate at a Halifax court room after he was found guilty of manslaughter and criminal negligence in October 2025.

It was December 24, 2022, when Ryan Sawyer, 31, was found unresponsive on the sidewalk on the corner of Prince and Brunswick Streets.

He was taken to hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Reports have said, according to an eyewitness, Sawyer had been put into a chokehold by one of the bouncers.

Levy later turned himself in; his sentencing date is April 24, 2026.

The Alehouse closed in 2024.

cocaineflatbread

Nearly 250kg of cocaine found hidden in flatbread at Halifax container facility

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Nearly 250kg of cocaine was found hidden in flatbread at a Halifax container facility.

The Canadian Border Services Agency says it was March 3 when a shipment from the Dominican Republic had been flagged for inspection.

Inside, a drug was in 1,178 packages wrapped in carbon paper in the bread.

Multiple tests confirmed it as “suspected cocaine”.

The importer was identified by RCMP as a 58-year-old man from Montreal who worked alongside two other men from Ontario, 35 and 33.

They are now facing drug trafficking charges and will appear in court, May 13.

SailGP Halifax

N.S. arts group slams premier for $1M SailGP

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The Nova Scotia Arts Coalition is slamming the province for going ahead for the second time with a global sailing event in Halifax after hundreds of cuts to arts and culture.

SailGP brings 12 teams from around the world with 50-foot catamarans to zip around Halifax Harbour. The competition drew tens of thousands to the waterfront in 2024 and is scheduled again for this June.

Chris O’Neil tells Acadia News although the arts coalition firmly believes in the power of tourism and special events to help create economic benefit, this one should not proceed.

“The reality is that granting $1 million on a one weekend yacht race, one started by a billionaire, is a terrible decision when the government is simultaneously cutting grants to arts, culture, tourism and heritage,” says O’Neil in a statement.

Many programs and services were cut in the spring budget as the province faced a $1.2 million deficit.

O’Neil says, Nova Scotia should prioritize spending money on individuals and organizations that provide “significant benefit year-round”.

“We don’t oppose sailing or Sail Nova Scotia, but when we are told that grants to teach arts in schools are completely eliminated because the government says everyone has to do their share. The question becomes, how is this race for one weekend doing its share,” asks O’Neil.

“The Nova Scotia Arts Coalition does not believe the government should be putting us all into a hunger games scenario,” says O’Neil.

Meanwhile, the province says they look forward to welcoming SailGP back this year.

“The 2024 Canada Sail Grand Prix attracted more than 50,000 spectators to Halifax and generated millions in economic activity,” says Communications Advisor Meredith Hand in an email.

Hand says, according to SailGP, the event made more than $31 million in direct economic impact.

The competition is slated for the Halifax waterfront June 20-21.

Halifax Alehouse

4 years jail time for former Alehouse bouncer for 2022 Christmas Eve homicide

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A former bouncer at a bar in downtown Halifax has been sentenced to four years in jail for the death of a patron from over three years ago, according to the province’s public prosecution service. 

Alexander Levy, 40, learned of his sentence at the Nova Scotia Supreme Court, Friday, after he was found guilty of manslaughter and criminal negligence in October 2025. 

It was December 24, 2022, when Ryan Sawyer, 31, was found unresponsive on the sidewalk on the corner of Prince and Brunswick Streets.

He was taken to hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Reports have said, according to an eyewitness, Sawyer had been put into a chokehold by one of the bouncers.

Levy later turned himself in; his sentencing date is April 24, 2026.

The Alehouse closed in 2024.

Ubisoft

Former Ubisoft employees in Halifax take settlement after lay-offs

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Dozens of former employees of a video game company in Halifax have accepted a settlement offer.

In a statement from the Game and Media Workers Guild of Canada (CWA Canada Local 30111), the terms of the deal remain confidential at this time.

It was in January when 71 workers were laid off, including 61 union members, when the downtown location abruptly shut down. Members rallied in the bitter cold as they grappled with the situation.

According to CWA, Ubisoft is having “significant financial problems” and has been laying off workers and downsizing around the world.

Still, the layoffs were a big blow.

“It came as a surprise to all of us and to the front-line managers as we were in the middle of many on-going and new projects and doing great work,” says former employee Jon Huffman. “We are extremely grateful to our union for negotiating this package for us.”

CWA thanks the people of Halifax for their support throughout the process.

“The success of the negotiation was directly attributed to the solidarity our members showed, their resolve in holding Ubisoft to account, the collecting and sharing of information and remaining steadfast in advocating for their rights as unionized workers,” says CWA President Carmel Smyth.

Ubisoft, based in France, is one of the world’s biggest video game developers, employing 17,000 people globally.

CWA Canada is the country’s only all-media union representing 6,000 workers coast to coast.

Navy frigate

Two navy military members facing charges in relation to death of petty officer

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Two members of the Royal Canadian Navy are facing charges in relation to the death of Petty Officer Second Class Gregoy Applin in January 2025.

The Canadian Forces Military Police say charges for the first suspect who is a Master Sailor include criminal negligence causing bodily harm and negligent performance of military duties.

The second suspect, a Sailor First Class, includes dangerous operation of a conveyance causing death and negligent performance of military duties.

It was at night during small boat operations in the Bedford Basin in Halifax, Nova Scotia when the inflatable boat Applin was in capsized.

The 38-year-old was sent to hospital but did not survive.

In a statement the Commander and Command Chief of the Navy say it likely very difficult news for everyone, and it highlights “challenging realities” of our service. 

“We operate in a demanding environment where mistakes are errors can have fatal consequences and we must be accountable for our actions and our inactions,” says the statement.

There will be a process to determine the outcome, which the statement says will be “fair, independent and impartial”. 

“We are also extremely mindful that an incident like this almost never results from a single cause or single error, and it is most likely the outcome of a combination of factors,” reads the statement.

“The loss of one of our own weighs heavily on us all. Let us honour Petty Officer Applin’s memory by committing ourselves to the highest ideals of naval service and ensuring that every sailor returns home safely,” say the Chiefs. 

More to come…

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