Heavy rain and strong winds forecast for parts of Atlantic Canada 

Photo credit:  Jeff Chiu / The Canadian Press

High wind gusts and heavy rain is expected for parts of Atlantic Canada today and into tomorrow. Environment Canada says mainland Nova Scotia can expect anywhere from 30 and 60 millimetres of rain with winds gusting up to 90 kilometres per hour.  The local area could get upwards of 30mm of rain, mostly tonight, with winds gusting to 80kh. Southern New Brunswick is to see 25 and 50 millimetres of rain and winds gusting at 70 to 80 kilometres per hour through today. Newfoundland’s south and west coasts and the Great Northern Peninsula are in store up to 70 millimetres of rain with winds as high as 100 kilometres per hour.

 

Nova Scotia marks 2nd anniversary of mass shooting tragedy 

Nova Scotians will again mark the worst shooting in modern Canadian history today with a moment of silence. Twenty-two people were killed two years ago during a two-day shooting rampage by a gunman who murdered 13 people in the community of Portapique on April 18th, 2020. He would kill another nine people before being shot dead by police at a gas station outside of Halifax the next day. Flags at government buildings in the province are to remain at half mast until sunset this evening. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau joined Nova Scotians and all Canadians Monday in remembering the 22 people killed in the two-day shooting rampage that began in the province two years ago yesterday. Trudeau said in a statement that in addition to the lives taken, many more lives were changed forever on what he describes as one of the darkest days in Canadian history. Premier Tim Houston has said legislation will be introduced in the fall to establish the dates of the shootings as provincial days of remembrance.

 

Inquiry into deaths of a former soldier and his family drawing to a close

A Nova Scotia inquiry investigating why Afghanistan war veteran Lionel Desmond killed three family members and himself in 2017 is set to conclude its public hearings this week. Proceedings for the Desmond Fatality Inquiry are to resume today at the courthouse in Port Hawkesbury. The Inquiry is also expected to sit tomorrow for closing submissions. Later this year, Judge Warren Zimmer is expected to release a written report with his findings and recommendations. (The Canadian Press)

 

Federation of Municipalities to deliver Sustainable Communities Challenge Fund

The Nova Scotia Federation of Municipalities has been selected to develop and administer the Sustainable Communities Challenge Fund. The province says the fund will provide $15 million over three years for projects that will help communities adapt to climate change, while also helping the province meet its greenhouse gas emission targets. The Sustainable Communities Challenge Fund was announced in January as part of Green Fund Investments. The provincial government says the Green Fund is revenue collected under the cap and trade program to be reinvested in climate change initiatives.

 

New non-resident property taxes in Nova Scotia forcing tough decisions on homeowners

A Nova Scotia-born woman who owns a home in the province, but now lives in Ontario, says she’s considering selling the property due to new taxes on non-resident property owners. Michelle Keall says the new taxes will add an extra nine-thousand dollars to the annual cost of the home in Nova Scotia that she’s owned since 2014. Keall says she spends about half the year at the house in order to be close to her family in the Bridgewater area. The Progressive Conservative government says it introduced the taxes to encourage non-resident owners to sell their homes to help ease the housing shortage across the province. (The Canadian Press)