Nova Scotia’s public health department is reporting the number of hospitalizations due to COVID-19 increased last month but deaths declined by more than 30 per cent.

The latest epidemiological report shows 234 people with COVD-19 were hospitalized in the province in October — up from 206 in September.

It also shows there were 27 deaths compared with 36 the previous month.

Public Health says those who died were all aged 70 years and older, and nearly half were residents of long-term care homes.

 

 

The annual inflation rate for Canada didn’t move the needle very much, holding steady at 6.9 per cent last month.

After declining for several months, Statistics Canada says the rate of inflation was unchanged in October from September.

The Bank of Canada will be paying close attention to the latest consumer price index report as it prepares for its next interest rate decision slated for December.  Nova Scotia’s annual inflation rate stood at 7.7 per cent last month.

 

 

The Nova Scotia government has proclaimed a law that requires all short-term rentals to be registered with the province by April 1st, 2023.

Under updated regulations, all short-term rentals — including those within people’s homes — must register annually with the Tourist Accommodations Registry.

The information will help municipalities to enforce land-use bylaws.

Tourism Minister Pat Dunn says the registry will help the province balance demand for tourism accommodations with the need for more housing.

 

 

Federal Immigration Minister and Central Nova MP Sean Fraser says 324 Afghan refugees recently arrived at the Halifax airport.

Fraser said in a Tweet yesterday that with the arrival, there have now been 19 charter flights that landed in Canada from Pakistan.

Ottawa has committed to resettling a total of 40,000 Afghan refugees after the Taliban took over Afghanistan in August of last year.

Federal officials have estimated that to date about 23-thousand Afghan refugees have come to Canada.

 

 

New Glasgow Regional Police have arrested a 24-year-old Pictou County man for impaired driving after following up on a report of a suspected impaired driver.

Shortly after 10:00pm on Tuesday, Police located the vehicle and driver on East River Road, New Glasgow.

He was arrested for impaired and later provided breath samples that were four times the legal limit.

He is facing a January court appearance for charges of impaired driving.

 

 

A 14-metre white spruce — selected by Nova Scotia as this year’s Christmas tree for Boston — is on its way to Halifax following a cutting ceremony Wednesday morning.

A few hundred people gathered on Christmas Island in Cape Breton for a ceremony that included the performance of a new song about the tradition that began in 1971.

The song was written and performed by Cameron Townsend — an award-winning musician and daughter of the family donating this year’s tree.

The annual tradition provides an opportunity for Halifax to thank Boston for the city’s help following the Halifax Explosion in 1917.