Police say a man is facing charges for trafficking fentanyl in Pictou.  Investigators found that the suspect had bought fentanyl on the dark web and was having it delivered to Pictou.  Last Wednesday, police seized a package of 28 grams of a purple substance that looked like candy and later tested positive for fentanyl.  A 30-year-old man from Lyons Brook was arrested and charged with possession and trafficking.

Nova Scotia’s auditor general says the roads the provincial government selects for new paving work aren’t backed up by evidence.  Kim Adair released a report on the province’s road paving projects Tuesday morning.  She says Nova Scotia’s road projects quickly outpace available funding, and the province cannot back up their paving decisions with objective data.  Adair says the Department of Public Works does not have accurate or up-to-date information about the condition of Nova Scotia roads and there’s no consistent approach for paving decisions.

Finance Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne says the 2026 federal budget will be tabled on November 5th.  It’s the second budget to be delivered under Prime Minister Mark Carney, who has tried to reorient federal spending away from the day-to-day operations of government.  Carney has instead focused on borrowing on an aggressive infrastructure agenda.  The parliamentary budget officer now expects federal deficits will be an average of three-billion-dollars higher over the next five years than the office projected in June.

Nova Scotia’s social development minister is marking foster family appreciation week.

The statement from Susan Corkum-Greek thanks foster caregivers in the province and says they make a big difference in the lives of children and youth.

The minister says many who come into care have significant trauma and challenges, and supporting them means meeting them where they are and giving them the time and support they need.

Corkum-Greek says that kind of presence can help rebuild trust and a sense of safety, and remind them they are not alone.