Halifax will be kicking off its Canada Day celebrations on Saturday. Here’s a look at what’s happening, as well as at altered schedules and holiday hours for local businesses and services.
The city will host fireworks, free concerts on both the Halifax and Dartmouth waterfront, and an air show debut from the Canadian Forces Snowbirds as they fly across the Halifax Harbour.
For the second year, the municipality is presenting its KANA’TA: Canada Day format, which takes the approach of offering programming that features cultural, musical, and family-oriented events that honour traditions of the province’s Mik’maq and pan-Indigenous communities.
Some of Halifax’s most prominent tourism landmarks including the Halifax Citadel National Historic Site and the Canadian Museum of Immigration will be offering free admission for people looking to observe new exhibits and entertainment on display in both locations.
July 1 is a designated retail closing day in Nova Scotia, and the following closures and changes are in effect:
Retail
Most retail stores, including grocery stores and malls, will be closed.
All NSLC outlets throughout the province will be closed.
Most pharmacies will be closed or operating on limited holiday hours.
All banks will be closed for the federal holiday.
Bus and ferry service
Halifax Transit bus routes will continue to collect regular fares while operating on holiday hours.
The Woodside ferry will not be running, as it doesn’t on weekends, while the Alderney ferry service will be provided free to commuters.
The Alderney ferry service will be free on Canada Day, starting at 7:30 a.m. and running every 30 minutes until midnight.
Both Alderney and Woodside ferry services will be paused on Friday from 11:30 a.m. to about 1 p.m. to allow for the Canadian Armed Forces Snowbirds to conduct a rehearsal over the harbour. The Alderney service will pause at the same time on Saturday for the performance to take place.
Recreation, beaches, libraries
Outdoor pools in Bedford and Cole Harbour, along with other supervised municipal beaches, will open for the season on Saturday. Lifeguards will be on duty.
The Emera Oval will be open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., as “equipment lending will be available if weather and surface conditions permit,” the city said in a release.
Most municipal-operated recreational facilities will be closed from Saturday to Tuesday, with the exception of the Sackville Sports Stadium which will be open on Monday.
All public libraries, including the Halifax Central Library on Spring Garden Road and Alderney Gate Public Library in Dartmouth, will be closed on Canada Day and the following Monday.
Garbage collection
According to an update from the municipality, garbage, organics and recyclables collection services will not be affected by the statutory holiday with regular collections resuming on Monday.
The Household Special Waste Depot in Bayers Lake will be closed on Saturday and reopen the following weekend, Saturday, July 8 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The release from the city continued to note that the Otter Lake Waste Management Facility and Materials Recovery Facility will be closed on Saturday but will reopen on Monday.
A mobile Household Special Waste Depot will be held on July 8 at the BMO Centre in Bedford from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Customer Contact Centre
The municipality said the 311 Contact Centre will be closed for full service on Saturday, however, urgent matters can still be reported. Regular operations will resume on Sunday.
In-person customer service centres will be closed on Monday and reopen on Tuesday.
Canada Post
As Canada Day falls on a Saturday this year, mail delivery isn’t affected on the weekend, however, in a holiday schedule on the postal operator’s website, it is noted there won’t be deliveries on the following Monday.
Fire Safety
The city is asking residents to “celebrate safely this weekend” and consider attending the professional firework display instead of using consumer fireworks.
People are being encouraged to check burning restriction guidelines, which are updated daily at 2 p.m, to ensure that a burn ban isn’t in place. Environment Canada is forecasting a 60 per cent chance of showers on Canada Day.
“If consumer fireworks are permitted, residents should select a wide, clear site that is 30 metres by 30 metres,” a statement from the municipality read.
“Consumer fireworks should also be set off away from structures, trees, dry grass, overhanging hydro lines, or tree branches.”