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With the hyper-financialization of housing, private equity firms and REITs are making obscene profits on the backs of everyday people in Dartmouth and Halifax

Morning File, Friday, February 28, 2020

February 28, 2020 By Tim Bousquet and Joan Baxter 11 Comments

News 1. Covid-19 I found yesterday’s New York Times’ The Daily podcast quite helpful in understanding the coronavirus, the threats of it, and the likely outcomes. The Guardian’s explainer is useful as well. The short of it: unless some surprise treatment emerges, this will probably become a global pandemic along the lines of the Spanish Flu […]

Filed Under: Featured Tagged With: Armco Capital, convention centre hotel, COVID-19, Cynthia van Kooten, financialization of housing, George Armoyan, Graeme Benjamin, Herveen Sachdeva, Highfield Park, Highfield Park Residential Inc., Hotel Barmecide, Howard Njoo, Jason Shannon, Katherine Williams, Michael Gorman, Michael Lawless, MLA Hugh MacKay, Patrick Condon, Penny Lawless, Prospectors and Developers of Canada Association (PDAC), Province House firearm, Public Health Agency of Canada, Push, REIT, Ron Meagher, Shannex, Sutton Place Hotel, Tedros Adhanom, Theresa Tam, Toronto Public Health (TPH), Urchin Properties, Willow Tree development

A pinch of SALT

Morning File, Thursday, December 19, 2019

December 19, 2019 By Philip Moscovitch 8 Comments

News 1. In Nova Scotia, pulp rules Linda Pannozzo’s latest is a commentary on the ongoing Northern Pulp story. While we wait for the premier’s announcement tomorrow, Pannozzo gives us some background on how we got here, and thoughts on how the process has created an unnecessary “environmentalists vs forestry and mill workers” dichotomy: By […]

Filed Under: Featured Tagged With: Abriel Fisheries, Andrew Rankin, Anjuli Patil, Assistant Fire Chief Corey Beals, Banc Developments, Besim Halef, Boat Harbour, Bounty Print Ltd, Brett Bundale, Brian Hebert, Develop Nova Scotia, Diane Rowe, Digby Pines, George Armoyan, Glenn Squires, Holloway Lodging, Hope for Wildlife, Jeff Gratto, Linda Pannozzo, Lorraine Otto, losses before the holidays, Mark Lever, Northern Pulp, Pacrim Hospitality Services Inc, Paul Palmeter, Pictou Landing First Nation (PLFN), Robert J. Galbraith, SALT, SaltWire, stock photos, Taylor Printing Group Inc, Tourism Industry Association of Nova Scotia (TIANS), turkey vulture, Yvonne Colbert

There are a lot of ugly buildings in Halifax

Morning File, Wednesday, December 12, 2018

December 12, 2018 By Tim Bousquet 17 Comments

News 1. Habeas Corpus Five prisoners at the Burnside jail filed more habeas corpus applications last week, claiming that they were inappropriately kept in lockdown for up to four days. As has become typical, by the time the habeas applications could make their way to a court hearing before a judge, four of the prisoners […]

Filed Under: Featured Tagged With: Auditor General Michael Pickup, Azmi Arnaout, Burnside jail, Burnside Jail lockdown, Canada Post injunction, councillor Steve Adams, David Tanner, Dunbrack Street development, Freedom of Information, George Armoyan, habeas corpus applications, Hospice Society, IWK Health Centre, James Hardiman, Joan Baxter, Justice John Bodurtha, Justice Joshua Arnold, Link Performing Arts Centre, Matt Fitzgerald, Michael Gorman, Michael Paglia, NS Department of Energy and Mines, Patrick Sisson, property taxes, Shannon Kerr, Stephen Archibald and Petit Paris, YMCA funding

Postmedia CEO Paul Godfrey was paid $5 million in 2018, but says his company is so broke it needs public subsidies

Morning File, Wednesday, November 28, 2018

November 28, 2018 By Tim Bousquet 18 Comments

News 1. Legacy media: CEO compensation and public subsidies Yesterday, Postmedia released its Management Information Circular in preparation of January’s shareholder meeting; the circular shows that CEO Paul Godfrey was awarded a $1.2 million bonus on top of his $1.2 million dollar salary in 2018, and with stock options brought in over $5 million in […]

Filed Under: Featured Tagged With: Bruce Fisher, Cliff Le Jeune, Convention centre, councillor Lisa Blackburn, Councillor Lorelei Nicoll, councillor Waye Mason, criminal background checks, George Armoyan, legacy media bailouts, Link Performing Arts Centre, Marc Almon, Mark Lever, Paul Godfrey, Postmedia, Rob Power, SaltWire, Sarah Riley, Scott Long, tax increases, Zane Woodford

The Centre Plan, affordable housing, and the Willow Tree

March 27, 2018 By Jennifer Henderson

Affordable housing, anyone? After nearly two years of promising to do something about it, the City’s draft Centre Plan being discussed at a series of public meetings and online could actually deliver some of the 5,000 units promised by 2021. That is, if — and it’s a big IF — HRM regional council approves and...

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Filed Under: City Hall, Featured, News, Subscribers only Tagged With: affordable housing, Bill Grace, Carl Purvis, Centre Plan, density bonusing, Downtown Plan, George Armoyan, Housing Nova Scotia, Jennifer Henderson, Susan McCurdy, Willow Tree Tower

George Armoyan is playing Halifax council like a fiddle

Morning File, Monday, March 26, 2018

March 26, 2018 By Tim Bousquet 6 Comments

News 1. Founders Square “On Friday morning, the janitors who clean Founders Square held a press conference and rally outside the building,” writes El Jones: As explained in the press release sent to the media by Darius Mirshahi, an organizer with Justice 4 Janitors: Cleaners at Founders Square in downtown Halifax are alleging racial discrimination against […]

Filed Under: Featured Tagged With: Armco Building, Councillor Lindell Smith, Culture Link Performing Arts Centre, George Armoyan, Willow Tree high-rise, World Trade and Convention Centre

Can we trust the Armoyans to act in the public interest?

No. That's not their job. But it is councillors' job. Their eagerness last week to say yes to the Armoyan scheme to trade approval of a 25-storey tower for a few affordable housing baubles tells you more than you want to know about council oversight.

January 22, 2018 By Stephen Kimber

Last week’s lopsided Halifax city council decision to decide not to decide — for now — how to respond to APL Property’s proposal to erect a taller-than-OK 25-storey tower at the corner of Quinpool Road and Robie Streets was interesting for all sorts of reasons. Before we wander into that thicket, however, a little history....

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Filed Under: City Hall, Commentary, Featured, Subscribers only Tagged With: George Armoyan, Quinpool tower

Taking it to the bank: Morning File, Thursday, January 18, 2018

January 18, 2018 By Tim Bousquet 16 Comments

News 1. Melford Mary Campbell discusses the business case for the proposed Melford Terminal on the Strait of Canso. Campbell was contacted by Richie Mann, the former MLA who now runs “government relations” for Melford International Terminal Inc, and the two had an interesting discussion about the differences between the proposed Sydney terminal and the proposed Melford […]

Filed Under: Featured Tagged With: Aaron Beswick responds, affordable housing, APL Properties, Class A office space downtown, Cobequid Pass tolls, George Armoyan, Joachim Stroink, Judy Haiven, living wage, Mary Campbell, Melford terminal, minimum wage, Northern Pulp advertorial, Richie Mann, Rights At Work Nova Scotia, Shawn Cleary is conflicted, Sylvain Charlebois, Tom Ayers, Willow Tree proposal, World Trade and Convention Centre, Zane Woodford

Majority come out against a Willow Tree high-rise

January 17, 2018 By Erica Butler

The public was heard last night on the proposed 20-storey (and still, somehow, possible 25-storey) tower at the northwest corner of the Willow Tree intersection in Halifax. Councillors spent about four hours hearing from the project developer and just over 40 people, with many more people filling up the gallery and an overflow viewing room...

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Filed Under: City Hall, Featured, News, Subscribers only Tagged With: Adam Conter, Adam McLean, Andrew Murphy, APL Properties, CAO Jacques Dubé, Centre Plan, Councillor David Hendsbee, Councillor Nicholl, councillor Shawn Cleary, Councillor Watts, councillor Waye Mason, Danny Chedrawe, Erica Butler, George Armoyan, Karla Nicholson, Kourosh Rad, Mike Bradfield, Peggy Walt, Warren Wesson, Willow Tree high-rise

Ghosts, Sara Corning, and Biafran refugees: New company & society registrations

January 12, 2017 By Tim Bousquet

Dragonfly Haven Therapeutic Farm Mount Denson Nature of business: “One on one interaction with miniature farm animals.” Partners: Charlotte Paul and Howard Zwicker It’s sort of like a puppy room, but on a farm. Clerisy Production Services, Inc.  Dartmouth Directors: Dale Stevens, Annie Mae Stevens Dale Stevens has a long resumé, including a stint as vice-president...

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Filed Under: Featured, Province House, Subscribers only Tagged With: Annie Mae Stevens, Armco Capital, Barrington South Suites, Bobby Herrera, Boot Island Vineyard and Winery, Brett Kiley, Charlotte Paul, Chris Morine, Clerisy Production Services, Cogswell Engineering, Colin MacDonald, Cristall Wine Merchants Ltd., Dale Stevens, Dragonfly Haven Therapeutic Farm, George Armoyan, George Ramia, Howard Zwicker, Inc., Isabel Hatfield, Jennifer Chown, Joe Ghosn, John Wesley Chisholm, Kayla Davis, KDavis Fitness, Laurie Jennings, Mark Ghosn, Masstown Creamery Limited, Paul Kimball, Philip Ofume, Populus Group Canada ULC, Ryan Wolfe, Sara Corning Society, The United Region of New Biafra Coalition, Twig-Aid Hockey Products

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The Tideline, with Tara Thorne

Brian Borcherdt. Photo: Anna Edwards-Borcherdt

Brian Borcherdt came of age in Yarmouth in the 1990s. When he arrived in Halifax, the city’s famous music scene was already waning, and worse, the music he made was rejected by the cool kids anyway. After decades away from Nova Scotia, he and his young family have settled in the Annapolis Valley, where he’ll zoom in to chat with Tara about his band Holy Fuck’s endlessly delayed tour, creating the Dependent Music collective, and the freedom and excitement of the improvised music he’s making now. Plus: Bringing events back in 2021.

The Tideline is advertising-free and subscriber-supported. It’s also a very good deal at just $5 a month. Click here to support The Tideline.

Uncover: Dead Wrong

In 1995, Brenda Way was brutally murdered behind a Dartmouth apartment building. In 1999, Glen Assoun was found guilty of the murder. He served 17 years in prison, but steadfastly maintained his innocence. In 2019, Glen Assoun was fully exonerated.

Halifax Examiner founder and investigative journalist Tim Bousquet has followed the story of Glen Assoun's wrongful conviction for over five years. Now, Bousquet tells that story as host of Season 7 of the CBC podcast series Uncover: Dead Wrong.

Click here to go to listen to the podcast, or search for CBC Uncover on Apple podcasts, Spotify, or any other podcast aggregator.

About the Halifax Examiner

Examiner folk The Halifax Examiner was founded by investigative reporter Tim Bousquet, and now includes a growing collection of writers, contributors, and staff. Left to right: Joan Baxter, Stephen Kimber, Linda Pannozzo, Erica Butler, Jennifer Henderson, Iris the Amazing, Tim Bousquet, Evelyn C. White, El Jones, Philip Moscovitch More about the Examiner.

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Recent posts

  • COVID update: team sport competitions can resume; 4 new cases announced in Nova Scotia on Friday, Jan. 22 January 22, 2021
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  • Stirring the pot: more Canadians cooking with cannabis during pandemic January 22, 2021
  • Neighbours appeal approval of Halifax development where demolition started before eviction was complete January 21, 2021
  • 2 cases of COVID-19 announced in Nova Scotia on Thursday, Jan. 21 January 21, 2021

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