Wednesday, Sept. 30 is the sixth National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. The day honours the children who never returned home from residential schools, along with survivors, their families and communities. It became a federal statutory holiday in 2021 in response to Call to Action 80 of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
In Nova Scotia, the day is not a paid general holiday or a retail closing day, so businesses can choose to open. Provincial government offices, public schools and regulated child care are closed.
Hours can change. Call ahead before heading out.
Marking the day
Halifax City Hall is lit orange from Monday, Sept. 28 to Friday, Oct. 2. The municipality holds a flag raising at noon on Tuesday, Sept. 29, at Grand Parade.
Admission is free at the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic, open 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
The Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21 is holding special film screenings from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The screenings are included with museum admission, and admission is free for Indigenous Peoples.
The Museum of Natural History is open 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
On Thursday, Oct. 1, Treaty Day opens Mi’kmaw History Month. This year’s theme is “Nepisulti’k,” or “We Are Healing.” Mayor Andy Fillmore reads a proclamation at 1:30 p.m. at Peace and Friendship Park on Hollis Street.
Open and closed
- Malls: Halifax Shopping Centre, Mic Mac Mall and Sunnyside Mall are open 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Stores inside may keep their own hours.
- Groceries and pharmacies: Not required to close. Check your local store.
- NSLC: Stores are closed. Authorized agents are private businesses and set their own hours.
- Libraries: All Halifax Public Libraries locations are closed.
- Schools: No classes at any HRCE school. Classes resume Thursday, Oct. 1.
- Banks: BMO and RBC branches are closed. RBC says domestic payment systems don’t run that day.
- Mail: Canada Post is closed, with no collection or delivery. Post offices inside private businesses follow the host store’s hours.
Getting around and parking
Halifax Transit buses and the Alderney ferry run on holiday service. There’s no Woodside ferry. The Alderney ferry runs every half hour, with the first trip leaving the Alderney terminal at 7:30 a.m. and the last leaving the Halifax terminal at 11:45 p.m.
All buses pull over at 2:15 p.m. for a moment of silence in memory of the children who never returned home from residential schools, and for survivors, their families and communities.
On-street paid parking is free. Other posted signs still apply, including no stopping, accessible parking spaces and no parking zones.
Garbage and recycling
Collection and waste facility hours are unchanged. Have your materials curbside before 7 a.m. on collection day, contained and secured from wildlife.
For household special waste, there’s a mobile depot on Saturday, Sept. 26 at the NSCC Institute of Technology Campus in Halifax, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The depot at 20 Horseshoe Lake Drive is open the same day and hours.
Recreation and city services
All municipally operated recreation facilities are closed. Call your local recreation centre for details.
The 311 contact centre is closed for full service, but urgent issues can still be reported by phone or at contactus@311.halifax.ca. In-person customer service centres are also closed. Both reopen with regular hours on Thursday, Oct. 1.
Support is available 24 hours a day through the National Indian Residential School Crisis Line at 1-866-925-4419.
Haligonia is not a media outlet, and we do not employ journalists. While every effort has been made to ensure accuracy, this post is for informational purposes only.
