Healthcare
To find a healthcare professional or to find a family physician please call 811 or visit https://needafamilypractice.nshealth.ca/ . Once you have registered here, you will be added to a list. When a primary care provider in your area is accepting new patients, Nova Scotia Health Authority will contact you by phone and/or email.
Hospitals in the Area:
IWK Children’s Hospital – 5980 University Ave #5850, Halifax, NS B3K 6R8
Dartmouth General Hospital – 325 Pleasant St, Dartmouth, NS B2Y 4G8
Queen Elizabeth the II Health Science Center and Infirmary – 1799 Robie St, Halifax, NS B3H 3A7
Victoria General Hospital – 1276 South Park Street Halifax, NS B3H 2Y9
Eastern Shore Memorial Hospital – 22637 #7 Highway Sheet Harbour, NS B0J 3B0
Hants Community Hospital – 89 Payzant Drive Windsor, NS B0N 2T0
Musquodoboit Valley Memorial Hospital – 492 Archibald Brook Road Middle Musquodoboit, NS B0N 1X0
The Nova Scotia Hospital – 300 Pleasant Street Dartmouth, NS B2Y 3Z9
Twin Oaks Memorial Hospital – 7702 #7 Highway Musquodoboit Harbour, NS B0J 2L0
Cobequid Community Health Centre – 40 Freer Lane Lower Sackville, NS B4C 0A2
Schools
To locate the correct school you can visit the website for Halifax Regional Centre for Education https://www.hrce.ca/.
- Select the “About our Schools” tab along the top menu
- Select “School Finder”
- Filter by “Area” or enter your home address in the “Home Address Lookup” tab
From there you will be able to view the schools in a specific area and find general information about each establishment such as programs offered like french immersion or a gifted program, grade and program information, as well as feeder schools for Junior high and high school.
The HRM is also home to several of Canada’s prestigious post secondary schools. These include:
Dalhousie University
Saint Mary’s University
Mount Saint Vincent University
Nova Scotia Community College
University of King’s College
Nova Scotia College of Art and Design
Atlantic School of Theology
Getting Around
Driving in Halifax is similar to that of a big city, pedestrians have the right of way and frequently take advantage of this by walking across the street when they please. Highway 101-104 are the main highways in Nova Scotia connecting the province to the rest of Canada. The highways are relatively quiet and almost never experience heavy traffic.
Halifax Transit is the name of the public transportation available in the HRM. You can pay cash or buy a monthly pass however most students ride for free! https://www.halifax.ca/transportation/halifax-transit/routes-schedules Use this link to find bus routes schedules, and times.
The Harbour Ferry service has one terminal in Halifax at the bottom of Duke St and Upper Water St that departs to two separate terminals in Dartmouth being Alderney Landing or the Woodside Ferry Terminal. The Ferry runs about every 15 minutes and tickets can be purchased for $2.00 for children and $2.75 for adults. Transfer tickets from public buses can also be used to take the Ferry.
There are two toll bridges connecting downtown Halifax and downtown Dartmouth
- The A. Murray MacKay Bridge
- The Angus L. Macdonald Bridge
It costs $1 each time you cross the bridge and only the Macdonald Bridge can be used by pedestrians for walking or cycling. Halifax also offers a MacPass that can be purchased for connivence when crossing the bridge instead of having to hand over a lonnie each time you cross. Visit https://www.hdbc.ca/get-a-macpass/ to find more information about the MacPass as well as how to purchase one.
Biking is also a very popular mode of transportation for Halifax residents while the weather permits. Visit https://cyclehalifax.ca/ to learn more information for bikers such as routes, resources, and research.
*Important to note*
Residents that move to Nova Scotia and have a non Nova Scotian drivers license have 90 days to apply for a Nova Scotia license.
Setting up Utilities and NS Power Account
In Nova Scotia there is one company that provides power unlike most places that offer several different companies. To set up your Nova Scotia Power account visit https://www.nspower.ca/your-home/create-manage-account/start-stop-move and select the first box that reads “Connect Your Power”. Fill out the information required in the form and submit your request.
In terms of heating there are three primary heating sources which are oil, electricity, and natural gas. Oil and electricity being the most popular. Electric and natural gas are the cheapest option however.
Airport
There are two commercial airports in Nova Scotia, The Halifax Stanfield International Airport located in Goffs, and the JA Douglas McCurdy Sydney Airport located in Sydney. The Halifax airport is just a 30 minute drive to downtown Halifax whereas the airport located in Sydney is best used to reach places like Cape Breton, Grace Bay and the entire East half of the province. The Halifax airport is small but very functional offering 32 gates, numerous airlines to choose from, and a very efficient security line that takes less then 10 minutes to pass through on most days.
The airport is also located right next to the Aerotech Business Park. Originally only hosting aviation companies, the zone has since expanded to allow for other types of business to locate there.
Festivals
Halifax and the surrounding areas are full of events and festivals all year round. Some include:
Nova Scotia Craft Beer Festival (April 2)
Halifax Comedy Festival (April 22 – April 30)
Halifax Rib Fest (July 3 – July 5)
Halifax Jazz Festival (July 9 – July 14)
South Shore Exhibition (July 23 – July 28)
Halifax Busker Festival (July 27 – August 1)
Canadian Deep Roots Music Festival (September 26 – September 29)
Halifax Mooseheads Hockey (October 2 – April 2)
Halifax Burger Week (October)
Evergreen Festival (November 26 – December 19)
Groceries
Halifax and the surrounding areas offer a variety of grocery stores to choose from. Atlantic Superstore, Sobey’s, and Real Canadian Wholesale Cub are all great options. A new trend emerging is purchasing groceries online and having them shopped and delivered to you by a courier. Couryah, Kitchen Door Catering, and Insta Cart are all examples of business’s that offer this service. With the exception that Kicthen Door catering delivers full meals instead of a pre made grocery list of items similar to the very popular meal option Hello Fresh.