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Located in the Maritime province of Nova Scotia, Halifax is the easternmost of Canada's major cities. Founded in 1749, more than 100 years prior to the founding of many other Canadian cities, Halifax is a heritage city with historic sites and properties. It is also tied to its harbour roots and closeness to the ocean. Due to Nova Scotia's size and location, the sea is never more than 35 minutes away, anywhere in the province. The Canadian maritime region, as exemplified by Halifax, is very similar in its natural environment and mood to the adjacent New England region of the U.S. Halifax serves as not only the capital of Nova Scotia, but also as the business and cultural centre for the Atlantic provinces.
Population The Halifax Regional municipality, comprised of the cities of Halifax and Dartmouth, had a population of 345,000 in 1996.
Climate The Atlantic climate in Halifax is temperate and moderate. Average winter temperatures are -4.6 degrees Celsius (January), while average summer temperatures are 17.5 degrees Celsius (August). Weather in Halifax please click here
Business and Economy Halifax's economy is diversifying and is expanding its traditional fishing and maritime base with ventures in research and technology. Some of the core industries being explored in Halifax include research in oceanography and other environmental issues, biomedicine, telecommunications, and software development. Nova Scotia has an active and growing environmental sector. Nova Scotia's proximity to the Atlantic Ocean and some of the world's finest fish and shellfish habitats, has allowed Nova Scotians to capitalize on research in ocean sciences, environmental engineering and aquaculture. Nova Scotia's location on the eastern seaboard makes it a natural choice for businesses marketing to the northeastern United States, to Europe and to the rest of Canada. In telecommunications and software development, there are significant opportunities. Nova Scotia employs more than 6,000 people working at more than 100 companies in the telecommunications, marine communications, and computer hardware and software production industries. Local industry revenues in 1997 were over $800 million, and are growing rapidly. Indeed, the growth rate for telecommunication-related businesses in Nova Scotia averages 20% a year. This promise also holds true for the aerospace industry: the Nova Scotia Aerospace sector includes about 40 companies, and currently employs more than 2,500. Current industry sales are about $377 million, with exports representing 65% of this total. Due to its centrality within Eastern Atlantic Canada, Halifax is a regional centre for many corporations and other businesses. More than 40 Teleservice centers have set up operations in the province, serving regional, national and international markets including AT&T Canada, Scotiabank and Sears.
Educational Institutions Halifax has a number of established and influential educational institutions in its vicinity. Additionally, the city of Halifax and the province of Nova Scotia boast the highest ratio of universities relative to the population in North America. Some of Halifax's major educational centres include Dalhousie University (one of the most prestigious Canadian universities), Saint Mary's University, Mount Saint Vincent University, University of King's College, Technical University of Nova Scotia, Nova Scotia College of Art and Design, and various Nova Scotia Community Colleges. Income & Cost of Living In 1998, the average household (family) income in Halifax was C$49,102, surpassing Montreal`s C$46,174. The average selling price for a single family dwelling in Halifax was approximately C$119,240 in 1999.
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Halifax,
the capital city, is the financial, business and research hub of
Canada’s Atlantic Provinces.