been following the heating cost story this week and the numbers out of newfoundland are genuinely alarming.

$2.16 per litre for furnace oil in st. john’s as of early october. a standard 900 litre tank costs about $1,950 to fill right now. that’s nearly a dollar a litre more than this time last year. the cause is the middle east conflict driving global oil prices up.

i work in clean energy and the reason i find the timing interesting is the federal heat pump rebate that was announced october 8th.

the program offers up to $10,000 for households below median income and $2,000 for everyone else. no energy audit required. the portal opens early 2027 but the program is retroactive to this fall, meaning if you install a heat pump before the portal opens you can still claim when it does.

for atlantic canada specifically this matters more than anywhere else in the country. the clean energy canada modelling puts annual savings from switching from oil heat to a heat pump at around $1,767 per year for a nova scotia household. newfoundland numbers are similar given the current oil prices. that payback calculation looks dramatically different at $2.16 a litre versus $1.20.

the other thing worth knowing is that the federal rebate stacks with provincial programs. nl’s home heating supplement gives $500 back to households under $150k income. nova scotia has efficiency nova scotia programs. the combined picture brings the net installation cost down further than most people realise.

the person in the CTV story cutting back on groceries and travel to afford her heating bills this winter is not unusual. and the frustrating part is that the technology and the programs to address it permanently exist right now. it’s mostly an information problem.

if you’re on oil heat in atlantic canada right now i genuinely think the math has never been more compelling to at least look into what a switch would actually cost for your specific house. what’s stopping most people isn’t the economics, it’s not knowing where to start.

Hi all! Just wondering what I should look out for before moving out to NS, lived in the UK since birth and haven't known anything different. Have been offered a work placement in NS and have accepted the offer.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

TIA

I am a healthcare worker who is giving out flu and COVID vaccines this fall season. I've been doing this for the past 3 years and I want people to be aware of some local and free resources for anyone who is hesitant about getting injections due to various reasons.

Do note that I am not an expert in this field nor am I sponsored. Just a health care worker trying to avoid having to pin children down and jabbing them. I feel absolutely terrible every time I am forced to do it.

My first recommendation is: https://www.aboutkidshealth.ca/card . This is an AMAZING resource for parents, kids, adults, and health care workers. They have compiled a bunch of resources to teach about how an injection works, gives tips about talking to kids about vaccines, what to expect at clinics, resources for clinics, etc. This is my go to every time I have a hesitant child.

Second: Lidocaine cream or patches. Most people go with Emla. They are available at your local pharmacy. But be mindful! They need to be applied 30-60 minutes before the injection. Check the packaging or ask the pharmacist or pharmacy technician. Location is also super important so also ask the pharmacy team where to place it (areas may vary based on the type of injection or procedure).

Third: This one is to help anyone that faints during or after an injection. It is super simple. When you are in the chair for the vaccine, tense all your muscles in your lower body (everything below the waist) while keeping everything else loose (like a noodle 😆). Do this until your face feels flush or warm then release for 10-20 seconds and restart. Do this until the vaccine is over.

Fourth: Don't feel comfortable in a chair? We can do it on the floor if you want. We can basically do whatever makes you more comfortable.

Fifth: Buzzy Bee. Some clinics may have a vibration device to trick the nerves in the injection area. The cold ice pack also reduces the pain. You leave it on for 5-10 minutes prior to injection.(If the clinic doesn't have one or if you want to get one, I've included a link)

https://a.co/d/00PO5p7p

Sixth: Call the injection clinic and see what other resources they can provide. Many clinics are happy to help you and come up with a plan to make it a more comfortable experience.

Seventh: The IWK has a BILLION resources for kids (many apply to adults) about injections and pain. Try googling "injection hesitant IWK" and resources will pop up.

I hope I've helped at least one person with my splurge of information.

From a healthcare worker who wants less injection hesitant people in the world. ❤️

I tried ordering Big 8 caffeine-free diet cola from two different stores in Truro (the Fundy Trail Mall Sobeys in Truro and the Foodland in Bible Hill) but they were out of stock for the last few weeks.

Is there a similar shortage elsewhere? There was one last year due to supply problems (I emailed them about it) but they got it sorted out after a while.

I'm supposed to avoid caffeine :(

looking to jam, I play banjo

Just moved to upper sackville (after Patton road, before the Irving). I am wondering if we will get any trick or treaters out that way. The road is known for accidents and isn’t really walking friendly. Looking to make plans but don’t want to miss out on giving out candy to littles in our first house.

Great Fall walk along the Musquodoboit Trailway.

> During recent visits to zones within the Cape Breton Highlands where moose were most likely to be found, members of the Port Morien Wildlife Association (PMWA) documented what its president, Jeff McNeil, describes as a "deeply troubling" discovery of harvesting activity reportedly to have taken place. On the association's social media page, McNeil said his team encountered "gut piles, dead moose (left to rot) and indications of repeated harvesting during (another) year of a conservation closure. It has become a slaughter in the Highlands - a free-for-all," McNeil told the Cape Breton Post.

> In 2025, Mikmaw protestors blockaded access to Hunters Mountain, claiming forestry is responsible for the moose population decline. Meanwhile, some non-Indigenous people are blaming the drop on what they claim had been a poorly monitored and unregulated Mi'kmaq moose hunt. Others point to a Parks Canada cull of the species within the national park that ended six years ago. On PMWA's social media page, McNeil noted that
"there are individuals on all sides who disregard conservation responsibilities, just as there are responsible people on all sides who genuinely want to protect the resource. McNeil said he wants to see "First Nations leaders, provincial and federal governments, wildlife biologists, conservation organizations, hunters, and other knowledgeable stakeholders be part of a genuine effort to develop and implement solutions."

I no longer have a primary doctor. I used Maple in the past for the 2 free visits all Nova Scotians get. Now that I have no doctor, I should get unlimited visits to Maple.

My Maple account continues to say I’ve used my two visits up.

How do I contact them to change me to no doctor level?

Canada's Gripen Es to be built by Nova Scotia company.

Are folks watching this meeting (in progress rn)? Where is Tim Houston? Is he not the Minister of Energy?

Found out that my mom spends around $200 a month on cigarettes. It's the biggest part of a cycle where she's stressed about money, smokes to relieve stress, needs to buy more smokes, ad infinitum. Quitting is a monster in its own right, so I'm just trying to convince her to spend less right now.

Bonus points if you know anything similar to Next cigarettes, or the general prices of stuff that I can use to convince her. I personally don't smoke so I'm kinda out of my depth here.

So I graduated from high school about 4 or 5 months ago and my password for my gnspes account had to get changed. only problem is now I can't remember it. is there anyway to recover the password without the help of a teacher?

Nova Scotia famous back in 1989

I do not have a primary care doctor but I am on the registry.

Maple will not prescribe a GLP-1. At least not at basic care level. Does it matter if I choose Full Care instead?

How else could I get it?

I’m willing to pay.