Jen Taplin
@jentaplin.bsky.social
210 followers 130 following 83 posts
Halifax-based City Hall reporter for the Chronicle Herald. Reporting since I was 11. Mom of 3.
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jentaplin.bsky.social
Today, Halifax council debated a strategy for increasing the deed transfer tax – that’s the money the municipality gets when a property changes hands – and tiering it instead of using the flat rate it has now.

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Halifax aims to boost and change deed transfer taxes on property sales
New system would bring in at least an extra $25 million a year to pay for construction projects
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jentaplin.bsky.social
Around 10 months into using body-worn cameras, the head of Halifax RCMP said he wishes he had them 10 years ago.
“The evidence that they provide, the real-time evidence, is unbelievable."

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Body-worn cameras ‘an unbelievable tool,’ say Halifax RCMP
RCMP officers in Halifax began wearing cameras 10 months ago. Halifax Regional Police will start in 2026.
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jentaplin.bsky.social
“I have big hesitations about this only because it’s asking potential road users to pursue other forms of transportation that we currently don’t have,” said Coun. Nancy Hartling (Prospect Rd. – St. Margarets).

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Surge parking prices in Halifax would boost turnover, say some. It’s an unfair tax on drivers who have no choice, say others
Halifax is exploring dynamic parking prices that would fund neighbourhood improvements
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jentaplin.bsky.social
“This is the next step,” explained Cpl. Guillaume Tremblay with the Nova Scotia RCMP on Friday. “We are looking at every resource that’s available, and investigators are working very hard every day on this file.”

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Latest in the search for Jack and Lilly: RCMP human remains detection dogs heading into the woods
First time police have used RCMP human remains detection in the search for missing kids in Pictou County
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jentaplin.bsky.social
"Dartmouth Cove cannot afford more stalling," says Friends of Dartmouth Cove.
Construction company spokesman says infilling project would be a positive for the community.

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Delay of infill protections ‘unacceptable,’ says Friends of Dartmouth Cove
City staff recommending Halifax council defer new rules to protect Dartmouth Cove from infilling
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jentaplin.bsky.social
From this short story that I wrote yesterday:
“So that we celebrate that they do that, that we respect that they do that because it helps society the way they’re trying to get around,” says Coun. Laura White (Halifax South Downtown).

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Halifax considering giving out free rides for walkers, cyclists when the Macdonald bridge is out
People who walk and bike should be celebrated and respected: Downtown councillor
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jentaplin.bsky.social
“Being in (my) third trimester, I’ve literally had to shift my choices away from public transit due to the lack of working AC on buses, in the Halifax Ferry Terminal, and on the ferry,” commented one transit rider.

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Halifax buses are ‘suffocating’ in hot temperatures with many broken AC units
Councillor pushing for report on broken AC backlog and cleanliness issues on Halifax buses
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jentaplin.bsky.social
That significant growth has to do with changes in the wildland environment, explained Dave Steeves, with DNR, in a media briefing on Saturday.

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Local state of emergency declared as Long Lake wildfire doubles in size
Now at over 800 hectares, potential for further growth “is very real”
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