View source for Halifax, Nova Scotia

{{Short description|Capital of Nova Scotia, Canada}}
{{About-distinguish|the city of Halifax, Nova Scotia,|Halifax, West Yorkshire|}}
{{Use Canadian English|date=November 2018}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2020}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name               = Halifax
| other_name         = 
|native_name         = 
| settlement_type    = [[List of municipalities in Nova Scotia#Regional municipalities|Regional municipality]] and [[List of cities in Canada#Capital cities|provincial capital]]
| official_name      = Halifax Regional Municipality
| nickname           = 
| motto              = {{native name|la|"E Mari Merces"}}<br />"From the Sea, Wealth"
| image_skyline      = {{multiple image | border = infobox | | perrow = 1/2/2/1 | total_width = 300 | align = center
| image1 = Halifax_Harbour_Sunset_Skyline,_Nova_Scotia_%2824237034620%29.jpg
| caption1 = [[List of tallest buildings in Halifax, Nova Scotia|Skyline]] of [[Downtown Halifax]]
| image2 = Macdonald_Bridge_in_Halifax_(19191320333).jpg
| caption2 = [[Angus L. Macdonald Bridge|Macdonald Bridge]]
| image3 = Lighthouse_DSC01066_-_Peggy%27s_Cove_Lighthouse_%287612052968%29.jpg
| caption3 = [[Peggy's Cove]]
| image4 = Halifax_central_library_June_2015.jpg
| caption4 = [[Halifax Central Library|Central Library]]
| image5 = Halifax_Town_Clock.jpg
| caption5 = [[Halifax Town Clock]] on [[Citadel Hill (Fort George)|Citadel Hill]]
}}
| imagesize          = 250px
| image_caption      = 
| image_flag         = Halifax Flag.svg
| image_map          = HalifaxCountyHRM.png
| mapsize            = 275px
| map_caption        = Location in Nova Scotia
| pushpin_map        = Canada
| pushpin_map_caption = Location in Canada
| pushpin_relief     = yes
| flag_size          = 100px
| image_seal         = 
| image_shield       = Halifax COA.svg
| shield_size        = 100px
| image_blank_emblem = Halifax Regional Municipality Logo, 2014.svg
| blank_emblem_type  = Logo
| blank_emblem_size  = 120
| subdivision_type   = Country
| subdivision_name   = Canada
| subdivision_type1  = [[Provinces and territories of Canada|Province]]
| subdivision_name1  = [[Nova Scotia]]
| subdivision_type2  = 
| subdivision_name2  = 
| government_type    = [[Regional municipality]]
| leader_title       = [[List of mayors of the Halifax Regional Municipality|Mayor]]
| leader_name        = [[Andy Fillmore]]
| leader_title1      = Governing&nbsp;body
| leader_name1       = [[Halifax Regional Council]]
| leader_title2      = [[House of Commons of Canada|MPs]]
| leader_name2       = {{Collapsible list
| title               = List of MPs
| title_style         =
| frame_style         = border:none; padding: 0;
| list_style          = text-align:left;display:none;
| 1 = [[Andy Fillmore]] (LPC)
| 2 = [[Lena Diab]] (LPC)
| 3 = [[Darren Fisher]] (LPC)
| 4 = [[Darrell Samson]] (LPC)
| 5 = [[Rick Perkins]] (CPC)
}}
| leader_title3      = [[Nova Scotia House of Assembly|MLAs]]
| leader_name3       = {{Collapsible list
| title         = List of MLAs
| title_style   =
| frame_style   = border:none; padding: 0;
| list_style    = text-align:left;display:none;
| 1 = [[Barbara Adams (politician)|Barbara Adams]]
| 2 = [[Patricia Arab]]
| 3 = [[Gary Burrill]]
| 4 = [[Claudia Chender]]
| 5 = [[Keith Colwell]]
| 6 = [[Lena Diab]]
| 7 = [[Rafah DiCostanzo]]
| 8 = [[Tim Halman]]
| 9 = [[Larry Harrison (politician)|Larry Harrison]]
| 10 = [[Bill Horne]]
| 11 = [[Tony Ince]]
| 12 = [[Ben Jessome]]
| 13 = [[Brad Johns]]
| 14 = [[Labi Kousoulis]]
| 15 = [[Susan Leblanc]]
| 16 = [[Brendan Maguire]]
| 17 = [[Kevin Murphy (Canadian politician)|Kevin Murphy]]
| 18 = [[Iain Rankin (politician)|Iain Rankin]]
| 19 = [[Kelly Regan]]
| 20 = [[Lisa Roberts (politician)|Lisa Roberts]]
| 21 = [[Dave Wilson (Sackville politician)|Dave Wilson]]
}}
| established_title  = Town
| established_date   = 1749
| established_title2 = City
| established_date2  = 1842
| established_title3 = Regional municipality
| established_date3  = April 1, 1996
| named_for          = [[George Montagu-Dunk, 2nd Earl of Halifax]]
| total_type         = Regional municipality
| area_footnotes     = 
| area_total_km2     = 5475.57
| area_land_km2      = 
| area_water_km2     = 
| area_water_percent = 
| area_urban_km2     = 238.29
| area_metro_km2     = 7276.22
| population_as_of   = 2021
| population_footnotes = <ref name="statcan1">{{cite web |title=Census Profile, 2021 Census of Population Data table |url=https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2021/dp-pd/prof/details/page.cfm?Lang=E&SearchText=Halifax&DGUIDlist=2021A00051209034&GENDERlist=1&STATISTIClist=1&HEADERlist=0 |website=Statistics Canada | date=February 9, 2022 |access-date=9 February 2022 |archive-date=February 9, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220209222909/https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2021/dp-pd/prof/details/page.cfm?Lang=E&SearchText=Halifax&DGUIDlist=2021A00051209034&GENDERlist=1&STATISTIClist=1&HEADERlist=0 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="statcan2">{{cite web |title=Census Profile, 2021 Census of Population Data table |url=https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2021/dp-pd/prof/details/page.cfm?Lang=E&SearchText=Halifax&DGUIDlist=2021S05100348&GENDERlist=1&STATISTIClist=1&HEADERlist=0 |website=Statistics Canada | date=February 9, 2022 |access-date=9 February 2022 |archive-date=February 9, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220209235218/https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2021/dp-pd/prof/details/page.cfm?Lang=E&SearchText=Halifax&DGUIDlist=2021S05100348&GENDERlist=1&STATISTIClist=1&HEADERlist=0 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Population and dwelling counts: Census metropolitan areas, census agglomerations and census subdivisions (municipalities)1|url=https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=9810000301|access-date=February 9, 2021 | website = Statistics Canada}}</ref>
| population_note    = 
| population_total   = 439,819 ([[List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population|13th]])
| population_density_km2 = 80.3
| population_urban   = 348,634
| population_density_urban_km2 = 1463.1
| population_metro   = 465,703 ([[List of census metropolitan areas and agglomerations in Canada|12th]])
| population_density_metro_km2 = 64.0
| population_blank1_title = Change&nbsp;{{small|2016–2021}}
| population_blank1  = {{profit}}9.1%
| population_blank2_title = Census&nbsp;ranking
| population_blank2  = 13 of 5,162
| population_demonym = Haligonian
<!-- GDP -------------->| demographics_type2 = Gross Metropolitan Product
| demographics2_title1 = Halifax {{Abbr|CMA|Census metropolitan area}}
| demographics2_info1 = [[Canadian dollar|CA$]]24.4{{nbsp}}billion (2020) <ref>{{Cite web|title=Statistics Canada. Table 36-10-0468-01 Gross domestic product (GDP) at basic prices, by census metropolitan area (CMA) (x 1,000,000)|url=https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=3610046801&cubeTimeFrame.startYear=2019&cubeTimeFrame.endYear=2020&referencePeriods=20190101%2C20200101|website=Statistics Canada}}</ref>
| timezone           = [[Atlantic Time Zone|AST]]
| utc_offset         = −04:00
| timezone_DST       = ADT
| utc_offset_DST     = −03:00
| coordinates        = {{coord|44|38|51|N|63|35|26|W|region:CA-NS_source:https://geonames.nrcan.gc.ca/search-place-names/unique/CAPHL  | display = inline,title}}
| coordinates_footnotes = <ref>{{cite cgndb|CBUCG|Halifax}}</ref>
| elevation_footnotes = 
| elevation_min_ft   = 0
| elevation_max_ft   = 793.6
| postal_code_type   = Postal code span
| postal_code        = B0J, B3A to B4G
| area_codes         = [[Area code 902|902]], [[Area code 782|782]]
| website            = {{Official URL}}
| footnotes          = {{notelist}}
}}

'''Halifax''', officially the '''Halifax Regional Municipality''' ('''HRM'''), is the capital and most populous municipality of the [[Provinces and territories of Canada|Canadian province]] of [[Nova Scotia]], and the most populous municipality in [[Atlantic Canada]]. It consists of four former municipalities that were [[Amalgamation of the Halifax Regional Municipality|amalgamated in 1996]]: [[History of Halifax, Nova Scotia|Halifax]], [[Dartmouth, Nova Scotia|Dartmouth]], [[Bedford, Nova Scotia|Bedford]], and [[Halifax County, Nova Scotia|Halifax County]].

Halifax is an economic centre of Atlantic Canada, home to a concentration of government offices and private companies. Major employers include the [[Department of National Defence (Canada)|Department of National Defence]], [[Dalhousie University]], [[Nova Scotia Health Authority]], [[Saint Mary's University (Halifax)|Saint Mary's University]], the [[Halifax Shipyard]], various levels of government, and the [[Port of Halifax]]. Resource industries found in rural areas of the municipality include agriculture, fishing, mining, forestry, and natural gas extraction. As of 2024, it is estimated that the population of the Halifax [[Census Metropolitan Area|CMA]] was 530,167,<ref>{{cite web|last=Government of Canada|first=Statistics Canada|date=2025-01-16|title=Population estimates, July 1, by census metropolitan area and census agglomeration, 2016 boundaries|url=https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=1710014801}}</ref> with 348,634 people in its [[urban area]].<ref name="statcan2" />

==Etymology==
The [[Mi'kmaq]] name for the harbour around which Halifax exists is {{lang|mic|Kjipuktuk}}<ref>{{cite news |work=CTV News |url=http://atlantic.ctvnews.ca/local-organization-refers-to-halifax-by-mi-kmaq-name-1.2112417 |title=Local organization refers to Halifax by Mi'kmaq name |date=November 20, 2014 |access-date=July 18, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170730081511/http://atlantic.ctvnews.ca/local-organization-refers-to-halifax-by-mi-kmaq-name-1.2112417 |archive-date=July 30, 2017 |url-status=dead }}</ref> or ''Chebookt'',{{Efn|Also rendered as "Chebooktook"<ref name="raddall">{{cite book |last=Raddall |first=Thomas H. |author-link=Thomas Head Raddall |date=1948 |title=Halifax: Warden of the North |location=Toronto |publisher=[[McClelland & Stewart]] |pages=1–2 |oclc=8058170}}</ref>}} meaning "Chief Harbour" or "Great Harbour" in the [[Mi'kmaq language]].<ref name="names">{{cite book |last1=Fergusson |first1=C. Bruce |author-link=Charles Bruce Fergusson |title=Place-Names and Places of Nova Scotia |date=1967 |publisher=[[Public Archives of Nova Scotia]] |location=Halifax, N.S. |page=272 |url=https://archives.novascotia.ca/places/page/?ID=272 |access-date=19 October 2025}}</ref><ref name="randsilas">{{cite book |last=Rand |first=Silas Tertius |author-link=Silas Tertius Rand |date=1888 |title=Dictionary of the language of the Micmac Indians |url=https://archive.org/details/dictionaryoflang00rand/page/126/ |location=Halifax, N.S. |publisher=Nova Scotia Printing Company |page=126 |access-date=19 October 2025 |via=the [[Internet Archive]]}}</ref> Additionally, the Mi'kmaq referred to the area of the Halifax Peninsula comprising the [[Downtown Halifax|downtown area]] and [[Point Pleasant Park]] as {{lang|mic|Amntu'kati}},<ref>{{cite book |last=Dawson |first=Joan |author-link=Joan Dawson |date=2020 |title=Nova Scotia's Historic Harbours: The Seaports that Shaped the Province |location=Halifax, N.S. |publisher=[[Nimbus Publishing]] |isbn=978-1-7710-8859-6}}</ref> while the hillside where Halifax was established was referred to as ''Gooowakade'', meaning "place of many pines".<ref name="raddall"/> The area was called "Chebucto" until Halifax was established by Governor [[Edward Cornwallis]] in 1749, named in honour of [[George Montagu-Dunk, 2nd Earl of Halifax]].<ref name="names"/><ref name="brown">{{cite wikisource |last=Brown |first=Thomas J. |author-link=Thomas J. Brown (writer) |year=1922 |title=Place-Names of the Province of Nova Scotia |location=Halifax, N.S. |publisher=Royal Print & Litho |page=63 |wslink=Place-Names_of_the_Province_of_Nova_Scotia/H |anchor=Halifax}}</ref>

==History==
{{main|History of Halifax, Nova Scotia|History of Dartmouth, Nova Scotia|Bedford, Nova Scotia#History|Halifax County, Nova Scotia#History}}

Before the mid-1700s, when a European (British) settlement was established at Halifax, the Colony of Nova Scotia had been administered from [[Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia|Annapolis Royal]], near the Western opening of the [[Bay of Fundy]]. However, in 1749, [[George II of Great Britain|King George II]] ordered [[Edward Cornwallis]] to establish Halifax as a new capital. Equipped with 13 transports and a sloop of war, Cornwallis founded the Town of Halifax on what is now known as the Halifax Peninsula, on June 21, 1749.<ref>Grenier, John. ''The Far Reaches of Empire. War in Nova Scotia, 1710-1760''. Norman: U of Oklahoma Press, 2008; Thomas Beamish Akins. ''History of Halifax''. Brookhouse Press, 1895. (2002 edition). p.&nbsp;7</ref>

The establishment of Halifax marked the beginning of [[Father Le Loutre's War]]. By unilaterally establishing Halifax, the British were violating treaties with the [[Mi'kmaq]] (1726) that were signed after [[Father Rale's War]].<ref>Wicken, p.&nbsp;181; Griffith, p.&nbsp;390; Also see {{cite web |url=http://www.northeastarch.com/vieux_logis.html |title=Recent Projects |publisher=Northeast Archaeological Research |year=2003 |access-date=February 5, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130514082831/http://www.northeastarch.com/vieux_logis.html|archive-date=May 14, 2013}}</ref> Cornwallis brought along 1,176 settlers and their families. To protect the new [[Protestantism|Protestant]] settlements from Mi'kmaq, [[Acadians|Acadian]], and French attacks, British fortifications were erected in Halifax ([[Citadel Hill (Fort George)|Citadel Hill]], 1749), Bedford ([[Fort Sackville (Nova Scotia)|Fort Sackville]], 1749), Dartmouth (1750), and [[Lawrencetown, Halifax County, Nova Scotia|Lawrencetown]] (1754), all areas within the modern-day Municipality.

The community of [[St. Margarets Bay, Nova Scotia|St. Margaret's Bay]], also in the Municipality, was first settled by French-speaking [[Foreign Protestants]] at [[French Village, Nova Scotia]], who migrated from [[Lunenburg, Nova Scotia]], during the American Revolution.

In the 18th and 19th centuries, Halifax grew to become a centre of government (particularly military), trade, and shipbuilding. The completion of the [[Intercolonial Railway]] in 1876 helped make Halifax a major gateway for Atlantic trade—particularly in winter, when ice made ports on the St. Lawrence River inaccessible.

This connection to trans-Atlantic trade and military enterprises bore deadly consequences on December 6, 1917. In one of the great disasters in Canadian history, the {{SS|Mont-Blanc}}, a French cargo ship carrying munitions, collided with the [[Commission for Relief in Belgium|Belgian Relief]] vessel {{SS|Imo}} in "The Narrows" between upper Halifax Harbour and Bedford Basin. The resulting [[Halifax Explosion]] devastated the [[Richmond, Nova Scotia|Richmond District]] in the North End of Halifax, killing about 2,000 people and injuring nearly 9,000 others.<ref name=cbc>{{cite news |url=http://www.cbc.ca/halifaxexplosion/he2_ruins/he2_ruins_explosion.html |title=CBC - Halifax Explosion 1917 |publisher=Canadian Broadcasting Corporation |date=September 19, 2003 |access-date=February 25, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170203133603/http://www.cbc.ca/halifaxexplosion/he2_ruins/he2_ruins_explosion.html |archive-date=February 3, 2017 |url-status=live }}</ref> The blast was the [[List of the largest artificial non-nuclear explosions#Rank order of largest conventional explosions#detonations by magnitude|largest artificial explosion]] before the development of nuclear weapons.<ref name=TimeDisaster>{{cite book|title=Time: Disasters that Shook the World|publisher=Time Home Entertainment|location=New York City|year=2012|page=56|isbn=978-1-60320-247-3}}</ref> Aid came from [[Boston]], strengthening the [[Boston–Halifax relations|bond between the two coastal cities]].

In addition to the capital City of Halifax (on the western side of the harbour), the City of Dartmouth (eastern side) and the Town of Bedford (northern tip of the Bedford Basin) grew up through the 19th and 20th centuries. Halifax County was originally understood as a higher-level geographic unit responsible for, among other things, court services throughout both the incorporated Cities and Town, and the unorganized territory of the remainder of the county. However, by the mid-20th century, this structure had evolved such that "the County" was a distinct municipality including only the areas that were ''not'' included within the Cities and Town.

These four municipalities (City of Halifax, City of Dartmouth, Town of Bedford, Halifax County) coordinated delivery of some services through a body known as the Metropolitan Authority starting in the late 1970s, but remained independent municipal bodies until April 1, 1996, when the provincial government [[amalgamation (politics)|amalgamated]] all municipal governments within [[Halifax County, Nova Scotia|Halifax County]] to create the Halifax Regional Municipality. Thus, the modern municipal boundary now includes all of Halifax County except for several Mi'kmaq reserves.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://novascotia.ca/dma/government/history.asp |title=Municipal History Highlights |publisher=Novascotia.ca |date=June 26, 2014 |access-date=July 13, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140529085028/http://novascotia.ca/dma/government/history.asp |archive-date=May 29, 2014 |url-status=live }}</ref>

Since amalgamation, the region has officially been known as the Halifax Regional Municipality (HRM), but "Halifax" has remained in common usage for brevity. In April 2014, the [[Halifax Regional Council|Regional Council]] approved a new brand identity for the region, under which the name "Halifax" is used for marketing and communications purposes; "Halifax Regional Municipality" remains the region's official name.<ref name="ctv-newbrand">{{cite web|title=Goodbye HRM, hello Halifax: Mixed reaction to bold, new brand|url=https://www.ctvnews.ca/atlantic/article/goodbye-hrm-hello-halifax-mixed-reaction-to-bold-new-brand/|work=CTV News Atlantic|date=April 16, 2014|access-date=April 24, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140423042326/http://atlantic.ctvnews.ca/goodbye-hrm-hello-halifax-mixed-reaction-to-bold-new-brand-1.1779311|archive-date=April 23, 2014|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="hrm-boldnewbrand">{{cite web|title=Council Approves Bold New Brand Strategy for Halifax Region|url=http://www.halifax.ca/mediaroom/pressrelease/pr2014/NewsRelease-CouncilApprovesBoldNewBrandStrategyVisualIdentityforHalifax.html|archive-url=https://archive.today/20140419224811/http://www.halifax.ca/mediaroom/pressrelease/pr2014/NewsRelease-CouncilApprovesBoldNewBrandStrategyVisualIdentityforHalifax.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=April 19, 2014|publisher=Halifax Regional Municipality|access-date=April 24, 2014}}</ref><ref name="ch-newlogo">{{cite web|title=Halifax mayor, council approve city's new brand|url=http://thechronicleherald.ca/metro/1200762-halifax-mayor-council-approve-city-s-new-brand|work=The Chronicle-Herald|date=April 15, 2014|access-date=April 24, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140425184428/http://thechronicleherald.ca/metro/1200762-halifax-mayor-council-approve-city-s-new-brand|archive-date=April 25, 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==Geography==
{{main|Geography of Halifax, Nova Scotia}}

===Climate===
Halifax has a [[humid continental climate]] ([[Köppen climate classification|Köppen]] ''Dfb''), with warm summers and relatively mild winters, which is due to [[Gulf Stream]] moderation. The [[weather]] is usually milder in the winter or cooler in the summer than areas at similar latitudes inland, with the temperature remaining (with occasional notable exceptions) between about {{convert|-8|and|28|C}}.<ref>{{cite web|title=Canadian Climate Normals 1981-2010 Station Data| date=October 31, 2011 |url=http://climate.weather.gc.ca/climate_normals/results_1981_2010_e.html?stnID=6357&lang=e&StationName=halifax&SearchType=Contains&stnNameSubmit=go&dCode=|publisher=Environment Canada|access-date=May 31, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160107231005/http://climate.weather.gc.ca/climate_normals/results_1981_2010_e.html?stnID=6357&lang=e&StationName=halifax&SearchType=Contains&stnNameSubmit=go&dCode=|archive-date=January 7, 2016|url-status=live}}</ref> January is the coldest month, being the only month with a high that is slightly below freezing at {{convert|-0.1|C}}, while August is the warmest. The sea heavily influences the climate of the area, causing significant [[seasonal lag]] in summer, with August being significantly warmer than June and with September being the third mildest month in terms of mean temperature.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://climate.weather.gc.ca/climate_normals/results_1981_2010_e.html?stnID=6357&lang=e&amp;StationName=Halifax+Citadel&amp;SearchType=Contains&amp;stnNameSubmit=go&dCode=4&dispBack=1|title=Climate Normals for Halifax Citadel 1981-2010|date=September 25, 2013 |publisher=Environment Canada|access-date=November 7, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171020142553/http://climate.weather.gc.ca/climate_normals/results_1981_2010_e.html?stnID=6357&lang=e&StationName=Halifax+Citadel&SearchType=Contains&stnNameSubmit=go&dCode=4&dispBack=1|archive-date=October 20, 2017|url-status=live}}</ref>

[[Hurricane Juan]], a [[Category 2 hurricane|category 2]] storm, hit in September 2003 and caused considerable damage to the region. [[Hurricane Earl (2010)|Hurricane Earl]] grazed the coast as a [[Category 1 hurricane|category 1]] storm in 2010. In 2019, [[Hurricane Dorian]] made landfall just south of Halifax as a post-tropical storm with an intensity equivalent to a category 2 hurricane and caused significant damage across Nova Scotia. In 2021 [[Hurricane Ida]] hit the region with minor damage. In 2022, [[Hurricane Fiona]] hit as a category 2 storm, although damage was relatively minor in Halifax, with downed trees and widespread power outages for days.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/dorian-cleanup-aftermath-nova-scotia-dorian-1.5275182 |title=Nova Scotians grapple with aftermath of powerful Dorian |work=CBC News |last=Thomson |first=Aly |date=September 8, 2019 |access-date=August 28, 2021 |url-status=live |archive-date=August 16, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210816213759/https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/dorian-cleanup-aftermath-nova-scotia-dorian-1.5275182 }}</ref>

The highest temperature ever recorded in Halifax was {{convert|37.2|C}} on July 10, 1912,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://climate.weather.gc.ca/climate_data/daily_data_e.html?hlyRange=%7C&dlyRange=1871-04-01%7C1933-07-31&mlyRange=1871-01-01%7C1933-12-01&StationID=6355&Prov=NS&urlExtension=_e.html&searchType=stnName&optLimit=yearRange&StartYear=1840&EndYear=2016&selRowPerPage=25&Line=2&searchMethod=contains&Month=7&Day=13&txtStationName=halifax&timeframe=2&Year=1912 |title=July 1912 climate summary for Halifax |publisher=Climate.weatheroffice.gc.ca |date=September 22, 2015 |access-date=March 6, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160609233125/http://climate.weather.gc.ca/climate_data/daily_data_e.html?hlyRange=%7C&dlyRange=1871-04-01%7C1933-07-31&mlyRange=1871-01-01%7C1933-12-01&StationID=6355&Prov=NS&urlExtension=_e.html&searchType=stnName&optLimit=yearRange&StartYear=1840&EndYear=2016&selRowPerPage=25&Line=2&searchMethod=contains&Month=7&Day=13&txtStationName=halifax&timeframe=2&Year=1912 |archive-date=June 9, 2016 |url-status=live }}</ref> and the lowest temperature recorded was {{convert|-29.4|C}} on February 18, 1922.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://climate.weather.gc.ca/climate_data/daily_data_e.html?hlyRange=%7C&dlyRange=1871-04-01%7C1933-07-31&mlyRange=1871-01-01%7C1933-12-01&StationID=6355&Prov=NS&urlExtension=_e.html&searchType=stnName&optLimit=yearRange&StartYear=1840&EndYear=2016&selRowPerPage=25&Line=2&searchMethod=contains&txtStationName=halifax&timeframe=2&Year=1922&Month=2# |title=February 1922 climate summary for Halifax |publisher=Climate.weatheroffice.gc.ca |date=September 22, 2015 |access-date=March 6, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160610003651/http://climate.weather.gc.ca/climate_data/daily_data_e.html?hlyRange=%7C&dlyRange=1871-04-01%7C1933-07-31&mlyRange=1871-01-01%7C1933-12-01&StationID=6355&Prov=NS&urlExtension=_e.html&searchType=stnName&optLimit=yearRange&StartYear=1840&EndYear=2016&selRowPerPage=25&Line=2&searchMethod=contains&txtStationName=halifax&timeframe=2&Year=1922&Month=2 |archive-date=June 10, 2016 |url-status=live }}</ref> In spite of the possibility of high temperatures, in a normal year there are only three days that go above {{convert|30|C|0}}.<ref name="Environment Canada 1981-2010">{{cite web|url=http://climate.weather.gc.ca/climate_normals/results_1981_2010_e.html?stnID=6357&lang=e&StationName=Halifax&SearchType=Contains&stnNameSubmit=go&dCode=0|title=Canadian Climate Normals 1981-2010 Halifax Citadel|date=October 31, 2011 |publisher=Environment Canada|access-date=April 27, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160325045527/http://climate.weather.gc.ca/climate_normals/results_1981_2010_e.html?stnID=6357&lang=e&StationName=halifax&SearchType=Contains&stnNameSubmit=go&dCode=0|archive-date=March 25, 2016|url-status=live}}</ref> Halifax also has a modest frost count by Canadian standards due to the maritime influence, averaging 131 air frosts and 49 full days below freezing annually.<ref name="Environment Canada 1981-2010" /> On average the frost-free period is 182 days, ranging from May 1 to October 31.<ref name="Environment Canada 1981-2010" />
{{Halifax weatherbox}}

===Metropolitan landscape===
As of the [[2021 Canadian Census]], the [[Census geographic units of Canada|Halifax Census Metropolitan Area]]  includes all of [[Halifax County, Nova Scotia|Halifax County]], together with the [[Municipality of the District of East Hants|Municipality of East Hants]]. The total land area of this metropolitan area is {{convert|727,622|ha|km2 mi2|abbr=off}}<ref name="auto">{{cite web |title=Census Profile, 2021 Census of Population Profile table |url=https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2021/dp-pd/prof/details/page.cfm?Lang=E&SearchText=Halifax&DGUIDlist=2021S0503205&GENDERlist=1,2,3&STATISTIClist=1&HEADERlist=0 |website=Statistics Canada |access-date=21 December 2022 |date=6 December 2022}}</ref>

In Canada, metro areas include neighbouring municipalities where more than half of the commuters commute into the core municipality. Between the [[2016 Canadian Census]] and the [[2021 Canadian Census]], East Hants, a formerly rural, but increasingly exurban community located north of the main Halifax population centre, was added to the Halifax metro area, due to the increased population who commute from East Hants to Halifax. Before the [[2021 Canadian Census]], Metropolitan Halifax covered {{convert|549,631|ha|km2 mi2|abbr=off}}<ref>{{cite web |title=Census Profile, 2016 Census Halifax [Census metropolitan area], Nova Scotia and Nova Scotia [Province] |url=https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2016/dp-pd/prof/details/page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo1=CMACA&Code1=205&Geo2=PR&Code2=12&SearchText=Halifax&SearchType=Begins&SearchPR=01&B1=All&GeoLevel=PR&GeoCode=205&TABID=1&type=0 |website=Statistics Canada |access-date=21 December 2022 |date=27 October 2021}}</ref> After the addition of the [[Municipality of the District of East Hants|East Hants]], the metropolitan area's land area expanded by {{convert|177,991|ha|km2}} to its current land area.<ref name="auto"/>

===Municipal landscape===
{{Update|part=section|date=October 2025|reason=Cites old data}}
Since 1 April 1996, the entirety of the [[Halifax County, Nova Scotia|County of Halifax]] and all its places (cities, suburbs, towns, and villages) were turned into communities of a larger single-tier municipality called Halifax Regional Municipality. As of 2021, the total surface area of the municipality is {{convert|5475.57|km2|abbr=on}}.<ref name="statcan1" />

====Regional Centre====
There are varying definitions of the "core" of Halifax. For planning purposes, the Municipality defines the "Regional Centre" as including the Halifax Peninsula and [[Dartmouth, Nova Scotia|Dartmouth]] inside the Circumferential Highway. This urban area covers {{convert|3,300|ha|km2 mi2|abbr=off}}<ref>{{cite web |title=Item No. 4 |url=https://www.halifax.ca/sites/default/files/documents/city-hall/standing-committees/190607esc4.pdf |website=halifax.ca |publisher=Government of the Municipality of Halifax |access-date=15 May 2021 |archive-date=June 7, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190607025317/https://www.halifax.ca/sites/default/files/documents/city-hall/standing-committees/190607esc4.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> and houses 96,619 people in 55,332 dwelling units as of the 2016 Census.<ref>{{cite web |title=Halifax Regional Centre Secondary Municipal Planning Strategy |url=https://www.halifax.ca/sites/default/files/documents/city-hall/boards-committees-commissions/Attachment%20A%20-%20Regional%20Centre%20Package%20A%20SMPS.pdf |website=halifax.ca |publisher=Government of the Municipality of Halifax. |access-date=24 May 2021 |archive-date=August 16, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210816021929/https://www.halifax.ca/sites/default/files/documents/city-hall/boards-committees-commissions/Attachment%20A%20-%20Regional%20Centre%20Package%20A%20SMPS.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>

====Communities and neighbourhoods====
{{main|Communities in the Halifax Regional Municipality}}
There are over 200 official communities and neighbourhoods within the Halifax municipality. The former [[town]] of [[Bedford, Nova Scotia|Bedford]], and the former cities of [[Dartmouth, Nova Scotia|Dartmouth]] and [[History of Halifax (former city)|Halifax]] have maintained their original geographic names. Furthermore, some communities that were [[suburban]], or even [[rural]] before 1996, now have become more urban and have attained ''community'' status (e.g. [[Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia|Cole Harbour]], [[Lower Sackville, Nova Scotia|Lower Sackville]], [[Spryfield, Nova Scotia|Spryfield]], etc.)<ref>{{cite web |url=http://halifax.ca/regionalplanning/Region/region.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040601214141/http://www.halifax.ca/regionalplanning/Region/region.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=June 1, 2004 |title=HRM - Regional Planning |publisher=Halifax.ca |date=August 25, 2006 |access-date=April 8, 2011 }}</ref>

===Urban landscape===
[[File:Halifax at night.jpg|thumb|View of [[Purdy's Wharf]], an office complex in Downtown Halifax]]

At {{convert|23,829|ha|km2 mi2|abbr=off}}, Halifax's [[urban area]] (defined as ''population centre'' by Statistics Canada) is less than five percent of the municipal land area.<ref name="auto1">{{cite web |title=Census Profile, 2021 Census of Population Profile table |url=https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2021/dp-pd/prof/details/page.cfm?Lang=E&SearchText=Halifax&DGUIDlist=2021S05100348&GENDERlist=1,2,3&STATISTIClist=1&HEADERlist=0 |website=Statistics Canada |access-date=21 December 2022 |date=6 December 2022}}</ref> The area surrounds [[Halifax Harbour]] and its main centres are [[Bedford, Nova Scotia|Bedford]], [[Dartmouth, Nova Scotia|Dartmouth]], and Halifax (and their respective environs).

Between the [[2016 Canadian Census]] and the [[2021 Canadian Census]], the [[urban area|built-up area]] of Halifax grew by {{convert|357|ha|km2}} from {{convert|23,472|ha|km2}} in [[2016 Canadian Census|2016]]<ref>{{cite web |title=Census Profile, 2016 Census Halifax [Population centre], Nova Scotia and Nova Scotia [Province] |url=https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2016/dp-pd/prof/details/page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo1=POPC&Code1=0348&Geo2=PR&Code2=12&SearchText=Halifax&SearchType=Begins&SearchPR=01&B1=All&GeoLevel=PR&GeoCode=0348&TABID=1&type=0 |website=Statistics Canada |access-date=21 December 2022 |date=27 October 2021}}</ref> to 23,829 hectares (238.29&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>) in [[2021 Canadian Census|2021]].<ref name="auto1"/>

==Culture==
{{main|Culture of Halifax, Nova Scotia}}
{{More citations needed section|date=May 2022}}
[[File:Art Gallery of Nova Scotia.JPG|thumb|left|The [[Art Gallery of Nova Scotia]], the largest [[art gallery]] in [[Atlantic Canada]]]]
Halifax is a major cultural centre within the [[Atlantic Canada|Atlantic provinces]]. The municipality has maintained many of its maritime and military traditions, while opening itself to a growing multicultural population. The municipality's urban core also benefits from a large population of post-secondary students who strongly influence the local cultural scene. Halifax has a number of art galleries, theatres and museums, as well as most of the region's national-quality sports and entertainment facilities. Halifax is also the home to many of the region's major cultural attractions, such as [[Halifax Pop Explosion]], [[Symphony Nova Scotia]], the [[Art Gallery of Nova Scotia]], [[The Khyber]], the [[Maritime Museum of the Atlantic]] and the Neptune Theatre.{{citation needed|date=July 2025}}

The new [[Halifax Central Library]] on [[Spring Garden, Halifax|Spring Garden Road]] has received accolades for its architecture including the [[Governor General's Award|Governor General's Medal in Architecture]] and was described by ''Canadian Architect'' as "the most significant public building completed in the Nova Scotia capital in over a generation, and a new cultural hub for the region".<ref name="canarch2016">{{cite news|title=Governor General's Medal Winner: Halifax Central Library|url=https://www.canadianarchitect.com/features/governor-generals-halifax/|work=Canadian Architect|date=19 May 2016|archive-date=9 January 2017|access-date=9 January 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170109114021/https://www.canadianarchitect.com/features/governor-generals-halifax/|url-status=dead}}</ref>

===Architecture===
{{Main|Buildings and structures in Halifax, Nova Scotia}}
{{Further|List of tallest buildings in Halifax, Nova Scotia}}
[[File:Halifax Town Clock - cdnav8r.jpg|thumb|upright|The [[Halifax Town Clock]] overlooks most of downtown Halifax.]]
Halifax's urban core is home to a number of regional landmark buildings and retains significant historic buildings and districts. Downtown office towers are overlooked by the fortress of [[Citadel Hill (Fort George)|Citadel Hill]] with its iconic [[Halifax Town Clock]].{{citation needed|date=July 2025}}

===Public spaces===
{{main|Parks in Halifax, Nova Scotia}}
[[File:CA-halifax-publ-garden-05.jpg|thumb|left|[[Halifax Public Gardens]], a [[Victorian era]] public garden that was designated as a [[National Historic Sites of Canada|National Historic Site of Canada]] in 1984]]
The Halifax area has a variety of public spaces, ranging from urban gardens, public squares, expansive forested parks, and historic sites. The original grid plan devised when Halifax was founded in 1749 included a central [[military parade]] square, the [[Grand Parade (Halifax)|Grand Parade]]. The square hosts the City Hall at one end, and is a popular site for concerts, political demonstrations, as well as the annual [[Remembrance Day]] ceremony at the central [[cenotaph]]. Another popular downtown public space is the timber [[Halifax Boardwalk]], which stretches approximately {{convert|3|km|abbr=on}} and is integrated with several squares and monuments.{{citation needed|date=July 2025}}

The [[Halifax Common]], granted for the use of citizens in 1763, is Canada's oldest public park.<ref>{{cite web|title=Parks Civic Support Program|url=https://www.halifax.ca/MunicipalOps/documents/GiftsforParksBrochure.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140715170028/http://www.halifax.ca/MunicipalOps/documents/GiftsforParksBrochure.pdf|url-status=dead|archive-date=July 15, 2014|publisher=Halifax Regional Municipality|access-date=May 29, 2015}}</ref> Centrally located on the Halifax peninsula, the wide fields are a popular location for sports. The slopes of [[Citadel Hill (Fort George)|Citadel Hill]], overlooking downtown, are favoured by sunbathers and kite-flyers. The [[Halifax Public Gardens]], a short walk away, are Victorian era public gardens formally established in 1867 and designated a [[National Historic Sites of Canada|National Historic Site]] in 1984. [[Victoria Park, Halifax, Nova Scotia|Victoria Park]], across the street, contains various monuments and statues erected by the [[North British Society]], as well as a fountain. In contrast to the urban parks, the expansive [[Point Pleasant Park]] at the southern tip of the peninsula is heavily forested and contains the remains of numerous British fortifications.{{citation needed|date=July 2025}}

[[File:American Elm Tree in Halifax Public Gardens - August 2019 01.jpg|thumb|upright|An [[elm]] tree in Halifax Public Gardens]]
Located on the opposite side of the harbour, the [[Dartmouth Commons]] is a large park next to [[Downtown Dartmouth]] laid out in the 1700s. It is home to the Leighton Dillman gardens and various sports grounds. Nearby, the Dartmouth waterfront trail stretches from Downtown Dartmouth to Woodside. Among residents of central Dartmouth, the area around [[Sullivan's Pond]] and [[Lake Banook]] is popular for strolling and paddling. The forested [[Shubie Park]], through which the historic [[Shubenacadie Canal]] runs, is a major park in suburban Dartmouth.{{citation needed|date=July 2025}}

Mainland Halifax is home to several significant parks, including [[Sir Sandford Fleming Park]], gifted to the people of Halifax by Sir [[Sandford Fleming]]. It houses the Dingle Tower, dedicated in 1912 by the [[Duke of Connaught and Strathearn|Duke of Connaught]] to commemorate 150 years of representative government in Nova Scotia. The Mainland Common, in [[Clayton Park, Nova Scotia|Clayton Park]], is a modern park home to various sports and community facilities. [[Long Lake Provincial Park (Nova Scotia)|Long Lake Provincial Park]], comprising more than 2,000 hectares, was designated in 1984 and affords Halifax residents access to a scenic wilderness in close proximity to the urban communities.<ref>{{cite web|title=Long Lake Provincial Park Draft Park Management Plan|url=https://novascotia.ca/natr/parks/management/longlake.asp|publisher=Province of Nova Scotia|access-date=May 29, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170922195700/https://novascotia.ca/natr/parks/management/longlake.asp|archive-date=September 22, 2017|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Tourism===
[[File:Halifax, NS, Canada - panoramio (6).jpg|thumb|left|The community of [[Peggy's Cove, Nova Scotia|Peggy's Cove]], a major tourist attraction]]
Halifax's tourism industry showcases Nova Scotia's culture, scenery and coastline. There are several museums and art galleries in downtown Halifax. The [[Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21]], an immigrant entry point prominent throughout the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s, was opened to the public as a [[National Historic Site of Canada]] in 1999 and is the only [[National museums of Canada|national museum]] in the Atlantic provinces. The [[Maritime Museum of the Atlantic]] is a [[maritime museum]] containing extensive galleries including a large exhibit on the famous {{RMS|Titanic||2}}, over 70 small craft and a {{convert|200|ft|adj=on}} steamship {{ship|CSS|Acadia}}. In summertime the preserved World War II [[Flower-class corvette|corvette]] {{HMCS|Sackville}} operates as a museum ship and Canada's naval memorial. The [[Art Gallery of Nova Scotia]] is housed in a 150-year-old building containing nearly 19,000 works of art.<ref name="nsart">{{cite web |title=Collection |url=https://artgalleryofnovascotia.ca/collection |website=Art Gallery of Nova Scotia |access-date=November 5, 2020 |archive-date=October 29, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201029200113/https://www.artgalleryofnovascotia.ca/collection |url-status=live }}</ref> The [[Black Cultural Centre for Nova Scotia]] in Dartmouth reflects the region's rich ethnic heritage.
[[File:Halifax boardwalk.JPG|thumb|right|The [[Halifax Boardwalk]], a public [[footpath]] along [[Halifax Harbour]]]]
Halifax has numerous [[National Historic Sites of Canada|National Historic Sites]], most notably [[Citadel Hill (Fort George)]]. Just outside the urban area, the iconic [[Peggys Cove, Nova Scotia|Peggys Cove]] is internationally recognized and receives more than 600,000 visitors a year.<ref>{{cite web |title=Peggy's Cove: Assessment of Capacity Issues and Potential Tourism Opportunities |url=http://www.gov.ns.ca/tch/pubs/peggyscove_report.pdf |publisher=The Economic Planning Group of Canada |access-date=December 26, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120121031710/http://www.gov.ns.ca/tch/pubs/peggyscove_report.pdf |archive-date=January 21, 2012 }}</ref>

The waterfront in Downtown Halifax is the site of the [[Halifax Boardwalk|Halifax Harbourwalk]], a {{convert|3|km|adj=on|0}} [[boardwalk (entertainment district)|boardwalk]] popular among tourists and locals alike. Many mid-sized ships dock here at one of the many wharfs. The harbourwalk is home to a [[Halifax Transit]] ferry terminal, hundreds of stores, [[Historic Properties (Halifax)|Historic Properties]], several office buildings, the [[Casino Nova Scotia]], and several public squares where [[busking|buskers]] perform, most prominently at the annual Halifax International Busker Festival every August.{{citation needed|date=July 2025}}

Cruise ships visit the province frequently. In 2015, the Port of Halifax welcomed 141 vessel calls with 222,309 passengers.<ref>{{cite web|title=Statistics|work=Cruise Halifax |url=http://cruisehalifax.ca/our-visitors/statistics/|access-date=March 22, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160312085422/http://cruisehalifax.ca/our-visitors/statistics/|archive-date=March 12, 2016|url-status=live}}</ref>{{Better source needed|date=July 2025}}

===Media===
{{main|Media in Halifax, Nova Scotia}}
[[File:Halifax Chronicle Herald building.jpg|thumb|Headquarters of ''[[The Chronicle Herald]]'', a daily newspaper published in Halifax]]
Halifax is the Atlantic region's central point for radio broadcast and press media. [[CBC Television]], [[CTV Television Network]] (CTV), and [[Global Television Network]] and other broadcasters all have important regional television concentrators in the municipality. [[CBC Radio]] has a major regional studio and there are also regional hubs for Rogers Radio and various private broadcast franchises, as well as a regional bureau for [[The Canadian Press]]/[[The Canadian Press|Broadcast News]].{{citation needed|date=July 2025}}

Halifax's print media is centred on its single daily newspaper, the broadsheet ''[[The Chronicle Herald|Chronicle Herald]]'' as well as two free newspapers, the daily commuter-oriented edition of ''[[Metro International]]'' and the free alternative arts weekly ''[[The Coast (newspaper)|The Coast]]''.{{citation needed|date=July 2025}}

Halifax has several [[online newspaper|online daily newspapers]]. ''[[allNovaScotia]]'' is a daily, subscriber-only outlet which focuses on business and political news from across the province.<ref name=brad>{{cite news|last1=Bradshaw|first1=James|title=Subscription news site AllNovaScotia expands to Newfoundland|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/subscription-news-site-allnovascotia-expands-to-newfoundland/article28830527/|website=The Globe and Mail|access-date=April 13, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161022021135/http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/subscription-news-site-allnovascotia-expands-to-newfoundland/article28830527/|archive-date=October 22, 2016|url-status=live}}</ref> ''CityNews Halifax'', associated with the [[CJNI-FM]] radio station, was created from a merger of the former News 95.7 and ''HalifaxToday'' (previously ''[[Local Xpress]]'') news websites. The ''[[Halifax Examiner]]'' was founded by the former news editor of ''The Coast'' in 2014 and, like ''allNovaScotia'', is supported through subscriptions.

From 1974 to 2008, Halifax had a second daily newspaper, the tabloid ''[[The Daily News (Halifax)|The Daily News]]'', which still publishes several neighbourhood weekly papers such as ''The Bedford-Sackville Weekly News'', ''The Halifax West-Clayton Park Weekly News'' and the ''Dartmouth-Cole Harbour Weekly News''. These weekly papers compete with ''The Chronicle-Herald'''s weekly Community Heralds ''HRM West'', ''HRM East'', and ''HRM North''.{{citation needed|date=July 2025}}

== Sports ==
{{main|Sport in Halifax, Nova Scotia}}
[[File:Scotiabank Centre - EXTERIOR - 091914 - Paul Darrow (3).JPG|thumb|The [[Scotiabank Centre]], the largest [[Multi-purpose stadium|multi-purpose]] sporting arena in Atlantic Canada]]
Halifax is represented by four professional sports teams, with teams in the [[National Lacrosse League]] (NLL), the [[Canadian Premier League]] (CPL), the [[Northern Super League]] (NSL) and [[The Basketball League]] (TBL). The [[Halifax Mooseheads]] play in the [[Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League]] (QMJHL), which is part of the [[Canadian Hockey League]] (CHL). It is also home to four universities that have athletic programmes.

Halifax's major sports venues include the [[Scotiabank Centre]] (formerly the Metro Centre<ref>{{Cite web |title=Scotiabank buys Halifax Metro Centre naming rights |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/scotiabank-buys-halifax-metro-centre-naming-rights-1.2687100}}</ref>), the [[Halifax Forum]], the [[Wanderers Grounds]] and various university sports facilities, such as [[Huskies Stadium]].

=== Professional and semi-professional sports ===
[[File:Halifax Mooseheads.jpg|thumbnail|left|230px|Halifax Mooseheads prepare for a 2012 semi-final game.]]
Halifax is home to the [[Halifax Mooseheads]], the semi-professional [[junior ice hockey#Major junior|major junior]] [[ice hockey|hockey]] club of the [[Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League]] (QMJHL). Founded in 1994, the Mooseheads were the first team from [[Atlantic Canada]] to join the QMJHL. They began play in the league's Dilio Division in the [[1994–95 QMJHL season|1994–95 season]],<ref name="history">{{cite web |title=History |url=http://www.halifaxmooseheads.ca/default.asp?mn=1.7.25 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100814214036/http://www.halifaxmooseheads.ca/default.asp?mn=1.7.25 |archive-date=2010-08-14 |access-date=2010-01-02}} Mooseheads history</ref> In 2013, the Mooseheads capped a 74-win season (74–7–3–1<ref>{{cite web |url=http://theqmjhl.ca/standings/show/ls_season/172/subtype/0 |title=QMJHL Network |publisher=Theqmjhl.ca |access-date=January 24, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140201164556/http://theqmjhl.ca/standings/show/ls_season/172/subtype/0 |archive-date=February 1, 2014  }}</ref>) with a QMJHL's [[President's Cup (QMJHL)|President's Cup]] championship. While hosting the tournament, the Mooseheads also won the CHL's [[2013 Memorial Cup|2013]] [[Memorial Cup]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ontariohockeyleague.com/article/halifax-mooseheads-win-mastercard-memorial-cup |title=OHL Network |publisher=Ontariohockeyleague.com |access-date=January 24, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140202103902/http://www.ontariohockeyleague.com/article/halifax-mooseheads-win-mastercard-memorial-cup |archive-date=February 2, 2014 |url-status=live }}</ref> They have appeared in the President's Cup Finals four more times: [[2002–03 QMJHL season#Playoffs|2003]], [[2004–05 QMJHL season#Playoffs|2005]], [[2018–19 QMJHL season#Playoffs|2019]] and [[2022–23 QMJHL season#Playoffs|2023]]. They hosted the [[Memorial Cup]] tournaments two more times in [[2000 Memorial Cup|2000]] and [[2019 Memorial Cup|2019]].

The [[Halifax Thunderbirds]] became the city's [[National Lacrosse League]] team in September 2018, when it moved from [[Rochester, New York|Rochester]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nll.com/news/national-lacrosse-league-awards-halifax-franchise|title=National Lacrosse League Awards Halifax Franchise - NLL|first=Michael|last=Ferger|date=September 13, 2018}}</ref> On March 12, 2020, their inaugural season was cut short by the COVID-19 pandemic.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nll.com/news/nll-statement-on-game-play-march-12-2020/|title=NLL Statement on Game Play (March 12, 2020) - NLL|first=Michael|last=Ferger|date=March 12, 2020}}</ref> Still, the team received two league awards: Defensive Player of the Year and Executive of the Year.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nll.com/news/nll-announces-2019-20-nll-award-winners|title=NLL Announces 2019-20 NLL Award Winners - NLL|first=Michael|last=Ferger|date=July 1, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.usalaxmagazine.com/pro/nll/nll-cancels-2021-season-plans-citing-logistical-challenges|title=NLL Cancels 2021 Season Plans Citing 'Logistical Challenges'|website=www.usalaxmagazine.com}}</ref> In the 2021–2022 season, they reached their first playoffs, where they were defeated by the [[Toronto Rock]] 14–13 in overtime<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.saltwire.com/atlantic-canada/sports/after-elimination-from-nll-playoffs-thunderbirds-reflect-on-rollercoaster-season-100730175/|title=After elimination from NLL playoffs, Thunderbirds reflect on rollercoaster season &#124; SaltWire|first=Glenn|last=MacDonald|website=www.saltwire.com}}</ref> in the conference semi-final.
[[File:HFX Wanderers FC vs. Cavalry FC (48174115731).jpg|thumb|Canadian Premier League action in June 2019]]

In 2019, [[HFX Wanderers FC]] debuted as an expansion club in the [[Canadian Premier League]] (CPL)—Canada's professional men's soccer league.<ref name="first ever CPL victory">{{cite web |last1=Benjamin |first1=Graeme |title=HFX Wanderers defeat Forge FC 2-1 to earn first ever CPL victory |url=https://globalnews.ca/news/5240706/wanderers-defeat-forge-fc/ |access-date=2 May 2023 |publisher=Global News}}</ref> In 2025, [[Halifax Tides FC]] debuted as a founding member of the [[Northern Super League]] (NSL), a  newly established professional women's soccer league.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kaiser |first=Leigha |date=2024-06-14 |title=Halifax Tides FC: Northern Super League announces East Coast team's name, new logo |url=https://www.ctvnews.ca/atlantic/article/halifax-tides-fc-northern-super-league-announces-east-coast-teams-name-new-logo/ |access-date=2025-12-17 |website=CTVNews |language=en}}</ref>

The [[Halifax Hoopers]] began play in [[The Basketball League]] in 2025, returning professional basketball to the area after the closure of the [[Halifax Hurricanes]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Price |first=Melanie |date=2025-05-12 |title='An indescribable amount of energy': Halifax Hoopers player encourages fans to attend home games |url=https://www.ctvnews.ca/atlantic/nova-scotia/article/an-indescribable-amount-of-energy-halifax-hoopers-player-encourages-fans-to-attend-home-games/ |access-date=2025-12-17 |website=CTVNews |language=en}}</ref>

Halifax has been a recurring subject of proposed expansion teams in the [[Canadian Football League]]; the [[Atlantic Schooners]] were proposed in the 1980s as a Halifax-based expansion team that would play out of Dartmouth, but folded after failing to secure funding for a stadium.<ref>{{cite news |title=McEnroe hopes shoulder heals for Wimbledon |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=T7wwAAAAIBAJ&pg=1167,920128&dq |work=Lakeland Ledger |date=June 17, 1983 |access-date=September 28, 2010}}</ref> A second attempt at the Schooners was pursued by an ownership group known as [[Schooners Sports and Entertainment]] in the 2010s; in an effort to gauge interest in the franchise, the group hosted the neutral-site [[Touchdown Atlantic]] game at [[Huskies Stadium]] in 2023, marking the first regular-season CFL game played in Halifax.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-10-27 |title=Touchdown Atlantic generated over $10M in overall economic impact: report |url=https://www.cfl.ca/2023/10/27/touchdown-atlantic-generated-over-10m-in-overall-economic-impact-report/ |access-date=2025-12-17 |website=CFL.ca |language=en}}</ref> The Schooners Sports and Entertainment bid also collapsed, after the ownership group was unable to secure a deal for a stadium in Dartmouth.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Naylor |first=Dave |date=2023-03-15 |title=CFL set to launch revamped expansion push in Atlantic Canada |url=https://www.tsn.ca/cfl/dave-naylor-cfl-set-to-launch-revamped-expansion-push-in-atlantic-canada-1.1931967 |access-date=2025-12-17 |website=TSN |language=en}}</ref><ref name="CP 2005-06-11">{{cite web |author=Canadian Press |author-link=Canadian Press |date=June 11, 2005 |title=Argos, Ticats tie in Halifax |url=https://www.tsn.ca/cfl/news_story/?ID=127701 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070926214621/http://www.tsn.ca/cfl/news_story/?ID=127701 |archive-date=September 26, 2007 |access-date=December 4, 2006 |publisher=TSN.ca}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="border:1px solid #ddd; background:#fefefe; padding:3px; margin:0; margin:auto;"
|+ Current professional/semi-professional sports teams in Halifax
! scope="col" | Club
! scope="col" | League
! scope="col" | Sport
! scope="col" | Venue
! scope="col" | Established
! scope="col" | Championships
|-
! scope="row" style="font-weight: normal; text-align: left;" | [[Halifax Mooseheads]]
| [[Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League|QMJHL]]
| [[junior ice hockey#Major junior|Major Junior Hockey]]
| [[Scotiabank Centre]]
| 1994
| 1 (last in [[2013 Memorial Cup|2013]])
|-
! scope="row" style="font-weight: normal; text-align: left;" | [[Halifax Thunderbirds]]
| [[National Lacrosse League|NLL]]
| [[Box Lacrosse]]
| [[Scotiabank Centre]]
| 2019
| 0
|-
! scope="row" style="font-weight: normal; text-align: left;" | [[HFX Wanderers FC]]
| [[Canadian Premier League|CPL]]
| [[Association football|Men's Soccer]]
| [[Wanderers Grounds]]
| 2018
| 0
|-
! scope="row" style="font-weight: normal; text-align: left;" | [[Halifax Tides FC]]
| [[Northern Super League|NSL]]
| [[Women's association football|Women's Soccer]]
| [[Wanderers Grounds]]
| 2024
| 0
|-
! scope="row" style="font-weight: normal; text-align: left;" | [[Halifax Hoopers]]
| [[The Basketball League|TBL]]
| [[Basketball]]
| [[Zatzman Sportsplex]]
| 2025
| 0
|}

=== Former professional teams ===

The city had a team in the [[National Basketball League of Canada]] (NBL Canada) called the [[Halifax Hurricanes]]. The team succeeded the [[Halifax Rainmen]] who had previously played in the [[American Basketball Association (2000–present)|American Basketball Association]] and [[Premier Basketball League]] before joining the NBL Canada and later declaring bankruptcy in July 2015.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Halifax Rainmen file for bankruptcy in 'disappointing' end |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/halifax-rainmen-file-for-bankruptcy-in-disappointing-end-1.3140023}}</ref> The Hurricanes won the NBL Canada championship in their inaugural season. The Hurricanes have since ceased operations.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.saltwire.com/atlantic-canada/sports/halifax-hurricanes-leaving-the-national-basketball-league-of-canada-100643401/|title=Halifax Hurricanes leaving the National Basketball League of Canada &#124; SaltWire|first=Willy|last=Palov|website=www.saltwire.com}}</ref>

Between 1971 and 1993, Halifax was home to three teams in the [[American Hockey League]]. The [[Nova Scotia Voyageurs]] ([[Montreal Canadiens]] affiliate), the [[Nova Scotia Oilers]] ([[Edmonton Oilers]] affiliate) and finally, the [[Halifax Citadels]] ([[Quebec Nordiques]] affiliate) played from 1971 to 1984, 1984 to 1988, and 1988 to 1993, respectively.{{citation needed|date=July 2025}}

The [[Nova Scotia Clippers]] were a team in the original [[Canadian Soccer League (1987–1992)]] for its 1991 season.

The [[Halifax Crescents]], an amateur and later, professional ice hockey team challenged for the [[Stanley Cup]] in [[1900 CAHL season|1900]] but lost to the [[Montreal Shamrocks]].{{citation needed|date=July 2025}}

=== University sports ===
[[File:Huskies Stadium in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.jpg|thumb|Huskies Stadium in 2018]]
Halifax is home to seven degree-granting [[post-secondary]] educational institutions with four of them having athletic programmes. Two of the schools, [[Dalhousie University]] and [[Saint Mary's University (Halifax)|Saint Mary's University]] are part of the [[U Sports]] league, while [[Mount Saint Vincent University]] and [[University of King's College]] are a part of the [[Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association]] (CCAA).{{citation needed|date=July 2025}}

Dalhousie University's varsity team goes by the moniker [[Dalhousie Tigers|Tigers]]. They have teams for basketball, hockey, soccer, swimming, track and field, cross country running, and volleyball. The Tigers garnered a number of championships in the first decade of the 20th century, winning 63 AUS championships and two U Sports championships.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://athletics.dal.ca/dalhousie_tigers/teams.html|title=Varsity Teams|publisher=Dalhousie University|year=2010|access-date=10 July 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110604025540/http://athletics.dal.ca/dalhousie_tigers/teams.html|archive-date=4 June 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Halifax's other U Sports university, located in close proximity to Dalhousie University, is Saint Mary's University with the moniker of the [[Saint Mary's Huskies|Huskies]]. Known for their football programme, the Huskies play at [[Huskies Stadium]] and won back-to-back [[Vanier Cup|Canadian University Football Championships]] (2001 & 2002), only the third university to do so.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Proclamation|date=December 3, 2002 |url=http://www.halifax.ca/council/documents/021202caaddp.pdf |publisher=Halifax Regional Municipality|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140513011753/http://www.halifax.ca/council/documents/021202caaddp.pdf |archive-date=2014-05-13 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Finally, two of Halifax's smaller universities are part of the [[Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association]] (CCAA). [[Mount Saint Vincent University]], home to the Mystics, competes in the [[Atlantic Collegiate Athletic Association]] (ACAA), a member of the CCAA, in Women's & Men's Basketball, Women's & Men's Soccer, Cross Country and Women's Volleyball.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.msvu.ca/en/home/studentservices/Athletics/default.aspx|title=Athletics, Mount Saint Vincent University|date=March 11, 2019|website=Mount Saint Vincent University}}</ref> The Mystics hold a championship titles in all sports, making them the most acclaimed team of the ACAA division. [[University of King's College]] is also a member of the ACAA. The varsity athletics teams at the University of King's College are named the Blue Devils.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://nextnetwork.ca/university/university-kings-college/|title=University of King's College|work=NEXT Network|access-date=2015-06-27|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924135258/http://nextnetwork.ca/university/university-kings-college/|archive-date=2015-09-24|url-status=dead}}</ref> Sporting teams include men's and women's basketball, soccer, badminton and rugby, and women's volleyball.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://ukings.ca/campus-community/athletics/varsity-sports/|title=Varsity Sports|work=ukings.ca}}</ref>

From 1984 to 2007, the region was home to the [[Canadian Interuniversity Sport men's basketball champions|CIS Men's Basketball Championship]]; the tournament was moved to [[Ottawa]], [[Ontario]], from 2008 to 2010 and returned to Halifax in 2011 and 2012.

=== Events ===
Over the past several decades, Halifax has hosted many major sporting events, including the following:
* [[1989 ICF Canoe Sprint Junior World Championships]]
* [[1997 ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships]]
* [[1999 Four Continents Figure Skating Championships]]
* [[2003 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships|2003 World Junior Ice Hockey Championship]]
* [[2003 Nokia Brier]]
* [[2004 IIHF Women's World Championship]]
* [[2005 Canadian Olympic Curling Trials]] 
* [[2007 World Indoor Lacrosse Championship]]
* [[2008 IIHF World Championship]] (Co-hosted with [[Quebec City]])
* [[2009 ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships]]
* [[2011 Canada Winter Games]]
* [[2020 IIHF Women's World Championship|2020 IIHF Women's World Ice Hockey Championships]] (Co-hosted with [[Truro, Nova Scotia]]) Although, the tournament was cancelled due to [[COVID-19]].
* [[2022 ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships]]
* [[2023 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships]] (Co-hosted with [[Moncton|Moncton, New Brunswick]])
* [[2023 North American Indigenous Games]]

Halifax was selected in 2006 as the host municipality in Canada's bid for the [[2014 Commonwealth Games]] but withdrew on March 8, 2007, citing ballooning costs from final estimates of $1.7 billion up from $785 million.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/games-would-have-cost-too-much-officials-insist-1.687172 | title=Games would have cost too much, officials insist | date=March 9, 2007}}</ref>

==Demographics==

=== Halifax CMA ===
At the [[census metropolitan area]] (CMA) level in the 2021 census, the Halifax CMA had a population of {{val|465703|fmt=commas}} living in {{val|201138|fmt=commas}} of its {{val|211789|fmt=commas}} total private dwellings, a change of {{percentage|{{#expr:465703-426932}}|426932|1}} from its 2016 population of {{val|426932|fmt=commas}}. With a land area of {{convert|7276.22|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}}, it had a population density of {{Pop density|465703|7276.22|km2|sqmi|prec=1}} in 2021.<ref name=2021censusCMA>{{cite web | url=https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=9810000501 | title=Population and dwelling counts: Canada, provinces and territories, census metropolitan areas and census agglomerations | publisher=[[Statistics Canada]] | date=February 9, 2022 | access-date=March 28, 2022}}</ref>

=== Halifax Regional Municipality ===
{{Historical populations
| title = Historical populations
| type  = Canada
|align       = right
| width       =
| state       =
| shading     =
| percentages =
| footnote    = Prior to 1996, the figures are for Halifax County. From 1996 onwards, the figures are for Halifax Regional Municipality.
| source      = [[Statistics Canada]]
|1851|39914
|1861|49021
|1871|56963
|1881|67917
|1891|71358
|1901|74662
|[[Canada 1911 Census|1911]]|80257
|1921|97228
|1931|100204
|1941|122656
|1951|162217
|1961|225723
|1971|261461
|1981|288126
|1991|332518
|1996|342966
|[[Canada 2001 Census|2001]]|359183
|[[Canada 2006 Census|2006]]|372858
|[[Canada 2011 Census|2011]]|390096
|[[Canada 2016 Census|2016]]|403131
|[[Canada 2021 Census|2021]]|439819
}}
In the [[Canada 2021 Census|2021 Census of Population]] conducted by [[Statistics Canada]], the Halifax Regional Municipality had a population of 439,819 living in 190,512 of its 200,473 total private dwellings, a change of {{percentage|{{#expr:439819-403131}}|403131|1}} from its 2016 population of 403,131. With a land area of {{convert|5475.57|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}}, it had a population density of {{Pop density|439819|5475.57|km2|sqmi|prec=1}} in 2021.<ref name="statcan1"/>

The [[2021 Canadian census|2021 census]] reported that [[Immigration to Canada|immigrants]] (individuals born outside Canada) comprise 50,595 persons or 12.6% of the total population of Halifax. Of the total immigrant population, the top countries of origin were United Kingdom (6,345 persons or 12.5%), India (4,785 persons or 9.5%), China (3,740 persons or 7.4%), United States of America (3,545 persons or 7.0%), Philippines (3,415 persons or 6.7%), Syria (2,085 persons or 4.1%), Nigeria (1,625 persons or 3.2%), Lebanon (1,340 persons or 2.6%), South Korea (1,020 persons or 2.0%), and Iran (980 persons or 1.9%).<ref name="2021censusB">{{Cite web |last=Government of Canada |first=Statistics Canada |date=2022-10-26 |title= Census Profile, 2021 Census of Population |url=https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2021/dp-pd/prof/details/page.cfm?Lang=E&GENDERlist=1,2,3&STATISTIClist=1&HEADERlist=0&DGUIDlist=2021A00051209034&SearchText=halifax |access-date=2022-11-09 |website=www12.statcan.gc.ca}}</ref>

==== Ethnicity ====
{| class="wikitable collapsible sortable"
|+ [[Panethnicity|Panethnic]] groups in the Regional Municipality of Halifax (2001−2021)
! rowspan="2" |[[Panethnicity|Panethnic]]<br>group
! colspan="2" |2021<ref name="2021censusB"/>
! colspan="2" |2016<ref name="2016census">{{Cite web |last=Government of Canada |first=Statistics Canada |date=2021-10-27 |title= Census Profile, 2016 Census |url=https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2016/dp-pd/prof/details/page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo1=CSD&Code1=1209034&Geo2=CD&Code2=1209&SearchText=Halifax&SearchType=Begins&SearchPR=01&B1=All&TABID=1&type=0 |access-date=2023-01-12 |website=www12.statcan.gc.ca}}</ref>
! colspan="2" |2011<ref name="2011census">{{Cite web |last=Government of Canada |first=Statistics Canada |date=2015-11-27 |title= NHS Profile |url=https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/nhs-enm/2011/dp-pd/prof/details/page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo1=CSD&Code1=1209034&Data=Count&SearchText=Halifax&SearchType=Begins&SearchPR=01&A1=All&B1=All&Custom=&TABID=1 |access-date=2023-01-12 |website=www12.statcan.gc.ca}}</ref>
! colspan="2" |2006<ref name="2006census">{{Cite web |last=Government of Canada |first=Statistics Canada |date=2019-08-20 |title= 2006 Community Profiles |url=https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2006/dp-pd/prof/92-591/details/page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo1=CSD&Code1=1209034&Geo2=PR&Code2=12&Data=Count&SearchText=Halifax&SearchType=Begins&SearchPR=01&B1=All&Custom= |access-date=2023-01-12 |website=www12.statcan.gc.ca}}</ref>
! colspan="2" |2001<ref name="2001census">{{Cite web |last=Government of Canada |first=Statistics Canada |date=2019-07-02 |title= 2001 Community Profiles |url=https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/english/Profil01/CP01/Details/Page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo1=CSD&Code1=1209034&Geo2=PR&Code2=12&Data=Count&SearchText=Halifax&SearchType=Begins&SearchPR=01&B1=All&Custom= |access-date=2023-01-12 |website=www12.statcan.gc.ca}}</ref>
|-
![[Population|{{abbr|Pop.|Population}}]]
!{{Abbr|%|percentage}}
!{{abbr|Pop.|Population}}
!{{Abbr|%|percentage}}
!{{abbr|Pop.|Population}}
!{{Abbr|%|percentage}}
!{{abbr|Pop.|Population}}
!{{Abbr|%|percentage}}
!{{abbr|Pop.|Population}}
!{{Abbr|%|percentage}}
|-
| [[European Canadians|European]]{{efn|Statistic includes all persons that did not make up part of a visible minority or an indigenous identity.|name="euro"}}
| 345,735
| {{Percentage | 345735 | 435290 | 2 }}
| 336,375
| {{Percentage | 336375 | 397395 | 2 }}
| 339,705
| {{Percentage | 339705 | 384330 | 2 }}
| 336,395
| {{Percentage | 336395 | 369265 | 2 }}
| 327,325
| {{Percentage | 327325 | 355870 | 2 }}
|-
| [[African-Canadian|African]]
| 20,565
| {{Percentage | 20565 | 435290 | 2 }}
| 15,085
| {{Percentage | 15085 | 397395 | 2 }}
| 13,780
| {{Percentage | 13780 | 384330 | 2 }}
| 13,270
| {{Percentage | 13270 | 369265 | 2 }}
| 13,080
| {{Percentage | 13080 | 355870 | 2 }}
|-
| [[South Asian Canadians|South Asian]]
| 16,765
| {{Percentage | 16765 | 435290 | 2 }}
| 6,555
| {{Percentage | 6555 | 397395 | 2 }}
| 3,995
| {{Percentage | 3995 | 384330 | 2 }}
| 2,900
| {{Percentage | 2900 | 369265 | 2 }}
| 2,345
| {{Percentage | 2345 | 355870 | 2 }}
|-
| [[Indigenous peoples in Canada|Indigenous]]
| 16,615
| {{Percentage | 16615 | 435290 | 2 }}
| 15,735
| {{Percentage | 15735 | 397395 | 2 }}
| 9,585
| {{Percentage | 9585 | 384330 | 2 }}
| 5,230
| {{Percentage | 5230 | 369265 | 2 }}
| 3,460
| {{Percentage | 3460 | 355870 | 2 }}
|-
| [[East Asian Canadians|East Asian]]{{efn|Statistic includes total responses of "Chinese", "Korean", and "Japanese" under visible minority section on census.|name="EastAsian"}}
| 12,895
| {{Percentage | 12895 | 435290 | 2 }}
| 8,690
| {{Percentage | 8690 | 397395 | 2 }}
| 5,755
| {{Percentage | 5755 | 384330 | 2 }}
| 4,135
| {{Percentage | 4135 | 369265 | 2 }}
| 3,255
| {{Percentage | 3255 | 355870 | 2 }}
|-
| [[Middle Eastern Canadians|Middle Eastern]]{{efn|Statistic includes total responses of "West Asian" and "Arab" under visible minority section on census.|name="MiddleEastern"}}
| 11,160
| {{Percentage | 11160 | 435290 | 2 }}
| 8,725
| {{Percentage | 8725 | 397395 | 2 }}
| 6,730
| {{Percentage | 6730 | 384330 | 2 }}
| 4,510
| {{Percentage | 4510 | 369265 | 2 }}
| 3,360
| {{Percentage | 3360 | 355870 | 2 }}
|-
| [[Southeast Asia]]n{{efn|Statistic includes total responses of "Filipino" and "Southeast Asian" under visible minority section on census.|name="SoutheastAsian"}}
| 6,345
| {{Percentage | 6345 | 435290 | 2 }}
| 3,440
| {{Percentage | 3440 | 397395 | 2 }}
| 2,220
| {{Percentage | 2220 | 384330 | 2 }}
| 1,185
| {{Percentage | 1185 | 369265 | 2 }}
| 1,195
| {{Percentage | 1195 | 355870 | 2 }}
|-
| [[Latin American Canadians|Latin American]]
| 2,255
| {{Percentage | 2255 | 435290 | 2 }}
| 1,210
| {{Percentage | 1210 | 397395 | 2 }}
| 1,025
| {{Percentage | 1025 | 384330 | 2 }}
| 695
| {{Percentage | 695 | 369265 | 2 }}
| 415
| {{Percentage | 415 | 355870 | 2 }}
|-
| Other/[[Multiracial people|Multiracial]]{{efn|Statistic includes total responses of "Visible minority, {{abbr|n.i.e.|not included elsewhere}}" and "Multiple visible minorities" under visible minority section on census.|name="Other"}}
| 2,965
| {{Percentage | 2965 | 435290 | 2 }}
| 1,585
| {{Percentage | 1585 | 397395 | 2 }}
| 1,535
| {{Percentage | 1535 | 384330 | 2 }}
| 960
| {{Percentage | 960 | 369265 | 2 }}
| 1,440
| {{Percentage | 1440 | 355870 | 2 }}
|-
! Total responses
! 435,290
! {{Percentage | 435290 | 439819 | 2 }}
! 397,395
! {{Percentage | 397395 | 403131 | 2 }}
! 384,330
! {{Percentage | 384330 | 390096 | 2 }}
! 369,265
! {{Percentage | 369265 | 372679 | 2 }}
! 355,870
! {{Percentage | 355870 | 359111 | 2 }}
|-
! Total population
! 439,819
! {{Percentage | 439819 | 439819 | 2 }}
! 403,131
! {{Percentage | 403131 | 403131 | 2 }}
! 390,096
! {{Percentage | 390096 | 390096 | 2 }}
! 372,679
! {{Percentage | 372679 | 372679 | 2 }}
! 359,111
! {{Percentage | 359111 | 359111 | 2 }}
|- class="sortbottom"
| colspan="15" | {{small|Note: Totals greater than 100% due to multiple origin responses}}
|}

====Language====
'''Mother tongue language (2021)'''<ref name="auto2">Statistics Canada: [[Canada 2016 Census|2016]] census</ref>
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Rank
! Language
! Population
! Pct (%)
|-
|1
| English
|  380,140
| 86.43%
|-
|2
| French
|  13,920
| 3.16%
|-
|3
| Arabic
|   8,595
| 1.95%
|-
|4
| Mandarin
|   6,355
| 1.44%
|-
|5
| Punjabi
|   3,755
| 0.85%
|-
|6
| Tagalog
|   2,930
| 0.66%
|-
|7
| Hindi
|   2,485
| 0.56%
|-
|8
| Spanish
|   2,295
| 0.52%
|-
|9
| Korean
|   2,215
| 0.50%
|-
|10
|Russian
|1,655
|0.37%
|}

====Religion====
[[File:St Pauls, Halifax.JPG|thumb|[[St. Paul's Church (Halifax)|St. Paul's Church]]]]
[[St. Paul's Church (Halifax)|St. Paul's Church]] is the oldest Christian church in Halifax.
Halifax is a religiously diverse municipality, and has several landmark religious institutions:<ref>{{Cite web |title=Universalist Unitarian Church of Halifax {{!}} About UUCH |url=https://uuch.ca/about/ |access-date=2022-05-27 |language=en-CA}}</ref> 
*[[St. Mary's Basilica (Halifax, Nova Scotia)]]
*[[New Horizons Baptist Church|The New Horizons Baptist Church]]
*[[St. George's (Round) Church, Halifax, Nova Scotia|St. George's (Round) Church]], 
*[[Beth Israel Synagogue (Halifax, Nova Scotia)|Beth Israel Synagogue]]
*[[Shaar Shalom Synagogue]]

Halifax also houses the [[Atlantic School of Theology]] for religious studies.

'''Religion (2021)'''<ref name="auto2"/>
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Religion
! Population
! Percentage (%)
|-
|[[Buddhism in Canada|Buddhism]]
|2,195
|0.5
|-
|[[Christianity in Canada|Christianity]]
|231,255
|53.12
|-
|[[Hinduism in Canada|Hinduism]]
|6,840
|1.57
|-
|[[Mythologies of the indigenous peoples of the Americas|Indigenous Spirituality]]
|210
|0.04
|-
|[[Irreligion in Canada|Irreligion]]
|173,005
|39.74
|-
|[[Islam in Canada|Islam]]
|13,220
|3.03
|-
|[[Judaism in Canada|Judaism]]
|1,750
|0.4
|-
|[[Sikhism in Canada|Sikhism]]
|3,495
|0.8
|-
|Other religions and spiritual religions
|3,315
|0.76
|}

=== Halifax urban area ===
{{Historical populations
| title       = Historical urban area population
| type        = Canada
| align       = right
| width       =
| state       =
| shading     =
| percentages =
| footnote    = Before 1996, figures were from Halifax County. After 1996, figures onwards are for Halifax Regional Municipality.
| source      = <ref>{{cite web |title=Data tables, 1996 Census |url=https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/English/census96/data/tables/Rp-eng.cfm?TABID=2&LANG=E&APATH=3&DETAIL=1&DIM=0&FL=A&FREE=1&GC=0&GK=0&GRP=1&PID=1019&PRID=0&PTYPE=89103&S=0&SHOWALL=No&SUB=0&Temporal=2006&THEME=18&VID=0&VNAMEE=&VNAMEF= |website=Statistics Canada |access-date=3 January 2023 |date=4 June 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Population Counts, for Census Metropolitan Areas and Census Agglomerations, by Urban Core, Urban Fringe, Rural Fringe, and Urban Areas, 2001 Census - 100% Data |url=https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/English/census01/products/standard/themes/Rp-eng.cfm?LANG=E&APATH=3&DETAIL=1&DIM=0&FL=A&FREE=1&GC=0&GID=0&GK=0&GRP=1&PID=53893&PRID=0&PTYPE=53293&S=0&SHOWALL=No&SUB=0&Temporal=2006&THEME=36&VID=0&VNAMEE=&VNAMEF= |website=www12.statcan.gc.ca |publisher=Statistics Canada |access-date=March 18, 2020 |archive-date=June 13, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200613125221/https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/English/census01/products/standard/themes/Rp-eng.cfm?LANG=E&APATH=3&DETAIL=1&DIM=0&FL=A&FREE=1&GC=0&GID=0&GK=0&GRP=1&PID=53893&PRID=0&PTYPE=53293&S=0&SHOWALL=No&SUB=0&Temporal=2006&THEME=36&VID=0&VNAMEE=&VNAMEF= |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Profile for Urban Areas, 2006 Census |url=https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2006/dp-pd/prof/rel/Rp-eng.cfm?LANG=E&APATH=3&DETAIL=0&DIM=0&FL=A&FREE=0&GC=0&GID=0&GK=0&GRP=0&PID=94541&PRID=0&PTYPE=89103&S=0&SHOWALL=0&SUB=0&Temporal=2006&THEME=81&VID=0&VNAMEE=&VNAMEF= |website=www12.statcan.gc.ca |publisher=Statistics Canada |access-date=March 18, 2020 |archive-date=June 13, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200613174536/https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2006/dp-pd/prof/rel/Rp-eng.cfm?LANG=E&APATH=3&DETAIL=0&DIM=0&FL=A&FREE=0&GC=0&GID=0&GK=0&GRP=0&PID=94541&PRID=0&PTYPE=89103&S=0&SHOWALL=0&SUB=0&Temporal=2006&THEME=81&VID=0&VNAMEE=&VNAMEF= |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Census Profile, 2016 Census |url=https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2016/dp-pd/prof/details/page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo1=POPC&Code1=0348&Geo2=PR&Code2=12&SearchText=Halifax&SearchType=Begins&SearchPR=01&B1=All&GeoLevel=PR&GeoCode=0348&TABID=1&type=0 |website=www12.statcan.gc.ca | date=February 8, 2017 |publisher=Statistics Canada |access-date=March 18, 2020 |archive-date=March 7, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200307093050/https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2016/dp-pd/prof/details/page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo1=POPC&Code1=0348&Geo2=PR&Code2=12&SearchText=Halifax&SearchType=Begins&SearchPR=01&B1=All&GeoLevel=PR&GeoCode=0348&TABID=1&type=0 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Census Profile, 2021 Census of Population Data table |url=https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2021/dp-pd/prof/details/page.cfm?Lang=E&SearchText=Halifax&DGUIDlist=2021S05100348&GENDERlist=1&STATISTIClist=1&HEADERlist=0 |website=Statistics Canada | date=February 9, 2022 |access-date=23 February 2022}}</ref>
|[[Canada 1996 Census|1996]]|270047
|[[Canada 2001 Census|2001]]|276221
|[[Canada 2006 Census|2006]]|282924
|[[Canada 2011 Census|2011]]|304979
|[[Canada 2016 Census|2016]]|317334
|[[Canada 2021 Census|2021]]|348634
}}
As of 2021, the population centre ([[urban area]]) of Halifax housed 348,634 people living in 154,883 of its 162,336 total private dwellings.<ref name="statcan2"/> The human population density of Halifax's population centre was approximately {{Pop density|348634|238.29|km2|sqmi|prec=1}}.<ref name="statcan2"/>

Between 2016 and 2021, the urban area (''population centre'') and municipal areas experienced strong growth. Over that time-frame; the municipality added 36,688 people (an increase of over 9.1%), and the urban area (''population centre'') added 31,300 people (an increase of over 9.8%).

==Economy==
{{main|Economy of Halifax, Nova Scotia}}

The urban area of Halifax is a major economic centre in eastern Canada with a large concentration of government services and private sector companies. Halifax serves as the business, banking, government and cultural centre for the Maritime region. The largest employment sectors within the municipality include trade (36,400 jobs), health care and social
assistance (31,800 jobs), professional services (19,000 jobs), education (17,400 jobs), and public administration (15,800 jobs).<ref name=introhalifax>{{cite web|title=Introduction to Halifax|url=http://www.halifax.ca/budget/documents/Operating-Introduction.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150430210303/http://www.halifax.ca/budget/documents/Operating-Introduction.pdf|url-status=dead|archive-date=April 30, 2015|website=Proposed Operating Budget 2015-2016|publisher=Halifax Regional Municipality}}</ref> The Halifax economy is growing, with the [[Conference Board of Canada]] predicting strong 3.0% GDP growth for 2015.<ref name=introhalifax/>

[[File:Halifax Shipyard July 2017.jpg|thumb|The [[Halifax Shipyard]] of [[Irving Shipbuilding]], a major employer in Halifax]]
Major employers and economic generators include the [[Canadian Forces|Department of National Defence]], the [[Halifax Port Authority|Port of Halifax]], [[Irving Shipbuilding]], the [[Nova Scotia Health Authority]], IMP Group, [[Bell Aliant]], [[Emera]], the [[Bedford Institute of Oceanography]], government, banks, and universities.<ref>{{cite web|title=Transportation and Logistics Sector Profile|url=http://www.halifaxgateway.com/site-ghp2/media/HalifaxGateway/transportation%20profile_web.pdf|publisher=Halifax Gateway Council|date=April 2012|access-date=June 2, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305022321/http://www.halifaxgateway.com/site-ghp2/media/HalifaxGateway/transportation%20profile_web.pdf|archive-date=March 5, 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref> The municipality has a growing concentration of manufacturing industries and is becoming a major multi-modal transportation hub through growth at the port, the [[Halifax Stanfield International Airport]], and improving rail and highway connections. Halifax is one of Canada's top four container ports in terms of the volume of cargo handled.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Bonney|first1=Joseph|title=Canada's Big 4 Container Ports Put Focus on Infrastructure|url=http://www.joc.com/port-news/international-ports/port-metro-vancouver/canada%E2%80%99s-big-4-container-ports-put-focus-infrastructure_20130902.html|work=[[The Journal of Commerce]]|date=September 2, 2013|access-date=November 30, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161130111712/http://www.joc.com/port-news/international-ports/port-metro-vancouver/canada%E2%80%99s-big-4-container-ports-put-focus-infrastructure_20130902.html|archive-date=November 30, 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref> A real estate boom in recent years has led to numerous new property developments, including the [[gentrification]] of some former working-class areas.<ref name=introhalifax/>

Agriculture, fishing, mining, forestry and natural gas extraction are major resource industries found in the rural areas of the municipality. Halifax's largest agricultural district is in the [[Musquodoboit Valley]]; the total number of farms in Halifax is 150, of which 110 are family-owned. Fishing harbours are located along all coastal areas with some having an independent harbour authority, such as the [[Sheet Harbour]] Industrial Port,<ref>{{cite web|title=Port of Sheet Harbour|url=http://portofhalifax.ca/port-of-sheet-harbour/|publisher=Halifax Port Authority|access-date=November 25, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151126124042/http://portofhalifax.ca/port-of-sheet-harbour/|archive-date=November 26, 2015|url-status=live}}</ref> and others being managed as small craft harbours under the federal [[Fisheries and Oceans Canada]].

==Government==
{{main|Government in the Halifax Regional Municipality}}

[[File:Halifax - NS - Rathaus Halifax.jpg|thumb|[[Halifax City Hall]], the [[Halifax Regional Council|seat of municipal government]]]]

The Halifax Regional Municipality is governed by a [[Mayor of the Halifax Regional Municipality|mayor]] (elected at large) and a sixteen-person [[Halifax Regional Council|council]]. Councillors are elected by geographic district, with municipal elections occurring every four years. The current mayor of Halifax is [[Andy Fillmore]]. The [[Halifax Regional Council]] is responsible for all facets of [[municipal government]], including the [[Halifax Regional Police]], [[Halifax Public Libraries]], [[Halifax Fire and Emergency]], [[Halifax Regional Water Commission]], parks and recreation, civic addressing, public works, waste management, and planning and development.<ref name=HRMCharter/> The provincial legislation that provides governance oversight to the municipality is the Halifax Regional Municipality Charter.<ref name=HRMCharter/> The municipality has a proposed operating budget of $869&nbsp;million for 2015–2016.<ref>{{cite web|title=2015-16 Operating & Project Budgets|url=http://www.halifax.ca/budget/index.php|publisher=Halifax Regional Municipality|access-date=May 31, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150531164909/http://www.halifax.ca/budget/index.php|archive-date=May 31, 2015|url-status=live}}</ref>

The municipality also has four [[Halifax Regional Community Council|community councils]] that consider local matters. Each community council comprises five or six regional councillors representing neighbouring districts.<ref>{{cite web|title=Community Council|url=http://halifax.ca/commcoun/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140525233845/http://halifax.ca/commcoun/|url-status=dead|archive-date=May 25, 2014|publisher=Halifax Regional Municipality|access-date=May 31, 2015}}</ref> Most community council decisions are subject to final approval by regional council.<ref name=HRMCharter>{{cite web|title=Halifax Regional Municipality Charter|url=http://nslegislature.ca/legc/statutes/halifax%20regional%20municipality%20charter.pdf|publisher=Nova Scotia Legislature|access-date=May 31, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150508074535/http://nslegislature.ca/legc/statutes/halifax%20regional%20municipality%20charter.pdf|archive-date=May 8, 2015|url-status=live}}</ref>

As the capital of Nova Scotia, Halifax is also the meeting place of the [[Nova Scotia House of Assembly]], the oldest assembly in Canada and the site of the first [[responsible government]] in British North America.<ref>{{cite web|title=Responsible Government|url=http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/responsible-government/|publisher=[[The Canadian Encyclopedia]]|access-date=December 2, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171212171105/http://thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/responsible-government/|archive-date=December 12, 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> The legislature meets in [[Province House (Nova Scotia)|Province House]], a nearly 200-year-old [[National Historic Sites of Canada|National Historic Site]] in downtown Halifax hailed as one of the finest examples of [[Palladian architecture]] in North America.<ref>{{cite web|title=Province House|url=http://www.historicplaces.ca/en/rep-reg/place-lieu.aspx?id=1682|website=Canada's Historic Places|publisher=Parks Canada|access-date=December 2, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151208120333/http://www.historicplaces.ca/en/rep-reg/place-lieu.aspx?id=1682|archive-date=December 8, 2015|url-status=live}}</ref>

The municipality is represented in the House of Commons by six MPs, elected in the ridings of [[Halifax (federal electoral district)|Halifax]], [[Halifax West]], [[Dartmouth—Cole Harbour]], Sackville—Preston—Chezzetcook, [[South Shore—St. Margarets]], and [[Central Nova]]. The latter two ridings also include rural areas outside the municipality.<ref>{{cite web |title=Maps of Nova Scotia |url=https://www.elections.ca/content.aspx?section=res&dir=cir/maps2/ns&document=index&lang=e# |publisher=Elections Canada |access-date=23 September 2024}}</ref>

==Education==
{{main|Education in Halifax, Nova Scotia}}

[[File:Henri Hicks Building, Dalhousie University.jpg|thumb|Established in 1818, [[Dalhousie University]] is among the oldest English-language post-secondary institutions in Canada.]]
Halifax has a well-developed network of public and private schools, providing instruction from grade primary to grade twelve; 137 public schools are administered by the [[Halifax Regional Centre for Education]], while eight public schools are administered by the [[Conseil scolaire acadien provincial]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Trouver une école |url=https://csap.ca/ecoles/trouver-une-ecole |publisher=Conseil scolaire acadien provincial |access-date=18 July 2023}}</ref> The municipality's fourteen private schools are operated independently.{{citation needed|date=July 2025}}

==Transportation==
{{main|Transportation in Halifax, Nova Scotia}}

===Air===
[[Halifax Stanfield International Airport]] serves Halifax and most of the province, providing scheduled flights to domestic and international destinations. The airport served 3,107,425 passengers in 2022, making it Canada's [[List of the busiest airports in Canada|sixth busiest airport]] by passenger traffic.<ref>{{cite web |title=Halifax Stanfield Serves Over 3 Million Passengers in 2022, is Among Canada's Fastest Recovering Airports |url=https://halifaxstanfield.ca/news-releases/halifax-stanfield-serves-over-3-million-passengers-in-2022-is-among-canadas-fastest-recovering-airports/ |publisher=Halifax International Airport Authority |access-date=18 July 2023}}</ref> [[CFB Shearwater|Shearwater]], part of [[CFB Halifax]], is the air base for maritime helicopters employed by the [[Royal Canadian Navy]] and is located on the eastern side of Halifax Harbour.{{citation needed|date=July 2025}}

===Cycling===
[[File:Protected bike lane on Lower Water Street in Halifax 2021 4.jpg|thumb|alt=An asphalt bike lane on Lower Water Street in downtown Halifax. The general traffic lanes and car parking spaces are to the left of the bike lane. The bike lane itself is at the same level as the sidewalk, on the right.|Dedicated bike lane in downtown Halifax]]
{{main|Cycling in Halifax, Nova Scotia}}

In recent years, the municipality has also begun to place increased emphasis on developing bicycling infrastructure. Halifax has developed {{convert|100|km|abbr=on}} of bikeways, {{convert|89|km|abbr=on}} of which are dedicated bicycle lanes.<ref>{{Cite web |title=HRM Growth Scenarios Final Report / Transportation Services 4.5 |url=https://www.halifax.ca/sites/default/files/documents/about-the-city/regional-community-planning/HRMGrowthScenariosFinalReportJuly82013.pdf}}</ref>

===Road===
The urban core is linked by the [[Angus L. Macdonald Bridge|Angus L. Macdonald]] and [[A. Murray MacKay Bridge|A. Murray MacKay]] suspension bridges, as well as the network of [[100-series highways (Nova Scotia)|100-series highways]] which function as expressways.{{citation needed|date=July 2025}}

===Public transit===
[[File:Halifax Transit ferry heading towards downtown.jpg|thumb|[[Halifax Transit]] ferry, Craig Blake, departing from [[Dartmouth, Nova Scotia|Dartmouth]], [[Nova Scotia]], [[Canada]].]]
Public transit is provided by [[Halifax Transit]], which operates standard bus routes, regional express bus routes, as well as the pedestrian-only [[Halifax-Dartmouth Ferry Service]]. Established in 1752, the municipality's ferry service is the oldest continuously running [[Seawater|salt water]] ferry service in North America.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.halifax.ca/community/history.html |title=HRM - History - Main |publisher=Halifax.ca |access-date=April 8, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110603231513/http://www.halifax.ca/community/history.html |archive-date=June 3, 2011  }}</ref>

===Rail===
[[File:Pier21now.JPG|thumb|The [[Port of Halifax]] is North America's first inbound and last outbound shipping gateway to Europe.]]
The Halifax Port Authority's various shipping terminals constitute the eastern terminus of [[Canadian National Railway]]'s transcontinental network. [[Via Rail|Via Rail Canada]] provides overnight passenger rail service from the [[Halifax, Nova Scotia railway station|Halifax Railway Station]] three days a week to [[Montreal]] with the ''[[Ocean (train)|Ocean]]'', a train equipped with sleeper cars that stops in major centres along the way, such as Moncton. The Halifax Railway Station also serves as the terminus for [[Maritime Bus]], which serves destinations across the Maritimes.{{citation needed|date=July 2025}}

===Water===
[[Halifax Harbour]] is a major port used by numerous shipping lines, administered by the [[Halifax Port Authority]]. The [[Royal Canadian Navy]] and the [[Canadian Coast Guard]] have major installations along prominent sections of coastline in both Halifax and Dartmouth. The harbour is also home to a public ferry service connecting downtown Halifax to two locations in Dartmouth, with plans in development to add an additional ferry route connecting downtown and Bedford by 2028.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Bedford ferry to be added to Halifax Transit system by 2028, new terminal coming - Halifax {{!}} Globalnews.ca |url=https://globalnews.ca/news/10333107/bedford-ferry-halifax-transit/ |access-date=2025-01-29 |website=Global News |language=en-US}}</ref>

Sheet Harbour is the other major port in the municipality and serves industrial users on the [[Eastern Shore (Nova Scotia)|Eastern Shore]].{{citation needed|date=July 2025}}

==Sister cities==
* [[Hakodate]], Japan (1982). The cities chose to twin because they both have [[star fort]]s and are both maritime ports. Halifax has donated many fir trees to the annual Hakodate Christmas Fantasy festival.<ref>{{cite web|title=July 4, 2000 - HRM Media Room Press Releases 2000|url=http://www.halifax.ca/mediaroom/pressrelease/pr2000/000704fortressconf.html|publisher=Halifax Regional Municipality|access-date=January 20, 2018|date=July 4, 2000|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030708082114/http://www.halifax.ca/mediaroom/pressrelease/pr2000/000704fortressconf.html|archive-date=July 8, 2003}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=HRM-Hakodate Twinning 25th Anniversary|url=http://www.halifax.ca/archives/25thAnniversaryofHalifax-HakodateTwinning.php|publisher=Halifax Regional Municipality|access-date=May 29, 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160315163156/http://www.halifax.ca/archives/25thAnniversaryofHalifax-HakodateTwinning.php|archive-date=March 15, 2016}}</ref>
* [[Campeche, Campeche|Campeche]], Mexico (1999). Campeche was chosen because, like Halifax, it is "a capital of a state" and is "a city of similar size to Halifax on or near the coast having rich historical tradition".<ref>[https://wayback.archive-it.org/all/20080910032430/http://www.halifax.ca/council/Minutes/1998/c980113.pdf Halifax Regional Council Minutes January 13, 1998] PDF file from HRM Council Minutes</ref>
* [[Norfolk, Virginia|Norfolk]], [[Virginia]], United States (2006). Norfolk was chosen because, like Halifax, its economy "depends heavily on the presence of the Armed Forces, and both cities are very proud of their military history".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.halifax.ca/mediaroom/pressrelease/pr2006/060426HRMtoTwinwithNorfolkVirginia.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060614004453/http://halifax.ca/mediaroom/pressrelease/pr2006/060426HRMtoTwinwithNorfolkVirginia.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=June 14, 2006 |title=HRM to Twin with Norfolk, Virginia |publisher=Halifax.ca |date=August 25, 2006 |access-date=April 8, 2011 }}</ref>
* [[Portsmouth]], England (2023). Halifax and Portsmouth signed a sister city agreement in early 2023. They chose to twin as both cities are historic naval and shipbuilding centres. Additionally, both cities are centres for university education.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Wright |first1=Josh |title=Portsmouth becomes sister city of Halifax in Nova Scotia, Canada |url=https://www.portsmouth.co.uk/news/politics/portsmouth-becomes-sister-city-of-halifax-in-nova-scotia-canada-3995524 |work=The News |date=20 January 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Halifax and Portsmouth, England become sister cities to progress business and trade opportunities |url=https://halifaxpartnership.com/news/article/halifax-and-portsmouth-england-become-sister-cities-to-progress-business-and-trade-opportunities/ |publisher=Halifax Partnership |date=19 January 2023}}</ref>

==Notable Haligonians==
{{main|List of people from the Halifax Regional Municipality}}

{{See also|Poet Laureate of Halifax, Nova Scotia}}

==See also==
{{Portal|Canada|Nova Scotia}}
* [[Amalgamation of the Halifax Regional Municipality]]
* {{annotated link|Boston–Halifax relations}}
* {{annotated link|Halifax Explosion}}
* [[Halifax Stanfield International Airport]]
* [[Halifax Town Clock]]
* [[List of municipalities in Nova Scotia]]

==Notes==
{{reflist|group=Note}}
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{reflist|colwidth=30em}}

==Further reading==
* [[Steven Laffoley|Laffoley, Steven]] (2007). ''Hunting Halifax: In Search of History, Mystery and Murder''. Pottersfield Press. {{ISBN|978-1-8959-0093-4}}.
* {{cite book |title=Fortress Halifax: Portrait of a Garrison Town |first=Mike |last=Parker |year=2009 |publisher=Nimbus Publishing |isbn=978-1-5510-9494-6}}
* {{cite book |first=Stephen |last=Poole |year=2012 |title=Halifax: Discovering Its Heritage |publisher=Formac Publishing Company Limited |isbn=978-1-4595-0052-5}}
* {{cite book |title=A Short History of Halifax |year=2014 |publisher=Nimbus Publishing |first=Dan |last=Soucoup |author-link=Dan Soucoup |isbn=978-1-7710-8184-9}}
* {{cite book |last=Tattrie |first=Jon |author-link=Jon Tattrie |year=2013 |title=Cornwallis: The Violent Birth of Halifax |publisher=Pottersfield Press |isbn=978-1-8974-2648-7}}

==External links==
* {{Official website}}

{{Halifax, Nova Scotia}}
{{Subdivisions of Nova Scotia}}
{{Geographic location
| Centre    = Halifax Regional Municipality
| North     = [[Hants County, Nova Scotia|Hants County]] / [[Colchester County, Nova Scotia|Colchester County]]
| Northeast =
| East      = [[Guysborough County, Nova Scotia|Guysborough County]]
| Southeast =
| South     = [[Atlantic Ocean]]
| Southwest =
| West      = [[Lunenburg County, Nova Scotia|Lunenburg County]]
| Northwest =
}}
{{Navboxes
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|list1 =
{{Roads in the Halifax Regional Municipality}}
{{Communities of Halifax Peninsula}}
{{Mayors of Halifax Regional Municipality, Nova Scotia}}
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{{Census metropolitan areas by size}}
}}
{{Subject bar|Canada|Cities
 |commons = Halifax, Nova Scotia
 |d       = Q2141
 |n       = 
 |s       = 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica/Halifax (Nova Scotia)
 |voy     = Halifax
 |wikt    = Halifax
}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Halifax, Nova Scotia| ]]
[[Category:1749 establishments in the British Empire]]
[[Category:Geographic regions of Nova Scotia]]
[[Category:Populated coastal places in Canada]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1996]]
[[Category:Port cities and towns on the Canadian Atlantic coast]]
[[Category:Regional municipalities in Nova Scotia]]