Halifax

Halifax is a hub of culture and government in Atlantic Canada. A city famous for its harbour, it's often remembered for the Halifax Explosion of 1917, when a French cargo ship carrying explosives collided with a vessel and detonated, killing 2,000 people. The port has always been a major economic generator for the city and remains so today. The Department of National Defence based in Halifax and major resource industries including agriculture, mining, forestry and natural gas extraction, are also key to the economy.

Halifax benefits too from a significant number of post-secondary institutions, including Dalhousie University, Saint Mary's University, Nova Scotia College of Art and Design and the Atlantic School of Theology. Students add to the city's population of 300,000, contributing a lively youth culture with a strong nightlife and music scene. Host to galleries, theatres, museums, sports and entertainment facilities, performance venues, and the Alexander Keith's Brewery, Halifax is also the hometown of hockey player Sidney Crosby, singer/songwriter Sarah McLachlan, and actress Ellen Page.