Professional and semi-professional sports

Halifax Mooseheads prepare to face off in a 2012 semi-final game.

Halifax is home to the Halifax Mooseheads the semi-professional major junior hockey club of the Quebec
Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL). Founded in 1994 and began play in the Dilio Division of the
QMJHL from the 1994–95 season,[68] the Mooseheads were the first team from Atlantic Canada to join
the QMJHL. In 2013 the Mooseheads capped a 74-win season (going 74-7-3-1[69]) with a QMJHL's
President's Cup championship. Following the President's Cup, while hosting the tournament, the
Mooseheads also won the CHL's 2013 Memorial Cup. [70]They have appeared in the President's Cup
Finals four additional times: 2003, 2005, 2019 and 2023. They also hosted the Memorial Cup
tournaments two additional times in 2000 and 2019.

The Halifax Thunderbirds is the city's National Lacrosse League team. Relocated in September 2018 from
Rochester,[71] the Thunderbirds are Halifax's newest professional team. Unfortunately on March 12,
2020, during their inaugural year, the season was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[72] Although
the team didn't have the chance to finish their season, they were awarded two league awards: Defensive
Player of the Year and Executive of the Year.[73] After the 2020-2021 season was fully canceled,[74] the
team returned for their 2021-2022 season which they reached their first playoffs, where they were
defeated by the Toronto Rock 14-13 in overtime[75] in the conference semi-final.

Canadian Premier League action in June 2019

Halifax's second professional sports team are the HFX Wanderers FC and are part of Canada's primary
national soccer league, the Canadian Premier League. On May 25, 2018 the team was officially
announced[76] and that they would be playing at a temporary stadium on Halifax's Wanderers Grounds.
They played their first league game on April 28, 2019, in 1–0 away loss to Pacific FC.[77]

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 and Premier Basketball League before joining the NBL Canada and later declaring
bankruptcy in July 2015. [78] The Hurricanes won the NBL Canada championship in their inaugural
season. Unfortunately the Hurricanes have since ceased operations, and as of November 2021,[79] the
team has left the NBL Canada.

The Halifax Crescents, an amateur and later, professional ice hockey team challenged for the Stanley Cup
in 1900 but lost to the Montreal Shamrocks.
Halifax also had three teams in the American Hockey League between 1971 and 1993. The Nova Scotia
Voyageurs, affiliated with the Montreal Canadiens, played from 1971 to 1984 and won 3 Calder Cups.
The team then relocated to Sherbrooke, Quebec to become the Sherbrooke Canadiens.

The Nova Scotia Oilers replaced the Voyageurs in Halifax and were affiliated with the Edmonton Oilers.
The Oilers played four seasons before relocating to Cape Breton Island to become the Cape Breton
Oilers.

The Halifax Citadels, affiliated with the Quebec Nordiques then filled the void in 1988 and played until
1993, when they relocated to Cornwall, Ontario to become the Cornwall Aces.

Professional and Semi-Professional sports teams in Halifax

Club League Sport Venue Established Championships

Halifax Mooseheads QMJHL Major Junior Hockey Scotiabank Centre 1994 1 (last in 2013)

Halifax Thunderbirds NLL Box Lacrosse Scotiabank Centre 2019 0

HFX Wanderers FC CPL Soccer Wanderers Grounds 2018 0

University sports

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 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).

Dalhousie University's varsity team goes by the moniker 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.[80]

Halifax's other U Sports university, located in close proximity to Dalhousie University, is Saint Mary's
University with the moniker of the Huskies. Known for their football programme, the Huskies play at
Huskies Stadium and won back-to-back Canadian University Football Championships (2001 & 2002), only
the third university to do so.[81] Huskies Stadium was used on June 11, 2005 to host an exhibition game
between the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and the Toronto Argonauts of the CFL. The game was called
"Touchdown Atlantic"

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.[82] 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.[83]
Sporting teams include men's and women's basketball, soccer, badminton and rugby, and women's
volleyball.[84]

From 1984 to 2007, the region was home to the 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

The city has hosted several major sporting events, including the 2003 World Junior Ice Hockey
Championship, 2003 Nokia Brier, the 2004 Women's World Ice Hockey Championships, the 2005
Canadian Olympic Curling Trials, and the 2007 World Indoor Lacrosse Championship. Other major sports
events hosted by Halifax include:

1999 Four Continents Figure Skating Championships

2008 IIHF World Championship (Co-hosted with Quebec City)

2011 Canada Winter Games

2020 IIHF Women's World Ice Hockey Championships along with Truro, but the tournament was
cancelled due to COVID-19.

2023 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships (Co-hosted with Moncton)

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, well before the November 9, 2007 selection date, citing financial
uncertainties.

Amateur and club sports

Halifax is also home to several rugby clubs; the Dartmouth PigDogs, the Eastern Shore Rugby Football
Club, the Halifax Rugby Football Club, the Halifax Tars, and the Riverlake Ramblers. The Halifax Gaels are
the local Hurling and Gaelic Football team that compete in Canadian GAA events.

Halifax has various recreational areas, including ocean and lake beaches and rural and urban parks. It has
a host of organized community intramural sports at various facilities. Public schools and post-secondary
institutions offer varsity and intramural sports.

Demographics

Halifax CMA

At the census metropolitan area (CMA) level in the 2021 census, the Halifax CMA had a population of
465,703 living in 201,138 of its 211,789 total private dwellings, a change of 9.1% from its 2016
population of 426,932. With a land area of 7,276.22 km2 (2,809.36 sq mi), it had a population density of
64.0/km2 (165.8/sq mi) in 2021.[85]

Halifax Regional Municipality

Historical populations

Year Pop. ±%

1851 39,914 —

1861 49,021 +22.8%

1871 56,963 +16.2%

1881 67,917 +19.2%

1891 71,358 +5.1%

1901 74,662 +4.6%

1911 80,257 +7.5%

1921 97,228 +21.1%

1931 100,204 +3.1%

1941 122,656 +22.4%

1951 162,217 +32.3%

1961 225,723 +39.1%

1971 261,461 +15.8%

1981 288,126 +10.2%

1991 332,518 +15.4%

1996 342,966 +3.1%

2001 359,183 +4.7%

2006 372,858 +3.8%

2011 390,096 +4.6%

2016 403,131 +3.3%

2021 439,819 +9.1%

Prior to 1996, the figures are for Halifax County. From 1996 onwards, the figures are for Halifax Regional
Municipality.

Source: Statistics Canada

In the 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 9.1% from its
2016 population of 403,131. With a land area of 5,475.57 km2 (2,114.13 sq mi), it had a population
density of 80.3/km2 (208.0/sq mi) in 2021.[2]

The 2021 census reported that 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%).[86]

Ethnicity

Panethnic groups in the Regional Municipality of Halifax (2001−2021)

Panethnic

group 2021[86] 2016[87] 2011[88] 2006[89] 2001[90]

Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. %

European[b] 345,735 79.43% 336,375 84.65% 339,705 88.39% 336,395

91.1% 327,325 91.98%

African 20,565 4.72% 15,085 3.8% 13,780 3.59% 13,270 3.59% 13,080 3.68%

South Asian 16,765 3.85% 6,555 1.65% 3,995 1.04% 2,900 0.79% 2,345 0.66%
Indigenous 16,615 3.82% 15,735 3.96% 9,585 2.49% 5,230 1.42% 3,460 0.97%

East Asian[c] 12,895 2.96% 8,690 2.19% 5,755 1.5% 4,135 1.12% 3,255 0.91%

Middle Eastern[d] 11,160 2.56% 8,725 2.2% 6,730 1.75% 4,510 1.22% 3,360 0.94%

Southeast Asian[e] 6,345 1.46% 3,440 0.87% 2,220 0.58% 1,185 0.32% 1,195 0.34%

Latin American 2,255 0.52% 1,210 0.3% 1,025 0.27% 695 0.19% 415 0.12%

Other/Multiracial[f] 2,965 0.68% 1,585 0.4% 1,535 0.4% 960 0.26% 1,440 0.4%

Total responses 435,290 98.97% 397,395 98.58% 384,330 98.52% 369,265

99.08% 355,870 99.1%

Total population 439,819 100% 403,131 100% 390,096 100%

372,679 100% 359,111 100%

Note: Totals greater than 100% due to multiple origin responses

Language

Mother tongue language (2021)[91]

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

St. Paul's Church

St. Paul's Church is the oldest Christian church in Halifax. Halifax is a religiously diverse municipality, and
has several landmark religious institutions:[92]
St. Mary's Basilica (Halifax, Nova Scotia)

The New Horizons Baptist Church

St. George's (Round) Church,

United Rockingham Church

St. Andrew's United Church

the Ummah Mosque and Community Centre

the Centre for Islamic Development

the New Apostolic Church congregation

the Vedanta Ashram Hindu Temple

the Atlantic Theravada Buddhist Temple

The Maritime Sikh Society

Beth Israel Synagogue

the Shaar Shalom Synagogue

and the Universalist Unitarian Church.

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

Religion (2021)[91]

ReligionPopulation Percentage (%)

Buddhism 2,195 0.5

Christianity 231,255 53.12

Hinduism 6,840 1.57

Indigenous Spirituality 210 0.04

Irreligion 173,005 39.74

Islam 13,220 3.03

Judaism1,750 0.4

Sikhism 3,495 0.8

Other religions and spiritual religions 3,315 0.76

Halifax urban area

Historical urban area population

Year Pop. ±%

1996 270,047 —

2001 276,221 +2.3%

2006 282,924 +2.4%

2011 304,979 +7.8%

2016 317,334 +4.1%

2021 348,634 +9.9%

Before 1996, figures were from Halifax County. After 1996, figures onwards are for Halifax Regional
Municipality.

Source: [93][94][95][96][97]

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.[3] The human population density of Halifax's population centre was
approximately 1,463.1/km2 (3,789.3/sq mi).[3]

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 article: 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).[98] The Halifax economy is
growing, with the Conference Board of Canada predicting strong 3.0% GDP growth for 2015.[98]

The Halifax Shipyard of Irving Shipbuilding. Irving is a major employer in Halifax.

Major employers and economic generators include the Department of National Defence, the Port of
Halifax, Irving Shipbuilding, the Nova Scotia Health Authority, IMP Group, Bell Aliant, Emera, the Bedford
Institute of Oceanography, government, banks, and universities.[99] 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.[100] A real estate boom in recent years has led to numerous new property developments,
including the gentrification of some former working-class areas.[98]

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,[101] and others being managed as small craft harbours under the federal Fisheries and
Oceans Canada.

Other resource industries in Halifax include the natural gas fields off the coast of Sable Island, as well as
clay, gold, gypsum, limestone, and shale extraction in rural areas of the mainland portion of the
municipality. Limestone is extracted in the Musquodoboit Valley and gold is extracted in Moose River.