List of people from the Halifax Regional Municipality

This is a list of people who were born in the communities making up the Halifax Regional Municipality, Nova Scotia or spent a significant part of their lives there.

Politicians

• John Buchanan PC, QC (born 1931), lawyer, former politician, 20th Premier of Nova Scotia 1978–1990, member of the Senate of Canada 1990–2006
• Joseph Howe (1804–1873), journalist, politician and public servant
• Alexa McDonough (born 1944), former Member of Parliament and past leader of the provincial and federal New Democratic Party
• John Sparrow David Thompson (1845–1894), Prime Minister of Canada
• Sir Charles Tupper (1821–1915), Prime Minister of Canada

Business leaders

• William "Bill" Black, (born 1950) is a Canadian business leader.
• Enos Collins (1774–1871), banker
• Samuel Cunard (1787–1865), steamship line founder
• William Dennis (born 1922), CEO of Halifax Herald, Red Cross Humanitarian award
• Michael Donovan (born 1953), former CEO and current chairman of DHX Media; recipient of an Academy Award for Best Documentary^[1]
• Alexander Keith (1795–1893), brewmaster; former mayor of the city of Halifax; first Grand Master Mason for Nova Scotia
• Charles Peter McColough (1922–2006), former chairman and CEO of the Xerox Corporation
• John Risley (born c. 1948), founder of Clearwater Fine Foods and Ocean Nutrition Canada
• John Fitzwilliam Stairs (1848–1904), entrepreneur and statesman
• William Machin Stairs (1789–1865), merchant, banker, and statesman

Military and naval figures

Scientists

• Abraham Pineo Gesner (1797-1864), physician and geologist who invented kerosene
• Oswald Avery (1877–1955), physician and medical researcher who proved that DNA is the carrier of genetic information
• Walter A. Bell (1889–1969), geologist and paleontologist
• Charles Brenton Huggins (1901-1997), Canadian-American physician and researcher who won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine "for his discoveries concerning hormonal treatment of prostatic cancer"
• Erik Demaine (born 1981), computer scientist and professor

Movies, television, visual artists and authors

• Henry Beckman (1921–2008), actor, stage, film, and television
• Kris Bertin, writer
• Chuck Campbell (born 1969), actor
• George Elliott Clarke (born 1960), writer and academic
• Mike Clattenburg (born 1968), TV and film director, creator of the Trailer Park Boys
• Joey Comeau (born 1980), author and co-creator of the webcomic A Softer World
• Mark Farrell (born 1968), comedian, writer, producer
• Gerald Ferguson, artist
• Thom Fitzgerald (born 1968), filmmaker
• Peter Flemming (born 1967), actor
• Hal Foster (1892–1982), comic book artist
• Eli Goree, actor (The 100)
• Tamara Hickey, actress
• Leslie Hope (born 1965), actress
• Michael Jackson (born 1970), actor
• Sarah Jeanette Jackson, artist
• Ron James (born 1958), comedian and actor
• Amelia Clotilda Jennings (died 1895), writer
• Ruby Keeler (1909–1993), actress, dancer
• Garry Neill Kennedy, artist, NSCAD University president 1967–1996, recipient of the Order of Canada award
• Steven Laffoley (born 1965), author
• Ernest Lawson (1873–1939), artist
• Robert MacNeil (born 1931), former PBS anchorman, journalist
• David Manners (1900–1998), actor known for role in Tod Browning's, Dracula
• Forbes March (born 1973), actor born in UK but raised in Halifax
• Owen McCarron (1929–2005), cartoonist
• Peter North (born 1957), adult film actor, director, producer
• Sonja O'Hara (born 1987), actress
• Craig Olejnik (born 1979), actor, The Listener
• Ty Olsson (born 1974), actor
• Ellen Page (born 1987), Academy Award-nominated actress
• Nikki Payne (born 1976), comedian
• John Reardon (born 1975), actor and former university football player
• Laura Regan (born 1977), actress
• Cindy Sampson (born 1978), actress
• Anthony Sherwood (born 1949), actor, producer, director, writer, and R&B singer
• George Steeves (born 1945), contemporary photographer
• John Paul Tremblay (born 1968), actor and writer
• The Unknown Comic, real name Murray Langston (born 1945), actor, comedian
• Cheryl Wagner, clown and puppeteer
• Karen Walton, screenwriter
• Marguerite Porter Zwicker (1904–1993), painter and art promoter

Musicians

• Brian Ahern, music producer
• Alert the Medic (formed 2006), rock band
• April Wine (band), formed in 1969
• Rich Aucoin, indie-rock musician
• Jill Barber (born 1980), Halifax based singer-songwriter
• Gary Beals (born 1982), singer
• Ridley Bent (born 1979), country singer songwriter
• Buck 65 (born 1972), rapper, hip hop artist and MC
• Classified, real name Luke Boyd, rapper
• Ben Caplan, folk musician
• Holly Cole (born 1963), singer
• Rose Cousins (born 1977), singer-songwriter from Prince Edward Island, now based out of Halifax
• Brendan Croskerry (born 1985), singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist
• Tanya Davis
• Melanie Doane (born 1967), singer, songwriter
• Dog Day (formed 2004), indie-rock duo
• Denny Doherty (1940–2007), singer, songwriter, a founding member of The Mamas & the Papas
• Jenn Grant
• The Guthries (country-rock band), active from 1998–2002
• Dylan Guthro (born 1991), singer/songwriter from Cape Breton, now based in Halifax
• Gypsophilia (formed 2004), jazz band
• Ryan Hemsworth, DJ and producer
• Rebekah Higgs
• The Hylozoists (formed 2001), instrumental rock group
• In-Flight Safety (formed in 2003), indie-rock band originally from Sackville
• Jale (band), formed in 1992
• JRDN (Ralph Jordon Croucher), R&B recording artist
• Mo Kenney (born 1990), singer/songwriter
• Daniel Ledwell, record producer and multi-instrumentalist
• Ryan MacGrath
• Ria Mae, singer and songwriter
• Dutch Mason (1938–2006), jazz musician and Order of Canada inductee
• Matt Mays (born 1979), singer, songwriter
• Sarah McLachlan (born 1968), singer, songwriter, pianist
• Ruth Minnikin, singer/songwriter
• Dale Murray, musician, guitarist and vocalist for Cuff the Duke
• David Myles (born 1981), musician originally from Fredericton, now lives and records in Halifax
• North of America (1997–2003), indie-rock band
• Joel Plaskett (born 1974), singer, songwriter
• Port Cities (band formed in 2015)
• Sloan (band), formed in 1991
• Hank Snow (1914–1999), country music artist
• The Stanfields, folk rock band
• The Stolen Minks (formed in 2003), garage-punk band
• Thrush Hermit, 90's alternative rock band
• Wintersleep (band), formed in 2001
• Wordburglar, alternative hip hop artist

Sportspeople

• Eric Boulton, ice hockey player
• Mike Backman (born 1955), former professional ice hockey player
• Sidney Crosby (born 1987), hockey player, Stanley Cup champion, Olympic gold medalist (hockey)
• Jillian D'Alessio (born 1985), sprint kayaker, two-time Pan-American gold medalist
• George Dixon (1870–1908), first black world boxing champion in any weight class; first ever Canadian-born boxing champion
• Ryan Flinn (born 1980), former NHL enforcer
• Andrew Gordon (born 1985), hockey player, AHL, NHL, and SHL (Swedish Hockey League)
• TJ Grant (born 1984), mixed martial artist, UFC Lightweight contender
• Bert Hirschfeld (1929–1996), former NHL player
• Roger Hollett, mixed martial artist, former UFC Light Heavyweight
• Jack Ingram (1893–1957), former professional hockey player
• Kirk Johnson (born 1972), boxer
• Colleen Jones (born 1959), curler
• Mark de Jonge (born 1984), sprint canoeist, olympic bronze medalist, two World Championship golds and one Pan-American gold
• Andrew Joudrey (born 1984), hockey player
• Chris Kelades, mixed martial artist, former UFC Flyweight
• David Ling, ice hockey player, former NHL
• Nathan MacKinnon, first overall pick in 2013 NHL Entry Draft 2012 QMJHL rookie of year and Halifax Mooseheads
• Ian MacNeil, former hockey player
• John Makdessi, mixed martial artist, UFC Lightweight competitor
• Brad Marchand, hockey player, 2011 rookie Stanley Cup Champion; former Halifax Moosehead
• Peter Marsh (born 1956), retired NHL player
• Wayne Maxner (born 1942), retired NHL player
• Ian Millar (born 1947), show jumper
• Eddie Murray, former NFL Kicker
• Liam O'Brien, hockey player, Washington Capitals
• Pokey Reddick (born 1964), former NHL Goalie
• Cam Russell (born 1969), former NHL player
• James Sheppard (born 1988), ice hockey player
• Morgan Williams, professional rugby player, born in Kingston, Ontario, raised in Cole Harbour
• Tyrone Williams (born 1970), retired NFL and CFL player
• Wendell Young (born 1963), hockey player

Criminals

• Alexander Keith, Jr. (1827–1875), American Civil War secret agent and later mass manslaughterer

Other

• Chögyam Trungpa, Buddhist teacher

References