The first inhabitants of the Halifax Regional Municipality, the Mi’kmaq people, named the region Jipugtug and Chebucto, meaning “biggest harbour.” The township of Halifax was founded in 1749 as a British military outpost to protect the New England colonies from French forces. When Dartmouth was settled across the harbour, a ferry service connected the two communities. Today, it is the oldest saltwater ferry in North American.

In April 1912, Halifax drew the attention of the world as the center of rescue efforts for the Titanic. Three Halifax ships brought victims to the city’s shores and over 150 are buried in local cemeteries. Some of the most touching artifacts from the Titanic are housed in the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic. A few years later another maritime disaster occurred. In 1917, the Mont Blanc French munitions ship collided with another ship in Halifax Harbour. The massive explosion killed over 1900 people, injured over thousands and destroyed almost all of the northern part of Halifax. Through courage and fortitude, Halifax was rebuilt as one of the most modern 20th century cities in North America. During World Wars One and Two, Halifax became a world class naval port. Its strategic location sheltered convoys from German U-boats and became a lifeline for wartime supplies for the Allied forces.

In 1996, the Halifax Regional Municipality was created as an amalgamation the cities of Halifax, Dartmouth, Bedford, and Sable Island. Today, Halifax is the largest city in Canada east of Montreal, home port of the Maritime Forces Atlantic, a major shipping port, busy cruise port and popular travel destination.