‘People need a safe space’: Halifax 2SLGBTQ+ bar owners struggle to meet rising costs
Posted Sep 13, 2026 01:44:46 PM.
Rumours, a long-standing Halifax gay bar and safe space, is struggling to meet rising costs and is turning to the public to help stay afloat.
A GoFundMe goal is $18,000, aimed at covering a month’s expenses, which include rent and paying event staff like DJs. So far, owners Gerald and José have raised half of their goal.
“We were paying the rent, everything was fine,” explained Gerald Mccowan, co-owner of Rumours. “But now we’ve come to a new lease and (the landlord) wants to almost double the rent with extra charges, capital expenses, the plumbing, 15 per cent service charge on anything he wants and it’s just a lot of little extra charges in there.”
Their fundraising goal includes around $12,000 monthly basic rent, $1,400 additional rent, $1,200 electricity, $800 water and $2,600 insurance. These are before taxes and other costs like payroll, security, DJs, entertainment, inventory, cleaning, garbage, licensing, repairs, equipment and everything else it takes to operate Rumours.
Mccowan received a Veteran Affairs Canada settlement after experiencing harassment in the military for being gay, prompting him to open this space. He said that starting Rumours is like a “little legacy” for him and he’s seen the positive impact it has had on the community.
“We don’t have anybody going there because they they’re angry or anything like that. They go there because they want to enjoy Rumours,” he explained.
Mccowan said that with times changing and queer businesses closing, safe spaces like these are more important than ever.
He said he looks forward to next year when Halifax will host the Canada Pride celebration and to keep putting on the same kinds of events Rumours patrons have enjoyed for years.
“We just want to keep the doors open. We want this for this community,” he said. “That’s what it just boils down to is just being safe.”
The owners have two months to reach their goal. The fundraiser was created on Aug. 30, 2026.
