Incoming mayors outline their priorities for 3 of P.E.I.'s largest municipalities

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Source: Prince Edward Island - Regional News
Date: 2026-11-03 14:50:04.0
Tags: [Prince Edward Island, Municipal, Housing, Governance, Infrastructure, Energy]

Following municipal elections on November 2, 2026, three of Prince Edward Island's largest municipalities—Charlottetown, Summerside, and Three Rivers—have elected new mayors outlining distinct policy priorities for their four-year terms. In Charlottetown, Mayor-elect Amir Zuccolo aims to tackle the city's roughly $131 million in long-term debt, address housing and homelessness through initiatives like tiny homes and a community police force, and review the municipal official plan. In Summerside, Mayor-elect Cory Snow focuses on addressing municipal debt, managing energy challenges following the Sunbank fire that left the solar farm without battery storage, and pursuing direct access to provincially owned subsea power cables at Borden-Carleton. In Three Rivers, Mayor-elect Janice MacBeth plans to conduct a full review of the municipality's tax structures, official plan, and bylaws, while prioritizing the hiring of a chief administrative officer.

Summerside won't have battery storage for its solar power this winter after Sunbank fire

Source: Prince Edward Island - Regional News
Date: 2026-10-30 19:32:11.0
Tags: [Prince Edward Island, Municipal, Energy, Infrastructure, Environment]

Following a battery fire at the Sunbank solar farm in September that burned for two weeks, the City of Summerside will enter the winter season lacking 5 megawatts of dispatchable battery storage capacity. Summerside Electric, which generates roughly 60 per cent of its electricity from renewable sources, has secured a conditional firm service agreement with Maritime Electric to help bridge the energy gap, alongside utilizing its 15-megawatt standby generation facility. The city faces ongoing provincial energy challenges tied to mainland transmission infrastructure and submarine cables, prompting long-term considerations for energy independence and grid resiliency.

Summerside solar farm fire contained to single battery cell as burn-out enters 7th day

Source: Prince Edward Island - Regional News
Date: 2026-09-13 15:00:17.0
Tags: [Prince Edward Island, Municipal, Energy, Emergency, Infrastructure]

Emergency crews at the 30-hectare Sunbank solar farm in Summerside, Prince Edward Island, have successfully contained a battery fire to a single battery cell entering its seventh day of burn-out. The incident began around 5:30 a.m. on September 7 when a battery unit ignited at the west-end facility, prompting round-the-clock monitoring by city officials and emergency personnel. Summerside chief administrative officer JP Desrosiers confirmed that conditions have remained stable following a brief flare-up, and city officials do not anticipate reinstating a voluntary shelter-in-place notice unless the fire spreads beyond the current battery infrastructure.

Conditions have improved, but fire still not out at Summerside solar farm, says city's CAO

Source: Prince Edward Island - Regional News
Date: 2026-09-09 09:35:25.0
Tags: [Prince Edward Island, Municipal, Energy, Emergency, Environment, Infrastructure]

A prolonged fire at the City of Summerside's Sunbank solar farm battery bank, which began on Monday, September 7, 2026, continues to burn under monitoring by Summerside Fire Services and Summerside Police Services using drone thermal imaging. While conditions and wind directions have improved, allowing the city to avoid a mandatory shelter-in-place order, a voluntary shelter-in-place order remains in effect for the immediate area. Local schools and Credit Union Place remain closed as third-party firms conduct air quality sampling and officials analyze drinking water and runoff samples.

Shelter in place order issued for some Summerside residents

Source: Prince Edward Island - Regional News
Date: 2026-09-07 11:04:36.0
Tags: [Prince Edward Island, Municipal, Energy, Emergency, Public Safety, Infrastructure]

A fire broke out in one of the battery banks at the City of Summerside's solar farm around 5:30 AM, prompting the Summerside Police and Fire departments to issue a shelter-in-place order for residents living along South Drive from MacKenzie to Bayview Drive. City officials, including CAO J.P. Desrosier, reported that the fire was relatively small and contained by crews on the scene, with weather conditions and rain assisting in dispersing smoke safely away from the area. As a precaution, officials closed South Drive from Greenwood Drive to Putters Street, advised residents to keep windows and doors closed, turn off outside-ventilation systems, and keep pets indoors.