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

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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.

Laurae Kloschinsky appointed CEO of Health P.E.I. months after taking on interim role

Source: Prince Edward Island - Regional News
Date: 2026-10-28 22:41:19.0
Tags: [Prince Edward Island, Healthcare, Governance]

Health P.E.I. has officially appointed Laurae Kloschinsky as its permanent chief executive officer, following her tenure as interim CEO since March 11 following the departure of former CEO Melanie Fraser. Kloschinsky, who holds a bachelor of science in pharmacy from the University of Saskatchewan and formerly served as assistant deputy minister of mental health and addictions for the P.E.I. Department of Health and Wellness, was confirmed by Health P.E.I. chair Dr. Richard Wedge and Health and Wellness Minister Cory Deagle. Her appointment aims to provide leadership continuity and focus on workforce support, patient care access, and health system strengthening across the province.

Amendment to Lands Protection Act could reduce land holding limits for non-profits

Source: Prince Edward Island - Regional News
Date: 2026-10-28 22:00:00.0
Tags: [Prince Edward Island, Agriculture, Governance, Environment]

The Prince Edward Island government has introduced a proposed amendment to the Lands Protection Act that would reduce the maximum land holding limit for non-profit corporations from 3,000 acres down to 400 acres. The amendment targets organizations pursuing patriotic, religious, philanthropic, charitable, scientific, artistic, social, professional, or sporting objectives, requiring groups exceeding the new limit to divest excess land. Specifically, inter-related Buddhist groups such as the Great Wisdom Buddhist Institute and the Great Enlightenment Buddhist Institute Society, which hold upward of 3,200 acres collectively, and religious organizations like the Catholic Church, which owns more than 1,700 acres, would be directly impacted. The provincial government opened a public feedback window for the proposed amendment running until November 10.

P.E.I.'s mobile mental health program extended for another year

Source: Prince Edward Island - Regional News
Date: 2026-10-27 21:00:51.0
Tags: [Prince Edward Island, Healthcare, Social Services, Finance]

The federal and provincial governments have renewed funding for Prince Edward Island's mobile mental health program, extending the initiative through March 31, 2028. The program, operationally managed by Medavie Health Services, allows Islanders experiencing a mental health crisis to call and receive care from specialized professionals or dispatched mobile teams. Earlier in the year, provincial Health and Wellness Minister Cory Deagle noted that Ottawa was cutting over $29 million in health-care funding to P.E.I., which included $2.6 million for mobile mental health units and student well-being teams previously slated to end in March 2027. CUPE Local 3324 president Jason Woodbury praised the extension, noting the service helps reduce wait times for ground ambulances and emergency rooms.

Former Victoria councillor is eligible to run as mayor — and is owed an apology, says OmbudsPEI

Source: Prince Edward Island - Regional News
Date: 2026-10-27 09:00:00.0
Tags: [Prince Edward Island, Municipal, Governance]

Following an investigation under the Prince Edward Island Municipal Government Act, the Office of the Ombudsperson (OmbudsPEI) reported that the Rural Municipality of Victoria acted improperly regarding a code of conduct complaint against former councillor Eric Gilbert, who resigned earlier in the year. Ombudsperson Matthew Chapman found that the municipality failed to follow mandatory statutory processes for hearing the complaint and subsequently attempted to prevent Gilbert from participating in council and running for office. The report recommends that the municipality correct its official record, publicly confirm Gilbert's eligibility to run in the upcoming November 2 mayoral election, and issue a written apology to Gilbert and the public.

Changes to temporary foreign worker rules leave some P.E.I. farms short-staffed this harvest

Source: Prince Edward Island - Regional News
Date: 2026-10-27 09:00:00.0
Tags: [Prince Edward Island, Labour, Agriculture, Immigration]

Changes to federal temporary foreign worker requirements enacted at the end of 2025 removed agricultural exemptions for local job advertising, resulting in severe processing delays and staff shortages for P.E.I. farms during the harvest season. Agricultural operations such as Bunny Burrow Vegetable Co. faced delayed arrivals—with seasonal workers arriving in July instead of April—after multiple LMIA application rejections and multi-week resubmission cycles. Stakeholders including Andrea McKenna and Donald Killorn of the P.E.I. Federation of Agriculture have called on Ottawa to streamline the application process, provide regional agency support for smaller farms, introduce more flexible work permit transfers between farms, and expand the Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program to additional countries.

Dan Kutcher isn't wasting time as new leader of the P.E.I. Liberal Party

Source: Prince Edward Island - Regional News
Date: 2026-10-26 21:50:40.0
Tags: [Prince Edward Island, Governance]

Dan Kutcher was officially confirmed as the new leader of the P.E.I. Liberal Party on Sunday. Following his confirmation, Kutcher immediately began meeting with Islanders on Monday to outline his vision and priorities for the provincial party.

Dan Kutcher officially becomes leader of P.E.I. Liberal Party

Source: Prince Edward Island - Regional News
Date: 2026-10-25 20:45:48.0
Tags: [Prince Edward Island, Governance]

Dan Kutcher was officially acclaimed as the leader of the P.E.I. Liberal Party during a leadership convention in Charlottetown attended by about 200 people. Kutcher, who previously served as mayor of Summerside before stepping down in August, was the sole candidate in the leadership contest. He succeeds Robert Mitchell, who resigned on July 15 following a byelection loss in Cornwall-Meadowbank, and interim leader Hal Perry, positioning the party as the Official Opposition in the P.E.I. Legislature.

Ottawa spends $7.3M on sediment basin near Wood Islands ferry terminal

Source: Prince Edward Island - Regional News
Date: 2026-10-24 15:58:09.0
Tags: [Prince Edward Island, Infrastructure, Transportation]

The federal government is investing $7.3 million to construct a new holding basin near the Wood Islands ferry terminal on Prince Edward Island. Built on federal property west of the terminal by Quebec-based contractor Sani-Sable, the basin will store approximately 125,000 cubic metres of sediment generated from routine harbour dredging required by Transport Canada. Construction is scheduled to begin in November and conclude before ferry service resumes in the spring.

Province House opens its doors after nearly 12 years of renovations

Source: Prince Edward Island - Regional News
Date: 2026-10-24 14:17:41.0
Tags: [Prince Edward Island, Infrastructure, Governance, Culture]

The historic Province House in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, has officially reopened following a major refurbishment that began in January 2015 and cost approximately $138 million. The nearly 180-year-old building, which serves as the seat of P.E.I.'s Legislative Assembly and the site of the 1864 Charlottetown Conference, underwent extensive structural renovations touching virtually every stone and piece of wood. Upgrades included modernizing the infrastructure and HVAC systems to bring the facility up to contemporary working standards.

P.E.I. got cash to crack down on short-term rentals — but did it help boost the housing supply?

Source: Prince Edward Island - Regional News
Date: 2026-10-24 09:00:00.0
Tags: [Prince Edward Island, Housing, Affordability, Tourism, Governance]

Tourism P.E.I. utilized federal funding from the Short-Term Rental Enforcement Fund to establish an inspection unit targeting unlicenced short-term rentals across Prince Edward Island. During its first year of operations, the enforcement unit identified 242 illegal short-term rental operations, which represented 10 per cent of the province's licensed tourism accommodations. Of those identified operations, the provincial government reported that 164 have subsequently ceased operating or transitioned into long-term housing options. However, housing advocates and municipal officials note that determining whether these regulatory enforcement efforts have measurably boosted the available year-round housing supply remains inconclusive.

In P.E.I., sweeping new strategy takes aim at ‘pervasive drinking culture’

Source: Prince Edward Island - Regional News
Date: 2026-10-24 08:00:00.0
Tags: [Prince Edward Island, Healthcare, Public Safety, Justice]

The Government of Prince Edward Island, led by Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Heather Morrison, has released a sweeping 16-point provincial alcohol strategy designed to address a pervasive drinking culture and reduce health and safety harms. The strategy follows five years of planning and public consultation, responding to data showing high-risk drinking contributes to 7,000 emergency department visits and hospitalizations annually, while direct alcohol-related costs reach over $131 million compared to $70 million in revenue. Key policy measures include screening for high-risk drinking during medical appointments, adjusting pricing based on alcohol content rather than volume to target high-potency cheap drinks, reviewing retail store availability and operating hours where 80 percent of residents live within 10 minutes of a P.E.I. Liquor Control Commission outlet, and reinvesting three percent of net alcohol profits back into community, education, and harm-reduction programs.

Miminegash's wharf, breakwaters will be rebuilt as Ottawa invests in P.E.I. harbour

Source: Prince Edward Island - Regional News
Date: 2026-10-23 23:00:00.0
Tags: [Prince Edward Island, Infrastructure, Fisheries]

The federal government, through Fisheries and Oceans Canada, is investing in a major construction project to rebuild the wharf, two southern breakwaters, and a shoreline protection structure at the Miminegash Small Craft Harbour on Prince Edward Island's northwestern shore. The infrastructure project is part of a broader federal commitment announced in the 2026 Spring Economic Update to invest nearly $1 billion over five years to modernize small-craft harbours across Canada. The harbour currently supports roughly 41 commercial fishing vessels, whose lobster landings exceeded $10 million in 2025. The project is scheduled to go to tender in the coming months, with construction expected to begin next year.

P.E.I. will not renew nearly $8M deal with the NHL

Source: Prince Edward Island - Regional News
Date: 2026-10-22 20:05:10.0
Tags: [Prince Edward Island, Tourism, Economy, Governance]

Prince Edward Island Tourism Minister Ernie Hudson announced that the province will not renew its three-year, $7.75 million tourism marketing partnership with the National Hockey League when the contract expires on December 31, 2026. Despite opposition criticism regarding costs and accountability, the government defended the deal by citing a commissioned report showing it reached over 8.5 million Canadians, brought 315,000 new visitors, and generated $95 million in visitor spending. The province stated that tourism marketing investments will continue at the same funding level next year through alternative strategies.

P.E.I. farmer claims victory after settling lawsuit with CRA over shared tax information

Source: Prince Edward Island - Regional News
Date: 2026-10-21 22:00:00.0
Tags: [Prince Edward Island, Taxation, Justice, Agriculture, Environment]

Prince Edward Island potato farmer Alex Docherty, his son Logan Docherty, and their company Skye View Farms settled a $450,000 civil lawsuit in Federal Court against the Canada Revenue Agency in January 2026. The lawsuit alleged the Canada Revenue Agency unlawfully shared personal and corporate tax records with an environmental officer and a Crown prosecutor during a regulatory investigation stemming from a 2016 fish kill in Clyde River, for which Docherty was ultimately acquitted. While the Canada Revenue Agency cited taxpayer confidentiality provisions and declined to comment on the settlement, Docherty is calling on Members of Parliament to clarify or amend federal laws regarding the unauthorized sharing of tax data.

New paramedic station in Montague will create 'room to grow,' says Island EMS

Source: Prince Edward Island - Regional News
Date: 2026-10-21 19:00:00.0
Tags: [Prince Edward Island, Infrastructure, Healthcare, Emergency]

Construction is underway on a new 4,400-square-foot paramedic station in Montague, Prince Edward Island, with an estimated cost of $1.2 million and a target completion date of late spring. The purpose-built facility replaces an older 2,640-square-foot repurposed home demolished in June, which had served as a legacy base. Managed by Island EMS, the new centralized station will consolidate operations from two different locations, integrate 911 services, mobile mental health, and community paramedicine, and feature a backup generator, training rooms, and capacity for future expansion.

UPEI sees 20% drop in international student enrolment from last year

Source: Prince Edward Island - Regional News
Date: 2026-10-20 23:48:48.0
Tags: [National, Prince Edward Island, Education, Immigration]

International student enrolment at the University of Prince Edward Island has dropped by approximately 20 per cent compared to the previous year, with total international student numbers falling to roughly 1,300 from about 2,000 prior to federal policy changes. According to the Association of Atlantic Universities, the Atlantic region has experienced a 48 per cent overall decrease in international enrolments since Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada introduced study permit caps in 2024, surpassing the federal target of a 35 per cent reduction. Concurrently, regional universities recorded a 3.4 per cent increase in first-year enrolments as of October 2026, driven primarily by domestic students from Atlantic Canada and the rest of Canada.

P.E.I. non-profit eyes food hub expansion with possible federal funding

Source: Prince Edward Island - Regional News
Date: 2026-10-17 19:47:43.0
Tags: [Prince Edward Island, National, Agriculture, Infrastructure, Affordability]

The Prince Edward Island non-profit Growers Station is preparing to apply for federal funding under Ottawa's $3.2 billion, 10-year food security strategy to finance a major physical expansion. The organization aims to double its current operational footprint to increase cold storage capacity, improve distribution for small-scale local Island farmers, and establish an onsite retail and pick-up option alongside its existing online ordering platform. By scaling up physical infrastructure and delivery capacity, the non-profit intends to extend the seasonal availability of local produce and lower operational costs for both producers and small grocers.

P.E.I.'s program to protect farmland from development a 'mirage,' report says

Source: Prince Edward Island - Regional News
Date: 2026-10-16 21:00:00.0
Tags: [Prince Edward Island, Agriculture, Environment, Governance, Housing]

A review by commissioner Rory Francis of the Island Regulatory and Appeals Commission revealed that Prince Edward Island's Land Identification Program, established in 1995 under the Lands Protection Act, fails to provide permanent farmland protection because non-development agreements automatically expire after 10 years. Between 2016 and July 2026, 61,500 hectares (152,000 acres) were protected and are set to expire by 2036, adding to the 121,400 hectares (300,000 acres) that lost protection under a 2015 retroactive policy change. According to Statistics Canada, Prince Edward Island lost 12 percent of its farmland between 2016 and 2021 at an average rate of 39 acres per day, while the provincial government has repeatedly delayed implementing a comprehensive province-wide land use plan recommended since the 1973 Royal Commission on Land Ownership and Land Use.

Decision on Charlottetown's zoning and development bylaw postponed once again

Source: Prince Edward Island - Regional News
Date: 2026-10-16 15:27:58.0
Tags: [Prince Edward Island, Municipal, Housing, Infrastructure, Governance]

Charlottetown city council deferred a decision on its proposed zoning and development bylaw after a tied vote broken by Mayor Philip Brown during a meeting on October 13, 2026. The proposed overhaul aims to increase urban density, including the integration of four-unit housing requirements tied to federal funding from the Housing Accelerator Fund, which includes $1.26 million at risk. With municipal elections scheduled for November 2, 2026, debate persists among councillors over whether to finalize the legislation before a new council takes office in December or delay the vote.