• 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.

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• 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.

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• 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.

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• 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.

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• 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.

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• 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.

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• 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.

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• 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.

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• 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.

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• 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.

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• Government of P.E.I. video breaks province's advertising laws, Liberals argue

  Source: Prince Edward Island - Regional News
  Date: 2026-10-15 23:00:00.0
  Tags: [Prince Edward Island, Governance, Affordability]

  The P.E.I. Liberal Party and the provincial Auditor General, Darren Noonan, argue that a government video advertisement for the Island Essentials Benefit featuring Premier Rob Lantz and Finance Minister Jill Burridge violates the province's Government Advertising Standards Act. The statute explicitly prohibits government advertising from including the name, voice, or image of a member of the Executive Council or Legislative Assembly. In response to the non-compliant ad, Opposition Leader Hal Perry announced plans to introduce legislative amendments during the fall sitting requiring a governing party found in breach to refund the entire cost of the advertisement.

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• P.E.I.'s fixed election date isn't until next year. Opposition parties want to go to the polls soon

  Source: Prince Edward Island - Regional News
  Date: 2026-10-06 23:00:00.0
  Tags: [Prince Edward Island, Governance]

  Opposition parties on Prince Edward Island, including the P.E.I. Liberal Party led by Dan Kutcher and the P.E.I. Green Party led by Matt MacFarlane, are calling for a provincial election ahead of the scheduled fixed election date of October 4, 2027. The opposition argues that Islanders are entitled to an election because Premier Rob Lantz was appointed following Dennis King's departure and has never personally sought a mandate from the general public. While opposition parties plan to press the government during the fall legislative sitting beginning in November, Premier Rob Lantz has mostly ruled out an autumn vote, stating his Progressive Conservative government remains focused on delivering its legislative agenda.

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• Irregularities in PC Party donations found by Elections P.E.I. lead to RCMP review

  Source: Prince Edward Island - Regional News
  Date: 2026-10-05 23:05:34.0
  Tags: [Prince Edward Island, Governance, Justice]

  Elections P.E.I. referred donation documents concerning the governing Progressive Conservative Party of P.E.I. to the RCMP and the Crown attorney following an internal compliance review of 2025 financial disclosures. The compliance audit identified three issues: contribution disclosures submitted one day late, funds received from an individual in Nova Scotia through a fundraising dinner ticket purchase that were subsequently returned, and seven contributions exceeding legal limits. In response to the findings, the Progressive Conservative Party stated it received a clean independent financial audit, cooperated fully with Elections P.E.I., and initiated administrative improvements including centralized financial reporting and standard operating procedures.

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• Opposition waiting for 'realistic plan' from province to address P.E.I.'s rising deficit, debt

  Source: Prince Edward Island - Regional News
  Date: 2026-09-30 13:00:00.0
  Tags: [Prince Edward Island, Finance, Economy, Governance]

  Prince Edward Island's projected deficit for the fiscal year climbed by $30.5 million to reach $440.4 million, driven by pressures in healthcare, rising fuel costs, and capital infrastructure needs. In response to mounting debt concerns, opposition parties including Liberal MLA Carolyn Simpson and Green MLA Tayte Willows are demanding a realistic financial recovery plan ahead of the province's fall capital budget. The government has introduced measures such as the Comprehensive Expenditure Review Targets aiming to cut spending by roughly 10 percent over two years, a cabinet committee on fiscal responsibility, and the upcoming onboarding of an internal auditor in January to oversee departmental spending.

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• Time to end the time change? P.E.I.'s premier wants to hear your thoughts about it

  Source: Prince Edward Island - Regional News
  Date: 2026-09-28 09:00:00.0
  Tags: [Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Governance, Transportation]

  Prince Edward Island Premier Rob Lantz has initiated discussions with Nova Scotia and New Brunswick counterparts regarding the potential elimination of the biannual time change, conditioned on a unified tri-provincial approach across the Maritimes. The provincial government intends to survey residents to gauge public opinion following a decision by Canada's western provinces and territories to adopt permanent daylight time. Stakeholders, including the P.E.I. Teachers' Federation, have raised safety concerns regarding potential darker morning school bus pick-up times under permanent daylight time models.

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• Could a single Maritime power grid make electricity more reliable?

  Source: Prince Edward Island - Regional News
  Date: 2026-09-27 09:00:00.0
  Tags: [Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Energy, Infrastructure, Governance]

  The premiers of Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick signed a non-binding memorandum of understanding in July to explore a regional road map for electricity transmission and the creation of a Maritime-wide Independent System Operator (ISO). The proposed non-profit entity would operate at arm's length from provincial governments and private utilities such as Nova Scotia Power, N.B. Power, and Maritime Electric to optimize cross-border resource sharing, renewable energy integration, and grid reliability by 2050. This regional cooperation follows Nova Scotia's establishment of its own provincial ISO last year and is supported by federal funding initiatives aimed at constructing new underwater transmission cables between Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick.

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• Return to historic Province House has P.E.I. MLAs, staff feeling 'a bit emotional and a bit nervous'

  Source: Prince Edward Island - Regional News
  Date: 2026-09-25 22:31:01.0
  Tags: [Prince Edward Island, Infrastructure, Culture, Governance]

  Prince Edward Island's historic Province House is set to reopen for public events on October 23 and 24, followed by the fall sitting of the Legislative Assembly on November 3, 2026. The nearly 180-year-old building, which also serves as the site of the 1864 Charlottetown Conference, closed in January 2015 for major restorations managed by Parks Canada with total costs reaching approximately $138 million.

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• Liberal MP says he was demoted for supporting NDP bill targeting arms export controls

  Source: CBC Politics
  Date: 2026-09-25 21:31:47.0
  Tags: [National, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, Governance, Defence]

  Liberal MP Sean Casey was removed from his position as parliamentary secretary to the minister of veterans affairs after voting in support of New Democratic Party MP Jenny Kwan's private member's bill, Bill C-233 (the No More Loopholes Act), which targeted arms export controls. Casey was warned by the Liberal whip in March that supporting the bill would mean losing his parliamentary secretary role, making him the only parliamentary secretary among 15 Liberal MPs who broke rank to vote for the legislation. The Prime Minister's Office subsequently announced that Quebec MP Sophie Chatel would replace Casey in the parliamentary secretary role, which carries a $20,900 salary top-up above the base MP salary of $217,700.

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• P.E.I. government moves to break up IRAC into two new regulatory bodies

  Source: Prince Edward Island - Regional News
  Date: 2026-09-21 17:05:04.0
  Tags: [Prince Edward Island, Governance, Energy, Housing, Economy]

  The Prince Edward Island government announced it will dismantle the 35-year-old Island Regulatory and Appeals Commission (IRAC) and replace it with two specialized regulatory bodies overseeing energy and utilities, and land use and appeals, respectively. Prompted by an interim independent review conducted by Rory Francis, the reform will establish a standalone Residential Tenancy Office reporting to the Minister of Housing and Communities, introduce a merit-based public appointment process for commissioners, mandate external reviews every six years, and create a public electricity consumer advocate. Legislation to enact these changes will be brought forward in the fall legislative session, with public feedback open until October 2, 2026, and the commissioner's final report due November 1, 2026.

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• IRAC should split into 2 separate boards, hire based on merit, says review commissioner

  Source: Prince Edward Island - Regional News
  Date: 2026-09-18 20:02:29.0
  Tags: [Prince Edward Island, Energy, Governance]

  An interim independent review report released by commissioner Rory Francis recommends splitting Prince Edward Island's Island Regulatory and Appeals Commission into two separate tribunals—one dedicated to energy and utilities (such as overseeing Maritime Electric's planning and rate-setting) and another for land use and rental appeals. The review, the first of its kind since IRAC was established in 1991, also proposes a transparent, merit-based hiring process for commissioners featuring initial five-year terms. Premier Rob Lantz stated that the provincial government will carefully review the recommendations ahead of the final report expected in November.

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