Big spenders
Council approves $110 million in capital spending for 2023 Anew term of council approved $85.1 million in capital spending last week—funds earmarked for repairs, rehabilitation, and reconstruction of things the County owns—assets, including roads, bridges, and buildings. Council also approved $25.1 million in capital spending for its waterworks utility—funded by users. Despite approving big capital […]
Against the clock
Funding drama grips McFarland home redevelopment We’re in a very difficult situation,” acknowledged Chief Administrative Officer Marcia Wallace. The County manager warned Council at several points during the capital spending discussion last week that tough decisions lie ahead. Perhaps none more precarious than redeveloping H.J. McFarland Home. The current estimate to build a new 160-room […]
Community Land Trust
Seeking ways to provide affordable housing The lack of affordable housing threatens to change the very character of Prince Edward County. Housing prices have increased dramatically, despite the recent downturn, and rental accommodation is difficult to find at any price. One possible solution may lie in the creation of a Community Land Trust (CLT). A […]
The power of words
New student artwork displayed at the HUB The big reveal for the Power of Words art project took place on Saturday at the HUB. The project was led by glass artist Kirei Samuel and made possible by a grant from the Arts Council. Starting on January 7, a group of students were asked to select […]
Towards better health care
Wellington Community Association holds public meeting By some estimates, there could be as many as 4,000 County residents who do not have a primary health care provider, and this situation may worsen without the addition of new family physicians or nurse practitioners to the Prince Edward Family Health Team (PEFHT). A packed house filled the […]
Mixed signals
Council balks at creating a new tax levy before it sees the 2023 budget It was a wee taste of a what-is-likely-to-be turbulent budget debate. A week earlier, Council had signalled support for a new Roads Plan—that called for massive (three and half times) annual spending increases on the roads—roads downloaded upon the municipality from […]
THRIVE PEC
Building a collaborative vision for the future Starting in July 2021, community representatives from Prince Edward County began participating in a national communities economic pilot looking at ways to shape the economic future of a community so that it is inclusive, equitable and sustainable. Community discussions and workshops began here in April 2022, with the […]
Risky storage
Council opposes large battery storage facility; will consider smaller project Council decided to take a closer look at two smaller battery energy storage systems (BESS) located south of Picton, but ultimately couldn’t put its support behind a larger project proposed on County Road 5. Picton BESS Limited Partnership was created by Compass Renewable Energy Consulting […]
Roads hole
Shire Hall presents options for deteriorating County roads County staff presented Council with an array of financial scenarios to keep up with the repair of the County’s roads network. Condition assessments of all municipal roadways were completed in 2021 by StreetScan, a company that inspects roads using mobile sensing technology and provides detailed visual records. […]
Mayor’s Levee
Council seeks to improve community engagement as term begins An audience of about 70 people attended the 2023 Mayor’s Levee on Sunday in the Rotary Hall at the Picton Community Centre. This was the first time in three years that the Levee has been held, as a consequence of the still ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. Prior […]