Overflow

County council seeks solutions to tourism issues

Summer 2020 is halfway in the rear view mirror, but the tourism season is far from over. Prince Edward County council hopes that the lessons learned from this year will provide a guide moving forward. At Thursday’s Committee of the Whole, Mayor Steve Ferguson put forward a motion that asks staff to put together a comprehensive study of what has happened in the County this year and put together a working plan for next summer.

“I think it’s fair to say that the summer of 2020 has been like no other that we have experienced,” said Ferguson, noting that the effects of COVID-19 on the way of life in Prince Edward County have been profound. Ferguson first commended County staff for the way they have reacted to the tourism season, as a lot of pressure has been placed on them to ensure public safety and implement rules and bylaws.

“Given that this year is still unfolding, I am asking for an analysis of the events of 2020 and the effects in the way in which we have handled these events through management of staff and their assignments,” said Ferguson. He explained that the County has fallen victim to an influx of people who have realized they have nowhere else to go. “We don’t know what is coming and we need to plan better for the same as what we got this year.”

The report will also consider the effects that Sandbanks Provincial Park has on the County as a whole. Last week, Ferguson met with Minister Jeff Yurek, MPP Todd Smith and local business owners. Yurek was taken on a tour of the County, and shown the congestion at the entrance to the park, which stretched for four kilometres. “I am waiting for a report from MPP Smith. He has a much greater understanding of the park. I believe he will take steps to address park overflows and help municipality deal with it,” said Ferguson, who noted that along with the influx comes a 25 per cent increase in OPP calls, abuse of private property, as well as an overflow effect on other areas such as Point Petre, North Beach and so-called secret beaches. “I think the time has come for us to take a comprehensive approach to manage something that has been building for quite some time to enable our visitors to have the experience we want them to have in PEC, but ,as importantly, to ensure our residents have the ability to enjoy the home they invest in and the place they pay their taxes,” he said.

Councillor Ernie Margetson agreed with the motion. “Although I feel this summer and perhaps the issues related with COVID-19 and the desire for people to want to access natural areas has heightened our awareness of what issues we might have with too many visitors or not being able to handle the visitors. I have been speaking about this since before this summer. During the election, the proliferation of STAs was an issue and we have had other issues related to tourism, and whether we are getting the benefits economically,” said Margetsion. “We need a liveable community that is liveable to all the people here while maintaining our rural and historic charm, infrastructure and financial sustainability.”

Councillor John Hirsch wanted to make sure that all aspects are taken into account. “I want to ensure that we include environmentally sensitive areas not necessarily owned by the County. The tremendous issues at Little Bluff, which is owned by QC. Point Petre is MNRF provincial land, and that is another problem area,” said Hirsch. He noted that all natural areas are suffering from overflow of tourist traffic.

Councillor Brad Nieman wanted to know if there are ways to make money from tourism, noting that increased garbage collection and the toll the extra vehicles take on County roads are both at issue. “Is there any opportunity to increase County coffers?” asked Nieman. Mayor Ferguson noted that financial implications would also be studied.

Wellington councillor Mike Harper, who has first hand experience with the problems at Wellington Beach, believes the problem lies in Sandbanks Park. “I do want to emphasize that a lot of what we have experienced is a function of Sandbanks overflow. I want to make a distinction. Tourists aren’t a homogenous group. They consist of a number of different segments and I think you could argue that a lot of the problems we have seen are not tourists in the sense of people who are coming for a number of days and spending money on hospitality and restaurants, they are bringing their coolers to have a picnic and ideally a swim and then head home that night,” said Harper, who believes the municipality and the province need to work in conjunction to solve the capacity issues.

Councillor Roberts was quick to point out that the problems likely aren’t going to go away. “Overtourism I don’t think is going to go away. I suspect that venues or cities or counties or regions that are identified as hotspots because of really good marketing will continue to see overtourism. How we do our marketing might want to be part of this consideration,” said Roberts. “I am not sure it is just about getting something out of it in terms of cash, but also is there a way in looking at our tourism industry which provides preferential treatment to residents and locals. That may be another way of addressing benefits to people who live here full-time,” he added.

CAO Marcia Wallace explained that staff would look at all aspects of tourism in the County, and would need as much time as possible for implementation. A goal of January 31, 2021 was suggested, as it could then be linked to budget discussions. The proposal, which was approved overwhelmingly by the committee, will go to the next council meeting slated for August 18.