The summer racing season is back for 2025 and One Eight Hundred came to play in the evening feature at Red Shores Racetrack and Casino at the Charlottetown Driving Park on May 3 Veteran New Brunswick driver Mike Downey engineered the winning ride for trainer Ellen Stevenson and owner Dr who finished first and second as he also holds the ownership papers of runner-up Blood Money (driven by Gilles Barrieau) Subscribe now to access this story and more: Subscribe or sign in to your account to continue your reading experience Create an account or sign in to continue your reading experience The $4,550 featured pace had Blood Money spring to the lead with splits of 28.2 57 and 1:25.2 while One Eight Hundred sat second and surged in the stretch to hit the wire first Third went to Jewels Dragon (Marc Campbell) Carnival Heart (Ryan Desroche) opened the summer meet in a 1:58.3 score for trainer Shayna Toll over Leavin Bruises (Jason Hughes) and Check Your Source (Adam Merner) Merner doubled up as a trainer-driver winning with Here On Earth (1:58.2) and newcomer Sports Teller (1:56.3) The final dash of the evening had Proudofyatoday (Keith Ford) light up the tote board with a 1:58.1 win at 24-1 over heavily-favoured Mr Matt Major N (Merner) Live racing continues May 8 at Red Shores Charlottetown Reviews and recommendations are unbiased and products are independently selected Postmedia may earn an affiliate commission from purchases made through links on this page The British Virgin Islands is an explorer's dream with more than 60 isles and cays to discover Expert-backed tips and a step-by-step breakdown to ward off these pests We tried it: Filtrete Smart Tower and the Dyson Purifier Hot+Cool Formaldehyde HP09 transmission or republication strictly prohibited This website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. 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By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Hannah Bell and Matt MacFarlane say they want to grow the Green Party of Prince Edward Island’s presence and make it a strong alternative to the current P.E.I This was the message at the Farm Centre in Charlottetown on May 3 as the two candidates vying to lead the Green Party shared their plans for the party’s future and how they would address major issues facing the province during the second live debate of the 2025 leadership race answered questions on a wide range of topics including the environment government transparency and economic policy Bell said she sees the Green party as a home for Islanders who feel left out of current politics She wants to build strong local organizations that are active in their communities throughout the year not just during election campaigns or fundraisers MacFarlane said his short-term goal is for the Green party to form the next government of P.E.I He said the party can do that by being inclusive and growing support in every district When asked about one of the most neglected environmental issues on P.E.I. MacFarlane and Bell agreed that climate change is a major one but they focused on different areas they feel have been overlooked MacFarlane pointed to the lack of protection for estuaries He said estuaries help hold back saltwater intrusion which is becoming a bigger issue with rising sea levels He also criticized the government’s failure to follow recommendations from a forestry task force He called that decision “disgraceful” and said reforestation should be a key strategy for fighting climate change He suggested planting trees on land that is no longer good for farming to help rebuild forests and store carbon after you engage such a strong committee of task force to look into forestry and to come back and say we’re not going to implement all of those recommendations we trade strong forests for multiple purposes Bell said more attention needs to be paid to drinking water could be at risk due to land erosion and climate change She also highlighted transportation as a major environmental concern noting that cars contribute up to 50 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions in the province “We can invest in public transportation in a meaningful increasing coverage and routes and the service frequency and actually change patterns of how we use vehicles here that would have an incredible impact on our quality of life here at P.E.I and all this meeting on net zero targets.” When asked how they would reduce the administrative burden in the health-care system both candidates pointed to bloat and inefficiencies at the leadership level Bell said a lot of the red tape comes from a lack of trust in professionals She gave the example of doctors having to wait through multiple approval steps just to make a referral She said this slows down care and makes things worse for patients MacFarlane said the health department is “top heavy,” meaning there are too many managers and duplicate roles He said millions are going to outside consultants like KPMG even though the province already has executive leadership teams at Health P.E.I The candidates were also asked about recent legislation brought in by the province to reduce trade barriers between provinces in response to tariffs from the U.S MacFarlane said the legislation was rushed and copied from Nova Scotia without enough thought He said he’s worried that opening up the Island’s economy too quickly could hurt small local businesses who might not be able to compete with bigger companies from other provinces We can be eaten up by some of the bigger fish and that could include some of our smaller growers if we just jump on board because it’s the flavour of the day then we could be having negative consequences and creating side effects down the road that we’re just not sure of.” Bell agreed the legislation was rushed but said opening up markets could be good for small businesses especially those that don’t export internationally She said many small businesses only sell locally but if they could expand to nearby provinces like New Brunswick or Nova Scotia it would bring more money into the local economy Both candidates were critical of what they say is the current government’s lack of transparency and said the Green party must do better if it gains power MacFarlane criticized how the government handles freedom of information and protection of privacy (FOIPP) requests He said some take five years after paying hundreds of dollars to get basic public information Bell also said Islanders pay for reports and research with their tax dollars She said too many reports are kept secret when they should be public She also said the FOIP system is often used to block access rather than provide it “Privacy protection is used as a battering ram to prevent people from being able to access just about anything is seeking a leader after Peter Bevan-Baker stepped down in June 2023 Karla Bernard has been acting as interim leader until the party’s June 7 convention This website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. Read more about cookies here. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. hello 2025: Charlottetown's big red sign gets its New Year's makeover | CBC.ca LoadedGoodbye 2024 hello 2025: Charlottetown's big red sign gets its New Year's makeover Trump film tariff threat is ‘very troubling,’ ACTRA national president saysCBC News |32 minutes agoTrending NowVideo2:17 Video evidence, NHLer testimony raise questions in world junior sexual assault trialThe National |May 2Video11:28 Trump repeats 51st state taunt as Carney prepares for White House visitThe National |9 hours agoVideo1:19 It is a priority for CBC to create products that are accessible to all in Canada including people with visual Closed Captioning and Described Video is available for many CBC shows offered on CBC Gem You will also start receiving the Star's free morning newsletter Charlottetown 2025 federal election live results. Browse live results for all 343 ridings 77 of 77 polls are reporting as of 4:18 p.m. Follow our full coverage of the 2025 federal election 77 of 77 polls are reporting as of 4:18 p.m. Follow our full coverage of the 2025 federal election is projected to be re-elected in Charlottetown is in second place with 6,085 votes (29.15%) and Joe Byrne Casey has represented the riding since 2011 8,080 voters cast ballots at advance polls Looking for another riding? Here are the full results for the 2025 federal election. The Liberals have 169 races called in their favour They have 8,535,128 votes and 43.69 per cent of the popular vote The Conservatives have 144 races called in their favour They have 8,059,938 votes and 41.26 per cent of the popular vote The Bloc Québécois have 22 races called in their favour They have 1,232,095 votes and 6.31 per cent of the popular vote The New Democrats have seven races called in their favour They have 1,231,198 votes and 6.3 per cent of the popular vote The Greens have one race called in their favour They have 243,471 votes and 1.25 per cent of the popular vote There were three independents and four vacancies in the 338-seat Commons the Commons has grown by five ridings starting with this election This article was automatically generated using data provided by Canadian Press and will update as riding results become available Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers: Account processing issue - the email address may already exist Invalid password or account does not exist Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the email address listed on your account Residents interested in the future use of the Charlottetown Curling Club property at 241 Euston Street can now provide input through a public survey The 0.65-acre property is owned by the Government of Prince Edward Island through the PEI Housing Corporation Demolition work began on site in October 2024 and is anticipated to be completed this Spring including infilling and leveling the site footprint The survey will explore potential ways to utilize the property to support the current and future needs of the community. To participate in the survey, click here landsdivision@gov.pe.ca Accessing healthcare in Prince Edward Island As people continue to get around in different ways Rideshare companies like Kari have grown in popularity over recent years in P.E.I. but the city’s taxi bylaw is not equipped for modern operations The city is currently reviewing or drafting a slew of bylaws and the taxi regulations came up at the January and March protective and emergency services committees Summerside repealed its own taxi bylaw in recent months the provincial government started licensing rideshares across P.E.I. putting Charlottetown’s bylaw in contravention Drivers for a rideshare just need to get a specific license from Access P.E.I. and then they can drive anywhere in the province And ever since the introduction by the province in 2022 of a new licensing it’s really thrown the bylaw and the way taxiing happens within the city into chaos.” Another issue is the requirement for all cabs to connect to a central radio system and the city has recently started to allow its traditional taxi stands to operate without a radio without changing the bylaw CFO Dan Jenkins said the job of bylaws is to regulate areas that another authority isn’t already managing The province deals with safety and licensing “As we go through these bylaws we have to ask ourselves And you know there was probably good reasons for having this in the past the city needs to decide what it’s trying to accomplish and what it can actually enforce argued city regulation is an extra layer of safeguard for residents because it involves local police ensuring operators are up to snuff they understand it’s not run like a traditional cab You’re expecting that those safeguards in our community are already checked off,” he said “The equipment is not just inspected at a service station but there’s some other checks and balances because it’s a commercial vehicle And that the fares are affordable — those are the safeguards.” said she is in favour of overhauling or repealing the bylaw since there’s no way to actually regulate the system as it operates today She wants the city to focus more on accessible taxis Changing the bylaw or getting rid of it could open things up more to rideshare companies I just don’t think it’s feasible or even reasonable that we’d be able to oversee what’s in that bylaw today.” Police Chief Brad MacConnell said there has been little success with efforts to get an accessible cab running the taxi industry is less robust than in the past Incentives from the city and ResourceAbilities have not been enough to persuade anyone from the five taxi stands to keep an accessible service running The issue returned to the committee on March 25 with a final recommendation to repeal the bylaw and council will vote on the recommendation at an upcoming meeting the corporate giant has joined the Greater Charlottetown Area Chamber of Commerce as a member told The Guardian that she cannot shed much light on whether this means Costco is planning on setting up a store in the province “It was to expand their B-to-B wholesale business,” McGregor said “That is their business-to-business dealings We asked them if they were planning to expand to Prince Edward Island and we were told they were becoming a member of the chamber because they have wholesale business here and they want to expand that.” The Guardian has contacted Costco and left several messages for Martin Groleau the assistant vice-president of marketing and membership but was told on April 17 that both men were out of the office and would not be returning for some time There have been persistent rumours that Costco has purchased land in P.E.I and plans to build a store in the capital city area within the next five years CTV News even called McGregor for comment based on that social media post “But I wasn’t privy to this conversation that happened but we asked and were told no that wasn’t the reason they were joining the chamber,” McGregor said McGregor added that the chamber does not press its members on what their businesses plan to do They do wholesale business with smaller retailers The Guardian has spoken with the towns of Cornwall and Stratford and City of Charlottetown The Charlottetown Islanders are gearing up for an exciting weekend in Quebec City as the 2025 QMJHL Entry Draft gets set for June 6-7 at the Videotron Centre. This year, the Islanders will be front and center early in the draft, holding the 7th overall pick — a huge opportunity to add a top-end young talent to the organization. In total, Charlottetown owns 11 picks in this year’s draft.. Here’s a breakdown of the Islanders’ 2025 draft capital: • 1st round: 7th overall (Charlottetown’s own pick) • 2nd round: Acquired from Gatineau (in the 2022-23 trade that sent Frankie Lapenna to the Olympiques) • 8th round: Acquired from Rimouski (in the 2023-24 trade involving Brett Arsenault) • 9th round: Acquired from Val-d’Or (Shawinigan’s pick via the 2024-25 trade involving Brett Yuzik) • 11th round: Acquired from Moncton (in exchange for Madden Steen and Charlottetown’s 2025 8th round pick) This marks the first time since 2018 that the Islanders hold a top-10 selection. That year, Charlottetown drafted standout defenseman Lukas Cormier 4th overall — a pick that paid massive dividends as Cormier became one of the best blueliners in franchise history. The 2025 draft class is loaded with top-end talent, and QMJHL Central Scouting has highlighted several names to watch heading into the big weekend: In addition to excelling on face-offs, with an efficiency level approaching 62%, he was used by his coach in a variety of ways: on the starting line-up, on the power play and shorthanded, in the dying moments of periods, and so on. Alexis has all the tools needed to succeed at the next levels. A native of Montreal’s South Shore, James has now been playing in the United States for the past two years. After terrorizing opposing teams by racking up 130 points in 2023-24 at the 14U level, including 64 goals in just 55 games, he played this past season at the 16U level and even a handful of games at the 18U level. Even though he’s the youngest, he was still his team’s top scorer by a 29-point margin. Thomas is a left-handed defenseman who can play both on the left and right side, which is a testament to the quality of his feel for the game and his skating in general. He is a very mature player in all three zones, constantly gathering information to locate teammates and opponents on the ice. Calm and patient, he has a very good stick and is very difficult to skate around. With his combination of size, strength, speed and offensive skills, Drew is best described as a power forward. He usually wins his physical battles in the corners and along the walls, a quality that is necessary at the next level. His offensive skills make him both a scoring threat and a playmaker.   He’s effective at getting open in the scoring areas, while also excelling on faceoffs. Murphy can impact a game in different ways; by scoring timely goals or by handing out solid bodychecks to energize his team. He has improved on his consistency and defensive zone play as the season has progressed.    Jase MacPherson – Goaltender – Kensington Wild  A goaltender with good size, Jase has good athleticism as well as good power and explosion in his legs. He shows good lateral mobility and strong T pushes when moving around in his crease. While he plays on instincts, he’s really reactive, but sometimes gets up too fast after making the initial save instead of locating the rebound opportunities.   Jase is hard to beat, even with a clean shot. He remains one of the top prospects at his position coming from the Atlantic provinces.  With a top-10 pick in hand, plus plenty of additional selections to add depth and talent, the 2025 QMJHL Entry Draft represents a major opportunity for Head Coach & GM Jim Hulton and the Islanders to continue laying the foundation for future success. Stay tuned for more coverage as the draft approaches — and get ready to welcome the next wave of Islanders talent! saying that will make it easier for operators to set up shop | CBC.ca LoadedCharlottetown scraps its taxi bylaw saying that will make it easier for operators to set up shop Some Charlottetown streets will be temporarily closed for part of this week for a film shoot in the city the city said residents will see increased activity in the Rochford Street area between Fitzroy and Kent streets and the news release said the company is working with the city Residents can contact location manager Al MacDonald at 902-786-2266 or the Charlottetown Police Services non-emergency line at 902-629-4172 with any questions Charlottetown passed its annual financial plan at the end of March which includes all the infrastructure projects for 2025-26 These range from high-price upgrades to the Eastlink Centre and Bell Aliant Centre or a new artificial turf field Here are some of the highlights from the coming year The city will finalize designs for a new fire station Charlottetown purchased land on Malpeque Road in 2017 but may choose a different location Mayor Philip Brown said in a March 31 Guardian interview The budget includes $2 million for the plans There is also $1 million for a fire engine replacement Several city buildings will be getting upgrades in the new budget The Sherwood Recreation Hall will see renovations for $500,000 The budget document says the hall is an aging building that needs assessment “Funding will be used to generate reports that consider options including renovations reconstruction and alignment with adjacent services This work may progress to some preparatory work for an approved future vision for the hall.” will see phase two of its relocation project for $500,000 There is also $2 million for brownfield redevelopment which could see the city buy and improve “environmentally sensitive properties.” Negotiations are not complete for any specific land Annual street resurfacing will have a budget of $5.1 million Three million dollars is set aside for new sidewalk construction along with completing new sidewalks that were designated last year The aging Pownal and Queen Street parkades will both be getting renovations with $3.5 million and $2 million set aside Another big project is the Elmer MacFadyen Memorial Recreation Complex which will become home to a multi-use outdoor facility at a price of $1.1 million This will include a skating rink with artificial ice capacity — like Founders’ Hall — allowing skaters to use the ice even when temperatures go above freezing Under the water and sewer utility’s section there is $1 million for wellfield protection A recent report from the utility outlined risk areas for contamination to the city’s water supply found in four wellfields north of Charlottetown’s boundaries “Expanding the city’s possession of land by wellfield protection zones will increase the municipality’s ability to continue protecting its award-winning groundwater quality and enhance natural areas,” the budget says The water distribution system will get more than $1.3 million in upgrades while a further $625,000 will pay for aeration tank rehabilitation at the sewage treatment plant This includes the replacement and enhancement of wastewater aeration basin components at the plant $700,000 will go to rehabbing collector sewer lift stations Altogether there are over 120 items in the capital budget Federal election candidates for the Liberal and Conservative parties frequently clashed during an all-candidates forum in Charlottetown over issues ranging from housing The debate was organized by the Greater Charlottetown Area Chamber of Commerce and featured questions geared to economic subjects ranging from workforce retention The debate featured Liberal candidate and incumbent Sean Casey Green candidate Daniel Cousins and PPC candidate Robert Lucas The sharp exchanges began when candidates were asked by moderator Bianca McGregor about their parties’ plans to improve housing supply and affordability “Under the mismanagement of the Liberal government Canadians have experienced the worst inflation in 40 years rents have doubled and the down payment required for a home has doubled,” Jameson began Young people have lost hope of ever owning a home and seniors are struggling to stay in the homes they spent a lifetime building.” Jameson said a Conservative government would remove federal tax on new homes, would work with provincial and municipalities to lower permitting costs and would train hundreds of thousands of skilled trades apprentices by expanding the federal union training and innovation program. Casey noted that a “centrepiece” of the Liberal platform is a plan to build 500,000 homes per year He said this would involve investing $25 billion in financing modular home construction An additional $10 billion would go towards low-cost financing for affordable home builders Casey also said the Liberals would “double” the union training and innovation program “It would be like a post-World War II type of effort,” Casey said Jameson called the Liberal plan to build 500,000 homes “not credible.” I would not be up here on this stage taking a bow on the housing file Your government created a housing crisis — full stop,” Jameson said Casey responded by pointing to a project known as Martha’s home a rent-geared-to-income housing project that was built with federal financing on provincial land with a municipal tax break The project also involved $1 million from the Sisters of St “That’s the type of community effort that is required to solve this problem,” Casey said Byrne noted that the roots of the current housing crunch dates back to a decision in the 1990s by the Chretien government to cut funding for the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation “The federal government has to be an active participant We cannot rely on the private sector to build safe Lucas said the PPC would reduce immigration levels to “sustainable levels” and would “eliminate federal incentives and subsidies that drive prices up artificially.” The PPC platform also calls for a moratorium on all new permanent residents “for as many years as necessary until the housing crisis has cooled down.” Cousins said government-assisted housing projects should have rents based on low-income levels It needs to stay in the public so it can remain affordable for the life of the building,” Cousins said In response to a question about reducing inter-provincial barriers to trade Jameson said removing tolls on the Confederation Bridge was the most effective way to reduce barriers She noted the Conservatives have pledged to remove the bridge tolls and said the Liberals have made no commitment to do so She said claims by Casey and other Liberal candidates about a coming bridge toll announcement have been a “bait and switch” and an “empty conversation with our premier on the eve of an election.” “I’m not sure the premier will see it that way,” Casey said in response Casey noted that the Conservatives have made no commitment to remove tolls from the Wood Islands ferry reveal what the Liberals plan to do about bridge and ferry tolls “You can fully expect the prime minister here within a few days to have more to say about that,” Casey said Casey began laughing when Jameson claimed the Liberals have “no plan around the environment.” Jameson said communities across Canada are seeing a “wave of crime and chaos” under the Liberals “It’s very inappropriate to laugh over that,” Jameson said before stating that violent crime has increased by 50 per cent The five candidates vying for Charlottetown’s seat in the House of Commons squared off in an April 17 debate Conservative candidate Natalie Jameson and PPC candidate Robert Lucas The event was hosted by the Greater Charlottetown Area Chamber of Commerce.Jameson claimed the Liberals have been “soft on crime” and that more Canadians have died because of the opioid epidemic than during the Second World War She said her party would end “catch and release” policies for offenders Casey said Liberals believe in “evidence-based decision-making” as well as the Charter of Rights and Freedoms “We do not believe that criminal justice policy should be based on ideology and retribution,” Casey said Casey said the Liberals would hire 1,000 police officers and said the Charlottetown police do an “excellent job.” * The original version of this story said that Sean Casey laughed after a remark from Natalie Jameson about crime a representative of Casey’s campaign told The Guardian it was an audience member who laughed Other audience members and NDP candidate Joe Byrne also say it was their observation that the laughter did not come from Casey Stu Neatby is a political reporter for The Guardian in Prince Edward Island. He can be reached at sneatby@postmedia.com and followed on X @stu_neatby News ReleasesPolice ReportsPublic AnnouncementsMedia and Publications Follow us on Twitter Pay Tickets | Police Reports | Wanted Mar 11, 2025 | Police Reports, Public Announcements At approximately 5:10pm yesterday afternoon the Charlottetown Police Services Street Crime Unit conducted a targeted traffic stop in Charlottetown and arrested one male and two females the Charlottetown Police Tactical Response Team executed a Controlled Drug and Substance Act Search Warrant at a residence on Matwood Drive in Stratford 763 grams of cocaine multiple cell phones and approximately $5800 dollars cash Street value of the drugs seized is approximately $665,000 thousand dollars All  accused individuals have been remanded in custody and will appear in Province Court at a later date Police encourage anyone with information about illegal drug activity to contact Charlottetown Police at 902-629-4172 complete the tip section below or contact PEI Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) Do you have information that can help us solve this file you may be contacted by an Officer to discuss the information you provided Liberal candidate Sean Casey celebrated a victory Monday night telling supporters he is “humbled and honoured” to continue representing Charlottetown in Ottawa As election results rolled in at his campaign headquarters on Queen Street Casey told The Guardian the strong margin of victory was unexpected but deeply meaningful nearly 65 per cent of the total valid ballots cast “My bosses are the 45,000 people who live in Charlottetown and my job is to project their voice it’s my job to review and it appears that I’ve passed with flying grades but the margin of this victory is something that I honestly never expected.” Casey credited his success to the hard work of volunteers the support of national figures like Prime Minister Mark Carney and the strong relationships his constituency office has built with residents He said voters chose him for a variety of reasons from their personal experiences with his office to concerns about national leadership “People are very concerned with where the country is right now people have many reasons for marking an X beside my name it could be because they don’t like Pierre Poilievre.” Casey said his first priority remains projecting the voice of Charlottetown in Parliament even when it may differ from the Liberal party’s views He also said he is ready to take on any new responsibilities assigned by the prime minister Casey emphasized the need to restore civility in politics saying Parliament has become more divided in recent years and I will continue to live by that commitment to do my part to raise the bar on civility in Parliament My constituents and the general public deserve better Casey said he will continue pushing for policies that tackle poverty and support economic growth year-round jobs that allow young people to stay in P.E.I I’m humbled and honored to be able to continue to serve I will do my absolute best to improve the level of decorum and civility and environment the Conservative candidate in Charlottetown also thanked her team and said the campaign wouldn’t have done anything differently About 100 people showed up to her election night party at The Local While she heard about issues of affordability drugs and Donald Trump while on the campaign trail voters in Charlottetown weren’t ready for change she said in a Guardian interview at The Local “I hope that the Liberals will carry through on some of their commitments A lot of those commitments were Conservative commitments so hopefully that they’ll be able to do some good things for our city and our province.” left her position as an MLA to run federally Asked whether she would consider a return to provincial politics in the upcoming by-election Jameson said she did not know what is next Feb 7, 2025 | Police Reports, Public Announcements On Thursday February 6 at approximately 8:10pm the Charlottetown Police Services Street Crime Unit arrested a male and female following an investigation into the illicit drug trade of selling fentanyl in Charlottetown Charlottetown Police Street Crime Unit assisted by Patrol Officers and the Tactical Response Team executed a Controlled Drug and Substance Act Search Warrant at a residence on Orlebar Street in Charlottetown Taylor Michael ELLSWORTH of Charlottetown has been charged with: Kennedy Brianna HILL of Charlottetown has been charged with: The investigation is ongoing and Police anticipate there will be more charges laid Both accused  individuals have been remanded in custody and will appear in Province Court on Monday Feb 10th Charlottetown’s planning board has voted to accept staff recommendations that would effectively stop a shelter and outreach centre from continuing operating at its Park Street location This does not yet mean that the Park Street shelter and outreach centre will need to move from its current location but it could be a sign of things to come A vote on the future of the outreach centre and shelter will need to go before Charlottetown council at its next regular meeting The Park Street location serves hundreds of Islanders many of whom struggle with a lack of permanent housing The location provides case management support education programs and primary care services to some of Charlottetown’s most vulnerable residents But the shelter and community outreach centre have been opposed by many nearby residents both at the current Park Street location and at the former Euston Street location of the community outreach centre planner Laurel Palmer Thompson noted that the Park Street location which is owned by the provincial government was given a one-year temporary variance to operate in Jan Palmer Thompson noted the city had received more than 40 letters opposing the current outreach centre and two in support Palmer Thompson also noted residents voiced concerns at a Jan 30 community meeting about a perceived increase in crime in the area safety concerns and a lack of communication with residents by provincial officials Palmer Thompson also noted the current use of the Park Street location deviated from the city’s eastern gateway master plan due to fencing which surrounds the shelter and outreach centre limited the possibility for the city’s trail system to be expanded Palmer Thompson acknowledged that supports for vulnerable residents are important but said staff were tasked with assessing if the current Park Street usage was in line with the city’s master plan “Therefore we are recommending denial of the request to amend the eastern gateway master plan and the official plan based on the fact that it does not meet the intent and purpose of the land use policies,” she said Members of the planning board voted to support this recommendation and also voted against amending the permitted uses of the zoning and development bylaw that allows the Park Street shelter and centre to operate It is unclear if an alternate location for the Park Street services has been identified P.E.I.’s Housing Minister Steven Myers called the decision by the planning board “disappointing” in a letter to Charlottetown Mayor Philip Brown Myers said staff of his department tried to explore temporary solutions for the Park Street location He said his staff were “told by the city this application process was our only path forward.” “For that argument to then be used against our application and form the basis of planning board’s denial is disingenuous,” Myers said your council members and city staff have said that the service is needed and that it is working well at Park Street.” Myers also noted the Park Street location was set up by the province in response to tent encampments throughout Charlottetown in 2022 “Homelessness is a national crisis as you’re aware You also are aware that in most jurisdictions across the country it is the municipal government that supports their homeless residents,” Myers said we will have to take the necessary recourse available to us.” The Guardian requested an interview with Myers While his letter was provided to The Guardian by Housing Department staff The Guardian was not able to determine what Myers meant by “necessary recourse.” Myers suggested the debate over the outreach centre was being used as “political football.” He also insisted that the Park Street location would stay in its current location for the duration of the winter City representatives have claimed that emergency services for unhoused residents are a provincial responsibility as opposed to a responsibility shared between all levels of government The Guardian sought comment from Roxanne Carter-Thompson which operates the community outreach centre the city is getting a legal opinion on its options planning board chair Deputy Mayor Alanna Jankov said the opinion had come into the city near the end of the work day “We continue to be willing to work collaboratively with the province to explore alternative locations.” Jankov said the request to legal was just for clarity on options councillor for the ward containing Park Street said residents are disappointed to see the province overrule council and they have many questions about what comes next “I think we owe it to the residents of that area and in the city as a whole to determine where we’re going from here.” He also noted the previous agreement for Park Street had conditions and services provided by the province Jankov said there’s been no further communication from the province since the special planning area announcement reiterating the council made its decision based on land use alone Tweel suggested there’s more to the story than what everyone has heard about the process behind closed doors Premier Rob Lantz and his team got the sense there was a green light for Park Street He also noted the province has overturned municipalities before and there may not be much the city can actually do So the last thing I want to do is give the residents a false sense of security that we’re looking at this mechanism pointed out Lantz was a two-term city councillor several years before becoming premier The council follows the same planning process it always has “Where anyone would get an idea that this was something that was going to happen before it went through a process is “We can’t guarantee outcomes,” Mayor Philip Brown added has offered to mediate a meeting between the province and its capital but Brown hasn’t been able to reach him for a follow-up The Guardian asked Charlottetown’s communications staff for any further information on action the city may take based on the legal opinion but spokesperson Jessica Bradley said the city can’t speak further on confidential opinions from its lawyers The Charlottetown Islanders have officially arrived In front of a raucous Country Night crowd at the Eastlink Centre the Isles delivered their biggest win of the season taking down Canada’s top-ranked team the Moncton Wildcats in a thrilling 5-3 battle Fresh off a huge win over Baie-Comeau the night before Despite facing a barrage of penalties and a significant shot deficit and stellar goaltending from Donald Hickey led them to an unforgettable statement victory The opening frame saw both teams playing cautiously unwilling to give up the crucial first goal making a highlight-reel breakaway save just 7:30 into the game but the Islanders’ defensive commitment kept the game tight with just over 4 minutes remaining in the period rookie defenseman Nikita Voyaga stepped into a shot from the point and wired home his 1st career QMJHL goal Matt Butler and Ross Campbell picked up the assists with Butler extending his scorching hot point streak to nine games (16 points in that span) the Islanders took a 1-0 lead into the 1st intermission against the league’s best team 2nd Period: Trading Blows in a Wild Middle Frame as Markus Vidicek got a fortunate bounce just 30 seconds into the period to even the score a controversial charging penalty to Simon Hughes put the Isles on the penalty kill Vincent Collard capitalized for Moncton’s first lead of the game Kyle Powers tied things up midway through the period cleaning up a rebound from an Owen Conrad shot and with Nikita Voyaga assessed a double-minor for high-sticking Collard struck again on the power play to make it 3-3 But just when it seemed Moncton was taking control Brayden Stumpf pounced on a costly turnover by Wildcats goaltender Mathis Rousseau Scoring shorthanded to restore the Islanders’ lead at 3-2 Despite being shorthanded for much of the frame the Isles fought to a 3-3 tie heading into the 3rd with Hickey standing on his head to keep them in the game Starting the final period on the penalty kill the Isles once again dug in and killed off a crucial Moncton power play just seconds after returning to full strength Charlottetown finally got their first power-play chance of the game The turning point came with 14:01 remaining when Will Shields buried a rebound off a Marcus Kearsey shot giving the Isles a 4-3 lead and sending the Eastlink Centre on their feet Tensions boiled over as Nikita Voyaga was ejected for a blindside hit Anthony Flanagan shocked Rousseau with a sneaky shot that found the back of the net giving Charlottetown an electrifying 5-3 lead with 10:20 to go making a jaw-dropping breakaway save with 5 minutes left to preserve the 2-goal lead As Moncton pulled their goalie in desperation the Islanders sealed an incredible 5-3 win overcoming a 36-18 shot deficit and relentless adversity to hand the CHL’s best team a stunning defeat With back-to-back wins over two of the QMJHL’s best Charlottetown has officially put the league on notice This team is a legitimate contender and one of the hottest teams in the CHL right now Donald Hickey was nothing short of sensational stopping 33 of 36 shots and earning 1st-star honors while Matt Butler extended his incredible point streak this victory wasn’t just another two points—it was a declaration Beating the best team in Canada proves this squad is ready to challenge for a championship And if tonight’s performance was any indication Sherbrooke Phoenix at the Eastlink Centre Charlottetown @7pm Buy Tickets Time is up for the services on Park Street — maybe Charlottetown council voted 8-2 at its March 25 special meeting to deny an application from the P.E.I government to continue homeless and addiction services at the Park Street site indefinitely But the province says it won’t let the doors close The application called for variances to the city’s official plan zoning bylaw and eastern gateway masterplan Staff recommended denying it because it didn’t fit into the city’s plans or land use The property is within the eastern gateway masterplan a 25-40 year infrastructure project that is in year 14 Most of the council spoke about their decision with those against the extension citing resident safety concerns and planning issues People living in the area have spoken to the media and sent letters to the city about crime in the neighbourhood and bad interactions with clients of the shelter and outreach centre Councillors Terry Bernard and John McAleer spoke in favour of the proposal — and against the resolution to deny it They both said they had spent a lot of time learning about the services inside the centre and the problems seem to come when clients are outside the centre Bernard said it was one of the more difficult decisions he has made as a councillor and my understanding is it can be dealt with.” McAleer spoke about meeting repeatedly with people who run the services the millions invested in it by multiple levels of government and the need for shelters Deputy mayor and planning board chair Alanna Jankov said she supports continuing the services somewhere else but the city’s role in these issues is land use she said in an interview after the meeting she wants the province to come back and work with the city in a better location The province has 21 days to appeal the decision at IRAC the city will treat it the same as any other applicant whose property is breaking city bylaws “What happens if any applicant doesn’t comply The rules are the rules are the rules are the rules if they don’t comply then they get an order and the city could extend that to ease the transition to a new location also voted to deny the application but says he supports the services continuing elsewhere He would like to see them de-centralized with a larger focus on getting people housed Muttart and other councillors said the province had mentioned scouting 16 alternatives The province has not shared these with the city despite being asked at the January public meeting We don’t know if they would have been a good spot Asked whether he thinks there is a location that would satisfy everyone by staying away from parks or schools Muttart said there must at least be something that causes fewer problems the question remains whether the council’s decision will matter Housing Minister Steven Myers has said repeatedly that shelter services will continue on Park Street While Charlottetown has jurisdiction over zoning in its boundaries Canadian municipalities have no authority on their own Myers has not said exactly how the province will overrule its capital Neither councillor The Guardian spoke to wanted to speculate on what the province will do and neither has spoken directly to Myers on the issue The City of Charlottetown is advising the public that a film production is shooting in a Charlottetown neighbourhood this week Residents will see increased activity in the Crestwood Drive Admiral Street area from March 18 until approximately April 10 Residents should expect the intermittent traffic impacts to help accommodate a safe work environment for the public and the film crew Traffic control barricades will be placed intermittently at the intersections of Crestwood Drive (north) Goodwill Avenue and Admiral Street on select dates during the shooting Road access will be open to local residents The general public is asked to use alternative routes “Back for the Holidays,” is being produced by Dark Venetian Red Pictures Inc The production company is working with the City of Charlottetown and Charlottetown Police Services to minimize disruptions during filming Residents may contact location manager Al MacDonald at 902-786-2266 or Charlottetown Police Services non-emergency line at 902-629-4172 with any concerns Nearly 1,200 proposed rental housing units are going to public meetings for resident feedback in Charlottetown this month marking the first of several stages before final approval The largest development would grow over three phases and eventually offer about 800 units The first phase would also include commercial space currently vacant and zoned for low-density residential It is in the city boundaries and was last used for agriculture The planned neighbourhood’s roads include several dead ends which could serve as stumps for future growth into the surrounding land the area offers the opportunity for a “complete subdivision,” and it has direct access to full municipal services such as roads The Confederation Trail sits on the far eastern edge While there is potential for issues with nearby residents the public meeting will let the city know these “Although the subject properties constitute undeveloped greenfield space due to the location of the site in proximity to existing and ongoing residential development to thoughtfully consider the context of the surrounding uses and seek feedback from those with potential concerns.” Norman Beck and Mayor Philip Brown both asked about access to Malpeque Road Brown noted the two access points come from the same side of the subdivision asking whether this followed sound planning principles “So you need two entry-egress points,” he said “They can just be separated from the frontage of the lot It doesn’t have to have something further in?” Gundrum said the layout does meet minimum requirements While the planning department is waiting on full reports from its partners and the province — which owns Malpeque Road — there is enough information to go to public meeting There are several other projects on the way totalling 1,197 units and council voted on March 11 to send them all to a public meeting on March 27 Residents can attend in person or watch on the city’s YouTube channel under the live heading Other housing projects up for discussion at that meeting will be smaller The development planned for 139 Kensington Rd so the developers plan to rezone it to higher density project would be three storeys and house 30 apartment units A trio of unaddressed parcels on Evelyn Street could become stacked townhouses with four units per parcel for a total of 12 The development at 161-167 Mount Edward Rd would rezone the land from low-density residential to a comprehensive development area to allow 150 apartment units This would also require a future lot consolidation Martha’s Court include two apartment buildings with 82 units in each couple’s new restaurant recent example of increasing presence of the Philippines Editor’s note: The interviews for this story were conducted in Filipino and have been translated into English Bernadette Mortel’s first love was hospitality she worked at the fast food chain Jollibee back in the Philippines she started working at a Subway restaurant as a shift manager arrived in 2011 and worked as a manager at McDonald’s The couple spent years working in the food industry the Mortels are still in the food business a Filipino-Canadian restaurant located on University Avenue in Charlottetown Nanay Lou’s is the latest example of a growing Filipino community in Prince Edward Island — a number that has surged in the past decade there weren’t many Filipinos during those times,” said Bernadette “Everyone [Filipinos] was very excited when they saw each other According to the Embassy of the Philippines in Ottawa there were more than 1,600 Filipinos in P.E.I the vice-president of the Filipino-Canadian Association of Prince Edward Island (FCAP) estimates that the number is much higher now there were more than 600 people present,” said Nieves FCAP was established informally in 1987 but registered as a non-governmental organization in November 2024 larger groups being in Summerside and Tignish The organization’s structure and voting policies allow for all groups to be represented and make planning for larger-scale events easier “The structure works by feeding information from the bottom there are sets of officers and then there are regional directors The regional directors will pinpoint what their community needs.” But the heads of FCAP don’t have the authority to pass a bill without notice It has to be a unanimous vote or a majority.” The association recently held the FCAP Open a two-day sports competition that ran from March 1 to 2 they hope Nanay Lou’s Kitchen can be a place for not only Filipinos but also Islanders to connect with Filipino food and culture “Now that there’s a bunch of Filipinos here on the Island I guarantee you that all of the other locals here have a Filipino co-worker who always asks them try this adobo or try this spaghetti.’ This time they can bring their friends their colleagues or their workmates to a place where they can actually eat Filipino food.” Justine Talla is a student in the journalism program at Holland College Housing Minister Steven Myers says cabinet has overruled the City of Charlottetown’s decision to close the Park Street shelter and outreach centre Myers told The Guardian that a cabinet regulation has effectively deemed the Park Street location a special planning area with its land use to be determined by his office This would nullify a March 25 decision by Charlottetown council that would require the removal and closure of the Park Street location Council voted 8-2 on March 25 to turn down a temporary renewal application filed by the province The Park Street location is the largest emergency overnight shelter in Charlottetown The location also hosts a variety of day programs such as addictions services and employment counselling for vulnerable and poor residents of the city the Park Street location has also been the subject of controversy amongst neighbouring residents many of whom argue it should be closed down or relocated due to concerns about crime Myers said emergency shelters are needed because the homeless population has grown significantly since 2021 We know that governments at all levels need to take responsibility to deal with it We have an unwilling participant in Charlottetown — it falls to us as the province,” Myers said The Park Street location was put in place after several tent encampments sprang up in Charlottetown over the summer and fall of 2022 Myers said its removal would likely mean a return of tent cities in Charlottetown Myers also referred to recent court decisions that found that the dismantling of homeless encampments by police is unconstitutional if adequate shelters are not in place Myers had provoked hostility from some Charlottetown residents last fall after insisting that the Park Street shelter would be “staying put” regardless of whether the city renewed its permit When asked if his actions were an overreach He said the province has jurisdiction over land and municipal legislation It’s absolutely not what I wanted,” Myers said CAO and deputy mayor had initially encouraged the province to reapply for its special permit for the Park Street shelter location Myers said staff of his department had worked “in good faith” with the city “Everything we were told was basically a barrel of lies I have to be responsible for the vulnerable people – whether people like that or not that is a responsibility that I take very seriously,” Myers said Myers said the move does not mean the Park Street location is permanent and that the province plans to adopt a housing first model that would provide supportive independent long-term housing for homeless residents He also said the province hopes to disperse emergency housing services so that they are not as centralized in downtown Charlottetown Charlottetown Mayor Philip Brown said council’s decision should not be interpreted as opposition to the province’s efforts to address homelessness and poverty When asked about the claim from Premier Lantz and Myers that he had encouraged the province to reapply for its permit Brown said his recommendation was for a permanent location not a temporary or “ad hoc” location for housing and day programming services “We told them to apply for what they want to use it for because they did not want to use it anymore for a temporary basis,” Brown said changing climate in draft official planAccommodating a changing population and the views of current residents will involve growing pains This is Part 3 of Postmedia’s How Canada Wins series The City of Charlottetown’s plan to accommodate rising population numbers with diverse housing needs will involve zoning changes higher density and more streamlined development The city has spent two years putting together a draft plan drawing on expert opinion and public consultations before delivering a blueprint to residents in a March 12 meeting The draft plan maps out 15 years of growth addressing housing shortages and climate impacts Some residents told city officials at the presentation they were caught off guard by the sweeping proposed changes and are worried about the impacts on their properties and neighbourhoods criticized the city for pushing through the plan too quickly arguing that the public consultation process was insufficient “This has gone through quicker than a lot of people applying to put new decks on their house,” Walsh said A lot of word of mouth is going around on it now because people are just hearing about it.” While Walsh acknowledged the need for an updated official plan she questioned how much input residents actually had in shaping the final document She also raised concerns about zoning changes that she said would be unevenly applied with suburban areas facing more density and heritage neighbourhoods downtown remaining protected “If you’re going to do it in our neighbourhood Walsh and others at the meeting voiced concerns about the city’s proposal to allow multi-unit residential buildings in areas previously dominated by single-family homes The draft official plan encourages more housing density in key growth areas designating in corridors where mixed-use developments Walsh said the plan is short on details about how many multi-unit buildings could go in an area currently dominated by single-family dwellings “I don’t need anybody to come and tell us that somebody next door or otherwise is going to put a 40-unit apartment building in or up to five start off with it into areas that aren’t fully built?” Other residents focused on how the city’s infrastructure will handle rapid development particularly in areas that are already struggling with traffic congestion and limited services raised concerns about how Charlottetown’s infrastructure will handle the rapid growth outlined in the draft plan He pointed out that while the city is planning for thousands of new housing units there has been little discussion about how schools roads and public transit will grow with the increased population “These plans are showing in the area between the Charlottetown mall and the bypass Where’s the school going to be for those students You can say we’re going to add another bus We don’t even have a proper bus route system that the busses pull off from the side of the street to not impede traffic on University Avenue,” he said Mullen also criticized the city’s approach to long-term planning arguing that officials are not thinking ahead when it comes to flooding and climate change He warned that the city is making the same mistakes when it comes to new development Why are we not making a plan to flood-proof the city?” Despite the strong opposition voiced by many residents who attended the meeting who has attended multiple public consultations on the official plan told The Guardian that he believes the city has done a good job in engaging residents and incorporating their feedback “This is the fourth public meeting I’ve been to on this plan and the commentary we hear at the meetings gets incorporated into that next draft And you can see that as the drafts have progressed,” he said I think it’s been a really great way for residents to get engaged.” who previously lived in an apartment before purchasing a house said that allowing more multi-unit buildings in single-family areas makes sense and I don’t think I or any of the other residents of that apartment were any lesser people than the people that live in single-family homes I think it’s a good thing to have that infill and that density.” The Charlottetown Islanders wrapped up their regular season on a high note defeating the Halifax Mooseheads 3-2 in a shootout on Saturday afternoon With both teams already locked into their playoff spots and the Isles came out on top in dramatic fashion The 1st period saw a chippy and defensive battle Callum Aucoin found the back of the net on a breakaway with 6:24 left in the opening frame Despite another slow start in the 2nd period Charlottetown’s penalty kill remained strong shutting down multiple Halifax power plays The Isles’ first power play came late in the period after Shawn Carrier was called for delay of game The final period of the regular season started with a controversial string of penalties but the Isles eventually got a break when Callum Aucoin was called for delay of game Jude Herron blasted a shot past Nicolas Cirka to tie the game 1-1 with 9:43 remaining Will Shields fired a perfect shot to give the Isles a 2-1 lead with 7:15 to go The Isles had all the momentum and looked to close things out Liam Kilfoil netted the equalizer with a minute left A tense overtime period saw chances at both ends but Donald Hickey and Nicolas Cirka stood tall where Matt Butler and Pavel Simek found the back of the net for the Isles securing the 3-2 victory for Charlottetown the Islanders will shift their focus to the playoffs where they’ll take on the Memorial Cup host Rimouski Océanic in the first round The Isles head into the postseason with momentum and confidence after an impressive comeback win to cap off the regular season Charlottetown is preparing for significant changes as the city unveils its draft official plan a roadmap for development and land use over the next 15 years that aims to address rapid growth shaped by two years of public consultation is a vision guide for future growth and development of Charlottetown Mayor Philip Brown described the plan as a framework for building a community for all The plan includes the expansion of active transportation infrastructure cycling and other human-powered modes of travel The city plans to enhance pedestrian and cycling networks where walking and cycling will be prioritized over car travel The plan also highlights the importance of transit accessibility with a goal of ensuring that all residents are near transit stop This will be achieved by expanding transit routes and improving connectivity between employment areas and residential neighbourhoods “I could start off by putting more buses on our routes,” Brown said “Looking at extending those routes out to the east side and the west but I think we’re just putting a pause on that right now because some of the factors that are changing The plan includes an investigation into transit priority bus lanes alongside expanded bike lanes to provide more transportation choices and reduce congestion as the city grows “We’re limited by the size of the City of Charlottetown we have to get more people using public transit We have to get more people using active transportation pathways,” said Brown a member of Bike Friendly Communities P.E.I. said he’s happy to see active transportation baked into Charlottetown’s official plan He also said the city’s plan to increase density along certain corridors within downtown and other areas of Charlottetown will naturally create an environment that just makes active transportation attractive You already see it in downtown Charlottetown seeing that in there is really important.” Underhay pointed out that Charlottetown’s efforts toward becoming a more bike-friendly city have been promising but key gaps in the infrastructure still make cycling difficult in some areas He noted accessing the Hillsborough Bridge still poses a problem for cyclists as does getting to the bike-friendly Confederation trail from Grafton Street but it’s just a little fuzzy right now,” he said you just build an active transportation as the city grows and develops and changes The plan also indicates that the downtown core will continue to be the city’s cultural and commercial hub but more residential development is planned The plan encourages building higher-density housing while maintaining the area’s historic character The plan also supports higher-density developments the manager of policy and heritage with the city said the draft allows for incentives to developers who introduce affordable housing in their developments “We’re also looking at accessory dwelling unit like garden units and that will be a big part of going forward in terms of what we do even through our Housing Accelerator Fund(HAF) initiatives and that will be a big part of how we formulate the whole affordable housing framework for the city.” Fight for Affordable Housing said the effort towards having walkable communities and making housing denser is the right choice in terms of what the city’s urban spaces need to look like going forward “Just because we’re skeptical of the way that density is being proposed doesn’t mean that we’re opposed to it We completely concur that things need to be (denser) if we’re going to have enough housing for everybody.” he raised concerns about a situation that happened in Vancouver where legislation was implemented to make a denser community and some tenants got evicted to make room for new developments He said he wouldn’t like to see that happen in Charlottetown “People who are at the low-income level are already being pushed out of the market I think that if we don’t specifically make units that are tailored to them not units that are tailored to be slightly lower than the market rate but specifically units that are tailored to the lowest income level of renters then those people are going to be pushed out and it’s going to lead to more homelessness.” the Eastern Gateway is being reimagined as a mixed-use district with residential The plan includes provision for new opportunities for public investment in parks and open space “If you look at climate change and rise in sea levels we have to learn how to adapt and be resilient to those factors that we know are coming,” Brown said Flood-prone areas like the downtown waterfront will face high standards of climate change resilience in development due to the areas low elevation and high The plan outlines a vision for economic growth particularly in areas that require strong infrastructure connections It also outlines the need to extend the tourism season beyond the summer months There is a focus on developing winter and off-season tourism with strategies to attract more sport and event tourism and improve public spaces to accommodate visitors year-round is subject to change in the future and it’s meant to also guide future bylaws city officials will consider further revisions before finalizing the blueprint for Charlottetown’s future generations The City of Charlottetown is purchasing a parcel of land from the Confederation Centre of the Arts to help raise money for the downtown arts centre’s redevelopment project The city will invest $4.8 million to purchase a portion of Queen’s Square known as Boulder Park located between the centre and Church Street north of Province House and the Honourable George Coles Building bordering on Grafton Street The purchase from the Confederation Centre of the Arts will happen over 10 years and needs the approval of the provincial government The centre will use the proceeds of the sale to support its $71.5 million capital campaign for renovations and new programs in the former provincial library “Securing this property and using the proceeds to contribute towards the Confederation Centre of the Arts’ capital campaign is a significant achievement,” said Mayor Philip Brown in a news release “This partnership strengthens our city’s cultural and economic future by supporting a major infrastructure investment while also continuing to support a vibrant arts community.” The capital campaign is backed by nearly $50 million from federal and provincial governments along with $16.5 million in private contributions raised by the Confederation Centre Acquiring the land will ensure the space remains a city space boulders from all 10 provinces were placed in the green space between Grafton Street and Province House It has recently been the site of Discover Charlottetown events like the Mistletoe Market in the weeks leading up to Christmas as well as a meeting place for protests and rallies $1 million will be carried forward from the city’s 2024-25 capital budget with the remaining paid over the next 10 years “This investment enables us to leverage property that is underutilized by the centre towards a significant investment in the capital redevelopment of the former library It will mean the centre can better serve more communities with improved spaces and programs to benefit generations to come,” said Steve Bellamy CEO of the Confederation Centre of the Arts “With the support of all levels of government we are building a stronger future for all audiences and the community and reconnecting with the rest of Canada.” The Confederation Centre’s redevelopment plan for the former library space aims to expand programming improve facilities and increase accessibility but the hiring process will cost the city more than $40,000 took over the role in 2023 replacing interim CAO Donna Waddell Waddell stepped in after the city fired Peter Kelly a temporary selection committee is finding a replacement This involves a tender process and hiring a consultant to hire the CAO department manager Emilee MacLeod said seven companies had responded to a request for proposals 1 candidate out of the offers: KRSB at a price of $39,000 plus tax when you’re trying to make sure that the best person to do the search is (selected).” said he would like to see the hiring process focus on trying to hire an Islander People from the area tend to understand local issues and the responsibilities councillors have to residents Residents have also told him they want this “An Islander understands or should understand the political climate here whether it be in Charlottetown or across Prince Edward Island.” said they can’t go into the process with preconceived notions like that The city has an open and fair process it has to follow “Anyone from any jurisdiction anywhere in the world can apply for this position.” McCabe said she hopes Islanders will apply Joseph Dow developed a passion for selling clothes when he was a teenager The 59-year-old owner of Dow’s Fashions in Charlottetown said it is all he has ever known “I just sort of grew into the business,” Dow said in an interview at the store on Jan I would come in on weekends for a few hours with my brothers after university After that I moved into the business and I’ve been with the it ever since.” Dow received the 2025 Lifetime Achievement Award from the Greater Charlottetown Area Chamber of Commerce on Jan 23 for its longstanding service in the community George was not able to speak to The Guardian in person but provided this newspaper with some comments by email invested in the business as opposed to spending all the profits and when a customer came in I wasn’t so much as interested in that sale it was about future sales,” George Dow wrote “I wanted to make great relations so they would continue to come back.” Joseph said joining his dad’s business seemed like a natural fit “I enjoyed selling and the people,” Joseph said People were coming in and business was strong It has changed over the years and gotten tougher Dow’s Fashions were not the only game in town when it came to clothes Following is what the Greater Charlottetown Chamber of Commerce says about Dow’s Fashions: the busy retail sector has faced some hurdles One of those challenges came as part of the lockdowns during the COVID-19 pandemic that rendered Charlottetown a virtual ghost town for a spell Joseph said the directive to work from home and the renovation of the Department of Veterans Affairs downtown meant losing roughly 800 customers “We didn’t experience COVID like the rest of the country and the rest of the world did where they would come in and shop at lunch time or come back on weekends We’re confident it will be back but it will be a few years.” Joseph said the success of the business can be attributed to his father who faced bankruptcy in the first few years after opening George fled the war in his native Palestine in 1950 and came to P.E.I George got his driver’s licence when he was 16 and had enough money to purchase a used truck with a bed in the back He filled it with clothes and peddled them from one end of P.E.I He did that for 10 years before opening his own store in Charlottetown in 1962 the sheriff arrived to foreclose on the business George knew him personally and pleaded for a second chance George would hit the road once in a while to peddle clothes Joseph’s wife who manages the women’s department at the store said George’s hustle is why the business has managed to survive this long “He treated everybody so well when they walked in” Mirna said “He gave them a deal if they asked for one he bent over backwards to help people and I think they appreciated that.” Mirna said George’s work ethic always seemed to create new business the right product and always had the sense of what people wanted I’ve never seen anybody who has loved this business as much as my father-in-law,” Mirna said George said in his email that Dows’ staying power is all about establishing healthy relationships with clients and offering a good product “I have had good clients over the years and I have always provided them with good customer service,” George wrote Joseph is proud to carry on the legacy his father created George stepped away from the business full time in November 2024 due to health reasons although he still comes in now and then “He worked hard for everything he achieved,” Joseph said “He took chances and never missed a good business opportunity.” While city staff say the proposal is substantially different from the previous pitch Justin Muttart said it doesn’t appear to address resident concerns that held back the first plan would rezone the land from single detached residential to medium density the redesign has a public amenity space at the rear of the building He also emphasized that the new proposal includes an amendment to the official plan along with the rezoning request This addresses concerns the planning department had with the original proposal “What we got hung up on on the previous application a big hangup was that we found the application did not conform to the policies of the official plan the applicants have come back again with a physically modified proposal that’s noticeably and tangibly a bit different than the previous one.” said the difference in units appears to be the only real change He worries the residents who opposed it initially will still have issues “In reviewing it — and I don’t want to make any judgements at this point in time I know we’re just going to public consultation — but I don’t overly see it as being dissimilar to what was presented in the first time.” he said a public meeting would allow residents to share those concerns again Mitchell Tweel suggested the new notice about the public meeting which goes to all property owners in a 100 m radius saying he had actually been thinking about this and it has been done in the past with reconsiderations “We’ll provide some language in the letter to give them context as to the nuances and differences between this application and the prior one just so it’s clear what’s changed.” Mar 13, 2025 | Police Reports At approximately 3:05 pm yesterday afternoon (March 12) Charlottetown Police Services Street Crime Unit with assistance from the Charlottetown Police Tactical Response Unit and Patrol Officers executed a CDSA search warrant at a residence on King Street The search of the residence yielded 29.7 grams of Fentanyl a small quantity of crystal methamphetamine and multiple tools that are believed to be stolen 36 year old Donald LUTES has been charged with CDSA 5(2) Possession of Fentanyl for the Purpose of Trafficking CDSA 4(1) Possession of crystal methamphetamine and Breach of Probation  The investigation into the possible stolen tools is ongoing and may result in further charges The accused appeared in court for a bail hearing today and was remanded in custody he will re-appear in Provincial Court at a later date As diplomatic tensions continue between Canada and the United States a travel group says Islanders are rethinking their travel plans opting for alternative vacation destinations that are either outside the U.S Frances Gertsch of Stewart Travel Group told The Guardian that while her agency doesn’t handle many direct bookings to the U.S. a noticeable shift is occurring among travellers who are hesitant to spend money in America partly due to the trade conflict They’re asking where else can they do the trip What are the alternatives to this trip that they could do,” she said they’re also asking us about the companies that we’re booking with and are they American companies or not A year ago I would not have seen that anti-American assessment.” Gertsch said that sentiment does not extend to travellers who booked trips months or even years in advance who are reluctant to cancel due to the financial loss they would incur many travellers are exploring options in Europe “I have someone looking to book a river cruise in Europe for this fall and they gave me all the details about the river cruise The trend to avoid the United States is being felt positively at Charlottetown Airport where airlines like Flair and Porter are reducing flights to the U.S due to decreased demand and reallocating capacity to domestic routes “We are benefiting from that,” said Doug Newson the CEO of the Charlottetown Airport Authority it really could help us this summer in terms of domestic tourism we are optimistic in terms of what the impacts may be in the short term.” Last year Flair airline announced it wouldn’t be operating out of Charlottetown this year Newson said the airline is returning and Charlottetown is benefiting “We certainly see the possibility of a win-win at this point.” While the current shift in travel patterns benefits local tourism Newson said it is not clear at the moment how long this trend will last “Nothing is long-term in our business,” he said “There’s a lot of factors that go into travel demand and airline decisions We deal with airlines on a season-to-season basis we’re definitely seeing an impact with additional seats.” Trump film tariff threat is ‘very troubling,’ ACTRA national president saysCBC News |33 minutes agoTrending NowVideo2:17 you won’t be sipping on cocktails at this exclusive new spot in Charlottetown Charlottetown’s Victoria Row is now home to P.E.I which aims to combine Prince Edward Island’s Prohibition past with a new says the venue pays homage to Prohibition-era traditions and for visitors to enter they must first solve an online puzzle before they can obtain a password “We just wanted to do something that P.E.I “There are multiple different cuisine restaurants in P.E.I The idea stems from the speakeasies of the 1900s where alcohol was secretly served during Prohibition the building itself may have a link to this period It was once a pharmacy downstairs and a tearoom upstairs which possibly doubled as a cover for dances and secret alcohol service in teapots and cups decades ago we just decided to bring it back to life.” The atmosphere of the bar feels like stepping back in time The space is filled with Victorian-style furniture and vintage picture frames giving a 1920s vibe Blues and jazz music plays in the background “A lot of research has gone into this place right from wallpaper to the ceiling tiles to the furniture We moved furniture at least 15 times till we (were) happy with it.” Sharma said visitors have to work for their entry After navigating the bar’s website to uncover a hidden symbol new passwords will be sent out for the restaurant’s access He said the password system also helps to regulate crowd sizes to ensure a quality experience for each guest The bar operates only Thursdays to Saturdays and has seen healthy turnouts since opening on Dec Sharma said all 19 cocktails served are researched and developed in-house ensuring unique offerings that can’t be found elsewhere The bar plans to keep the menu updated seasonally and will be hosting bar takeovers featuring top bartenders from across Canada “Instead of going to Montreal to try cocktails Montreal is coming here to make cocktails for you; an Ottawa bar is coming here to make cocktails for you Message Invalid character found in the request target [/leaders-tour/episode/mark-carney-meets-with-supporters-after-arriving-in-charlottetown-pei?id\u003df06b23b0-10db-4517-b18a-7d54222c7353 ] The valid characters are defined in RFC 7230 and RFC 3986 Description The server cannot or will not process the request due to something that is perceived to be a client error (e.g. Note The full stack trace of the root cause is available in the server logs A Charlottetown couple is set to open a business that will both be a first for Prince Edward Island and a first for the company they represent 1858 Caesar Bar has been a successful franchise in Ontario since 2021 but does not currently exist outside the provincial borders will have the first 1858 Caesar Bar location outside of Ontario see a lot of potential in Canada’s smallest province which they fell in love with when they first visited two years ago “I knew nothing about Prince Edward Island so (the company) flew us here and me and Emily hung out for a week just to get to know what they were offering us,” Rocky said in an interview with The Guardian on Dec and it took about five minutes for us to fall in love with the downtown.” The couple were frequent visitors of the 1858 Caesar Bar in Collingwood and thought it would be a good fit in Charlottetown “I signed the contract (to come to P.E.I.) and I had every intention that I was going to apply for an 1858 franchise,” Rocky said Emily will run the 1858 business out of the building on Prince Street that once housed The Guardian newspaper “Emily will be the general manager of the bar,” Rocky said Emily said she anticipates the business will be very successful in its first non-Ontario location “I think it’s exciting to be able to offer the caesars to the people of P.E.I.,” Emily said It’s fun to be able to offer something that we truly believe in.” Rocky said 1858 Caesar Bar is not a traditional bar and on Fridays and Saturdays it will close at 9 p.m “When you hear the word bar you think of nightclub Every single topping has been predetermined how it was going to be displayed.” Emily said there is a lot of creativity that goes into each beverage “The owners of the franchise test everything,” she said “They thoroughly put a lot of thought into what they are putting into the caesars before they come up with a new recipe before they sell it Following is a list of the top-selling caesars on the 1858 Caesar Bar menu: Campaign for CanadaNewsRapidly growing Charlottetown grapples with housing shortageBy Sarah PlowmanOpens in new windowUpdated: April 03, 2025 at 9:41AM EDT Twitter feed ©2025 BellMedia All Rights Reserved Government officials gathered today to celebrate the official opening of Charlottetown’s newest recreational hub The grand opening coincides with the 48th Annual Spud Minor Hockey Tournament The Centre marks a major investment in the City’s sports and community infrastructure and is set to become a cornerstone for active living and community events which replaced the old Simmons Sports Centre that had served residents for more than 50 years began in January 2022 and was completed in December 2024 The new facility features many state-of-the-art amenities to meet the needs of user groups and the community Key features of the new facility include:  The $33.6-million project included a $9,769,781.04 investment from the federal Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program (ICIP) The City’s contribution of $15,689,540.90 reflects the municipality’s strategic direction of community-building and placemaking and enhances access to recreation facilities that promote physical well-being and social connection For more information including facility scheduling and bookings “When funding partners come together to build infrastructure where residents and youth can connect through sport and recreation Quality sports venues like Simmons Sports Centre offer youth a safe space and amenities needed to develop skills Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure “The City of Charlottetown is committed to providing the best possible recreational services to residents and to meeting the recreational needs of our growing city I’m thrilled to celebrate the new chapter of this much-loved community space and I want to thank our federal and provincial partners and the citizens of Charlottetown for helping to bring this facility to life.”  Road-Related Inquiries: roads@gov.pe.ca All other Transportation and Infrastructure inquiries: DeptTI@gov.pe.ca Report Transportation Problems DeptTI@gov.pe.ca Alan Jameson was standing outside his first-floor apartment building in Charlottetown wondering if there is anything he will be able to save on March 5 caused extensive damage to the structure and left about 12 residents homeless “I don’t know what to say,” Jameson told The Guardian the following day on the street outside the building “I’m just sort of lost on where I’m going to go deputy fire chief at the Charlottetown fire department said when firefighters arrived it was a working fire that was fully involved on the second floor while smoke was pouring out of the attic Island EMS and Charlottetown Police Service were already on scene Paramedics were treating two residents that had to be taken to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital with undetermined injuries who has lived in the building for the past eight years walked down to the apartment building to see if he could get in to inspect the damage but a security guard stationed outside said it would be at least two days because the fire inspectors are conducting an investigation as to the cause I have to go to the drugstore first,” Jameson said “All of my prescription drugs were inside and I’m on heart medication for two heart attacks.” he was headed to Royalty Crossing where Jameson was going to use gift cards supplied by the Canadian Red Cross to buy some new clothes Jameson was at work on March 5 when the fire occurred All he has left are the clothes he wore to work “I was looking forward to getting my motorbike out this summer and enjoying life a little Now I may not be able to afford that if I have to pay for another apartment that is more than this,” Jameson said senior communications advisor with the Canadian Red Cross said the organization is working in support of the City of Charlottetown to provide assistance to those impacted “The Red Cross is providing temporary accommodations food and personal items for 12 households,” Hogan said in an email Mitchell said the fire department responded with eight trucks and about 40 firefighters from both departments The deputy chief said the department fought the fire until 8 p.m left crews at the scene until midnight and returned March 6 to put out hot spots “It was an older type of building where you have a lot of concealed spaces in the attic and that type of thing so once the fire gets extended into the attic space these crevices really get hard to put out,” Mitchell said in an interview at Station 1 on Kent Street on March 6 We had two ladder trucks drowning the fire Mitchell said someone did exit the building via a second-floor window before firefighters arrived but he did not have more details Mitchell added there is extensive fire damage to the top part of the building Mitchell said the fire inspectors are looking into the cause of the fire The Charlottetown Islanders are proud to announce a partnership with the PEI Nurses Union (PEINU) for a special Nurses Night game on Saturday The Islanders will face off against the Baie-Comeau Drakkar at the Eastlink Centre Charlottetown in a celebration of the considerable contributions made by nurses across Prince Edward Island “Partnering with the Charlottetown Islanders for Nurses Night is a wonderful opportunity to recognize our members’ dedication to the community they care for Taking time to connect beyond work strengthens bonds with colleagues and celebrates the vital contributions nurses make to our community.” The PEINU represents more than 1,400 Registered Nurses and Nurse Practitioners who work tirelessly in acute care This special event is a way for the Islanders to honor their dedication and impact on our community “Nurses don’t always get the appreciation they deserve so this is a really awesome event for some pretty incredible people my mom [a nurse] will be watching as well and I’m excited to show my appreciation out on the ice.” The festivities will kick off with a pregame function at 6 PM featuring a ceremonial puck drop to recognize the invaluable work of nurses A limited number of free tickets are available for PEINU members so act fast to secure your spot at this unforgettable game Members can contact the PEINU office for details on how to acquire tickets “We are thrilled to partner with the PEI Nurses Union for this special Nurses Night This event is a small way to say thank you and show our appreciation for their incredible efforts.” Don’t miss this unique opportunity to cheer on the Islanders while honoring the dedicated nurses who make a difference every day for a night of exciting hockey and heartfelt gratitude Buy Tickets online or in-person at the Eastlink Centre Box Office Dunstan’s Basilica and organized jointly by the Filipino Canadian Association of P.E.I. brought together more than 100 people who came to mourn pray and reflect on the tragedy that struck over in Vancouver “Filipinos are known for our strength in faith,” said Katherine Lanza secretary of the Filipino Canadian Association when sorrow comes in or when problem comes in and that’s the best thing that we can really offer right now since Vancouver is pretty far away from us.”  The incident occurred during the Lapu-Lapu Festival in Vancouver a cultural celebration that unites all Filipinos “It wasn’t just Filipinos who were there,” she said It was well planned and well thought out.”  Some Islanders at the service have direct ties to those impacted by the tragedy while others simply felt the loss deeply because of the small and tight-knit nature of the Filipino diaspora in Canada vice-president of the Filipino Canadian Association like heal is through rebuilding the community and like doing this such activities Nieves said the community hasn’t yet launched financial support efforts as they are waiting for more official guidance from Vancouver organizers and provincial channels Both Lanza and Nieves said they were moved by the number of Islanders who showed up to show support including non-Filipinos who attended the mass “But we always return to our faith and to each other.”  The Oppong-Ampomah and Oduro families respectively invite you to the funeral service for their beloved son, Michael Oppong-Ampomah at Hennessey Cutcliffe Charlottetown Funeral Home, 33-35 Longworth Ave, Charlottetown PEI on Saturday, May 10, 2025.  Funeral service beginning at 2:00 p.m in the Funeral Home Chapel, followed by a reception. Visiting hours from 1:00 p.m. until the time of service. There are no events scheduled. You can still show your support by planting a tree in memory of Michael Oppong- Ampomah. Tribute Archive Charlottetown is sharing its water with a new subdivision outside its boundaries but councillors also want to make changes to the way the city handles its water supply Before the 10-0 vote at the March 11 regular meeting Julie McCabe asked about extending the city’s boundaries to include some of the areas that are asking for water support “If we’re starting to expand our services out has there ever been any discussion about … coming out a little bit to kind of incorporate that area back into the city?” Mayor Philip Brown said he would love to annex the nearby land in question but he also brought up the idea for a capital area water utility with Stratford and Cornwall The question of a larger utility has been around since 2019 but there hasn’t been much progress with the other municipalities said the committee has recently discussed working with the other municipalities He also agreed with the need to work with neighbours and said the utility has capacity to connect the subdivision It also comes at a surcharge of 25 per cent the city needs to protect its water supply by building forests around well fields “We’ve had it in our budgets for the last number of years Terry Bernard asked about the scale of the whole project He suggested deferring the vote until everything is explained but pulled back when it was made clear that the vote would only commit to Phase 1 Doiron said he didn’t want to delay the vote but said it would be an opportunity to get the province and other municipalities to come to the table The provincial government has the power to compel the municipalities into discussion on forming a water utility “Someone in senior administration gave me an idea said what you should do is try to meet with the province because the province is the one that can Mitchell Tweel brought the discussion back around to McCabe’s original point — the question of annexation or expanding boundaries The city should be wary of annexation talk and anything like that needs to follow the lead of the community in question He also noted Miltonvale Park is not in Cornwall or Stratford and wouldn’t be part of a regional utility so the city still needs to work with its neighbours “Regardless if anything’s achieved with Cornwall and Stratford it doesn’t answer about the boundaries beyond the northern part of the city limits That’s where we’re getting a lot of requests.” I am writing to respond to the letter to the editor from Kirsten Connor published in the Guardian on March 8 There are a few assumptions made about the city’s draft official plan that need to be corrected The draft official plan aims to guide growth and change in a manner that respects and preserves the predominantly low-density residential character of existing neighbourhoods in Charlottetown It promotes development of vacant or under-utilized buildings and supports alternative forms of low-rise housing that are compatible with their surrounding neighbourhoods allowing for the development of low- and mid-density residential dwellings of up to four units per lot as appropriate while maintaining the character of established communities The plan seeks to balance developing new buildings or redeveloping existing ones on vacant or under-utilized land within existing neighbourhoods while focusing on higher-density development within designated nodes and along corridors These areas are strategically located so residents can easily access public transit and other essential services and amenities The assumption that R1 and R2 zones will be eliminated is incorrect While the official plan supports higher densities within neighbourhoods it does not mandate multi-unit high density development on every lot design guidelines for residential zones will be established through the zoning and development bylaw update This bylaw provides the regulatory framework for land use and development outlining specific rules and restrictions on a lot-by-lot basis ensuring appropriate development standards are maintained It must be stressed that adopting the official plan does not eliminate the need to follow established development processes outlined in the zoning and development bylaw and the Planning Act Proposed developments will still be subject to existing approval requirements (including input from the public through public meetings) ensuring that growth occurs in a controlled and deliberate manner aligned with the City’s long-term vision The draft official plan guides how and where the city evolves balancing new opportunities with thoughtful planning so that change enhances The Charlottetown Islanders are proud to announce Ross Campbell Night at 7 PM as the Isles take on the Baie-Comeau Drakkar at the Eastlink Centre Charlottetown Assistant Captain Ross Campbell (#15) will be bringing Souris to Charlottetown Campbell isn’t just a leader on the ice—he’s also a leader in the community To show his appreciation for the support he’s received throughout his career Campbell is donating game tickets to families in the Souris Minor Hockey Association and to Souris Regional School “Playing for the Islanders and representing my hometown of Souris means a lot to me,” said Campbell “I’m happy to be hosting Ross Campbell Night again this season and giving back to the community that has supported me each step of the way.” Ensuring young players and students from his hometown get to experience the excitement of an Islanders game and see him play live “I just thought every kid should have the chance to come in and see a game; especially with it being my hometown I wanted to do something,” said Campbell “As a kid cheering for the Islanders growing up I know how cool it can be to be part of something like this.” Campbell has lived the dream of every young Island hockey player: suiting up for his home province’s QMJHL team From his early days in Souris Minor Hockey to donning the black and gold with pride his journey is one that resonates with every aspiring player on Prince Edward Island “We couldn’t be more excited here in Souris Our community is so proud of Ross Campbell and we’re incredibly grateful to the Charlottetown Islanders and Ross for gifting us tickets for the second year in a row to watch him play,” said President of Souris Minor Hockey Kim Outhouse “The support is overwhelming—our teams have purchased additional tickets and we’re thrilled to say that Ross will have a full fan club cheering him on in the rink on February 7th It’s a moment we’re all looking forward to and a testament to the incredible talent and spirit that comes from our hometown.” Ross Campbell Night will be a celebration of dedication Fans will have the chance to cheer on Campbell as he continues to be a key piece of the Islanders’ success this season “There are so many people in the community who are always giving back and helping which inspired me to give back,” said Campbell The Islanders encourage everyone to come out and show their support for one of PEI’s own as he takes center stage in a game that will mean so much to him and all of Souris 🎟️ Get your tickets now online and be part of this special night The Charlottetown Islanders are thrilled to announce the signing of Lane Sim a talented young forward and the second addition to their roster this week Nova Scotia played his rookie season with the Sarnia Sting and he’s eager to make his mark closer to home now in the Maritimes He is a player we scouted heavily in his draft year and we believe had the potential to be a key contributor,” said Head Coach & GM grit & tenacity will be appreciated by teammates and fans alike.” He’s the son of former NHL veteran Jon Sim and 314 penalty minutes in his long career A career that saw him suit up for a variety of teams continuing the family’s tradition of competitive hockey Lane is expected to be a great fit for the Islanders’ forward group He brings with him valuable experience from his time with the Sting and will bolster Charlottetown’s offensive depth as they aim for a strong season Lane has been teammates with Owen Conrad, twice before! They were teammates on the Wear Well Bombers U15 and on the Weeks Major Midgets U18 teams “I’m really excited to get to play with him again growing up he was always a great player and a better person so this opportunity is definitely a special one for me and him,” said Conrad the chance to return to the Maritimes and play for a team with a dedicated fan base is exciting especially as he’ll have the support of family and friends closer to home The Charlottetown Islanders and their fans are thrilled to welcome Lane Sim to the team as they take on the Acadie-Bathurst Titan on Friday at and the Moncton Wildcats on Saturday at 7PM He’ll be a player to watch as he brings his dynamic skillset to the Eastlink Centre this weekend BUY TICKETS Thick smoke poured from a building on Sydney Street in Charlottetown on March 5 Several trucks from the Charlottetown fire department were at the scene for several hours after responding to the call Smoke from the building spread throughout parts of downtown Charlottetown as firefighters dealt with the fire