4 days agoDuration 6:31Hail and goodbye to the chief: Summerside Police Services leader retires after 45 years with force4 days agoNewsDuration 6:31After 45 years on the job, Summerside's chief of police is retiring. Chief Sinclair Walker joins CBC News: Compass host for a conversation from that city, fresh from a reception in his honour.
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– The City of Summerside has appointed a new chief of police
a 25-year veteran of the force who has served as deputy chief since 2022
has been announced to step into the role being left vacant by the recent retirement of former chief
Summerside CAO JP Desrosiers said Blacquiere is an accomplished officer and leader with a deep connection to the community he serves and welcomed him to the new post
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and steadfast commitment to community policing make him the ideal choice to lead our police service
He has earned the trust and respect of both his colleagues and the wider community,” said Desrosiers
According to the city’s press release welcoming the new chief
Blacquiere started his policing career in 1999 with the Summerside Police Service as a general patrol officer before advancing and specializing in investigative work with the Prince District Joint Forces Drug unit
He also completed three terms as acting deputy chief before his formal appointment in 2022
Blacquiere is an active member of the community
coaching minor sports and co-founding the annual Cops for Christmas event
Mayor Dan Kutcher also welcomed Blacquiere’s promotion
“Chief Blacquiere is a familiar and respected face in our community
His dedication to public service and his ability to lead with integrity and compassion reflect the values of our city
We are confident that under his leadership
the Summerside Police Service will continue to serve our residents with excellence.”
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Charlottetown police are investigating after a Summerside Police Services vehicle was involved in a collision recently
Summerside police said that on April 26 at around 8:20 p.m.
one of their vehicles was involved in a motor vehicle collision with a civilian vehicle
The police vehicle was responding to a call for service involving a person in medical distress
but Summerside police said the vehicles involved sustained significant damage
Charlottetown police are investigating the circumstances of the collision
– Sixty years of electronics sales have come to an end – by June
Enman’s Audio Video Unlimited will be closed
The Water Street store was current owner Bob Picard’s first job
He worked there for a year before moving to Ontario
where he continued working in electronics and even started his own production company doing live sound
I was always into gadgets when I was a kid
and my oldest brother was a radar tech in the armed forces,” said Picard
While Picard loved his time at Enman’s and found the work rewarding
Picard’s been combating long COVID and other health concerns and figured it was time to let it go
“There’s not a lot of profit in electronics
It’s the only thing that’s gone down in price.”
Enman’s has sold everything from televisions to home audio systems to car stereos
and supplied both individuals and businesses
before being taken over by Chris MacIntosh and
“We’re a staple of the community,” said Picard
“It was a tough decision to shut this down
I don’t want to work until I’m on my deathbed.”
Charles Crowther has worked at Enman’s as a cell phone sales manager
he worked for Eastlink and was quick to jump to Enman’s when a full-time position opened
and suggested I put in an application,” said Crowther
Crowther enjoyed the small shop and the intimacy that came with it
including being able to sell the stock they wanted to sell
“We always touted that we were the last brick-and-mortar shop you could do this kind of thing in,” he said
and stores like Enman’s are falling by the wayside
“Technology has changed like crazy,” he said
There was no such thing as streaming music
Picard attributes Enman’s success to the service that comes with a small
He prides himself on going above and beyond for the customer and has known families who’ve bought all their electronics from the store
“We ended up with cordless phones because people would call
“We’d literally take our cordless phone and walk over to the TV that they purchased – our version of it – and walk through things with them
the store has sales to get rid of all its stock – as of early April
they had already sold all their televisions and cell phones
he knows his health is his top priority – but he can’t imagine staying idle for long
“I don’t know if I’m quite ready to retire-retire
or I might go to work at someplace a couple days a week
“I’ll be busy this summer on the golf course
but in the fall I’ll probably be looking for some part-time work.”
– Brigadoon Village has been an important part of Catherine Savoie’s life for a number of years
N.S.-based organization caters to different kinds of camps for children with chronic illnesses
she spent time at its Camp Braveheart – an overnight camp for children with heart conditions – before becoming a staff member herself
“The way she could explain it was that everyone was the same,” said Savoie
everyone was getting tired more quickly than other children
“So she didn’t have to explain that she would need breaks
that she could not run as far as everyone else
everyone was going through the same struggles
After seeing how much of an impact it made on her sister
Her first time doing so was at a camp for children with juvenile arthritis
she watched the campers grow in confidence
who is from New Brunswick but is living in Summerside while she completes her family medicine residency
her stint as a volunteer informed the kind of doctor she wanted to be
“I’ve seen the difference it makes for a child and for their family
and even for all the staff and volunteers that go there
just how magical and safe Brigadoon is for everyone,” said Savoie
Her passion for the camp is what has led her to participate in this year’s Big Swim – an organized swim across the Northumberland Strait from Cape Jourimain to Borden-Carleton
It’s one of three events put on by the organization GIVETOLIVE
aiming to inspire people to live healthy lives through fitness and achieving something extraordinary
“It’s such a magical place where kids with chronic health conditions get to be more than their diagnosis for the week
get the chance to be kids for the week and make friends and memories all while being medically supported by the wonderful staff at Brigadoon.”
“I’ve been wanting to do it since I was roughly 16
“This year’s the first time I actually get the time off to do it.”
As a former competitive swimmer of nearly 10 years
While she hasn’t swum competitively since the pandemic
she still enjoys swimming for fun and has enjoyed working up the strength for the Big Swim
“I try to spend most of my training in the pool
and having people that are gonna support you through it.”
Savoie’s specialty as a swimmer was short distances
which gives The Big Swim an extra challenge for her
though she’s found peace in swimming longer distances and slowly but surely increasing the distance she can swim in one stretch
both for the task and to support a worthy cause
“I’m excited to see just what a difference we can make for Brigadoon,” said Savoie
so no kids are ever turned around for financial reasons
Getting the chance to maybe send one or two kids to camp just because I did the swim would be absolutely worth it.”
– A developer has been approved to renovate and add two storeys to a prominent building in Summerside’s downtown core
but concerns remain over whether the new design is a good look for the street
The former Scotiabank building at 274 Water St
has been vacant for several months since the bank relocated to its new location on Granville Street
developer Arsenault Harding Investments Inc
has submitted a plan for the future of the building
the developer wants to add two residential units to the existing single-storey structure with the remaining ground-floor space devoted to commercial use
The additional two new storeys would create 12 more residential units (a total of 14)
is not a designated or registered heritage building
it is in Summerside’s Heritage District and is subject to some extra protection
To secure a building permit the developer needed to have its plans reviewed by the city’s heritage board and approved by council
The heritage board reviewed the proposal at its March 7 meeting
though with some lingering questions and concerns
Council approved the proposal with a vote of 5-1
Comments from councillors were generally positive about the development
noting that adding mixed commercial and residential use spaces was a key component of the city’s Urban Core Plan
The city has also had problems with vacant buildings languishing in development limbo and becoming eyesores
so relief that this will not be the case for this building was also expressed
The sole bone of contention revolved around the mock-up designs presented to the city by the developer
“I think it’s important that some of the points the heritage (board) members made should maybe be reflected a little more seriously,” said Coun
who was also the lone dissenting vote against approving the permit
can we not concede to look at finding some material that will help marry and blend the brick stone and the old historic in with new
The developer is proposing to leave the exterior of the existing structure largely as is
which is essentially a single-storey red-brick box
look to the new additions on the second and third storeys
The heritage board discussed at length whether it was more appropriate to have the new addition blend in with the current structure and the rest of the street
which is predominantly also red-brick buildings
says that the current practice for heritage building additions is to make the old and new parts distinguishable from each other
so the original piece retains its visible uniqueness
Cory Snow also cautioned against getting too nit-picky when it comes to the design of buildings
“I just think we need to be very careful when we have people investing in our downtown
which we are starting to get significant investment in our downtown
that we push back too hard on the colour of the siding because ‘I’ don’t like it,” said Snow
noting that it’s called “Historic” Downtown Summerside for a reason
and many residents and visitors care deeply about what it will look like into the future
most of them in the living room around the Victorian coal-black soapstone fireplace
where everyone would gather as the crackling woodsmoke and its warmth filled the rooms throughout the 19th-century Summerside home
But as George and Estelle Dalton reflect on their years and the home’s history
there’s a sense of mourning as boxes overshadow spaces that once held so much energy
including the fireplace that burned so bright
holding back a tear as she walks through the rooms
pointing out the few pieces she intends to keep as they downsize due to age and declining health
“My kids figured it was time for us to move because there’s a lot of things going on
and they wanted us to be safe in a smaller
more manageable bungalow in Summerside,” explained Estelle
“There’s been some heavy-duty moments while emptying the rooms
We offered our three adult children our home
and they all live off-Island and have busy careers and families,” adds George
The painted blue cedar shingle home with red entryways – a colour associated with hospitality – on Notre Dame Street
which will go on the market for sale at the end of May
the famous 18th-century surveyor who accurately mapped P.E.I
She was married to James Edward Dalton in 1932
including five rental homes in the community,” says George
The home on Notre Dame Street was built during the “golden era,” at the peak of the province’s economic expansion in 1867
“This home was left in my mother’s name – especially – due to her age and foresight when my father died in 1966,” he continues
noting Dalton had many children from two marriages (the first wife died)
“My mother was facing financial difficulty when my father died
so she downsized the old pieces from the Lefurgey house (now the cultural centre in downtown Summerside) into this home
and she sold the drug store – this is why we have so much furniture.”
including the soapstone fireplace and two working oil lamps
which has historical significance in the city
The Lefurgey house belonged to people who impacted the province
into constructing a railway and joining the Canadian Confederation,” explains George
The Lefurgey house belonged to the Dalton family from 1924 to 1966
who sold the Lefurgey house to Wanda Wyatt in 1966
as “A lady who knew how to roll up her sleeves and get to work.”
She made the home on Notre Dame Street a welcoming place for family and friends and
gave up a room to strangers needing a place to stay at night
we continued that tradition,” says Estelle
“We participated in the Christmas House Tours in the 2000s and then one Spring House Tour
Then we hosted a Remembrance Day Tea for the seniors at Eptek
veterans and friends of George’s older sister (a Second World War nurse).”
“The house represented friends and the community,” states George
with two bathrooms and a powder room on the main floor
are salvaged furniture and décor from heritage family-owned homes and businesses
“When you see the Clifton Corner Vault in Samuel’s Coffee House
that is from the same Clifton House Hotel (which burned in 1961) that our brick wall in the kitchen comes from
including the ceiling’s wooden beams and oversized ornate cabinets,” says George
Helen incorporated many heritage pieces into the home
including a cast iron wood stove and murals featuring couples dancing mounted into the brick wall from their Samuel Holland Homestead in North Tyron
which burned in 1990; then restored by its new owners
A bedroom mural painted by well-known P.E.I
artist Eddy Schwartz depicts the Samuel Holland Homestead before it burned
with the old tire swing George used to play on as a kid
The scene is another treasured memory that the couple are saddened to leave behind
Then we would sit on this Victorian sofa by the soapstone fireplace and have our shot of brandy at midnight,” recalls Estelle
The couple has several relics that family and friends
sell or donate to a church up west,” says Estelle
George says it’s been his “dream for many years that Summerside should have a military museum” to house his collections dating as far back as the Boer War
and between the walls in homes across the city are overloaded with antiques and history
We must be a better community in trying to look after these pieces,” urges George
George served 29 years in the Armed Forces medical corps and 10 years as a consultant with the Department of Defence and has been helping soldiers struggling with PTSD
After years of serving in the military and moving across the country
Estelle says that the Notre Dame residence offered them a sense of stability that has created a lasting imprint
when you think of the thing you will miss the most about this home
it is the Victorian soapstone fireplace because we have many fond memories of people (some no longer with us) laughing and sharing their stories around it,” George reflects
with the hope that whoever purchases their home will honour its heritage value
– Something happened in Summerside on April 17 which
The mayors of Summerside and Charlottetown
along with members of the two city councils and some of their most senior municipal department leaders
held a public roundtable to talk about some of the big issues both cities are facing
It wasn’t an official council meeting for either group
but it had the feeling of something similar
facing each other across a conference room at Credit Union Place
while Summerside Mayor Dan Kutcher and Charlottetown Mayor Philip Brown sat between them and jointly chaired the discussion
zoning issues and the fiscal arrangement between municipalities and the province
The director of one city’s department would get up and talk about what their community was doing on a topic
followed by a similar overview by their counterpart
after which the mayors and councillors would ask each other or staff questions
Given the two communities’ long-standing rivalry as the only cities and largest municipalities in the province
it was all a notable display of co-operation that wasn’t lost on those in attendance
Brown pointed a finger squarely at his counterpart when asked that question
He reached out to … the office of the mayor in Charlottetown
Kutcher added that he and Brown have a good relationship and often speak on issues of mutual concern
In an effort to strengthen that relationship and extend it to the councils
the idea of that night’s roundtable was broached and found traction
so you need to be able to develop relationships with others who are going through whatever you’re working your way through,” said Kutcher
we bounce things off of each other – so this was a nice way to try something different and I thought it was positive.”
adding that Charlottetown will host the next roundtable
An example of the type of discussions that were had would be on zoning
Summerside adopted a new official plan and zoning bylaw
which proved controversial due to requirements that the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation asked the city to make as a prerequisite to access millions of dollars from the federal Housing Accelerator Fund
the ability for developers to build up to four residential units in any kind of zone
even those previously reserved for single-family homes
“as of right,” proved particularly controversial
It garnered an organized push-back from some residents
concerned about the perceived loss of property values and unexpected changes to their established neighbourhoods
Charlottetown has some of those same changes on its horizon
so councillors from the capital were particularly interested in how their counterparts wrestled with that process
the public fallout and what ultimately swayed their vote
An example of Charlottetown leading so Summerside could follow was when the Park Street shelter came up during a presentation by Deputy Chief Jason Blacquiere of Summerside Police Services and Chief Brad MacConnell of Charlottetown Police Services
Blacquiere noted that his department learned a lot from its counterparts in Charlottetown in preparation for the establishment of Summerside’s emergency shelter on Roy Boates Avenue
Charlottetown’s emergency shelter opened several years ago
the night’s discussions were about strengthening both communities
With all the tension and stress that’s going on between our two countries (Canada and the U.S.)
this is the time we have to work together as Canadians
but at the local level – that’s what I liked about tonight.”
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The Pictou County Weeks Crushers are the first team to advance to the next round of the Metalfab MHL Cup Playoffs with a 5-4 overtime win on the road on Saturday night to eliminate the top-seeded Summerside Western Capitals, who had captured the regular season division title. The Crushers now await the winner of the other Eastlink South Semi-Final between the Amherst Ramblers and Truro Bearcats.
Pictou County jumped out to a 1-0 series lead followings a 4-1 win in Game 1 in Summerside. The Crushers got goals from Cory MacGillivray, Lucas Canning, and Brennan O’Donnell, as well as an empty net goal from Drew Maddigan, while Thomas Fontaine made 34 saves for the victory. Jerome Gilbert had the lone goal for Summerside, while Rookie All-Star goaltender George Gallant made 22 saves in the loss.
The series shifted back to New Glasgow for Game 2. Carter Murchison and O’Donnell gave Pictou County a 2-0 lead in the 2nd period, but a Summerside goal from Gilbert cut the lead in half heading to the 3rd period. Robbie Rutledge tied the game midway through the final period, but O’Donnell continued his hot hand with the eventual game-winner at 14:22. Fontaine posted 42 saves in the win, while Gallant made 33 saves for Summerside.
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– Canada Day celebrations have never been more important than they are in 2024
The marking of our national birthday is a way to bring people together and acknowledge what makes the country special
That’s why the city is bringing Canadiana favourite Blue Rodeo for a free downtown concert as part of this year’s July 1 celebrations
“We’re certainly in challenging times in Canada
and these are the times where we wrap ourselves in the flag and celebrate what makes us unique and special,” said Kutcher
“Is there any sort of bigger Canadian band that represents all things good about who we are as a nation than Blue Rodeo
the city has taken a look at all its events and set out to try to make its Canada Day celebrations the best they could be
Kutcher highlighted Summerside-born singer Alli Walker’s well-attended performance last year as one example
“We started to build a path towards celebrating local and Canadian music and starting to establish that festival atmosphere right in our downtown,” said Kutcher
P.E.I.’s Tourism Minister Zack Bell said he was excited to attend the concert’s March 10 announcement
praising Summerside as a great tourism and event host
Both the province and federal government are contributing financially to the city’s Canada Day festivities
they do such a great job of trying to bring these high-calibre events to the province,” said Bell
“I know that Canada Day is a celebration that
but Summerside is really stepping up their game.”
“(Summerside is) never really satisfied with the status quo
and hopefully continuing on and trying to make it bigger each year.”
The end of June and beginning of July are shaping up to be a busy few days in the city this year
Blue Rodeo’s free show will take place just a day after Air Show Atlantic’s visit to Slemon Park on June 28 and 29
It is working closely with francophone and multicultural communities to expand its offerings in an effort to draw people to celebrate in the city
Summerside’s Canada Day festivities will once again take place on Heather Moyse Drive
which will be closed for the event near Spinnakers’ Landing
The City of Summerside has been asked to buy the Silver Fox Entertainment Complex to avoid the local institution being forced into a sale on the open market
formerly known as the Silver Fox Curling and Yacht Club
has been operated as a community-governed non-profit for decades
It’s also a local watering hole and entertainment venue with the Breakwater Bar and Grill
According to a staff briefing council received at its Jan
the Silver Fox has been in financial difficulty for some time
with a debt load of between $300,000 and $400,000
Negotiations between the Silver Fox governing board and the city have been ongoing since 2023 to try and find a solution
things came to a head in November 2024 when Silver Fox leadership advised that the facility was at real risk of no longer being able to support itself financially
It asked the city to consider buying the property and operating it as a municipal facility
said the aftershocks of the COVID-19 pandemic took a toll on the organization and left it facing spiking costs and reduced revenues
restaurants and curling rinks have struggled since COVID and we’re no different,” said Ramsay
“The cost of everything has grown …(and) volunteerism is down.”
“We decided our best option would be to go to city council and see if
they would run it like they run the Credit Union Place.”
“We have the best interests for the facility
we can work together with them and move this forward,” she said
Deputy CAO JP Desrosiers said that when that request was made
the city asked for a vote of endorsement from the board of directors of the yacht club
the curling club and the facility’s management board
the general membership of the Silver Fox was informed of what was happening and asked to take a vote on whether to endorse a city takeover
The city is now doing its legal due diligence and expects to receive a report at its February meeting with more details on what would be involved in the buyout
Councillors expressed general support for at least investigating the possibility further
“It’s always been a cherished facility in our city and I do support moving ahead with the due diligence
I think we owe it to the membership and we owe it to the city,” said Coun
“What may happen to the property should we not visit this
We don’t know what might happen down there if it’s not allowed to remain a curling club
It’s scary to think what might happen if this goes to something like a private sale.”
became the home of the yacht club in 1972 and the curling rink addition was added in 1982
Former mayor Bill Martin has been a Silver Fox member since the early 90s and said losing the facility would be a huge blow to the community
“It’s unfortunate we’re in the position we’re in
but there’s no way we could dig ourselves out of it
if this (sale) doesn’t happen it will unfortunately go on the open market,” said Martin
But he also stressed that if the city does decide to go through with the purchase it would be an opportunity as well
It’s nearly impossible to make long-term plans or attract new events when you’re fighting to keep the lights on and the staff paid
so if the purchase does go through it would allow the people involved to start focusing more on growing the curling
given the history that the city has with sporting events and given the level of competency and aggressiveness that Sports Entertainment Tourism (SETS) and community services staff… have – I could see regattas
I could see national curling events … we’ve got the facilities,” said Martin
– A new thrift store nearly two years in the making is finally open in Summerside
Mission Thrift Store opened its second location in P.E.I.
“We have so much product donated by the people of P.E.I.,” she said
“We have a lot of storage in Charlottetown
to help with that … why don’t we open another store?”
Schroder has been in the general manager position for five years
She loves the opportunity to meet different people – including staff
the thrift store supports the Bible League of Canada
Net profits from the shop go toward buying bibles for their missions in 40 countries
“It buys bibles in the language of the country that they’re going,” said Schroder
Heleena Luddington has worked at Mission Thrift since October and is excited for the Summerside location to open
I’ve been Christian since as long as I can remember,” said Luddington
who also support devotions and stuff like that.”
Luddington specifically focuses on the book section
where she says mystery is the most popular genre on the shelves
and that’s why I’ve put it right there,” said Luddington pointing to the shelf in front of her
“There’s been a few genres that haven’t really shown up
since they can’t really read the smaller text.”
women and children – including shoes – or toys or household items or linens
All the items are donated by people in the community
“There’s something for everybody,” said Schroder
that they had bought and didn’t use for one reason or another.”
In the days and weeks leading up to the opening
Schroder said she’s heard plenty of community enthusiasm
eager to step inside a new place to thrift in town
“We’re pretty excited to be here and to be able to offer what we can to the community,” said Schroder
Prince County Hospital staff and patients report that some clients from the Summerside emergency shelter have been threatening their safety
Summerside-Wilmot MLA Tyler DesRoches told the legislature April 3
“People that use the shelter services are hanging around the parking lots and approaching people in their cars when they arrive,” said DesRoches
“Their safety is a serious concern … their job in health care is already stressful enough and we don’t need to add stress before their shift starts.”
Housing Minister Steven Myers responded to DesRoches’ comments
saying the province is paying for extra policing near the shelters in Summerside and Charlottetown
and offers those struggling with homelessness a place to sleep
The facility has 10 beds and has accommodations for couples
It also provides showers for individuals who are struggling with homelessness but have not booked a bed
and references for support groups and services
“We’re doing the best that we can to not impact those that have other work.”
residents have voiced similar complaints about clients from the nearby Park Street emergency shelter
Reports at public meetings about the issue include loitering
trespassing and disturbances from some of that facility’s clients
DesRoches wanted to know if the Summerside location has been operating at full capacity
Myers said that it has been working as intended
the capacity was at 90 to 95 per cent on a nightly basis.”
Myers has also clarified that the shelter has not turned anyone away and have looked into improving the service
“We’re doing everything we can to keep up with it … we are constantly trying to make our services better
We need to take care of our vulnerable population.”
A heated back-and-forth exchange between Opposition leader Hal Perry and Myers then took place
While Myers was explaining how the province plans to improve the area around the shelter
Perry interjected and stated that the shelter’s problems would be solved if the facility remained open 24-7
“I don’t know how you don’t understand this by now,” said Myers
“I know you’re not the brightest person in here,” said Myers
the Liberal Party of Prince Edward Island has done zero – done zero
We inherited a complete mess caused by you guys
Justin Trudeau had open drug use on the streets
Justine Talla is a student in the journalism program at Holland College
a 'generational project' for SummersideExamining the city's key project and its long-term promise for development
This is Part 5 of Postmedia's How Canada Wins series
the Journal Pioneer took a closer look at a potentially transformative project in the community
currently under construction to connect Water and Ryan streets
– After more than two decades of being passed over and pushed down the proverbial road
one of Summerside’s most ambitious projects in recent memory is expected to finally cross the finish line either late this year or early next
Referred to as the East-West Connector for many years before being rebranded more recently by the city as the East-West Housing Corridor – this 1.6-kilometre
municipally-built roadway represents a lot to the community
the new road will stretch from Water Street East to Ryan Street and is expected to ease increasingly congested traffic along Water Street
It will also open up more than 340 acres of land for mixed development in a community facing a shortage of both commercial space and housing
It is also Part 1 of a multi-part project which will
connect the Granville Street retail area more directly to the busy Reads Corner intersection
The city has done a great deal of work to lay the foundations for this project
creating a comprehensive development area zone with special rules governing what can and can’t be built on and around the corridor
among other rules with an eye towards speeding up development there
at $22 million budgeted so far – though a sizeable portion of that will be recouped by the city in the form of latecomer development fees
Summerside’s Deputy Mayor Cory Snow said the project was a long time coming and a big investment to bring into reality — but council and the city planners believe it will be worth it in the end
“It really is one of those generational projects that come around once a lifetime,” said Snow
The push to get the East-West Housing Corridor into development came between 2021 and 2023
was facing an unprecedented need for housing in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic
Vacancy rates in the province have hovered at just one per cent or lower for years and landlords were
The province and the larger municipalities responded with various measures and part of Summerside’s plan was investing in the East-West Housing Corridor
“(P.E.I.) didn’t plan accordingly for the growth we were trying to have
The province decided ‘We really want to expand our population
we have these growth aspirations,’ but I don’t feel they planned accordingly and now we’re playing catchup,” said Snow
getting ahead of the eight ball and having smart growth within the city is something we should do … and I think this project highlights that.”
The city has estimated that more than 2,000 housing units will eventually be built along the corridor
with opportunities for added commercial space on ground floors and other such initiatives
The East-West Housing Corridor will also be an early example of the “complete streets” initiative the city is pursuing
It will integrate active transportation and greenery from the start
David Arsenault lives near the East-West Housing Corridor
and he also owns a piece of land the roadway is being built through as well as being president of Arsenault Bros
a local development company which has invested heavily in Summerside in recent years
It has several residential projects of varying sizes completed
underway or planned in the community and has also moved into the construction adjacent businesses like interior finishing contracting and commercial retail
Arsenault said he became better aware of the East-West Housing Corridor several years ago
when the city started to get more serious about moving ahead with it
he’s watched it closely from the standpoint of a resident
He’s of two minds on East-West Housing Corridor
it’s going to do a lot for the city in the long-term
“I think it’s a positive thing overall for the city for sure anytime we can improve traffic flow and connection in the city,” said Arsenault
adding that the project also gives the city room to grow into the future
cost and demand are going to be big factors in how quickly the street is developed
and he doesn’t see the project solving any immediate need for housing
The latecomer fees the city has imposed on the project are a factor potential builders will have to consider
could impact decisions of whether to move ahead on projects
“It’s not going to have an immediate effect
I don’t see a lot of it being developed (short term) because there is so much development underway in Summerside right now
which that east-west connector is geared towards.”
He pointed to the more than 200 new residential units coming online in Summerside in the next six months alone
with more projects set to open later this year and into 2026
Summerside surpassed more than $100 million in building permit values in both 2023 and 2024
something that would have been nearly unthinkable just a few years ago
But according to the Mayor’s Task Force on Attainable Housing Report
Summerside needs to keep building around 200 new housing units every year in order to have enough homes for 2031’s projected population growth
At the time of the report’s release in 2023
Summerside’s rate of housing was reportedly between 160-170 new units per year
It will be interesting to see where the market goes from here
once the current glut of units coming online in the short-term are opened to occupancy
But whether the East-West Housing Corridor immediately attracts development
it’s still a net positive investment for the city
positive effect where there will be lots of people living on that street – I just think it will take a long
We’re talking thousands of units on that street
call it whatever you want to call it; a five-
ten-year project as far as the build-out of all of it
I don’t know about any immediate problem-solving or effects it will have
“(But) it will be a positive thing 10 years from now.”
The East-West Housing Corridor was always going to be a project with a long-term payoff
“I’ve always been of the opinion … that you need to continue to grow because if you’re not growing
we need to continue to grow and I think that’s exactly what this project does
and gives us the ability to grow fast if that’s the desire
Colin MacLean is the lead editor at the Journal Pioneer in Summerside. He can be reached at cmaclean@postmedia.com and followed on X @JournalPMacLean
Summerside police say they arrested two people after receiving a report that Ford Canada had tracked a stolen vehicle to the city
the police said that on April 24 at around 8:18 a.m.
they received a call from Ford Canada reporting the company was tracking a vehicle that was stolen from the Halifax area
Ford Canada told the police the vehicle was at a residence on South Drive in Summerside
The police said they went to the residence
located the vehicle and arrested a 51-year-old man and a 25-year-old man
The police said both men were facing charges related to possession of property obtained by crime
when the City of Summerside last updated its official plan
P.E.I.’s second-largest community was just coming off more than a decade of relatively little development and still struggling with the foibles of a merger with its closest neighbours mandated by the province in 1995
immigration and provincial programs to encourage newcomers to settle outside P.E.I.’s capital
Summerside has been seeing new housing and more businesses set up in its borders
The last major overhaul of the City of Summerside’s official plan was in 2018
though the city also recently completed a review with significant additions
director of technical services for the city
said the official plan is the big-picture playbook by which the city facilitates its growth
which in most cases is in the hands of the private sector
We try and provide the land mass and the process there to say whatever developer has the business case and feels the market is there (can build)
The other part is to make sure we have the infrastructure there to support the development,” said MacDonald
But the city was also facing the mounting challenge of ballooning costs for nearly everything
developers were suddenly reporting that the market for traditional single-family homes was petering out as prices started to rise sharply in response to the cost of construction
It was around that time that the city started moving toward densification
The rules were changed in the 2018 plan to allow secondary suites also known as “granny suites” in all residential zones
secondary residential units on new or existing residential home properties would help create more affordable housing stock
there was an influx of Canadians looking to downsize away from the larger cities and cash in on soaring housing prices to relocate and invest in relatively cheaper properties on the East Coast
was facing a housing crisis and the city started pursuing densification policies and projects in earnest
The document that resulted from that effort helped inform more recent changes to the official plan
which were passed by council earlier this year
with a goal of speeding up the development of housing across the country
at least the category Summerside applied to
outright required that the city change its official plan to allow four-unit buildings “as of right” across all residential zones – most contentiously in R1
Residents claimed that multi-unit buildings popping up next to single-family homes would negatively impact their quality of life and property value
Council eventually voted to adopt the changes in late 2024 and as of February 2025
The city reports that related projects from developers are now starting to filter in
Mayor Kutcher said the city has done the work to create an environment for developers to respond to the needs of the market
“We’ve come a long way to address some of the critical needs in our community
particularly when it comes to supply and availability (of housing)
But it takes time to … get housing built and it takes time to get the right type of housing built that people need
that meets them in their life where they are,” he said
while I think we have been really aggressive and have had some success on the file so far
I still think there is a long way to go to make sure people have the right type of housing for where they are in their life
MacDonald said the writing was on the wall that densification was something Summerside needed to pursue
or else it faced being passed over by developers who were no longer interested in building single-family homes
“A lot of it was really densification,” he said
“Regardless of if that (housing accelerator fund) program came about – the cost of infrastructure and roads
(to the point ) that it was becoming unviable for developers to develop Summerside as single (family) housing only
our number of single-family residential units has drastically dropped off because of the overall cost … it just wasn’t affordable for the current market.”
a project that had been part of the plan for nearly 20 years
Originally pitched as a way to ease traffic along the eastern part of Water Street
one of two primary entrances into the city
the project was re-branded and updated to become more focused on creating housing and economic development opportunities
the corridor will open more than 300 acres to development
The street itself snakes through what is currently farmland from eastern Water Street to the intersection of Ryan Street and MacEwen Road
which is scheduled to open for traffic in either late 2025 or early 2026
is now zoned as a comprehensive development area – which is sort of a catch-all zoning open to both residential and commercial development
The city has great hopes that its investment in building the street
coupled with its drive to increase the densification of housing in the community
and the many other plans contained in the official plan will help the community along its path to becoming a more “livable community.”
What version of Trump will Carney see at the White House? 13 minutes agoVideo4:57
named P.E.I.’s officer of the year for 2024
has quickly made a mark on her new community
who joined the Summerside Police Service in 2021 and has the distinction of being the first person of Indigenous descent to serve in the force
Metallic has quickly left her mark on her adopted community of Summerside and was named P.E.I.’s municipal police officer of the year for 2024
Her answers have been edited for length and clarity
Please introduce yourself and tell us a bit about yourself
New Brunswick … right across from our First Nation Reserve of Listuguj
I started as a community liaison officer for the high school with the police department through a co-op placement program
So that’s how I got my foot in the door with policing
What about police work made it something that you’ve always wanted to do
it was always action and cop movies … Movies where there’s a lot of action and
paramedics… any lifesaving things that always interested me
whenever there was an accident or an incident of some sort
I was always running towards it to try to help anybody
to find out something happened in our community
to only know more about it in my adult life … It was in June 1981
a little bit of excessive force … Our people were not being violent
It was just the then-minister of fisheries had sent an order to go and seize all fishing nets
“I was kind of raised with a big question mark and wanting to know why
and wanting to be on the other side and see it from this side of it
What has it meant for you being Summerside Police Department’s first Indigenous officer
knowing our people grew up and went through what they went through
Because my community does have some other First Nation officers as well
it was me that was sort of singled out to be called ‘traitor.’ That
‘Why did you become a police officer?’ I wanna help people
I won’t always have the answer … but I will do my damnedest
My heart is to do everything that I can on my end to help who I have to help.”
Why is community policing such an important aspect of your job
I could sit down with somebody and ramble on for hours … Sometimes
all somebody needs is to just yell and scream and let it out and talk and just be listened to without being judged
I’ll smudge once a week or at least once a month
if they don’t mind if I include them in my smudging
How do you think that integrating your culture into your work has made an impact on the city and your colleagues
Everybody’s very curious to know more about it
I try to go visit the communities as much as possible
There’s not many of us that live off reserve
but there’s more than a couple that are probably living in my area that I have to work within
whenever somebody needs a helping hand or a good smudge
So what are some of the ways that you have used your voice to make an impact on the community outside of your work
such as your dreamcatcher display that was outside city hall
It was a 12-foot trampoline that we had made
and it was (National Indigenous History Month) so it was in June
I just thought that would’ve brightened up city hall
City hall will always light up its colours according to whatever they’re spreading awareness of
And I just happened to have this giant trampoline with a bunch of LED lights
Just looking at it and being able to be around it
I think that it helped bring people you wouldn’t think together just to go and see this piece of art.”
Given the project is about how Canada and Summerside specifically can ‘win,’ how do you think the city can go about building a better community for future generations
but I’ve been here long enough to fall in love with the city
There’s all kinds of programs out there … There’s all kinds of resources
You could say the classic ‘You can lead the horse to water
I think that the city is doing the absolute best that they can with what they have
I couldn’t offer any type of encouragement anywhere
The City of Summerside has agreed to buy out the Silver Fox Entertainment Complex and operate it as a municipal facility – for now
Council voted unanimously at its March 4 meeting to move forward with the transfer of ownership
No exact date for the transfer to officially take place was provided
as there are still particulars to be worked out
Acting CAO JP Desrosiers was given the discretion to oversee the remaining details
The up-front cost to the city has been calculated at $525,000
the Silver Fox facility has been operated by a partnership of non-profit organizations
But after years of mounting debts the governing board
faced with the possibility of defaulting and losing the building
Most councillors who spoke before the vote said that they had received mixed messages from constituents about whether the city should agree to the transfer of ownership
The main arguments against doing so were that the city currently has a relatively high debt load and already has some expensive projects on the go and liabilities on the horizon
the East-West Housing Corridor and the fallout from the recent electrical shortage
There was also a sense that council should not set the precedent of bailing out organizations which find themselves in distress
Some councillors said it was one of the more difficult decisions they’ve had to make during their time in council
the choice came down to either move ahead or see a landmark local institution shutter and likely sold to a private developer
“It comes down to two choices: you either take it over
but I’d much rather take it over than see the facility close
I think it’s a valuable asset to the city,” said Coun
it has put council in a very difficult position
“I don’t like the feeling of being put in a position to make this decision on the backs of the taxpayers
because things got to the state they are and the yachters and the curlers needed the assistance
I’m hoping that moving forward that whatever happens everyone can work together – it’s an amazing facility.”
She encouraged any group facing difficulties to reach out to any and all resources
for guidance or assistance to avoid getting into a similar situation
Nick Cameron said he supported the motion but wanted to see a firmer timeline for when the city might consider selling the facility if it becomes a money pit
He suggested a review after the first year of operation and selling off the building if the expected deficit is much higher than expected
“I don’t think it would be fair to continue to use taxpayers’ dollars to fund something that is running us a deficit when it’s not something that was ours in the first place.”
we should cut our ties and move forward from there
we’d recoup the money we put into the building.”
The city previously received reports from staff and independent consultants indicating that the Silver Fox’s physical assets are in good condition and a path toward a financial break-even point was possible within three years
Mayor Dan Kutcher agreed that selling the facility is a viable option if the takeover does not go as planned
but added that he’s hopeful that won’t be necessary
He also pointed out that the city has several recreation-focused assets
and almost none of them operate at a profit
“Those are all costs we bear as a community for … recreation
As well as we make investments as a community into things like arts and theatre
also that do not provide a financial benefit – but we as a collective here and as a collective in our community have made a decision that is something that is worth spending your money
first became the home of the yacht club in 1972 and the curling rink addition was added in 1982
This is Part 2 of Postmedia's How Canada Wins series
As part of Postmedia’s ongoing series How Canada Wins: A Blueprint For a Prosperous Nation
the Journal Pioneer sat down with Mitch Martin
the new executive director of the Greater Summerside Chamber of Commerce
to discuss the current local business climate
What follows is a question-and-answer session with Martin
who said he looks forward to working with the Summerside business community
I have been living in Central Bedeque for almost three years now and am enjoying the type of lifestyle that the Summerside area offers and now call it home
“A wife and eight kids keep my day-to-day pretty busy
business development and operational strategy
I’m ready to have an immediate impact here at the chamber and am excited about what I bring to this role
this will be the chamber’s 125th year in operation
The goal of the Greater Summerside Chamber of Commerce (GSCC)
is to provide business owners and community members with a way to connect and network while also acting as an advocacy voice between members and government and municipal bodies.”
What role does the chamber play in Summerside
which is the Summerside area business community
We are not only here to connect businesses and provide ways for members to communicate
but we also play a vital role in bridging the gaps between small and medium businesses and contacts in government and municipal roles
“Given the current trade turmoil in Canada right now
the roles the chamber plays are needed now more than ever
It’s crucial that we are available to answer questions
provide guidance and help navigate what could certainly be the rough trade waters ahead
It’s because of this that the ‘Shop Local P.E.I.’ initiative is so important
Give us a snapshot of the business climate in the Summerside area – how is it going
“Summerside is positioned well in my opinion at the moment
It’s poised to see positive growth both in residential and commercial spaces
“More big box stores are moving into the area
such as Kent which is opening its large new location in Summerside
but we are also seeing a solid amount of small and medium business growth which is fantastic
Missions Thrift Store just opened its Summerside location just up the street from us here on Greenwood Drive and Mary Browns (restaurant) is opening a location as well
What are some of the challenges local businesses are facing right now
“I have only been in my role as the executive director for a short period of time
(about a month) but I have had the opportunity to speak with some of our members as well as some local business leaders
A common area of concern is the looming uncertainty with our largest trade partner to the south and the worries of tariffs negatively impacting local businesses and operational overheads
“The chambers of commerce Island-wide have collaborated to launch the ‘Shop Local P.E.I.’ campaign
Not just as an engine for driving consumers to buy local but also as a tool for local businesses to connect and perhaps find ways to create local trade routes that allow them to mitigate some of the risk that tariffs may impose.”
What is or will be done to overcome those challenges
“The chambers are taking steps in a combined effort to drive the importance of the ‘Shop Local P.E.I.’ campaign
“People can visit www.shoplocalpei.ca for more information or visit their local chamber office to discuss
request signage or offer their businesses to join the movement
The more local businesses we have onboard pushing this initiative the faster it’s going to gain the momentum it needs to have a positive impact on local commerce
What are some of the opportunities the business community has
Summerside is poised to have an opportunity to show significant growth over the coming years
established businesses have an opportunity to take advantage of this and start promoting themselves to a wider audience
“A great way to is going to be through a Chamber membership
As new residents and businesses place their stake in Summerside
the chamber will be there to encourage engagement and collaboration between them.”
Belinda Woods has poured her heart and soul into the Free Store
The Free Store’s last day of operation was Feb
everything in the Water Street shop has gone out to Islanders in need
Woods said the community’s need was great at the onset
and there weren’t many other individuals or organizations doing what the Free Store had come to do
“If we helped one person that really needed it
others have stepped up to help fill similar roles and help support the growing demand
Woods believes Summerside and its people will be in good hands
I love it because they’re actually getting into hands that need it,” she said
That has my heart because my whole goal was always for (nobody) to have to pay.”
Seeing all the new resources that have cropped up around Summerside
she felt she could do so without leaving people to go without
“My husband and I are ten years older,” she said
Woods said many patrons would make sure they left things for those who came after
“Someone who needs towels will take two,” she said
‘just take some more,’ because I know that they’re in need … They always say
While having a platform to lend a hand has been an amazing experience
so much of the Free Store owes to her supporters
And different businesses have supported us with their end-of-season things,“ said Woods
I really believe that anybody who is struggling right now
there’s no reason that they can’t look good
It’s all about building that confidence back up.”
Local businessman David Groom is one of many people who has supported Woods and the Free Store over the years
he assisted with Coats for Kids but would also donate items like furniture and lighting depending on what the store needed
“Belinda’s done such a great job in the community
I just thought there was a need in the city to help out and to help Belinda.”
there would be a lot of people who would thank her for what she’s done.”
Although she was worried about how the community would take the news of the Free Store’s closure
Woods said what she has heard so far has been positive
primarily focused on the work she’s done over the last nine years
her work is not done – especially with the volunteers she considers a family
but I haven’t talked to them yet,” she said
and we still want to reach people that need help.”
A new Mary Brown’s fried chicken franchise is coming to Summerside
Work is currently underway to renovate 145 Heather Moyse Dr
The restaurant will replace a Dixie Lee fried chicken franchise which closed last year
This will be Mary Brown’s second operational location in P.E.I.
after the one in Stratford which opened in 2022
The Summerside establishment is aiming for a March 11 opening date
but that could change depending on how the renovations and setup go
The new restaurant will include a drive-thru and the company expects to employ a minimum of 40 people
senior vice president of operations for the company
said Summerside was an obvious choice for a franchise expansion in P.E.I with it being a relatively large and growing urban centre
offering endless opportunities for businesses to connect with locals and visitors alike
(I’m) surprised more businesses haven’t come out sooner,” said Russo
and operating expenses (also) make Summerside an attractive choice compared to larger cities,” he added
welcomed news of the new business coming to the city
“Summerside’s downtown waterfront is evolving into a vibrant hub of business and community life
and the addition of Mary Brown’s is a great example of this momentum,” said Dennis
reinforcing our vision of a dynamic and thriving waterfront where residents and visitors can gather
and enjoy everything our city has to offer
“Seeing national brands recognize Summerside’s potential only strengthens our confidence in the transformation we’re working towards – it’s an exciting time for our downtown.”
The original restaurant operated under the name Golden Skillet
but was rebranded for legal reasons after a few years in St
The name was changed to honour the real Mary Brown
who was the wife of Golden Skillet founder Clifton Guthrie and whose original fried chicken recipe the business is built on
The company started expanding in 1972 and has grown to include more than 300 franchises across Canada
The company started opening its first international locations in 2024 and now has several in Northern Ireland
with more than 300 more planned for other markets
– A longtime Summerside businessman is branching out into an industry that’s a bit off the beaten path – online radio
having operated the Mulberry Motel in Summerside for more than 40 years
was the founding president of the Tourism Industry Association of P.E.I
and has a host of other professional and personal accomplishments to his name
especially the nostalgia that comes with classic rock
country and jazz from around his formative years in the ‘50s
when a friend approached him with the idea of investing in a free radio streaming service
it wasn’t just the business model that attracted him – it was the music on offer that convinced him
it’s because of my love of music … that’s what really enticed me the most
The classics draw me big time … back in the day,” said Reid
“It’s my enjoyment that I’ve satisfied by bringing these four streaming services to P.E.I.”
Reid has acquired the local licenses for AutoRockRadio.com
“Don and I have been friends for many years … we saw an opportunity,” said Gildart
“We’re changing the way local music is being delivered to the marketplace.”
Originally the brainchild of radio industry veteran Ross Parks of Nova Scotia
AutoRockRadio.com is a free streaming radio platform supported by hyper-local sponsorships from the community
The short sponsorship segments replace more traditional advertisements you’d hear on conventional radio or the larger music streaming services
There are also no log-in or subscription requirements from listeners – a relative rarity in today’s digital marketplace
Listeners can either download the AutoRockRadio app
scan the QR code with their phone or visit the website itself
choose their geographic location and which stream they want to listen to
there is a classic rock and a classic country station option
Reid said the stations boast 98.2 per cent music content
with sponsorship announcements and community events making up most of the remainder
He added that they have averaged about 1,000 listeners pay day
“The response from everyone has been positive,” he said
but added that talking to sponsors has been a bit of a learning experience for both parties since it’s a new business in an uncommon field
Part of the reason he got into it was because he is looking for more free time to spend with family
Much of his time now is taken up by Reid Holdings Inc.
a property management company he started with his son more than 20 years ago
He intends to shift more of his time to this new enterprise
which he expects will take up less of his time
If that time is spent around the musical eras he loves – all the better for him
– The City of Summerside has introduced its 2025-26 budget for public review – a document with the theme “planning for growth” which contains few surprises for taxpayers
The city is once again holding steady on property tax rates
investing in projects previously started or announced
and otherwise generally sticking to the basics in terms of putting money into shoring up the services residents rely on
we are putting dollars into them to make sure we continue to succeed,” said Mayor Dan Kutcher following the presentation
“The rapid growth we’ve seen in the last few years has created the opportunity for us to invest back into the things we need to invest in
and we’ve needed to invest in for a long time
“I think this council has been pretty bold and clear that it wants to invest in some of the stuff that maybe isn’t as catchy in the headlines – like water and sewer or electrical poles … but those are the kinds of things that we need.”
which has been under construction for more than a year and is expected to open to traffic in the fall of 2025
The public has until March 27 to provide feedback to the mayor and council
as that is when council will vote on whether to adopt the budget document
also highlighted the need for a new funding arrangement between the province and P.E.I
and while there has been a movement towards a new arrangement
the lack thereof is hampering the ability of communities to pay for the services needed to support the unprecedented growth the Island is experiencing
“This putting square pegs in round holes is getting old,” said MacDougall
who is also president of the Federation of P.E.I
We’ve been promised and promised and promised … it’s not like we don’t need it
You can’t promote growth throughout the Island and not support municipalities that are at the front and centre
What version of Trump will Carney see at the White House? 16 minutes agoVideo4:57
– Since moving from India to Summerside 14 months ago
George Jomon is already making a difference in his new community
says despite Summerside and India being a world apart
he found similarities between his two homes
we are also (getting) revenue from tourism
the only difference is there is no snow,” said Jomon
“There’s lovely people and lovely atmosphere
Summerside is almost similar to my place.”
Jomon organized a Canada-India Multicultural festival in Summerside
featured cultural exchanges between both Canada and India
“Indian food is really amazing,” said Jomon
Jomon was already working on the 2025 event
Jomon’s enthusiasm for sharing his culture earned the new Canadian a Heritage and Cultural Activities award
He was one of 15 individuals or groups who took part in an awards presentation during the annual Mayor’s Heritage Tea on Feb
those in attendance watched their neighbours receive awards for participating in the city’s arts
They were also treated to a vignette by Stephen Hurst
on the origins of the Summerside Board of Trade
cultural programming coordinator with Culture Summerside
“This is actually the biggest number of nominations ever,” she said
“It just shows how much more is being done in the city
and that people are also becoming much more aware of it
and much more willing to take the time to put forth nominations.”
she said it’s nice to see how many people showed up to witness the awards and partake in tea
they were here like a half hour early,” laughs Campbell
“It’s great to see young people here and older people
they’ve lived in a number of cities across Canada
and this is the only city where they’ve seen city hall able to be accessed in this way
our present and future is built on our heritage
Following are the 15 Heritage and Cultural Activities award recipients honoured at the annual mayor’s heritage tea in Summerside
Atlantic WatchCharlottetown, Summerside pledge to work togetherTwo of P.E.I.'s largest municipalities have pledged to work together as they grapple with growing populations and bigger financial strains.
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but The Coldest Night of the Year keeps warming more hearts with each passing year in Summerside
“It’s been crazy to see everybody sign up this year,” said walk organizer Marley Durant
where can we put a donation?’ It’s awesome.”
around 200 walkers had signed up to participate in this year’s walk
the walk supported a newly built 10-unit transitional housing facility
designed for women with children to stay for up to 12 months
the money raised will go toward LifeHouse’s new 24-unit permanent housing project in St
12 will be dedicated to present LifeHouse residents
while the rest will go to support low-income housing
the homelessness around the Island has just skyrocketed,” said Kaitlyn Rochefort
Having the Coldest Night of the Year to assist the shelter in its ambitious goals is a tremendous help
Coldest Night of the Year Summerside raised more than $71,000
This year’s goal is $117,000 – which both Durant and Rochefort are confident they can reach
the total collected so far sat at about $62,000
“It’s super impactful all around,” said Durant
and I’m really happy to be part of an organization that does all this work.”
participants will gather at Credit Union Place in Summerside and go for a walk around block for either two or five kilometres
The event will continue no matter the weather
‘What should we do about this?’” said Durant
nobody gets a choice in whether or not they’re out in the cold
if everybody else has to be out in the cold
the City of Summerside found itself amid an unprecedented situation
the second-largest municipality in Prince Edward Island could not say for sure whether it would have sufficient electricity to meet the needs of its citizens
There was a real possibility that rolling blackouts would be needed during daily peak use times of 6 to 10 a.m
Both Summerside Electric and Maritime Electric started asking residents to use less power during those timeframes as a precaution to help keep the lights on
Municipal facilities were closed early to conserve power and any local businesses that had generators used them to stay operational and reduce their drain on the system
Maritime Electric CEO and President Jason Roberts said the company was working to fix the problem as soon as possible
their hearts and souls are into it and they are working very hard each and every day to try and get through this,” Roberts said in an interview with the Journal Pioneer Feb
What exactly happened on that Monday morning is still being investigated as of the writing of this article
But it was known there was an electrical fault at Maritime Electric’s Sherbrooke substation
off Route 2 on the outskirts of Summerside
One of the facility’s two 50-megawatt transformers was damaged somehow and knocked out of service
Maritime Electric technicians responded and started working to assess the damage and make repairs if they could
Service interruptions happen all the time and both Summerside Electric and Maritime Electric have dealt with them countless times
often working together to do so in the Summerside area
But the city realized it was dealing with an extraordinary situation when it received an update from Maritime Electric on the afternoon of Feb
Mayor Dan Kutcher said the company indicated that due to the damaged transformer
it would only be able to facilitate the transmission of two megawatts of electricity to the city – where the evening before it had been between 20 and 25 megawatts
this is unheard of.’ Two megawatts puts at least 4,000-plus households without power in the city,” said Kutcher in a Feb
a 12-megawatt wind farm and 10 megawatts of large-scale battery backups
it’s carried to the city via the provincially owned subsea cables
and on through Maritime Electric’s grid infrastructure — including the transformer at the Sherbrooke substation
Summerside has previously tried to build its own transmission lines so it would not be beholden to Maritime Electric carrying power on its behalf
The city pays Maritime Electric for the use of its grid and has long argued it could save significant amounts of money by building its own infrastructure and moving the power itself
the Island Regulator and Appeals Commission denied the city’s application for a permit to do so
stating that Summerside’s application fell short in several areas
That decision was upheld by the Court of Appeal
It has been Summerside’s position ever since that for the project to move ahead
the relevant legislation would need to be changed
This puts the onus on the provincial government
which has so far expressed no interest in making any amendments
and I think people have sort of had enough,” he said
“This is why it’s so frustrating for us because it’s outside of our control
We can’t go up there and fix their transmission station,” added Kutcher
if we had direct access to those publicly owned undersea cables
we wouldn’t be in this situation and we would have redundancy and support for the rest of Western P.E.I
So instead of being at the mercy of a fragile electrical system
The city also has had a standoff with Maritime Electric over the approximately 800 customers the company has inside city boundaries
mostly thanks to quirks of history and the redrawing of maps over the years
those customers are part shareholders of Summerside Electric and should receive service from that utility
It has tried to buy or otherwise seek a transfer of those customers onto city power for years
Maritime Electric has so far declined to hand over the customers
This is another file at an impasse which the city argues will need attention by the province before it can be resolved
Maritime Electric sees the situation differently
the courts have settled the undersea cable access question
Roberts said that both his company and Summerside Electric pay an access tariff that is collected to help maintain the electrical grid
He added that Maritime Electric pays a higher rate of tariff than Summerside
the city is considered an “interruptible customer.” That means if it comes down to a choice of getting power to a Maritime Electric ratepayer or supplying Summerside
the company is within its rights to throttle down the city’s access to transmission capacity
11 when the city was warned it could only receive a fraction of the power it expected
Drastic measures were only avoided because the city and company managed to squeeze enough local generation and outside transmission capacity out of the system to supply customers from both entities
But both the city and company acknowledge it was a close call – a few megawatts of power
could have meant keeping the lights on or switching to the rolling blackout backup plan
So how do we avoid something like this happening in the future
Roberts said the city has some choices to make
build more generation capacity of its own or pay a higher rate for more secure service
“The City of Summerside electric utility could choose to have the same level of service that we buy for our customers
and if that’s the case the system will be updated to have the necessary contingencies in place to serve not only us but also Summerside Electric customers,” said Roberts
“Another option is they could build or add more generation to their supply as a contingency to be able to supply customers when there are constraints on the system.”
there’s a couple of options ahead of (Summerside) that they need to think about and decide moving forward.”
Kutcher did not hide his frustration with the situation or with Roberts’ comments
We’re talking about direct access (to the subsea cables)
so what they are trying to do is get people to talk about just about anything else,” he said
there was no word from Maritime Electric on the status of the Sherbrooke transformer
thanks to a combination of factors including Islanders heeding the call to reduce their energy consumption
Maritime Electric making changes on its end
and enough wind to aid local energy generation
the city’s power situation had stabilized in the short-term
The city was still warning that an electrical shortfall remained a distinct possibility
and it may be only a matter of time before rolling blackouts were required
Transformers on this scale are complicated pieces of equipment
Maritime Electric has said it currently has a transformer on order earmarked for the Woodstock substation
It could be redirected to Sherbrooke if needed
There was talk of other possibilities for a replacement as well – but every option put a solution at weeks or even months away
Summerside has been using its diesel generators heavily
the city estimated it had burned approximately $100,000 of fuel per day to help keep the lights on over the previous two weeks
That’s almost the equivalent of burning the annual playground budget every day
the oldest of which was built more than 60 years ago
are usually only turned on for a few hours per month and used sparingly
It has been some time since they were called into such heavy service
but they are quickly approaching the end of their operational life
One of the eight had already failed and was under repair as of Feb 18
The city is currently waiting for a report by Dunsky Energy and Climate
which will help inform its decision on how best to replace the generators
The city has floated the idea of building new generators capable of burning multiple fuel sources
has been in frequent contact with both the city and the company but has been reserved in its comments on the situation
The Journal Pioneer requested an interview with Energy Minister Gilles Arsenault
“The province remains committed to assisting our Island utilities as they work through this challenging week
It is clear that we must collaborate on the long-term work ahead
The bottom line as of the writing of this article is that if any more of the city’s generators fail
or if electrical demand spikes unexpectedly at the wrong moment
When that possibility ends is a matter of how quickly Maritime Electric can fix or replace its transformer in Sherbrooke
– Marlene Campbell doesn’t feel like she’s retired
she’s treating her newfound free time like a vacation
“I’m a little scared about it all,” she said
Campbell has dedicated herself to the post of cultural programs co-ordinator with Culture Summerside
It was meant to be a seven-week temporary gig with the city – but
Campbell has built upon the city’s established cultural events and programming and helped expand them
found the time to become an author and playwright
among other artistic and cultural pursuits
and the job just seemed to be a perfect match
“The exciting part about the job was we got to develop and create the job,” she said
“I basically came just after Wyatt Heritage Properties got started.”
the city had two main cultural productions: the Christmas School Program
The Ghost Walk was in its second year when Campbell entered the scene
“It was just a guided tour of storytelling
“But we turned it into the ghost stories of the community
The darker side of Island and Summerside history
and the archives have been such an important part of that
and volunteer actors perform them for the significant crowds who attend the walks each year
“People are excited and passionate about it.”
The Summerside Arts Festival was another one of Campbell’s brainchildren and there have been many others
But the first project she created is the one she’s most proud of: the Olde Fashioned Carnival
a suppertime event on the Wyatt Heritage Properties grounds featuring festivities like carnival food and lawn games
we had 4,500 people in three hours,” said Campbell
“It’s just a program that everybody can come and enjoy
She’s seen people from as far away as Florida
England and Switzerland stop by the festivities
who always come to Summerside for the Carnival and stay for the Lobster Carnival
“I just feel it’s one of the ways that Culture Summerside really gives back to the community
and it’s great to see the community embrace it.”
For as long as director Lori Ellis has been with Culture Summerside
There is no question it’s going to be different
“I’ve had a lot of experience working with various programmers throughout Canada and down to the U.S.,” said Ellis
“and I’ve always told Marlene that she was one of the best programmers I have ever worked with
Ellis describes Campbell as having high energy in terms of her goals and output
as well as her ability to teach people Summerside’s history and culture engagingly
Ellis hopes to fill the hole she’s left behind
“She gets to now do other things that she has on the backburner … We’re just learning what it means to work ahead
what Campbell loved most was the variety in the days
you might have been doing the Arts Festival year after year
Every person that comes in has their own story.”
She enjoyed her work right up until her Feb
but she’s looking forward to seeing what new ideas spring up from whoever follows in her footsteps
Campbell has no plans to slow down or disappear from Culture Summerside events
“I’ll probably still be one of the big supporters of Culture Summerside,” she said
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— Summerside’s diesel generators are aging
and the city is looking for community input regarding the future of its energy system and what it should focus on
the city held a public consultation session to see where its residents’ priorities for the future of electricity in Summerside lie – from sustainable energy to energy that can weather a storm to cost-effective electricity
Nicholas plans to be a future Summerside resident and wanted to give input
we have to take action and get involved,” he said
One of the priorities he named was Summerside continuing to innovate and work toward green technology
He said he tries to be environmentally conscious in his own life
“I think we just need to do more to reduce our dependency on fossil fuels,” said Tedenick
and I think that Summerside is an innovator and a leader and can show other places that it can be successful.”
wind farms and solar and battery energy systems
the city provides energy to more than 8,300 customers – 85 per cent residential
14 per cent commercial with less than one per cent industrial
it cannot produce all its energy locally and needs to supplement with energy from North Cape and New Brunswick
the city has also hired consultants Dunsky Energy & Climate Advisors to assist with engaging stakeholders and figuring out the next steps
They have run a need-assessment to see the current needs and demand of Summerside Electric
“We’re gonna listen to the community tonight
take that feedback on what is really important to the community
and then apply that to our assessment,” said managing consultant Lauren McNutt
“We’re gonna look at a long list of alternatives and options that could be considered
as well as what we heard from the community.”
director of municipal services for Summerside
found the open house useful for the city in figuring out where it can go from here
what were they feeling at the end of the event
informed and appreciated and good,” he said
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the second phase of renovations to Generation XX is finally underway
the youth club and indoor skate park has worked towards expanding its building’s footprint
and the pandemic further put a wrench in its plans
we were supposed to be (building) a 70-foot (by 50-foot) expansion over the top of the skate park,” said Gordie Whitlock
The new space would have been comprised of board rooms
But due to growing construction costs the club had to scale the project down to a 35 feet by 50 feet expansion
Generation XX has occupied 328 Notre Dame St
The building was formerly a curling rink but was unused when a group of local teens and community volunteers took it over
cleaned it up and founded Generation XX as a place for local kids to hang out
While the building has been maintained and upgraded since then
what you’re going to see is 2,000 square feet of nothing but stuff for kids,” said Whitlock
it’s just gonna be a free place for kids to come after school
but mainly just to have fun and (have) a place to go that’s safe and supervised.”
the new space will feature tables for pool
is excited for the renovations to be completed
The 17-year-old has been going to the club for the last four years
A friend asked her to volunteer at an event
and it didn’t take Poirier long to fall in love with the space and organization
“Having the space at Gen X has meant absolutely everything to me,” Poirier wrote
It’s given me so many connections and provided me with a place where I am always welcome and where I feel that I am loved and appreciated.”
is a space to hang out with her friends after school or decompress by herself after a long day
she and other members were asked what they’d like to see come of the renovations
Her focus would be to provide more opportunities for activities and ideally draw in more engagement
“I’d love to see more youth coming in the doors of the club to experience the environment that Gen X has
and to see the new renovations when they are complete,” said Poirier
“I’m sure that (Whitlock) will take those ideas and try his best to make them happen.”
Phase 2 of the renovation is expected to cost around $900,000
The club has received $700,000 through the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program (ICIP) and will have to make up the rest itself
not-for-profit group that mainly does fundraising,” said Whitlock
the club has approached the city for some financial assistance
It also plans to seek sponsorships from local businesses and community groups to lend a hand and has also started a Chase the Ace fundraiser
the club is still hosting most of its usual programming; Whitlock hopes the skate park will be back in operation by spring or early summer
“We’ll invite all the sponsors that helped out along the way and kids from yesteryear.”
The City of Summerside is warning residents that due to ongoing repairs to the Maritime Electric substation in Sherbrooke its electric utility will start rotating circuits to help manage power loads
The rotating blackouts will begin at about 5 p.m
they should expect it to be out for at least two hours before it is restored
The outage rotations will pause overnight and begin again on Wednesday
The city said that due to the complex and evolving nature of the situation it is unable to provide a set timetable for the rotations
A further update will be provided as information becomes available
– Parents in Kensington will soon have a new option for childcare and a place to send their kids before and after school
The Boys and Girls Club is coming to Kensington – which has Coreen Pickering
“It’s something that the residents of the Kensington area have been wanting for years and years and years,” she said
different little centres for the youth that just didn’t really succeed.”
the demand for such a service began picking up steam
Pickering was on council at the time and repeatedly heard demands from families
she left council and began pursuing options to get something up and running
“MLA Matt MacKay and I came together and decided that we would try and do it together
but we were missing some really key components,” she said
the Summerside Boys and Girls Club came on to help see the dream become reality
After the Boys and Girls Club decided to expand into Kensington
they still needed a venue – that’s where contractor Clark Waite came in
He owned the building that would later become the space of the local organization
and renovated it with his own money before selling it to the Boys and Girls Club for their use
“Clark Waite is a huge ambassador for the youth of this community,” said Pickering
“He really wanted to make this space child-friendly
so he was a huge component to all of this puzzle that came together.”
the organization will open up a new location at 19 Stewart Street
As the Boys and Girls Club began brewing in Kensington
parents with young children also began expressing a need for a daycare or early learning centre
Kensington resident Megan Beairsto was one of the people who fought for years to make it happen
“I was feisty on the internet about finally having a place in town for after school and PD days and summer camp,” she said
While Beairsto’s two children are currently assigned to the Summerside Boys and Girls Club
she’s excited there will soon be a more local option for them
and there’s lots of parents that are also very excited for it,” said Beairsto
“It’s not just about having a place for your kids to go
it’s about the quality programming the Boys and Girls Club is known to provide for kids.”
starting with the early learning centre in April or May
the site will offer summer programming for youth
Before- and after-school programming will start with the September school year
Weekend and nighttime programming for other youth in the area will follow shortly after
The program will take on 40 children in the early years program
as well 30 school-aged children to participate in a before-school breakfast program
Pickering estimates closer to 100-150 will partake in the club
Pickering said that while Kensington provides tons of opportunities for children interested in sports
She hopes that the Boys and Girls Club will help fill that need
“(The new centre) would be inclusive to all children
“But I think that demographic of children that are interested in arts
Pickering could not be more eager and optimistic to get going
“It’s gonna get a lot of much-needed vacancies that are going on with your youth right now,” she said
“I’m excited to see what the future holds.”
As Kadriana Lott jumped into the arms of her husband and teammate
had just pulled off a thrilling 9-8 extra-end win over Marlee Powers and Luke Saunders of Halifax in the gold-medal game of the 2025 Canadian mixed doubles curling championship Friday
“It’s always a great feeling winning a final like this,” Kadriana told The Guardian in a post-game interview
“You are playing all the best throughout Canada and to come back again after last year and … being two-time Canadian champions
Colton agreed the emotion built up throughout the game
played before a big crowd at Credit Union Place’s Gerard (Turk) Gallant Arena
“You can feel those nerves kind of creeping in towards the end,” said Colton
“I think it’s that point where you have to breathe on through it
stick together and props to Luke and Marlee for playing a wonderful game.”
Kadriana added the close result added to the post-game emotion
“Playing an extra end in a final means it’s a great game but playing an extra end can catch the nerves a little bit,” said Kadriana
“We’ve been in situations like this before where you just have to keep playing strong and making those shots.”
the Lotts will represent Canada at the 2026 world mixed doubles curling championship
Team Lott becomes the first repeat Canadian mixed doubles champions after winning the 2024 national title in Fredericton
It marked the fourth time the Lotts played in the mixed doubles gold-medal game
Colton delivered the key shot of the extra end with his final rock and the team’s second-last shot in the eighth end
counting shot rock with a piece of the button
Colton’s shot just got by a guard out front to sit as shot rock
When Powers’ attempt went wide on the final shot for her team
Kadriana did not have to throw her last rock
and I also knew it was going to curl,” said Colton
“On a weight standpoint it was really good and line-wise
you hear her hollering – you could hear the pitch in the voice – and you sweep harder
Asked her thoughts from the house calling the shot
Kadriana said she was hoping Colton could sweep the rock hard enough to get it by the guard
“I know I can count on him; he’s a great sweeper,” said Kadriana
who completed play in the six-day event with a record of 10-1 (won-lost)
Team Lott scored three in the first end and held leads of 3-2
Powers and Saunders tied the game twice – 6-6 in the sixth end and 8-8 in the eighth end to force an extra end
some bad ones but we kept in there and made those huge key shots we needed to,” said Kadriana
“We figured out the ice better towards the last half of the game; kept in there; kept playing strong when we needed to
and we were just hoping for that final finish.”
Team Lott scored three with hammer in the eighth and final end to defeat Kira Brunton and Jacob Horgan 6-5
Team Lott defeated Paige Papley and Evan Van Amsterdam 10-4 and Nancy Martin and Steve Laycock 9-4
“There were definitely some games that we didn’t have our best stuff
but we always found a way to win and make those key shots.”
Their road to the final included a playoff wins over Brett Gallant of Charlottetown and Jocelyn Peterman 6-5 and 6-4 versus the team of Laura Walker and Kirk Muyres on March 20
and a 5-4 semifinal win over Melissa Adams and Alex Robichaud
“(Powers and Saunders) are phenomenal players and I knew it was going to be a hard one,” said Colton
“They beat off two of the top teams in the country to make it to the final
It was sticking with that patience and motoring through (that was the key).”
P.E.I.’s husband-and-wife team of Edward and Jenny White completed round-robin play 3-4
Play in the 2025 New Holland Canadian under-20 curling championships was scheduled to get underway Sunday
A total of 36 teams – 18 women’s and 18 men’s – will compete through until the championship games on March 30
Games are taking place at the Silver Fox Entertainment Complex and Credit Union Place’s Gerard (Turk) Gallant Arena
Just over a month after announcing Summerside’s new fire hall would be built on municipal land in Leger Park
the city is now considering another option
said that land at the corner of MacEwan Road and Ryan Street has become available for sale for $450,000 before tax and would make a suitable location for the badly needed new fire hall
a new location would not impact the new fire hall’s construction timeline and members of the Summerside Fire Department have voiced support for either location
When first announced in 2022 the new fire hall was slated to be built on Ryan Street
on the site colloquially known as the old Holland College trade school property
The deal for that land expired without construction starting
so the city announced it was going with its alternate location at Leger Park
But this new option is considered as strong or stronger an alternative
due to its central location and other factors
Deputy Mayor Cory Snow said that he has no issues with the new location
provided the community and fire department alike take no issues
had to serve the firefighters and the community well,” said Snow
“I know there was some pushback when Leger Park was mentioned
it came to the point that it serves the community and it works.”
saying if the fire department supports the new location
“I think the cost of the land is reasonable
and a fair trade-off to preserving what is now Leger Park and the green space there,” said Doiron
Nick Cameron also said it was nice to see the potential move away from a municipal park
“Fire (is) one of the essential services that we do provide as a municipality
but we must not forget that community services and parkland is also an essential service that we do provide through the Municipal Government Act,” he said
“We can’t just diminish the fact that we are going to potentially put this in parkland.”
A motion of whether or not to buy the land will be brought to council again at the Feb
Staff indicated to council that the potential deal expires on Feb
so a decision will have to be made one way or the other at that meeting
Kent Building Supplies is getting a new home in Summerside
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Alex MacDonald Ford Western Capitals swept a pair of games in Nova Scotia last weekend to complete the 2024-25 Maritime Junior Hockey League (MHL) regular season
The Capitals defeated the Valley Wildcats 9-2 on March 9 and the Yarmouth Mariners 3-2 on March 8
The Capitals completed the regular season atop the Eastlink South Division with a record of 38-10-2-2 (won-lost-overtime losses-shootout losses)
The Caps will face the fourth-place Pictou County Crushers (25-21-5-1) in a best-of-seven matchup in the opening round of the playoffs
Nolan Stewart and Jude Campbell scored for the Capitals
Sam Bowness and Justin Hughes added two assists
Connor Hussey and Dawson Grandy countered for Valley (9-41-1-1)
Winning goaltender Niko Boudreau stopped 28 of 30 shots
Following is the schedule for the Caps-Crushers’ playoff series:
– Marcia Whelan’s passion for theatre and the performing arts is well documented
The Summerside woman was the first volunteer at Harbourfront Theatre and recruited dozens of others throughout her time
“Mom was an entertainer her whole life,” said her son
in the form of a $25,000 donation to Harbourfront Theatre
including a box full of old playbills and scripts from productions over the years
the brothers quickly decided they wanted to do something to honour her legacy and considered a few options
They ultimately settled on the Harbourfront Theatre because of her strong connection to the facility
as a way to give back to the community and certainly for her,” said Scott
working at the front door or being on stage
She spent a lot of time there – and loved it.”
said she was honoured and delighted by the family’s donation
even before they both began working at Harbourfront
“She was an educator and a passionate advocate of the arts and she performed in some community productions
“One of her favourite things to become a volunteer for were the kids’ shows
Whether it be a dance school that was doing a dance recital
or doing their own school plays … She had a real heart for it.”
The money will go toward a new program the theatre is launching called Stages for Students
It’s an initiative the theatre has wanted to do for a while
in the hope of exposing a new generation of youth to the performing arts
There are financial barriers to buying tickets for kids
renting the theatre to their shows,” said Dennis
wouldn’t it be great if we could just offer this at no charge?”
Harbourfront will offer some shows to local schools for free
The fund will also be available to help offset some stage rental costs for local schools as well
“Because of where it came from and who it came from
she had communicated to her family just how much Harbourfront meant to her
that they would know to come and approach us to make such a donation
While a love of performing didn’t quite pass on to her children
Bill said they did inherit their mother’s support and appreciation of the arts
“and I think that’s a large part of the donation
We really wanted to honour Mom’s memory and honour her love of theatre
and her lifelong commitment to volunteering in the community.”
As Marcia was equal parts a performer and teacher
Scott said there was no better way to preserve her legacy
“There’s folks in schools who can go see live performances
they can set up their own plays and take advantage of the joy of performing.”
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