Public safety minister faces questions surrounding extreme weather resiliency in P.E.I.
Questions about a program meant to get generators to gas stations in case of widespread power outages were raised recently in the P.E.I. legislature.
After post-tropical storm Fiona hit P.E.I. in 2022, power outages across the province meant many gas stations weren't able to sell gas.
Speaking during the April 9 question period, Liberal MLA Robert Henderson said the government launched a fuel station resiliency program. It was announced that 45 gas stations would access $1.5 million in funding and have emergency backup generators operational by the fall of 2024, Henderson said.
'Minister, have all 45 received funding to install a generator, and if the power was off for any substantial period of time, are those generators operational currently?' Henderson asked Public Safety Minister Bloyce Thompson.
Unable to give a definitive answer at the time, Thompson said it is one of the programs he is proud of after seeing what happened as a result of Fiona.
'Now we can get fuel from tip to tip across this Island because of generators if there's an Island-wide power outage again. I'll have to go check on those numbers, but a large portion of them are up and running if not all of them,' he said.
In a statement to The Guardian, the Department of Justice and Public Safety said to date, 35 fuel stations and one propane distributor had their generators installed and 10 were awaiting installation.
Henderson said the O'Leary Co-op Shell station is one retailer that has a generator in operational condition. However, he wanted further explanation from the public safety minister regarding programs surrounding extreme weather resilience.
'In 2023, a program called the reception centre resiliency fund was developed for community halls. How many, minister, have become active as reception centres and have their generators operational in that particular program?' Henderson asked.
Once again, Thompson asked for time to get the exact details.
'I'll have to get the numbers on how many are actually up and running, but I know there are four main Island ones across the Island that are up and running at any given moment, that can support Islanders at any time,' he said.
The statement The Guardian received said as of March 31, $1.5 million has been approved for 28 designated reception centres across P.E.I. to purchase or support renovations necessary for operating a reception centre.
'Of those, 17 included generator installation,' said the statement.
Further, the statement said that between 2019 and 2023, the government provided funding to 24 community centres and fire halls for infrastructure or equipment, including generators, that increased their capacity to operate as reception centres.
During question period, Henderson said he wasn't there to criticize the minister.
'I think both of those programs are good programs, and I do think it's important that we get them up and operational as quick as they are,' he said.
However, Henderson said workers at the O'Leary Farmers Co-op and the Ellerslie Rite Stop are telling him they have to install a generator because they cannot take the risk of losing product due to a power outage.
'As we know in this house, the power outages are happening a little more frequently than they used to,' he added.
'When will something be done to protect our grocery outlets? If gas is an essential service … maybe it's a rather logical step that you have the grocery stores open so that you can get those groceries, Minister,' Henderson said.
Thompson said Henderson raised a good point.
'I know that that organization did approach us for a generator. They don't sell fuel, so they didn't qualify on that, but this is a unique situation in this member's area that I am willing to look at,' said Thompson.
Thompson also raised the possibility of partnering with rural development services and the Emergency Measures Organization to devise a solution to help with food security during power outages.
The following are the future locations of gas stations getting generators, as per the provincial government's
website
:
Yutaro Sasaki is a Local Journalism Initiative reporter, a position funded by the federal government. He can be reached at
ysasaki@postmedia.com
and followed on X
@PEyutarosasaki
.
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