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CBC
12-05-2025
- Politics
- CBC
City asks for meeting on Park Street services, but P.E.I. housing minister says it's pointless
Social Sharing The City of Charlottetown wants more details on the province's long-term plan for services within its boundaries directed at those facing homelessness, but Prince Edward Island's housing minister says he doesn't know what such a meeting would accomplish. Steven Myers and the city have been at odds about the location of an emergency overnight shelter and the Community Outreach Centre, which currently sit at 15 Park St. in Charlottetown's southeast end. In late April, Mayor Philip Brown sent a letter to Myers asking for a meeting to discuss what's going to happen with the services. "From a planning perspective, we stand by our decision in rejecting the province's proposed amendment to [the] Zoning and Development Bylaw that would allow the continued operation of the shelter and centre," Brown wrote in the letter. "However, since the province has affirmed its intention to continue operations at the Park Street site through changes to the Planning Act, it's vital that the city and the province work together toward long-term solutions to support individuals with complex social service needs in appropriate community settings." Back in March, Charlottetown council voted to reject the province's request for a zoning change that would have allowed the shelter and outreach centre to remain on Park Street. Two days later, Myers said that vote didn't matter: The province would set up a special planning zone in the area that would allow both operations to stay in place, effectively overriding council's decision. The mayor could say 'Put it on the moon,' and I could care less what he thinks. — Steven Myers, P.E.I.'s housing minister On Friday, the housing minister told CBC News there have been several meetings between the province and city, so he's not sure what's left to discuss. "I don't know what would be accomplished in a meeting. We have a minister's task force on housing that the mayor was invited to be a part of and he decided he didn't want to be part of it, so he's had lots of opportunity to be a willing part of this," Myers said. "I'm not really sure where this would come from at this point, after being such a negative force on such a positive solution." WATCH | 'I could care less what he thinks': Myers dismisses Charlottetown mayor's opinions on Park Street: 'I could care less what he thinks': Myers dismisses Charlottetown mayor's opinions on Park Street 25 minutes ago Duration 1:58 The City of Charlottetown wants to meet with P.E.I. Housing Minister Steven Myers about the provincial emergency shelter and outreach centre located on Park Street, but Myers doesn't think that's necessary. He says the province has bought some homes in the area and the plan is to turn them into social housing. CBC's Tony Davis reports. The mayor has suggested Acadian Drive near the Queen Elizabeth Hospital as a possible location for the services. On Friday, Myers made it clear that he's not taking any suggestions. "The mayor could say 'Put it on the moon,' and I could care less what he thinks." In the meantime, the province has been buying up some properties near Park Street, and those homes might be turned into social housing. The province's long-term plan to help fight homelessness is to transition to a model that involves providing stable housing first, then incorporating support services. Myers says the province hopes to do that starting with a 24-unit building in the Park Street area later this year. "We think that when that happens, the sheltering need will lower a lot," he said. "Some of our long-term tenants… the ones that come every night and we know are participating and trying to work inside our system to get on a better track, we think we can put them in a better housing situation."
CBC
25-04-2025
- Politics
- CBC
Opposition pushing for 24-hour access to shelters as P.E.I. housing crisis drags on
Social Sharing There were questions in the P.E.I. legislature Thursday about the need for people who don't have housing to have 24-hour access to shelters across the Island. The topic was raised after a Liberal motion on the issue was defeated earlier in the week. Currently, Charlottetown has the Park Street Emergency Shelter, which is run by the province and operates seven days a week from 8 p.m. to 8 a.m. People staying there must leave for the day, returning each night. In Summerside, a 10-bed emergency shelter at 25 Frank Mellish Dr. opened six months ago. The provincially operated facility is open seven days a week, from 5 p.m. to 8 a.m. Opposition MLA Gord McNeilly asked about the level of government support for vulnerable Islanders, and the impact of limited shelter hours on them. "How do you expect someone to rebuild their life, find a job, attend appointments, manage their help when they're forced to carry every possession they have on their back and wander the streets for hours until beds open up again the next night?" McNeilly said in the legislature Thursday. In response, Barb Ramsay, P.E.I.'s minister of social development and seniors, noted that the Community Outreach Centre, adjacent to the Park Street shelter, is open during daytime and can offer support for people leaving the shelter during non-operating hours. "We can always do better, but I'm very pleased with where we are. We're going to continue to work towards making the most vulnerable Islanders as comfortable as we can," she said. Meanwhile in Summerside, Ramsay pointed out that there are two shelters in the city that are already open around the clock: the LifeHouse Transitional Housing and Emergency Shelter for women and the men's shelter on Winter Street. The overnight shelter on Frank Mellish Drive began operations last year. "We just opened the emergency shelter six months ago. We're getting there, but it takes a little bit of time and a lot of money. So it's hard to have it both ways, but we're doing the best we can and we're going to continue to do that," Ramsay said. 'We have a plan' In a further response to McNeilly, Premier Rob Lantz mentioned the province's housing-first approach to support people dealing with homelessness, focusing on transitional housing and supportive housing. It's part of the five-year plan the government announced last year to increase the housing supply in response to the ongoing accommodations crisis on P.E.I. Rents have increased sharply over the past several years and the vacancy rate remains below 1 per cent. "We have a plan to move forward to improve those services. The minister himself has talked about his housing-first model," Lantz said, referring to Housing Minister Steven Myers. "He is at this moment doing research on how to unroll that program and provide further services for the unhoused in Prince Edward Island." McNeilly then pointed to the 2024 Point in Time count conducted by the John Howard Society on P.E.I. showing the number of homeless people on the Island appears to have more than doubled in three years. "This is a disaster," the MLA said. "Housing First is six to seven years away at best. What are you following for people who need shelter tonight?" In response, Lantz said: "We do have a task force of community members and partners from all across the province, who meet on a monthly basis, who are devising a plan for moving forward to responding to the needs of Islanders with complex needs." "We'll continue to invest, but emergency services are just that; they are for emergency services. We have a long-term plan to house people in appropriate housing, so that they can move on with their lives with dignity."
CBC
31-03-2025
- Politics
- CBC
Political panel talks week 1 of P.E.I. Legislature's spring sitting
From the province's controversial deal with the National Hockey League, P.E.I.'s tariff response plan, and a showdown between two levels of government over the Community Outreach Centre, CBC News: Compass host Louise Martin speaks with Sally Pitt and Paul MacNeill about the first week in the legislative assembly.
CBC
31-03-2025
- Health
- CBC
Political turf war over outreach centre comes at expense of vulnerable Islanders, says advocate
Social Sharing An advocate who works to get vulnerable people housed says the Community Outreach Centre's location on Park Street in Charlottetown is making a difference, but recent political debates over whether it should stay there are creating uncertainty for those who rely on its services. Chris Clay, the co-ordinator of the Native Council of P.E.I.'s Reaching Home project, said he's seen first-hand how the centre provides critical support to Islanders who are often overlooked or stigmatized. "I've seen a huge improvement in the services at the outreach center. The clinic that they're running now is fantastic," he told CBC's Island Morning. "It helps address a lot of needs to the population that don't often get to see doctors. The services that the case managers are doing down there are phenomenal, and they're providing such good help to the people who need it." Political dispute over location Park Street is the outreach centre's fifth location since it first opened in January 2020 at 211 Euston St. to serve Islanders in need of access to financial assistance, counselling, employment, food and housing. Some residents in the area have expressed concerns about the location, citing fears for their safety. There were similar complaints when the centre was located on Euston Street. Clay said the current location has worked well because it's within walking distance of downtown Charlottetown and essential services. But the future of the centre and the nearby emergency shelter recently became the focus of a heated debate between the City of Charlottetown and the P.E.I. government. Last week, city council voted to reject the province's request for a zoning change that would have allowed the operations to remain on Park Street. Two days later, P.E.I. Housing Minister Steven Myers said the province would set up a special zone in the area that would allow the shelter and outreach centre to stay in place, effectively overriding council's decision. Myers went as far as using words like "lies" and "coward" when referring to the city's vote against the zoning change. Mayor Philip Brown later told CBC News he wants to avoid what he called a "sandbox fight," but he did not rule out taking the province to court over the issue. Charlottetown mayor wants Federation of P.E.I. Municipalities to step in on Park Street dispute 3 days ago Duration 6:42 'This is not just about Charlottetown,' Mayor Philip Brown warned as he responded to the P.E.I. government's move to give itself planning power over the Park Street parcel of land that hosts outreach services for vulnerable Islanders. That followed a vote by Brown's council to deny the province a variance to let the services stay in that part of Charlottetown. Brown spoke with Louise Martin of CBC News: Compass about the standoff. Clay said the political discord is happening just as staff at the outreach centre are seeing positive results. "Every time we get a few steps ahead, we seem to find barriers," he said. "It affects the people who access the services and the service providers who are trying to give them out. If we don't have a central location to work from, then it's hard to find this population." Clay acknowledged that political discussions are necessary because funding for the outreach centre and shelter comes through government. "I just wish that it would be through a lens of more caring about the population that they're arguing over." Vulnerable population, staff bearing the brunt Clay said the uncertainty surrounding the location of these services is making life even more difficult for vulnerable people. "They're the ones that get the brunt of the anger," he said. "It's not so much the political side of the argument, but the neighbourhoods, the public interactions — it often casts the people who need the services in the worst eye." Then there's the impact on the staff. "It's hard to set down connections. Our job is based a lot on relationships, and if you can't build a relationship of stability, then it's hard to keep providing the services to the people who need them the most." 'Anchor of stability' Looking ahead, Clay believes moving the centre again would be costly and unnecessary. "If both sides could meet and come with a better plan going forward on how to provide services instead of fighting over locations, we can better serve the people," he said. Housing Minister Steven Myers on province's decision to make Park Street a 'special planning area' 4 days ago Duration 7:14 P.E.I.'s minister of housing is standing firm on the location of the Community Outreach Centre and emergency shelter in Charlottetown. As Steven Myers tells Louise Martin of CBC News: Compass, the province is enacting a regulatory amendment to ensure it stays on Park Street. Some city councillors have suggested decentralizing services instead of keeping everything in one location. Clay noted there is already a level of decentralization, with the offices of organizations like Peers Alliance, the Canadian Mental Health Association and the Native Council of P.E.I. spread across Charlottetown. "Everything else around them is chaos. If you're living rough, there's a lot of reasons — you know, economic struggles, mental health struggles, addiction issues — there's a lot of reasons to be homelessness," Clay said. "To have one little anchor of stability in that storm is [massive]." Last year, the P.E.I. government released a five-year plan aimed at increasing the province's housing supply and addressing the ongoing housing crisis. The strategy takes a housing-first approach to people dealing with homelessness, focusing on transitional and supportive housing. Clay said that plan is still in its early stages, but "the direction is definitely on the right path." Discussions are ongoing about the kind of housing needed to set people up for success. He pointed to an existing program, the Salvation Army's New Roots initiative, as an example of what works. The program provides supportive transitional housing with caseworker check-ins to ensure clients are doing well. "Those programs are starting to show the province and our funders that more supportive, more wrap-around supports will lead to more successful client interaction."
CBC
28-01-2025
- Business
- CBC
Charlottetown Curling Club aims for new home in Stratford's community campus
After a few years without a permanent home, the Charlottetown Curling Club is working toward establishing a new location within the Town of Stratford's upcoming community campus. The club's president, Blair Weeks, said the group has been collaborating with the town for about three years to explore the possibility of bringing a curling facility to the community. Construction is underway in Stratford on a new community campus that includes sports fields, a high school and a $85-million multipurpose wellness centre featuring two ice surfaces. Weeks hopes the Charlottetown Curling Club can be a part of the campus. "We've had regular meetings with Stratford town staff. They're doing their final plans and working on an agreement that we'll consider when they pass it on in the near future," Weeks told CBC News. "It's our job to get our share of the money in place, and we're working on that. And so I would say in the next few months we'll have a serious discussion on the agreement, and then we're hoping to be part of the facility." Charlottetown curlers eye Stratford as new home for their club 29 minutes ago Duration 2:52 Stratford's new campus presents a "wonderful opportunity" for curlers in the capital region, said Robbie Doherty, a professional curler and commentator who played out of Charlottetown. "After travelling the nation with the Grand Slam of Curling for the past 8 years, I have seen first hand what a community hub a curling club can serve as. And the best part — there is room for everyone!" Doherty said in a written statement. The Town of Stratford said it has received inquiries from various recreational organizations, including the Charlottetown Curling Club. "We remain committed to collaborating with them on establishing a curling facility in Stratford," Mayor Steve Ogden said in a written statement. Finding home ice The Charlottetown Curling Club, previously located at 241 Euston St., has faced significant challenges since the pandemic. The ice plant broke down and, with repairs proving too costly, the club ultimately sold the building to the province for $1.5 million in 2021. The site became home to the Community Outreach Centre. However, with the outreach centre now relocated to Park Street, the building remains vacant. Get a bird's eye view of Stratford's new community campus 7 days ago Duration 2:43 The town's community campus spans 170 acres of land and will include six soccer fields, three baseball diamonds and a cricket pitch. But the big-ticket item on the campus will be an $85-million wellness centre. CBC's Wayne Thibodeau explains how it's all shaping up. Weeks said the club had initially hoped to stay in Charlottetown and be a part of the new Simmons Sports Centre with its NHL-sized rink. But the Simmons project was already too far along in its planning for the club to join. Funding opportunities Weeks said the Charlottetown Curling Club has worked with an architect to draft an initial design for a facility in Stratford, estimating the cost at $8.4 million. The club is prepared to contribute funding to the project, he said, using proceeds from the sale of the Euston Street building, as well as the interest earned on those funds. "We're quite pleased that we have a significant amount of money to put down to contribute to the facility," Weeks said, adding that the club is also exploring funding opportunities from the provincial and federal governments. Weeks hopes the new facility could open by 2027. The club has already received a grant from the 2023 Canada Games Legacy Fund, which has been used to purchase curling rocks. In the meantime, Charlottetown curlers have been using rinks in Cornwall, Montague, Summerside, and other communities. Weeks hopes that if a new facility is established in Stratford, it will not only provide a permanent home for the club but also introduce curling to many new players. "My long-term goal is to be able to teach, let's say, 300 new people in the Town of Stratford how to curl," he said. "That's really what I'm looking forward to."
