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Hamilton Spectator
06-05-2025
- Politics
- Hamilton Spectator
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@ and followed on X @PEyutarosasaki .
CBC
24-02-2025
- CBC
Summerside developer charged with threatening to kill provincial staff
Social Sharing A Summerside area developer is facing a number of criminal charges, including threatening to kill provincial government employees. Strategic Holdings Inc. and its owner and president Nathan Kember are facing nearly a dozen charges under the Environmental Protection Act (EPA) after the province alleges work was being done around a wetland without the proper permits at a property on Water Street East in Summerside. Court documents show that Kember has also been charged with obstructing a peace officer, mischief, uttering threats and driving in a way that put the public at risk. None of the allegations have been proven in court and no pleas have been entered. The documents viewed by CBC News allege that during an incident in October, Kember was "preventing the seizure of heavy equipment" and stopped a constable with the Department of Justice and Public Safety from carrying out duties under the Environmental Prevention Act. Summerside Police also allege that Kember committed mischief by preventing a tow truck from removing heavy equipment from 674 Water St. East — the listed address of Strategic Holding's office — and also drove a vehicle in a way that was dangerous to the public. The final allegation is that Kember "did knowingly utter a threat to [three individuals] to cause death to [same three individuals]". Summerside-area developer and his company facing environmental charges related to waterways 2 months ago Duration 1:23 Documents filed in P.E.I. court show that Strategic Holdings and its president Nathan Kember have been charged under the Environmental Protection Act for doing work around waterways without the proper permits. At least two of those alleged victims listed in court documents are employees of the provincial government in the departments of Justice and Public Safety and Environment, Energy and Climate Action, respectively. A Cox and Palmer lawyer representing Kember appeared in court on his behalf on February 5 and asked for an adjournment. The lawyer told the judge they were having resolution discussions with the Crown and expected to make significant progress on those talks in the coming weeks. He did not rule out the possibility of a trial. Continues to work on housing: lawyer CBC News also spoke with Kember and his lawyer, Jordan Brown, last week. Kember told CBC News he originally planned to build the Water St. East apartment building in 2020, when it was approved by the city, but delayed the plans due to the impact of inflation. He also shared a document that appears to be an approved permit from the Department of Environment to work in the buffer zone around the property — issued in August 2020 and expiring Dec. 31, 2020. "Mr. Kember continues to work on a significant, much needed 70+ acre housing development, in the City of Summerside," Brown said in an emailed statement to CBC. "Through this process, his goal will be to create a space that the city and its residents can be proud of, including significant green space, walking trails, and much-needed housing, done in a sustainable manner. "Mr. Kember has been working with Officials from the City of Summerside and the Department of Environment for five plus years on this project. We continue to work with these folks and the Crown in an effort to resolve these issues and to ensure the best development possible for the City of Summerside." The statement did not address the criminal charges against Kember.
Yahoo
30-01-2025
- Yahoo
Excessively fortified buildings may be deemed public safety risks under proposed P.E.I. legislation
The P.E.I. government is asking Islanders for feedback on proposed legislation that would regulate buildings with excessive security features, which officials say can pose risks to public safety. The new law aims to address structures that have extreme security measures such as heavy-duty metal doors, reinforced windows and bulletproof glass. Brody Connolly, the province's director of public safety at the Department of Justice and Public Safety, said these features can create serious risks by obstructing or delaying entry for emergency responders. "When buildings are excessively fortified, it not only complicates police work, but it also endangers the public," Connolly said. "What this legislation does is it adds another tool for us in improving public safety on P.E.I. — for police and for first responders moving forward." Long-awaited law This legislation is something that Andy Cook has long hoped to see implemented. He's currently an instructor at the Atlantic Police Academy, with a background in drug investigations, uniform policing, outlaw motorcycle gang investigations, intelligence, prevention and education. The entrance to an apartment building in Maple Ridge, B.C. is fortified with barbed wire, metal gates, and a metal door with a deadbolt, as seen in this 2019 file photo. The P.E.I. government is asking Islanders for feedback on proposed legislation that would regulate buildings with excessive security measures like these. (Maggie MacPherson/CBC) Between 2016 and 2020, when Cook was the province's outlaw motorcycle gang coordinator with RCMP, he discussed the need for an act regulating fortified buildings with the government, he said. Seeing similar laws in other provinces, Cook said, he welcomes P.E.I.'s decision to move forward with its own version. "Certainly, this was something that could have been useful to us at the time, and I'm glad to see that it's made its way through and is going to be brought in," he told CBC News. Fortified buildings 'tend to attract criminal activity' The draft legislation considers several factors when determining whether a fortified building poses a threat to public safety. Aside from emergency personnel's ability to access the building, officials will also assess whether the fortifications could prevent people inside from escaping in an emergency. Andy Cook, an instructor at the Atlantic Police Academy, says he welcomes the proposed legislation, as it was something he had discussed with the government during his time as an the province's outlaw motorcycle gang coordinator from 2016 to 2020. (CBC) The law would also take into account the building's location, including its proximity to schools, playgrounds, and other areas where children may be present, as well as the intended use of the building, and any history of criminal activity at the location. "But also, those types of buildings tend to attract criminal activity," Cook said. He recalled back in 2017 when police executed a search warrant on a Hells Angels hangaround club in Charlottetown, where he noted some rudimentary fortifications inside the building. The clubhouse's entry door was reinforced, and there was no egress window in the basement, Cook said. Under the proposed legislation, if authorities determine a building's security measures are excessive, they could order the property owner to remove certain features. Failure to comply could result in the building being shut down. Cook believes the new law would complement existing regulations, such as the Unsightly Property Act and municipal Dangerous, Hazardous and Unsightly Premises Bylaw. "There are a lot of things you can put together to get a good result to deal with problem properties," he said. Islanders can provide feedback on the proposal by mailing or emailing it to the department by February 15th.
CBC
30-01-2025
- CBC
Excessively fortified buildings may be deemed public safety risks under proposed P.E.I. legislation
The P.E.I. government is asking Islanders for feedback on proposed legislation that would regulate buildings with excessive security features, which officials say can pose risks to public safety. The new law aims to address structures that have extreme security measures such as heavy-duty metal doors, reinforced windows and bulletproof glass. Brody Connolly, the province's director of public safety at the Department of Justice and Public Safety, said these features can create serious risks by obstructing or delaying entry for emergency responders. "When buildings are excessively fortified, it not only complicates police work, but it also endangers the public," Connolly said. "What this legislation does is it adds another tool for us in improving public safety on P.E.I. — for police and for first responders moving forward." Long-awaited law This legislation is something that Andy Cook has long hoped to see implemented. He's currently an instructor at the Atlantic Police Academy, with a background in drug investigations, uniform policing, outlaw motorcycle gang investigations, intelligence, prevention and education. Between 2016 and 2020, when Cook was the province's outlaw motorcycle gang coordinator with RCMP, he discussed the need for an act regulating fortified buildings with the government, he said. Seeing similar laws in other provinces, Cook said, he welcomes P.E.I.'s decision to move forward with its own version. "Certainly, this was something that could have been useful to us at the time, and I'm glad to see that it's made its way through and is going to be brought in," he told CBC News. Fortified buildings 'tend to attract criminal activity' The draft legislation considers several factors when determining whether a fortified building poses a threat to public safety. Aside from emergency personnel's ability to access the building, officials will also assess whether the fortifications could prevent people inside from escaping in an emergency. The law would also take into account the building's location, including its proximity to schools, playgrounds, and other areas where children may be present, as well as the intended use of the building, and any history of criminal activity at the location. "But also, those types of buildings tend to attract criminal activity," Cook said. He recalled back in 2017 when police executed a search warrant on a Hells Angels hangaround club in Charlottetown, where he noted some rudimentary fortifications inside the building. The clubhouse's entry door was reinforced, and there was no egress window in the basement, Cook said. Under the proposed legislation, if authorities determine a building's security measures are excessive, they could order the property owner to remove certain features. Failure to comply could result in the building being shut down. Cook believes the new law would complement existing regulations, such as the Unsightly Property Act and municipal Dangerous, Hazardous and Unsightly Premises Bylaw. "There are a lot of things you can put together to get a good result to deal with problem properties," he said.
