Latest news with #LandandCommunities
CBC
01-05-2025
- Business
- CBC
Borden-Carleton mayor concerned over MLA's public meeting about proposed gas station
Social Sharing The mayor of Borden-Carleton is raising concerns about a public meeting to be held Monday by the area's MLA, Matt MacFarlane, about the planning of a fourth gas station in the town. The proposed project, to be built by D.P. Murphy at the corner of the Trans-Canada Highway and the Dickie Road, would include a gas station, coffee shop and convenience store. It's sparked discussion in the community in the past, with some residents and business owners saying the town of about 800 people is already "well served" by three other gas stations. The proposal is under review by the Island Regulatory and Appeals Commission, which is responsible for approving retail gas outlets on the Island. In a letter to Housing, Land and Communities Minister Steven Myers, Borden-Carleton Mayor Randy Ahearn said MacFarlane's meeting could cause issues. MLA's meeting 'undermines integrity of municipal planning process,' Borden-Carleton mayor warns 3 hours ago Duration 2:14 Borden-Carleton officials are expressing concern about a public meeting being planned on a proposed gas station development. The district's Green MLA has organized it. The P.E.I. town's mayor says the meeting risks causing confusion about the planning process. Now the provincial minister involved, Steven Myers (shown), is weighing in. CBC's Wayne Thibodeau has the story. "The MLA's decision to host a separate meeting — without any consultation with town council — undermines the integrity of the municipal planning process," he wrote. "This is not an official part of the planning framework and risks creating confusion among residents, while signaling to potential investors that due process can be sidestepped for political purposes." Ahearn said planning and developing are "core municipal responsibilities," adding: "When an MLA initiates parallel processes, it not only disrupts community trust — it may deter future developers who question whether their projects will be reviewed fairly and predictably under the planning act." 'These are my constituents too' Myers said he doesn't think the project needs additional oversight in the form of MacFarlane's meeting. "After I got the letter, I sought out legal advice to see what path we could chart to make sure the town not only felt that they were supported, but... have the room to operate without having to stickhandle a backbench MLA," Myers told CBC News on Tuesday. "This is all well inside the governance framework that is set up by the provincial government so, you know, we don't feel like it needs extra oversight at this point, but for some reason Matt MacFarlane does." IRAC's public hearing is scheduled for May 13. In the meantime, MacFarlane said he doesn't see what's wrong with setting up a meeting with his constituents on a topic of public interest. "This is an opportunity for people to speak on both sides of the issue if they want, and my intention is to make note of what I'm hearing, what people say and I'll send those comments along to IRAC as part of their deliberation process," he said. This repeated pattern is deeply troubling. — Randy Ahearn, Borden-Carleton mayor "I recognize they're a part of the town, but these are my constituents too, and they reach out to me and they... want to know what they can do to have their voices heard." Ahearn said this isn't the first time MacFarlane has hosted a public meeting about an upcoming project in the town. "A similar situation occurred during discussions around the Fabrication Yard Project. This repeated pattern is deeply troubling," he wrote in his letter to Myers. For his part, MacFarlane said he wants to meet with town officials before the public meeting. "I continue to communicate regularly with the town and their new CAO," he said. "If we can get a chance to get together before the public meeting, great. I'm hoping we can." Statement sent from town CBC News asked for an interview with Ahearn about his letter. He was not available Wednesday, but the town sent a statement. "The matter in question is currently before the Island Regulatory and Appeals Commission (IRAC), and it is essential that the established regulatory and planning process is respected and followed. It would be inappropriate for members of council to comment on an application that is currently being processed by IRAC," the statement reads. "In the interest of due process of integrity, we trust that all parties — including the MLA in question — will allow the IRAC process and the town's planning framework to proceed without undue influence or parallel initiatives."
CBC
24-04-2025
- Business
- CBC
Proposed changes for non-Islanders buying municipal property facing criticism
Social Sharing A proposed change to how non-residents would be allowed to buy property on Prince Edward Island is raising concerns about the consequences it could have on municipalities. P.E.I.'s Department of Housing, Land and Communities is proposing an amendment to the Lands Protection Act, a unique piece of legislation that includes limitations on non-resident and corporate land ownership in the province. The change would lead to people who are not Island residents needing cabinet approval to buy properties of one acre or less that are located within municipalities with an official plan. According to the province, the amendment is meant to create more transparency and oversight over who owns land on the 1.4 million-acre Island. The Federation of P.E.I. Municipalities worries about the repercussions, though. "I understand the government's rationale behind bringing this legislation. Land protection is important," said Satya Sen, the federation's executive director. "But there could be unintended consequences by introducing this legislation." The proposed amendment says that if someone who doesn't yet own property on P.E.I. wants to buy a house on a plot measuring under one acre — and that house is in a municipality with an official plan — the person will need cabinet approval. But if the desired property is outside a municipality with a plan, cabinet approval would not be required to buy land of five acres or less. Sen is concerned that the "bureaucratic red tape" will result in people preferring to buy properties outside municipal boundaries, and that could lead to sprawl in areas that don't have the infrastructure to support it. "Municipalities are best positioned to manage growth and welcome people, new residents, new Islanders," he said. "Is the cabinet ready to approve all the applications, even for a single lot in Charlottetown brought by an incoming doctor or a nurse from a different province? I don't think that's the role of cabinet in this regard." WATCH | Satya Sen thinks more amalgamation could be the solution for municipal funding crunches on P.E.I.: Is more amalgamation the solution for municipal funding crunches on P.E.I.? Some say maybe... 21 days ago Duration 6:52 The idea of municipal amalgamation in Prince Edward Island can be a contentious topic, with lots of local pride on the line. But the Federation of P.E.I. Municipalities says it could be a longer-term fix for funding. Satya Sen, the federation's executive director, talks to CBC News: Compass host Louise Martin. 'Not the end of the conversation' The P.E.I. Real Estate Association has problems with it too. In a letter to the province, the association raised concerns ranging from the potential negative impact on immigration to how the move could hurt local homeowners who are trying to sell their houses. "The negative impacts listed above greatly outweigh any potential positives," the letter said. In the context of a housing crisis, policies that further limit access to housing — whether by reducing demand or investor participation — only exacerbate affordability issues. "In the context of a housing crisis, policies that further limit access to housing — whether by reducing demand or investor participation — only exacerbate affordability issues." Land use across P.E.I. has been a topic of discussion for decades. In February, the province said changes to the Lands Protection Act would be tabled "to enhance oversight of land holdings for non-residents." That announcement came the same day that Land Minister Steven Myers said he had ordered a new investigation into Buddhist land holdings in the province. WATCH | How much land do Buddhist groups on P.E.I. control? Here's why it's hard to come up with a number: How much land do Buddhist groups on P.E.I. control? Here's why it's hard to come up with a number 2 months ago Duration 3:10 It's a direct question... but also an indirect question: How much land do two Buddhist organizations in the province control? The Island Regulatory and Appeals Commission is diving into the mystery after the province recently ordered a review. CBC's Kerry Campbell, who has spent years covering the ins and outs of the province's Lands Protection Act, takes a look at the numbers that are publicly available so far. Boyd Allen with the Coalition for the Protection of P.E.I. Lands said he is pleased to see that updating the act is on the government's radar. Still, he doesn't understand why this is the priority rather than the concept of beneficial ownership. That's a mechanism under the act to try to determine whether large land owners might control land under different names or corporations, and thus be able to skirt land ownership limits. "If you're going to look at the Land Protection Act and put it under the microscope and make amendments to it, then you have to look at other items which have been, up to this point, not addressed," Allen said. Allen also has concerns about the public engagement process and wonders if this will be the model for future amendments. "It's a frustration because it was announced on a Friday afternoon and attached to it was a two-week comment window, which ended on Good Friday," he said. There was no guarantee that what was being said was being noted or listened to or considered. "There wasn't much opportunity for those concerned about this to actually speak to it. And given the structure, there was no guarantee that what was being said was being noted or listened to or considered." Sen agrees that this proposal requires more discussion and said he would also like additional details. For example, he's not sure what it means for municipal properties measuring between one and five acres. "You can protect the land while not being protectionist about it," he said. "If the government [wants] to have more consultation on this legislation before it is tabled, that would be great. If not, I understand the government's position on this. However, this is not the end of the conversation." Province reviewing submissions The province said Myers won't speak to the proposal until it gets tabled in the legislature. It also said provincial staff are reviewing the submissions from the consultations and may make changes based on the feedback before tabling the bill. P.E.I.'s Lands Protection Act came into effect in 1982, in part as a response to concerns about ownership of the province's limited land base being concentrated under large corporations including those controlled by the Irving family in New Brunswick. The act requires non-residents and corporations to seek cabinet approval if a land purchase would push their total land holdings beyond five acres, or if it includes 165 feet of shorefront. The act also includes overall limits on land ownership of 1,000 acres per individual and 3,000 acres for corporations, with additional allowances for things like non-arable land or land leased out to someone else.
CBC
26-03-2025
- Health
- CBC
Charlottetown council votes against letting shelter and outreach centre stay on Park Street
Charlottetown's council has voted to reject the P.E.I. government's application to keep its emergency overnight shelter and Community Outreach Centre operating at their current location. During a special council meeting on Tuesday night, city councillors voted 8-2 to reject the province's request for a zoning change to cover the operations on Park Street in Charlottetown. Approving it would have allowed both services to remain in the area indefinitely, although the province had previously insisted the location would be temporary. The timeline for what happens next is unclear. Housing, Land and Communities Minister Steven Myers had previously suggested the province would find a way to fight or nullify a city vote on the matter. "My vote was based on… land use and community impact," says Deputy Mayor Alanna Jankov, who voted against letting the services continue at the Park Street site. "Wasn't an easy decision, not at all, and I can only hope we can continue building that relationship and working collaboratively with the province on what we can do as the City of Charlottetown to help facilitate and find areas [where] these services can be serviced in our community." The province was asking the city to amend its Eastern Gateway Project master plan, the city's official plan, and Charlottetown's zoning and development bylaw to allow the two services to continue operating. The overnight shelter was set up to provide safe housing for people who didn't have a place to stay, operating seven days a week between the hours of 8 p.m. and 8 a.m. The outreach centre is designed to serve people dealing with mental health issues, coping with issues that accompany homelessness, and struggling to get back on their feet. If they don't comply, then they get an order. Then from here it's court; it's the same process for any applicant. — Deputy Mayor Alanna Jankov "It's a difficult social struggle we are having right now with mental health and addictions," Jankov acknowledged. But the city has spent $16 million to implement the Eastern Gateway Project in the last year or so, she went on to point out. Water and Grafton streets were realigned, and the intersection at the Hillsborough Bridge was reworked, to let the part of the city that includes the Park Street area become a hub of new development focused on the waterfront near the Hillsborough River. Expires end of month The temporary zoning variance allowing the outreach centre to operate at Park Street will expire by the end of March, while the variance that let the emergency shelter keep running expired in December 2024. "They'll no longer be adhering to an existing bylaw, so that will be something the provincial staff and city staff will work on, when that process will begin," Jankov said, adding there is usually a 30-day grace period. "If they don't comply, then they get an order. Then from here it's court; it's the same process for any applicant," she said. The province has 21 days to appeal the decision to the Island Regulatory and Appeals Commission, according to Jankov. Late last year, Myers stated that no matter what council decided, the shelter and outreach centre would stay at Park Street. After city staff recommended denying the province's application in February, Myers wrote to express his disappointment with the decision. His letter noted that before the 50-bed shelter opened, Charlottetown had struggled to deal with a large encampment that had sprung up at the event grounds near the western end of the Hillsborough Bridge. The emergency shelter had a usage rate of 97 per cent in January, according to the province's website that tracks shelter use across the Island. 2 votes in favour of services staying Terry Bernard and John McAleer were the two councillors who voted on Tuesday night to keep the services in place, despite neighbours' complaints about disruptions near the site that included loitering and property damage. On top of that, Coun. Mitch Tweel has long talked about problems related to people using drugs in nearby Joe Ghiz Park. "My understanding is [that] inside the fenced area, the people that need help are getting that help and they are recovering. It's outside the fence where issues seem to be," Bernard said. "It's difficult because you don't want to see residents go through what some of them are going through, with their quality of life and the changes. At the same time, to say no to this — what happens? Where do they go? [Do] encampments start up again? "The police are saying this is going to be much more difficult for them to police," Bernard said. People concerned about the Park Street location of the services filled the council chamber on Tuesday night, driving home their past statements about feeling unsafe in their own neighbourhood. Complaints were similar when the Community Outreach Centre was located on Euston Street, before it was moved to Park Street in 2024. "I've been dealing with the file for the last two years, and I have been very close to the residents in and around that area and I have heard first-hand... the challenges that are being faced down there," said Coun. Justin Muttart, who represents Ward 2, which includes Park Street. "People feel that their safety is in jeopardy. They also feel their quality of life has diminished." Businesses 'don't want to deal with it' Muttart said he has also heard from business owners in the area who have had to invest in cameras and other security measures, adding that some say they are losing business because of being located near the shelter and outreach centre. "They don't want to deal with it any more — or they don't know how to deal with it, in most cases — and they are trying their very best," he said. I think the alternative here is to look for locations which are less invasive around residential areas and schools and parks, and allow these services to continue. "The decision around this was not based on whether or not the services are needed," Muttart added. "That's not up for debate here. "But... when they are embedded in residential areas around businesses, schools, parks, they bring a new set of challenges people are not ready to deal with." As for what the Park Street area should be used for, the Eastern Gateway master plan suggests a multi-use sports facility could go in the area. That's something Muttart would support, he said. The residents he represents aren't against providing services to those facing homelessness, Muttart said; they just don't believe the services should be offered in residential areas. "I think the alternative here is to look for locations which are less invasive around residential areas and schools and parks and allow these services to continue," he said.
CBC
13-02-2025
- Politics
- CBC
New report on P.E.I. Buddhist organization land holdings will be made public, minister says
Minister of Housing, Land and Communities Steven Myers has ordered IRAC to launch a new review into the land holdings owned and/or controlled by two Buddhist organizations in P.E.I. While the result of a previous investigation from 2018 was never released to the public, Myers says that won't be the case this time.
