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CBC
6 days ago
- Business
- CBC
P.E.I. pitches 7 'nation-building' projects to Ottawa at first ministers' conference
P.E.I. Premier Rob Lantz is pitching seven so-called "nation-building" projects at the first ministers' conference in Saskatoon on Monday. Lantz is meeting with other provincial and territorial leaders and Prime Minister Mark Carney for the first time since the April 28 federal election. Carney told CBC's Power & Politics last week that "major projects" are the top priority of the meeting. He described them as "nation-building projects" that will unite the country, diversify the economy, boost exports and move the economy forward. Each province was asked to bring a list of ideas. At the top of Lantz's list is a regional project to increase electrical capacity on the Island. "This concept that we're bringing forward here in Saskatoon would strengthen the transmission across Atlantic Canada, and connect the region to the national grid, open up regional generation opportunities," Lantz told CBC's Island Morning. "It would trigger billions of dollars, not just in infrastructure investment, but also economic development opportunities. We're running up against capacity issues in Prince Edward Island, and it could be difficult to develop any large industrial or agricultural enterprises here in the province, unless we really deal with our energy future and secure our energy future." Power reliability has been a major topic this year on the Island after the City of Summerside, which operates its own utility, faced a series of power disruptions this winter. Summerside Electric generates about 60 per cent of its electricity through renewable sources like solar and wind, but it still relies on Maritime Electric's transmission grid for power that the smaller utility buys from New Brunswick. A failure at Maritime Electric's Sherbrooke substation, located just north of the city, led to significant power challenges in February. As a result, residents were asked to conserve electricity and a mobile transformer had to be brought in from Newfoundland to stabilize the system. Lantz noted P.E.I. depends on New Brunswick for additional electricity, delivered through underwater cables. He said the province may need to look at other solutions, for example another undersea cable to Nova Scotia, as part of the energy pitch. Trade agreement with Ontario signed Ahead of the first ministers' meeting, P.E.I. and Ontario signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on Sunday to cut down on trade barriers and ease the flow of trade and labour across the two provincial borders. Lantz said it came together as a direct result of P.E.I. Interprovincial Trade and Mobility Act. "We're the second province in the country to pass [an] internal trade and labour mobility act in the legislature this spring, and so we are in a position to start making deals with other provinces. Ontario has been very active in that front," he said. The MOU says the two provinces agree on six points, including encouraging other provinces to join P.E.I. and Ontario in their agreement, looking for ways to align regulated professions and creating a direct-to-consumer alcohol sales agreement, among other priorities. The annual value of trade in goods and services between Ontario and P.E.I. is more than $1.5 billion, the P.E.I. government said in a release. An external analysis by the Montreal Economic Institute suggests a deal like this between P.E.I. and Ontario could contribute $1.1 billion to the Canadian economy. Other projects In addition to the energy proposal, Lantz is pitching six other infrastructure projects. One of them is building another road into West Prince. The issue has raised concerns in the past by Liberal MLA for Tignish-Palmer Road Hal Perry, who warned the region relies on a single road in and out, which is a stretch of Route 2 between Portage and New Devon, and what would happen in the event of an emergency or if that road were closed. Other proposed projects include developing a shipping port, expanding air cargo capacity at Charlottetown Airport, and establishing a year-round connection to Nova Scotia, potentially through a bridge or ferry. The premier is also calling for an expansion of three-phased power, improved cell service. "The prime minister has been very vocal that he wants the provinces to be very ambitious on these projects," Lantz said. "So we're pitching everything we can that we can think of that would rise to that threshold of a nation-building project." The regional energy initiative stands out among the seven proposals as it "approaches a nation building-threshold better than those other projects and very much needed in the region," he said. Lantz says he does not know how many — if any — of these projects will be approved or whether the province would have to pay a portion of the cost. The province's financial capacity is already under pressure. A report by the auditor general in November flagged rising debt levels. P.E.I.'s net debt increased by 26 per cent over the past decade, reaching $2.65 billion as of March 31, 2024. The most recent provincial budget projects a $183.9-million deficit, with the debt expected to climb to about $4.2 billion by March 31, 2028. When asked whether P.E.I. can afford to invest in such large infrastructure, Lantz said: "We need to invest in order to grow."
CBC
12-03-2025
- Business
- CBC
Summerside's latest budgets put cash into 'planning for growth,' with major investments
The City of Summerside has released its 2025-26 capital and operational budgets, including $29.1 million worth of investment in the community. With the theme Planning for Growth, the budget gives priority to infrastructure improvements, economic development and long-term sustainability, the municipality said in a news release. P.E.I.'s second-biggest city is projecting a balanced budget, with total revenues and expenses of $76.7 million, which includes the operation of city-owned utilities. Capital spending has increased significantly from last year's $71.2 million, with the biggest addition — $11 million — going toward the city's East-West Housing Corridor project. The project will eventually connect Water Street East with Ryan Street in the city's north end. Officials have said the development will ease traffic and open up enough land for developers to build up to 2,000 new housing units. Other major infrastructure investments include: $3.7 million for water system upgrades $1.4 million for street resurfacing $404,000 for fire and police equipment upgrades $130,000 for downtown revitalization and public art initiatives $762,000 for roof and rooftop air handling system at City Hall $291,000 for sidewalk construction and replacement $355,000 for boardwalk remediation The budget is supported by key revenue sources, including $12.7 million from government transfers, $12.1 million from property taxes and $3.7 million from wind energy sales. Summerside councillors will vote on the budget at a council meeting on March 27. Electricity, water rates up; taxes unchanged While property tax rates will remain the same, the combined rate for water and sewer services will increase by about 5.5 per cent, from $76.32 last year to $80.75. Electricity rates have also gone up in line with an increase in Maritime Electric rates that took effect March 1. Domestic service has a $24.57 monthly service charge and energy rates of $0.1723 per kWh for the first 2000 kWh and $0.1375 per kWh for the remainder. Investment in Summerside Electric Meanwhile, the city continues to reinvest in its own electrical utility, which generates about $31.6 million in revenue. The Summerside grid will see a $4.6 million investment to enhance safety, security and reliability, as well as to ensure a sustainable and dependable power supply for residents and businesses, the news release said. The city's power supply faced a series of challenges last month following a failure at Maritime Electric's Sherbrooke substation. While the city generates about 60 per cent of its electricity through renewable sources like solar and wind, it depends on Maritime Electric's transmission grid to receive the power Summerside Eletric buys from New Brunswick Power. A mobile transformer brought in from Newfoundland was installed to stabilize the system, but the city is calling for a permanent solution from Maritime Electric.
CBC
07-03-2025
- Climate
- CBC
Summerside Dome ready for action again after technicians check it out
The Summerside Multipurpose Dome is now open for use by sports teams again after being closed since mid February to let out-of-province technicians inspect it for damage after issues related to generator use. "A full precautionary safety check and inspection of the entire facility were conducted, and the dome was deemed safe for use on Tuesday evening," the city said in a news release. "We sincerely appreciate the patience and understanding of our user groups and the community throughout this process," the city said. The $5 million dome with its indoor turf field was opened three years ago to serve as a Canada Winter Games venue and has since been heavily relied on by local athletes. The month of February was a turbulent one for the people of Summerside, who faced a series of power challenges because of a failure at Maritimes Electric's Sherbrooke substation. The warnings that power could be scarce caused major businesses and city facilities to rely on generators at times to let Summerside Electric continue to supply homes with power and avoid rotating blackouts. The dome also went to generator power to keeping pumping in the warm air that keeps the structure inflated. But on the morning of Feb. 19, "there were some concerning moments" after the inflation system experienced a connection disruption, deputy chief administrative officer J.P. Desrosiers told CBC News.
CBC
27-02-2025
- Climate
- CBC
Temporary fix in place, but Summerside's power grid remains vulnerable, mayor says
Summerside Mayor Dan Kutcher says a planned overnight power outage that was needed to help stabilize the city's power grid went well, but its electrical system remains vulnerable. The outage, scheduled from 1 to 6 a.m. AT, allowed Maritime Electric to connect Summerside to a mobile transformer at the Sherbrooke Substation. This temporary solution comes after a failure at the substation led to ongoing power challenges for the city over the past two weeks. Kutcher said about half of the city lost power around 1 a.m., followed by an almost full-city outage at 3 a.m. Power was fully restored by 5:30 a.m., about half an hour earlier than scheduled. While the mobile transformer — which Maritime Electric brought in from Newfoundland — has now been installed, the mayor said it is only a short-term fix and does not guarantee long-term reliability. "We're happy that it's there, but the vulnerability continues," he told CBC's Island Morning. Kutcher said he has not yet received a clear timeline from Maritime Electric on a permanent fix at the Sherbrooke Substation. Turbulent month for Summerside power P.E.I.'s second-biggest city, which operates its own utility Summerside Electric, has faced significant power disruptions this month. While the city generates about 60 per cent of its electricity through renewable sources and diesel generators, it depends on Maritime Electric's transmission grid for power purchased from New Brunswick. The failure at the Sherbrooke Substation has destabilized the city's power supply, limiting access to outside electricity and causing ongoing power issues. How does P.E.I.'s electrical grid even work? CBC Explains 13 days ago Duration 3:07 With recent outages shining a light on the fact that the P.E.I. electrical grid is nearing capacity, you may be wondering how the Island gets power in the first place — or what the difference is between Summerside Electric and Maritime Electric. Here's a breakdown from CBC's Cody MacKay. The situation has left many residents frustrated, including Pam Asaph, who says she wants to see a permanent solution. "Maritime Electric needs to be responsible for this. I mean, it's not like we're a different province or different country," she said. Summerside Electric 'not for sale' Kutcher said Maritime Electric, an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Fortis Inc., in the past has asked to take over Summerside Electric, but the mayor said the utility is "not for sale." "The Summerside Electric utility, right now, is a national leader. We've got people looking to us to see how we should be doing things, and Maritime Electric should be one of them. We've got a good mix of a variety of different generation assets and a robust, well-built system," he said. "We're always on edge and aware of the possibility of Maritime Electric looking to do what it can to try and take over the assets of the City of Summerside … I sort of see a repeated pattern over many years of trying to box Summerside into a situation where it is, and hopefully we get to the provincial government that's going to see that as well." The city will continue to lobby to get direct access to the government-owned submarine cables that bring electricity from the mainland so that Summerside doesn't have to rely on Maritime Electric, Kutcher said. Hard work from staff Kutcher said the overnight power outage went well thanks to Summerside Electric's staff. "Our crew there has been running on 12-hour shifts, and then going home and getting some sleep and something to eat," the mayor said. He noted that the past few weeks of long hours and intense work have taken a toll on the staff and their families. The city's power challenges have been managed thanks to the efficient operation of Summerside's solar and wind farms, as well as the use of battery storage, he said. The city has also relied on its fleet of eight diesel generators, which had been running at full capacity for the past two weeks. With the temporary fix at Sherbrooke Substation in place, their use will now be reduced by about 90 per cent, Kutcher said. "Without our assets — whether there are diesel, the wind or the solar and the battery — we would have been rolling blackouts right through the last two weeks, and so we've been able to pull it all together."
CBC
13-02-2025
- Business
- CBC
Province plans pilot projects to help stabilize Island's electrical grid, MLAs told
Social Sharing As recent power instability issues on Prince Edward Island bring attention to system shortcomings, the provincial government will be launching pilot projects aimed at better managing the electrical grid. Homes and businesses in western P.E.I., and Summerside in particular, have been experiencing ongoing power issues this week due to damage at a Maritime Electric substation. P.E.I.'s second-largest city operates its own utility but relies on Maritime Electric to transmit supplemental power it buys from New Brunswick. Islanders have been asked to conserve energy for three straight evenings, and on Thursday, Maritime Electric continues to ask customers across the Island to avoid using big appliances during peak hours. Derek Ellis, the province's director of sustainability, told the legislature's standing committee on natural resources and environmental sustainability on Thursday that concerns about P.E.I.'s electricity grid have been a "hot topic." As more Islanders switch to electric heating and transportation, encouraged by government incentives designed to reduce P.E.I.'s carbon footprint, the increased demand is putting additional pressure on the system, he said. "We're in the process of seeking a proponent now to help implement some pilot measures that can help shift demand [to] off-peak times, using the existing infrastructure that we have," Ellis told MLAs. Demand response programs in development Andy Collier, acting senior manager of energy policy and programs at Efficiency P.E.I., also spoke to the committee. He said he hopes a request for proposals (RFP) will be issued next week to look for someone to design and deliver those demand-response programs. "Demand-response programs in that RFP would be things like replicating the thermal storage technology that Summerside Electric uses in their Heat for Less Now program," he said. What Maritime Electric, Summerside officials and others had to say on Day 3 of P.E.I. power shortage 22 hours ago Duration 4:27 The City of Summerside, which operates its own electric utility, continues to warn residents that power outages may be necessary if demand exceeds the grid's capacity. Wayne Thibodeau spent the day in the community of 17,000 to learn how the power uncertainty is affecting people and businesses. The Heat for Less Now program uses electric thermal storage systems to store excess wind energy for home heating and hot water, offering a reduced rate of $0.08/kWh guaranteed for five years, according to the City of Summerside website. This system helps homeowners save money, reduce their reliance on fossil fuels, and lower their carbon footprint by cutting CO2 emissions. Another proposed measure is "expanding curtailment activities," Collier said, which is different from Maritime Electric's current interruptible customer rates. Summerside is classified as an interruptible customer with Maritime Electric, meaning it pays lower electricity rates but can have its power supply cut during high-demand periods. "We will be exploring expanding into curtailment rates, which would be not necessarily cutting off power, but reducing power for certain customers," he said. Efficiency P.E.I. is also considering advanced energy management systems that would look at things like offsetting charging through smart technology to off-peak hours, Collier said. Affordability, workforce development Ellis said managing the electrical grid isn't just about shifting demand; it also involves making electricity more affordable and ensuring accessibility to energy efficiency programs. The province is working to reduce energy poverty by offering low-barrier entry initiatives like free heat pump programs, he said. Power struggle: Summerside mayor frustrated city isn't guaranteed to get the electricity it buys 2 days ago Duration 2:47 Mayor Dan Kutcher says people in Summerside are feeling the pain of Maritime Electric's failures after an array of power outages. He suggests the utility is holding the western P.E.I. city's residents hostage with its control over the province's electrical transmission system. Informing Islanders to help them better understand how P.E.I.'s energy system works is also crucial, he said. "Public education, I think, will lead to more confidence in these systems." Additionally, as heating systems shift from oil boilers to electricity-powered alternatives like heat pumps, Ellis said there will be a growing need for skilled workers like refrigeration handlers and electricians.
