Hurricane prep & fall fairs 🌧️

IN THIS ISSUE

• City pays to move utility pole

• Contest winners announced

• Cost of living numbers

QUICK HITS

🔌 Federal Heat Pump Money: Ottawa announced $120M in funding to help Atlantic Canadians transition their homes away from heating oil. A spokesperson with Environment and Climate Change Canada told me that PEI’s share of this fund will be handed over to the province to beef up EfficiencyPEI’s existing programs. As a side note, last March the province said it opted to put carbon tax revenue into efficiency programs, including $5.6M for heat pumps, rather than increasing rebates to Islanders. There’s been no word yet if this new federal cash will change the government's position on increasing the carbon tax rebate.

🤔 Polegate? The Canadian Taxpayers Federation is questioning the city’s decision to foot the bill to relocate a utility pole that was partially blocking access to a city councillor’s expanded driveway. Coun. Alanna Jankov had renovations done to her home in 2016, which included adding a garage and expanding the driveway to where a Bell Aliant utility pole had stood for decades. Bell refused to pay, saying the onus was on the landowner. Somehow the city got involved, and ultimately paid around $4,600 for the work. The Federation released some documents and emails that help paint some of the picture.

🍎 Trustees Wanted: The deadline to become a candidate for the school board elections is 2:00PM this Friday. Several zones have no candidate as of Tuesday evening. Only three zones are being contested, meaning more than one candidate has been nominated. As promised a few weeks ago, here’s the list of candidates running for the Public Schools Branch, and the list of candidates for the French Language School Board.

🆘 GoFundMe: A GoFundMe campaign has been launched to help a Summerside family left homeless after their apartment was gutted by fire Sunday evening. Charisa Lykow and her husband Nathaniel Lykow were frying donuts when the oil became too hot and combusted. Nathaniel was airlifted to Halifax where he is being treated for second- and third-degree burns at the QEII. They also lost two pets in the fire. The family did not have tenants insurance.

🎉 CONTEST WINNERS

Tell Tale Harbour: With 1,479 ballots in the draw for the Tell Tale Harbour contest, a random number generator selected 689 as the winning number. The lucky Island Edition reader in row 689 was Jared Clow. Jared had 138 ballots in the draw, the next runner up had 37 ballots. Congratulations, Jared. 

PEI Beer Festival: Last week I asked readers to provide some feedback through a short survey. Those who took the time were entered into a draw to win two tickets to the Prince Edward Island Beer Festival. Again, with the use of a random number generator, the lucky reader turned out to be Barbara Kalil. Congratulations, Barbara. Have one for me! 🍺

Thank you everyone who took part. I will be announcing a new contest in the next week or two, so stay tuned for that. If you like free stuff, be sure to use your referral link to introduce Island Edition to your friends, those rewards are guaranteed.

BY THE NUMBERS

Cost of Living

📉 8.3%: The Island’s inflation rate was down to 8.3 per cent in August from 9.5 per cent in July. But still, PEI continues to experience the highest rate of inflation in the country. Nationally, inflation hit 7 per cent in August, down from 7.6 per cent in July. Even with this overall drop, the price of food was up in August by about 0.6 per cent.

⚒️ 1.6: There was an average of 1.6 unemployed people for each job vacancy in PEI in the second quarter of this year, down from 3.2 unemployed people for each vacancy in the second quarter of last year. What does this mean? It means less people are available to fill positions.

🪙 9.5%: Minimum wage will increase by 9.5 per cent in 2023, hitting $15 per hour. The current rate sits at $13.70 per hour. The rate will increase by 80 cents on Jan. 1, 2023, and then increase by 50 cents on Oct. 1, 2023. The province made this announcement yesterday, the increase is reflected on the Minimum Wage Order website.

🍺 BEER FEST RETURNS

This is your last chance to grab tickets to the Prince Edward Island Beer Festival. The festival will feature breweries from across the East Coast and beyond. Sample a variety of beer and ciders, enjoy live entertainment, local food pairings, a cask corner, and more.

📅 Festival Schedule

1️⃣ Friday, Sept. 23 @ 6:30PM

2️⃣ Saturday, Sept. 24 @ 2:00PM

3️⃣ Saturday, Sept. 24 @ 6:30PM

* This is a promoted post. Island Edition Inc. did not earn income from this promotion, but did receive two free tickets to give away.

📢 SHOUT-OUTS 

⚖️ Legal Eagle: Congratulations to Charlottetown lawyer Spencer Campbell for being named president of the Law Society of PEI.

Island Edition Shout-Outs are paid messages. Buy one to help support the sustainability of this newsletter. Max three-per-issue, 20 word limit.

#PEIslandEdition

Calm Canoe Cove 📷

Photographer Ali Nelson snapped this interesting perspective at Canoe Cove while visiting the Island this month. Check out Ali's Instagram @alinelsonn for more adventure / travel photography.

Tag @PEIslandEdition or use #PEIslandEdition to get your post featured in Island Edition!

WHAT'S GOING ON? 

Wednesday

🎶 Richie Bulger and Trevor Campbell @ Olde Dublin Pub / 7:00PM

🎥 The Good Boss (Spanish) @ City Cinema / 7:00PM: Awaiting a visit by a committee that could give his company an award for excellence, the owner of an industrial scales manufacturing business tries to resolve any problems from his workers.Buy tickets | Watch Trailer

🎶 Holy Hanna @ The Local / 7:00PM

🎵 Mike and Shane Pendergast @ Jack Blanchard Parish Centre / 7:30PM

🎶 Woody Woodburn @ Upstreet Craft Brewing / 8:00PM

🎵 The Burning Hell W/Feelings @ Trailside / 8:00PM | Buy Tickets

🎤 Open Mic with KINLEY @ Baba's Lounge / 9:00PM

Thursday

🎶 Saul Good Duo @ Charlottetown Beer Garden / 6:00PM

🎥 The Good Boss (Spanish) @ City Cinema / 7:00PM: Awaiting a visit by a committee that could give his company an award for excellence, the owner of an industrial scales manufacturing business tries to resolve any problems from his workers.Buy tickets | Watch Trailer

🎶 Stratton & Kay's @ The Local / 7:00PM

🎵 Donnie Bowers and Joey Kitson @ Olde Dublin Pub / 8:00PM

🎺 Island Jazz W/ Groove Company @ Baba's Lounge / 8:00PM

🤔 Entertainment Trivia / 9:00 PM: Join host Darcy Campbell at Hunter's Ale House, 185 Kent Street, for some entertainment trivia.

WEATHER

Wednesday

🌧️ H19°C 🌡️ L12°C 
💨 SSE 11 km/h, gusting 35

Thursday

🌧️ H20°C 🌡️ L11°C
💨 S 24 km/h, gusting 56

Island Edition Storm Watch

🌀 Hurricane Fiona: Environment Canada issued a Special Weather Statement for the Island early this morning. Fiona is expected to bring dangerous weather conditions later this week. Monitor public weather alerts over the next 24-48 hours. The PEI Emergency Measures Organization is reminding Islanders to review their emergency plans ahead of this system.

THANKS FOR READING!