Thanksgiving weekend on PEI 🍂

IN THIS ISSUE

➡️ RCMP searching for missing woman

➡️ Tax relief on rental construction

➡️ Fire Prevention kickoff this weekend

QUICK HITS

🏗️ Update on Queen Street Parkade: Charlottetown’s Queen Street Parkade is one step closer to being redeveloped. The city would like to see a mixed-use development on the site that maintains the current parking capacity, so it issued a request for expression of interest back in July to see if anyone with the means and capacity would be interested in redeveloping the property. Two unnamed applicants have submitted qualifying expressions of interest, and if approved by council next week, will be invited to take part in a request for proposals process. The applicants would be given a $10,000 stipend to develop a comprehensive plan for the site, including floor plans and 3D renderings showing the building's integration with the surrounding block. Both proposals would then be presented to council and the public, likely in January, before council would approve one of the proposals. The city will require that shovels are in the ground within six months of signing a contract, and will require that the project be complete within 36 months (late 2027).

🏘️ Tax relief for housing developers : The province will follow Ottawa's lead by offering sales tax relief to incentivize new rental housing projects. Qualified projects will receive a full rebate of the provincial portion of the HST, up to a maximum of $35,000 per unit. To qualify, construction must start on or after September 14, 2023, and be completed by the end of 2028. Ottawa's program, announced last month, will remove the GST on new rental housing projects. While similar in principle, there are differences between the two programs. Ottawa's program demands a minimum of four apartment units or ten rooms, with 90 percent designated for long-term rentals, while the province has yet to specify any such requirements. Notably, neither program mentions an affordable housing requirement.

HOUSING ACCELERATOR

Federal Housing Minister urges higher density

Charlottetown was among a handful of Canadian municipalities left scrambling late last month after receiving a letter from federal Housing Minister Sean Fraser. In his letter, Fraser suggested adjustments to each municipality’s application to the $4B Housing Accelerator Fund.

Charlottetown submitted an application back in June that outlined seven initiatives the city would like to take to help boost housing development, one of which is to hire additional staff to help with bylaw and policy changes needed to implement a new official plan once it’s approved. The new plan, which the public had a first look at back in the spring, aims to increase density along corridors and established nodes, such as around Royalty Crossing. About $6.5M is on the table for the city.

Minister Fraser’s letter, which was addressed to Mayor Philip Brown, acknowledged Charlottetown’s plan would be a step in the right direction toward addressing housing shortages, but asked for the city to push further by allowing four-unit buildings citywide. That request raised a red flag at city hall. Staff say it would be almost impossible for the city to implement that type of as-of-right zoning without considering other factors, such as risk mitigation to flooding.

So a draft response to the minister proposes that equivalent net gain of four units per lot can be achieved by directing density along corridors and nodes, while allowing flexibility the city needs to ensure increased density is permitted in areas where it can be supported by infrastructure and is not at risk of flooding.

The city’s committee on strategic priorities, communication and intergovernmental affairs reviewed the draft letter Tuesday before voting to send the letter to council for discussion at its next regular meeting on October 10. If council supports the letter, it will be signed by Mayor Brown and sent to Minister Fraser for his consideration.

FIRE PREVENTION

Fire Prevention Week kicks off this Saturday, Oct. 7 from 11:00 am to 2:00 pm, at the Home Depot parking lot.

🔥 Live Fire Demonstration: Witness the importance of home sprinkler systems with a live burn house display. See the difference between a room with and without sprinklers.

🚓 Emergency Services Showcase: Charlottetown Police, Island EMS, Metro Fire Prevention (Charlottetown, Cross Roads, and North River fire departments), and the provincial fire marshal's office will all be on site.

🪖 Canadian Armed Forces: Explore several military vehicles.

❤️ Community Engagement: Red Cross will be present, and the Kiwanis Club of Charlottetown will serving free hot dogs and water.

🐾 Petting Zoo: Why not? Everyone loves a good petting zoo!

🚒 Fire Safety Fun: Meet Sparky the Fire Dog and take the kids for rides on a mini working fire truck.

Fire Prevention Week 2023 aims to raise awareness about preventing cooking-related fires, the leading cause of home fires and injuries. Here are some key safety tips:

👀 Always keep an eye on what you’re cooking. Set a timer to help monitor (and remember) foods with longer cook times.

🫧 Clear cooking area of anything that can burn: dish and paper towels, oven mitts, food packaging, etc.

🍲 Turn pot handles toward the back of the stove. Keep a lid nearby when cooking; if a small grease fire starts, slide the lid over the pan and turn off the burner.

🚫 Create a 'kid and pet free zone' of at least three feet around your cooking area.

#PEIslandEdition

Foggy Morning 🌫️

How about that fog last week? This picture, taken last Friday near Birchwood Intermediate, was shared by @PEI_Streets on Instagram. The owner of the account is a reader of Island Edition, so in keeping with good community spirit, why not give their new account a quick follow to help launch it toward PEI fame.

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

POLICE BRIEFS

🆘 Missing Woman: Prince District RCMP is investigating the disappearance of Élora Patoine, 30, who was last seen in Borden-Carleton on June 17, 2023. She is five feet 10 inches tall, weighs 140 pounds, and has brown curly hair. She is fluent in both French and English. Police began searching for Patoine after she was reported missing this week. Police say she has connections to PEI and Quebec. RCMP have released several photos of Patoine and are asking for the public’s assistance in locating the woman.

🚔 Fatal Collision in Murray Harbour: A two-vehicle collision in Murray Harbour claimed the life of a 52-year-old man and sent a second person to hospital with non-life threatening injuries. Kings District RCMP, Island EMS, and fire departments from Murray Harbour and Murray River responded to the scene on Main Street just before 6:00 p.m. on Saturday. RCMP say initial findings suggest one vehicle was speeding and veered into the side of the other vehicle. This RCMP press release says the investigation is ongoing.

👮 Island Man Dies in NB Crash: A 24-year-old Island man lost his life last week when his truck veered off a road in New Brunswick. On September 30, RCMP responded to a report of a single-vehicle crash in Saint-Louis de Kent, a community situated about halfway between Miramichi and Moncton. The driver of the pickup truck, from Albion, PEI, succumbed to his injuries at the scene. A 28-year-old passenger was transported to hospital with what are believed to be minor injuries.

COMMUNITY CORNER

☕ Coffee & Conversation is a weekly series hosted at The Haviland Club. This week's session, led by Bert Christie, a former research scientist, will explore the profound influence of five transformative plants that have shaped our world. All are welcome to participate in this free event tomorrow morning (Oct. 5) at 10:30. Coffee will be available for purchase.  Additional details can be found here.

🥫 Milton's Community Yard Sale takes place this Saturday, Oct. 7, from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. at 7 A New Glasgow Road. Everyone is invited. If you wish to rent a table for $15, contact [email protected] or call 902-566-3154.

Send a quick message if your organization would like to publish a PSA. There's no charge for these. Max three per-issue.

WEATHER

Wednesday

🌤️ H 16°C 🌡️ L 12°C
💨 NE 8 km/h, gusting 12

Thursday

🌤️ H 21°C 🌡️ L 14°C
💨 SW 17km/h, gusting 26

Looking Ahead

👀 The Canadian Hurricane Centre is monitoring Tropical Storm Philippe as it approaches our region, and there is potential for it to have a post-tropical impact over the weekend. In the meantime, enjoy the sunshine!

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