Prince Edward Island Legislative Assembly, Thursday 7 May 2026
On May 7, 2026, the PEI Legislative Assembly opened with members' greetings and statements recognizing the Summerside-hosted Centennial Cup, National Child and Youth Mental Health Day, community events, retirees, and gallery guests, while members addressed the health-care AI Scribe pilot, government program cuts, financial literacy, and ambulance staffing, and tabled competing materials on the early childhood sector and physician recruitment. In Committee of the Whole, the House considered and passed amendments to the Real Property Tax Act and the Registry Act, and conducted extensive scrutiny of the Public Sector Pay Disclosure Act (Bill No. 22), which passed on a recorded division despite opposition criticism that it fails to constitute a true sunshine list. The House then began Estimates for the Department of Fisheries, Rural Development and Tourism, passed the Financial Literacy Week Act through committee, and debated a government-side motion recognizing PEI tourism operators and record 2025 tourism numbers, with speeches by mover B. Curran and Minister E. Hudson. Debate on the tourism motion was adjourned when the hour was called, and the House adjourned until Friday, May 8, 2026.
Members' Statements
Long-term care workers and gallery guests
G. McNeilly
The Member for Charlottetown-West Royalty welcomed visitors from Oklahoma and thanked long-term care workers at Beach Grove Home, including recent retiree Donna Sheehan; the Speaker also welcomed the visitors.
AI Scribe Pilot Program
T. DesRoches
The Member for Summerside-Wilmot praised the AI Scribe pilot program he experienced firsthand, noting a doctor called it the best thing government had done for him, and urged it become a standard tool for primary care.
PEI's Long-term Wellbeing
P. Bevan-Baker
The Member for New Haven-Rocky Point criticized the government for lacking a clear sense of purpose, citing cuts to a housing program and early childhood learning supports without supporting evidence.
Importance of Financial Literacy
H. MacLennan
The Member for Tyne Valley-Sherbrooke spoke on financial literacy's impact on mental health and urged provincial supports such as case workers helping social assistance clients develop practical budgets.
Ambulance services (Response to question taken as notice)
Hon. C. Deagle
The Health Minister reported average daily ambulance staffing of 14 (98% met minimum standard) and night staffing of eight (94% met standard) over the past year.
Routine Proceedings
Health cooling and capital improvement program response
M. MacFarlane
Responding to a ministerial statement on cooling and capital improvements, the Leader of the Third Party welcomed the news but called for accountability on spending and for addressing provisional licence deficiencies in facilities.
Tabling of documents on early childhood sector
Hon. R. Croucher
The Minister of Education and Early Years tabled a letter from the Early Childhood Development Association cautioning against 'radical actions' and an anonymous Facebook post proposing a work-to-rule scenario, both of which he said appeared endorsed by the official opposition.
Tabling of documents on patient registry and physician trust
M. MacFarlane
The Leader of the Third Party tabled updated patient registry numbers showing an increase of 751 Islanders over the past month and a Guardian article about PEI doctors losing trust in government.
Tabling of documents on pharmacy technicians and take-backs
Multiple
The Member for Charlottetown-West Royalty tabled information on pharmacy technicians, and the Health Minister tabled committed take-backs to the Leader of the Third Party.
Motion No. 53 - Recognizing PEI tourism operators for record 2025 tourism year
B. Curran
M. MacKay had Motion 53 called, recognizing PEI tourism operators for a record 2025 season with 1.87 million non-resident visitors (up 10 per cent) and record visitor spending (up 12.4 per cent). B. Curran, as mover, opened debate praising Tourism PEI staff, operators, and Island hospitality for the record-setting achievements.
Orders of the Day
Bill 20 – An Act to Amend the Prince Edward Island Lands Protection Act
Hon. D. Compton
In Committee of the Whole, the Minister of Land and Environment and analyst Lynn Trainor answered questions from M. MacFarlane on beneficial ownership and closing loopholes for non-resident land acquisition; the minister committed to a further bill in the fall, and the bill carried without amendment.
Bill 24 – An Act to Amend the Real Property Tax Act
Hon. J. Burridge
In Committee of the Whole, the Finance Minister and tax commissioner Ryan Pineau explained a 20% rate increase for non-resident non-commercial realty (raising the headline rate to $1.70) with offsetting credits, and answered questions from H. Perry and M. MacFarlane on affordability, residency definitions, and treatment of non-resident and multi-unit owners.
An Act to Amend the Real Property Tax Act (Bill No. 10) — Committee of the Whole
Multiple
Provincial tax commissioner Ryan Pineau answered questions on residency (183-day) definitions, the interaction with the assessment program, and the offsetting 20-cent tax credit; he confirmed the amendment (raising the rate from $1.50 to $1.70) is a budget/revenue measure yielding about $2 million, with the credit mitigating impacts on non-resident-owned residential rentals. The bill carried without amendment and was reported to the House.
An Act to Amend the Registry Act (Bill No. 11) — Committee of the Whole
Multiple
Ryan Pineau explained the bill allows registration of a family law affidavit via the Registry Act's virtual commissioning process, addressing Law Society concerns by permitting the affidavit to be filed with the deed under the same $77 fee. Members discussed virtual document execution, illegible documents, powers of attorney exclusions, mobile homes, and the desirability of moving to an electronic titles system; the bill carried without amendment and was reported.
Public Sector Pay Disclosure Act (Bill No. 22) — second reading and Committee of the Whole
Multiple
Minister D. Compton introduced the bill and executive director Jordan McNally explained it legislates existing budget salary disclosure, extends it to all Financial Administration Act entities (except the Legislative Assembly), and posts it in open-data format. Opposition members H. Perry and P. Bevan-Baker criticized the bill for excluding individual names and exact salaries (citing a 2003 Privacy Commissioner ruling), calling it lacking compared to other provinces' sunshine lists; debate on the wide salary ranges, agencies, and contract/travel nurses continued.
Public Sector Pay Disclosure Act - Committee consideration and passage
Multiple
Committee finished consideration of the Public Sector Pay Disclosure Act, with questions from G. McNeilly on salary classification ranges (answered by Jordan McNally) and from P. Bevan-Baker, who pressed Minister Burridge on why no low threshold/true sunshine list was contemplated and why the act was written to respect the 2003 FOIPP ruling rather than override it. The bill carried and, after a recorded division (14 yeas, 7 nays), the committee report was adopted.
Consideration of the Estimates - Department of Fisheries, Rural Development and Tourism
Hon. E. Hudson
The House resolved into Committee of the Whole on the grant of supply, with Stephen Mutch as director of finance on the floor. Members reviewed Corporate Services (carried) and Policy and Planning (carried), with questions on salary increases, tripled travel spending tied to fisheries market promotion (Boston/Barcelona expos), the new Policy and Planning division, and legal fees; consideration reached Seafood Services before the committee reported progress at 4 p.m.
Motion recognizing PEI's tourism industry and operators
B. Curran
As mover, Curran spoke at length about the value of tourism to PEI's economy (about 6 percent of GDP) and rural communities, praising operators, front-line workers, and everyday Islanders' hospitality. He cited local businesses, heritage sites, Old Home Week, and his wife's baby-equipment rental business Ollie Roo Rentals, and urged all members to support the motion.
Seconding of the tourism motion
Hon. E. Hudson
As Minister of Fisheries, Rural Development and Tourism, Hudson seconded the motion, crediting Tourism PEI staff, operators, and everyday Islanders, and citing record tourism numbers approaching $1 billion, GDP three times the national average, roughly 8,900 full-time equivalent jobs, and rising bookings for 2026. He adjourned debate when the hour was called.
Adjournment of the House
Hon. Z. Bell
The Minister of Workforce and Advanced Learning moved that the House adjourn until Friday, May 8, at 10:00 a.m.; the motion carried.
Private Members' Business
Financial Literacy Week Act, Bill No. 105 - Second reading and committee passage
H. MacLennan
H. MacLennan moved second reading of his Financial Literacy Week Act, which would designate the third week of November annually, framing financial literacy as prevention for mental health and financial stress. With Lori Ronahan on the floor, members (Simpson, Henderson, Redmond, DesRoches, Curran, Croucher) supported the bill and discussed curriculum integration (grades 5-12), assessment, community and post-secondary engagement, and which department would be responsible; the bill carried without amendment.
Other business
Recognition of guests and community events
Hon. R. Lantz
The Premier recognized the Summerside-hosted 2026 Centennial Cup and Western Caps, Elm Street Elementary's Finding Nemo Jr. production, a multilateral emergency management agreement with Abegweit First Nation, and local arts and business events.
National Child and Youth Mental Health Day and district events
Hon. H. Perry
The Leader of the Opposition marked National Child and Youth Mental Health Day and highlighted district fundraisers including the Tignish Irish Moss Festival and a Miminegash paint night.
Community events and student achievements
M. MacFarlane
The Leader of the Third Party highlighted a Nature PEI trivia event, Bluefield High's silver medal at the Island Justice Cup mock trial, and the 2026 Victoria Playhouse season.
Recognition of retired teacher and gallery guests
S. Dillon
The Member for Charlottetown-Belvedere recognized retired teacher Brenda MacNeil for her bulletin board messages at Westwood School.
This is Tabled's summary of the sitting, written from the official record; Hansard is only ever quoted at the link above. Search Prince Edward Island Hansard for the words themselves, or read this sitting in the archive.