Prince Edward Island Legislative Assembly, Wednesday 20 May 2026
On May 20, 2026, the Prince Edward Island Legislative Assembly opened with welcomes and recognitions tied to Paramedic Services Week and Holland College graduations, followed by members' statements and questions addressing the Status of Women Equality Report Card, energy and solar supports, summer health care and ER closures, physician administrative burden, the Kings County Memorial Hospital, the departure of Dr. White's practice, the Seafood 2000 oyster processor situation and unpaid fishers, EV charging at provincial parks, and property matters. The Minister of Education tabled an updated action plan on the Jenkins report student safety recommendations, and Bill 109, An Act to Amend the Petroleum Products Act, received second reading and was considered in Committee of the Whole, including debate over adopting the New York Harbour fuel benchmark in place of the Charlottetown rack price. The House then examined the Department of Housing and Communities estimates and the PEI Housing Corporation budget—covering shelter funding, Housing First, tiny homes, and rental supports—carrying the Housing Corporation section at $73,031,300 before reporting progress and adjourning until May 21, 2026.
Members' Statements
Status of Women Equality Report Card
K. Bernard
The Member noted the Equality Report Card gave government a B minus (down from B plus in 2022), warned that budget cuts to children, child care and non-profits would harm gender equality goals, and urged government to do better and thank the Advisory Council on the Status of Women.
Reflecting on Recent Government Decisions
P. Bevan-Baker
Using a quickstep dance metaphor, the Member criticized government as slow on health care access and oyster fisher supports, quick to push through a conflict of interest bill and cut programs, and slow to balance the budget.
Property tax assessment on Point Deroche property
Hon. J. Burridge
In response to a question about why Mr. Banks' Point Deroche property tax is based on a $151,000 assessment rather than the $2.3 million purchase price, the Minister of Finance explained tax is charged on assessed value, not market value, and offered to look into it.
Administrative burden on physicians
B. Curran
The Member for Georgetown-Pownal asked what steps are being taken to reduce physician administrative burden; Minister Deagle cited reduced fee codes (~25), an AI scribe pilot project, electronic medical records, and ongoing work with Health PEI, noting some paperwork falls under federal jurisdiction.
Kings County Memorial Hospital construction progress
Hon. C. Deagle
Minister Deagle updated the House that a site sign is up, infrastructure (road, water, sewer) will be installed this summer, followed by a community health centre and then the hospital, as part of the fall capital budget.
Closure of Dr. White's practice and access to primary care
M. MacKay
The Member for Kensington-Malpeque raised rumours of Dr. White leaving; Minister Deagle confirmed the departure is for personal reasons affecting ~1,375 patients, said no replacement is lined up, and discussed better recruiting/retaining physician residents and potentially a nurse practitioner, but offered no immediate solution.
Oyster processors not paying fishers
R. Henderson
The Member for O'Leary-Inverness noted two oyster processors have not paid some fishers and urged the Minister use the department's funding relationship as leverage; Minister Hudson said he could not confirm the numbers but would go back to the department to address the concern.
EV charging infrastructure at provincial parks
R. Henderson
The Member asked whether fast-charging stations would be installed at Cedar Dunes and Jacques Cartier parks this season; Minister Hudson said he has discussed the matter with staff and agrees it should move forward for both tourists and year-round residents.
Routine Proceedings
Statement by Minister: Progress on Jenkins Report
Hon. R. Croucher
The Minister of Education reported that 58 of 61 recommendations in the Jenkins report on student safety and staff sexual misconduct have been implemented or are in progress, detailing measures like a new sexual misconduct policy, criminal record and vulnerable sector checks, and an incident tracking system, and announced he would table an updated action plan.
Opposition responses to Jenkins Report statement
Multiple
C. Simpson (Charlottetown-Hillsborough Park) thanked staff and stressed implementation with sustained investment and no cuts, while K. Bernard (Charlottetown-Victoria Park) welcomed progress but raised concerns about incident reporting follow-up and urged the inclusion model review action plan proceed alongside it.
Tabling of documents
Multiple
M. MacFarlane tabled an email from Reasha Walsh regarding Evergreen Village park families' concerns and a CBC story on sick notes; Minister Croucher tabled the Jenkins report action plan; and K. Bernard tabled the PEI Equality Report Card 2026, its background report, and its assessment model.
Petroleum Products Act amendment — fuel pricing benchmark
Hon. H. Perry
In Committee, discussion continued on an amendment to substitute the New York Harbour benchmark for the Charlottetown rack price in IRAC's fuel pricing formula, with the Finance minister noting transportation and shipping costs close much of the price gap by the time fuel reaches PEI, and legal advisor Madison Ranta explaining IRAC would retain discretion but would need internal policy work rather than significant regulatory changes. The Leader of the Third Party raised the persistent lower fuel prices in Port Elgin drawing PEI businesses across the bridge.
Orders of the Day
Bill 109, An Act to Amend the Petroleum Products Act - second reading and Committee of the Whole
G. McNeilly / Hon. H. Perry
Bill 109 was called and read a second time, then the House resolved into Committee of the Whole; promoter Hon. H. Perry, with witness Madison Ranta, explained the bill would adopt the New York Harbour benchmark pricing model to align PEI with Atlantic Canada and improve transparency and consistency in fuel pricing.
Committee questions on Bill 109 fuel benchmark
Multiple
Ministers Dollar, Hudson and Third Party Leader MacFarlane questioned the promoter on the price math, clean fuel/ethanol regulations, and comparisons between the Charlottetown rack and New York Harbour benchmark; Dollar argued PEI is currently cheaper when ethanol is factored out, while the Signal Energy report was cited showing the rack price consistently 5-10 cents higher over nine years.
Motion to resolve into Committee of the Whole on Estimates
Hon. B. Thompson
The Minister of Justice moved that the House resolve into a Committee of the Whole to consider the grant of supply, which carried, with the Member from Charlottetown-Belvedere called to chair and finance director Matthew Praught brought onto the floor as a stranger.
Estimates — Minister and Deputy Minister's Office (Housing and Communities)
P. Bevan-Baker
Members questioned travel and training expenses that came in at more than double the estimate, explained as trips by the minister and deputy minister including work under the former land portfolio; the section carried at $554,800.
Estimates — Corporate Services
Multiple
Members questioned advertising spending of roughly $125,000 on housing awareness campaigns, professional services including the MGA review facilitation and legal costs, grants to Turner Drake for a housing needs assessment and to UPEI for land use governance research, the Renting PEI project, and the lack of a budget line for a rental registry (which the minister said he had not been briefed on); a $100,000 reduction to discretionary grants was noted and the section carried at $1,913,600.
Estimates — Municipal Affairs
Multiple
Members questioned transitional funding for the Town of Three Rivers and other amalgamating/restructuring municipalities, the Murray Harbour legal matter and repeated requests to release the related report (which the minister said he would take back), equalization and property tax credit grants, the funding formula review with the PEIFM, dissolution costs, and the MGA review promoting shared services; the section carried at $51,092,400 and the department total at $53,560,800.
Estimates — PEI Housing Corporation (General)
Multiple
Members challenged a roughly $9 million cut to affordable housing initiatives attributed to the pausing of the CHEP program, and questioned shelter support lines and emergency accommodation/transportation costs, the closing costs and rent-to-own programs, the Champion Court security/fire watch, Housing First implementation, and the home heating program's payment timing.
PEI Housing Corporation estimates — shelter funding
G. McNeilly
McNeilly questioned officials about the Summerside shelter budget (rising to $902,000 next year), payment timing for the $7.6 million disbursement, whether 24-hour service and over-capacity situations were reflected in contracts, and the Weymouth Street facility operations funding of $696,600.
Housing First program
G. McNeilly
McNeilly complimented the government and federal government on the Housing First transitional-to-supportive housing building, and asked about the contract length, which officials said expires in March 2027.
Rental supports — mobile vouchers and rent supplements
P. Bevan-Baker
Bevan-Baker questioned officials on why rental supports appeared underspent, the effect of the paused CHEP program, and the number of recipients; officials noted about 1,600 active mobile rental vouchers and $7.6 million budgeted for 2026-27.
Extension of the hour
Hon. K. Dollar
Dollar requested and the committee agreed to extend the hour to finish the Housing Corporation section so the official would not need to return the next day.
Tiny homes and rental affordability
P. Bevan-Baker
Bevan-Baker asked about the plan for unused tiny homes; Minister Dollar said they would still be used as homes at possibly different locations, some for social housing, via an expression of interest, and did not rule out sale to Islanders. They also discussed rental affordability, RTA changes, and the John Howard Society funding.
PEI Housing Corporation section carried
Chair
The section carried with a total PEI Housing Corporation of $73,031,300; the Chair moved to report progress and beg leave to sit again, which carried.
Committee report and adjournment
M. MacKay
MacKay reported the Committee of the Whole had made progress on the grant of supply and moved adoption of the report, which carried; the House then adjourned until Thursday, May 21, 2026 at 1:00 p.m.
Other business
Welcome and recognition of guests
Multiple
The Premier, Leader of the Opposition, Leader of the Third Party and several members welcomed guests including former MLA Michele Beaton, visitor Jacqueline Briggs, wrestling advocate Sarah Brown and national wrestler Molly Brown, and PTSD advocate Ernie Gallant. Members noted Holland College graduations, National Paramedic Services Week, the QEH Big Day of Giving ($431,998 by midday), and the QEH Auxiliary volunteer recognition of Merle MacBeath's 13,000 hours.
Paramedic services awards recognition
Hon. R. Croucher
The Minister of Education and Early Years recounted attending the paramedic services awards at UPEI, where his daughters received a stroke care award and he received his 15-year service bar, and thanked Island paramedics during Paramedic Services Week.
Island Wrestling Academy certificate of achievement
G. McNeilly
The Member from Charlottetown-West Royalty acknowledged members of the Island Wrestling Academy who competed at the Canadian Wrestling Championships in Grand Prairie, naming national medalists including Alexsa Matheson, Molly Brown, Ben Reid and Liam Matheson, and their coaches.
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.