Prince Edward Island Legislative Assembly, Thursday 28 May 2026
During this sitting of the Prince Edward Island Legislative Assembly on May 28, 2026, members opened with birthday and event recognitions and members' statements on education, PEI's energy future, and a local business. The bulk of the day's business was Committee of the Whole/Supply consideration of departmental estimates, completing the Department of Transportation, Infrastructure and Energy (including Infrastructure and FPT Relations and the Sustainable Energy Division) and moving to the Department of Education and Early Years, where debate on the Public Schools Branch addressed cuts to net-zero and energy efficiency grants, staffing, educational assistants, tutoring, school busing, safety measures tied to the Jenkins report, and specialist supports, with the Public Schools Branch total of $344,000,800 carried. The House then took up Motion No. 39 recognizing the importance of vital community infrastructure, followed by extended debate on a motion supporting rural school and recreational infrastructure led by the Member from Georgetown-Pownal, which was adjourned before the House adjourned until the following morning.
Members' Statements
Addressing Concerns in the Education System
K. Bernard
The Member for Charlottetown-Victoria Park criticized the Minister of Education's tabled motion urging himself to develop a new code of conduct as performative, arguing it ignores overdue action plans for inclusive education and urgent frontline needs around classroom composition, violence, and students falling through the cracks.
Responsibility for PEI's Energy Future
P. Bevan-Baker
The Member for New Haven-Rocky Point argued only government has the authority and obligation to direct PEI's energy future, criticizing the government as aimless amid a looming half-billion-dollar electricity investment and a broken promise to modernize regulations.
RJ's Country Store
B. Curran
The Member for Georgetown-Pownal recognized the resilience of RJ's Country Store in District 2, which was vandalized by criminals but rebuilt with strong community support, asking members to commend owner Robert Shaw and staff.
Orders of the Day
Estimates - TIE: Health – Building Infrastructure
Multiple
In Committee of the Whole, members questioned Wendy MacDonald on salary differences in the new Health Building Infrastructure division, learning positions are delayed rather than cut, and that funding covers oversight of new builds and hospital redevelopments (QEH, PCH, KCMH). The section carried at $640,000.
Estimates - TIE: Traffic Operations
Multiple
Members examined spending on line painting, reflective beads, signage and highway illumination, with discussion of federal paint regulations, the Pathways to Highway Safety process, and a $700,000 increase for line materials. The section carried at $6,007,400.
Estimates - TIE: Capital Projects Administration and Design – Roads and Bridges
Multiple
Capital Projects Administration carried at $3,258,100 and Design – Roads and Bridges carried at $1,032,400, with R. Henderson and H. Perry raising concerns about the Ellerslie Road-Route 2 roundabout, Portage highway work, and Profits Corner intersection safety, and the Minister committing to provide updates.
Estimates - TIE: Bridge Maintenance
Multiple
Members discussed the Foxley River bridge (reopening June 5th), Bideford bridge, and Tryon River aboiteau bridge, along with bridge inspection processes and over half a million spent on external professional services; the Minister committed to check whether a cost-benefit analysis for in-house inspections exists. The section carried at $4,793,900.
Estimates - TIE: Materials Testing Lab and Capital Projects Division total
The Chair
The Materials Testing Lab section carried at $1,660,700 and the Total Capital Projects Division carried at $16,752,500.
Estimates - TIE: Service PEI
Multiple
Members questioned overspends related to the new Skip the Waiting Room queue system and the annualization of the Access PEI Cornwall location, and discussed potential new locations, easing of pressure on the Riverside facility, and expanded online services. The section carried at $6,640,300.
Estimates – Service PEI and online services
Hon. E. Hudson
Following a question from P. Bevan-Baker about online service usage and vehicle licensing, the minister agreed to take back statistics, noting Service PEI staff deliver well over 100 services; the Total Service PEI vote of $6,640,300 carried.
Estimates – Infrastructure and FPT Relations
Wendy MacDonald
Officials explained an underspend in professional services tied to federal infrastructure agreement audit requirements and salary variances due to five or six vacant positions (three since filled) plus collective bargaining. Members probed grant underspends related to the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program and a roughly $6 million timing difference on the Canada Community Building Fund; the $78,754,900 vote carried.
Estimates – PEI Energy Corp. questions
P. Bevan-Baker
Bevan-Baker sought a way to ask questions about the PEI Energy Corp.'s investments and staffing; the minister and officials advised the Crown corporation has its own budget line and suggested submitting written questions, noting the current section concerned only infrastructure funding.
Estimates – Sustainable Energy Division Management
Wendy MacDonald
Officials confirmed no positions were lost in the division management (director's office); the $470,900 vote carried.
Estimates – Office of Net Zero and program cuts
Multiple
The minister listed net-zero grant programs that were ongoing, in completion, or ended (e-bike, bicycle, and EV incentive programs ended); Bevan-Baker expressed disappointment that grants were cut roughly 50% from $50 million to $25 million and questioned use of 'project completion' terminology, while the minister defended the fiscal decisions and over $300 million invested historically. The $28,588,000 vote carried after clarification that no new applications would be taken in 2026-27 for most programs.
Estimates – Energy and Efficiency
Multiple
Officials detailed reductions in the grants line totalling about $14 million, including solar energy ($3.5M), new home construction ($600K), and residential electricity rebate (~$9.5M, ending June 30). Ongoing programs were confirmed and salary changes attributed to collective bargaining and vacancies; the section and the Total Sustainable Energy ($45,196,000) and Total Department of Transportation, Infrastructure and Energy ($279,124,200) votes carried, with the minister thanking official Wendy MacDonald.
Estimates – Public Schools Branch General
Multiple
Officials explained the branch operates on an FTE budget with 85.85 additional FTEs (mostly EAs and youth service workers, plus teachers, HR, policy analysts, and speech pathologists), and discussed 15-20% uncertified EAs, enrolment trends (down 44 students then recovering), and salary differences for uncertified staff. Members raised concerns about staffing vulnerable students; the vote discussion continued.
Estimates – School transportation and maintenance
Chris DesRoche
Officials discussed a $571,000 transportation increase driven by fleet operating and repair costs, challenges sourcing electric bus parts after the former vendor's bankruptcy, rising maintenance costs including a ~40% fuel price increase, and that HVAC and major repairs fall under the capital budget rather than the $10,000 maintenance threshold.
Estimates – EAs, training, buses, and Jenkins report positions
Multiple
Members questioned the 70 additional EAs/youth service workers announced, training support, bus retirements and camera installation (capital budget), and positions for implementing the Jenkins report (seven HR and four policy analyst office positions). Officials detailed $300,000 in new administration funding for investigations, training, criminal record checks, and incident management software, plus ongoing Commit to Kids refresher training for all staff.
Estimates – Autism, learning disability and inclusion supports
Multiple
Members asked about staffing for autism and other learning disability supports; officials said no increases this year but no known vacancies, that grants flow to school boards, and that isolating learning disability funding would be complex. The minister committed to future conversations on safer bus routes after the current tragedy.
Estimates – School administration, program materials, PBIS, inclusion and French immersion
Multiple
Officials explained minimum office-time provisions for administrators and 3.5 added FTEs, flat program materials and equipment budgets, that the PBIS pilot in 18 schools would be evaluated before expansion, the inclusion action plan awaits a manager hire, and no funding for additional French immersion, though two new schools are planned for 2027-2028.
Committee of the Whole - Public Schools Branch estimates
Multiple
Committee questioning covered contingency for higher enrollment, funding for students with extended absences, tutoring budgets, academic assessments, substitute EAs, professional development and refresher training (autism, trauma, PTSD), a new $75,000 third-party investigations budget, parent navigator, student safety plans, speech-language pathologists (11.3 plus three added), bus aides, school psychologists (12, with wait times about 1.5 years), first aid/CPR ratios, and HR hires. Chris DesRoche committed to bring back several answers.
Public Schools Branch total carried
The Chair
With no further questions, the Public Schools Branch section carried with a total of $344,000,800.
Recognition of Guests
Hon. Z. Bell
Z. Bell welcomed Anne Nguyen, visiting PEI from Toronto with a keen interest in provincial politics.
Committee reports progress
S. Dillon
The Chair moved that the Speaker take the chair and report progress; S. Dillon reported that the Committee of the Whole considering supply had made progress and begged leave to sit again, and the report was adopted.
Motion supporting rural school and recreational infrastructure
B. Curran
The Member from Georgetown-Pownal delivered an extended speech framed as a bus tour of his district, highlighting the community value of the Georgetown School, Cardigan Consolidated School, Vernon River Consolidated School, the Three Rivers Sportsplex (Georgetown rink), and the Pownal Sports Centre, arguing that investment in rural school and recreational infrastructure sustains population, economy, and community identity. He adjourned debate, seconded by the Member from Summerside-Wilmot.
Adjournment of the House
M. MacKay
The Member from Kensington-Malpeque moved, seconded by the Member from Tyne Valley-Sherbrooke, that the House adjourn until Friday, May 29 at 10:00 a.m.; the motion carried.
Private Members' Business
Motion No. 39 - Recognizing the importance of vital community infrastructure
M. MacKay / Clerk Assistant
Motion No. 39, recognizing the essential role of community infrastructure including schools, post offices, fire departments, rinks and recreational facilities and urging continued investment, was called to the floor and read.
Debate on Motion No. 39 (mover)
T. DesRoches
T. DesRoches opened debate, going clause by clause and drawing on Summerside examples: the new fire hall, Credit Union Place/Island Energy Ice Centre and racetrack, Parkside Elementary school replacement, Cairns Boulevard connector, Billy Bridges accessible park, water parks, hockey tournaments, the $2.5 million fire school investment, digital PICS radios after Hurricane Fiona, matinee racetracks and accessible beaches, stressing continued investment to sustain communities.
Debate on Motion No. 39 (seconder)
B. Curran
B. Curran seconded the motion, describing community infrastructure as the heartbeat of PEI, criticizing past neglect, and touring District 2 Georgetown-Pownal's pillars including the historic Georgetown School (built 1957, once threatened with closure before the community rallied) as vital to community identity and retaining young families.
Other business
Recognition of guests and birthday/event wishes
Multiple
The Premier wished the Minister of Housing a happy birthday and extended birthday wishes to Helen MacPhail (turning 100) of Clyde River, while the Leader of the Opposition, Leader of the Third Party, and other members welcomed gallery guests and offered various congratulations, anniversary and birthday wishes and event promotions (Lady Ball, Walk to End ALS).
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.