With the Canadian postal strike now in its fourth week, some helper elves in P.E.I. are working hard to make sure Santa Claus gets children’s letters in time for Christmas. 

Massachusetts-based AquaBounty has announced it is shutting down its genetically engineered salmon hatchery in Bay Fortune, P.E.I., with 'several senior management members' leaving the company in the face of a cash crisis.

YAY! Happy Hump Day all over again!

PEI WEATHER

TODAY:   Drizzle ending this morning then rain starting this afternoon. High 9

TONIGHT:  Rain ending this evening. Wind South gusting to 70 this evening. Rising to 12 overnight.

TOMORROW:  Periods of rain in the morning ending in the afternoon. Winds Gusting to 70. Falling to 5 in the afternoon.

LATE BUS REPORT

Bus # 71 driven by Diana Leger and serving Sherwood Elementary, Stonepark Intermediate and Charlottetown Rural is running 30 minutes late.

Bus #423  driven by Sarah Chambers to Mt Stewart running 1 hour late

Bus #406 driven by Mary O’Donnell to Vernon River School 45 minutes late.

ANSWER: EGG NOG!

Request your favourite Christmas Song with a dedication for a minimum $25 donation to Toys for Tots on December 18th!

Birthdays for Wednesday, December 11th – CLICK HERE TO SEND ONE

The City of Charlottetown is attempting to mend its relationship with Elections P.E.I.

At about 5:20 pm on Saturday, Summerside Police responded to a call about a possible impaired driver. Officers located the vehicle on MacEwen Road and conducted a traffic stop.  The driver, a 46-year old Summerside area man was arrested at the scene and later provided two breath samples which police say were determined to be more than twice the legal limit. The man is facing impaired charges and a driving suspension was issued.

The Bank of Canada will make its final interest rate announcement for the year Wednesday after four cuts to its policy interest rate so far in 2024.  Those cuts include a half-percentage point cut in October to bring the central bank’s key interest rate down to 3.75 per cent.  Financial markets and forecasters are betting on another jumbo interest rate cut to bring the rate down to 3.25 per cent.

A lack of staffing has reduced the number of MRIs that P.E.I. conducts, leading to even longer wait times for a test and possible diagnosis.

Wearing T-shirts with his face on them, staff and students of Belfast Consolidated celebrated John Munro as P.E.I.'s principal of the year. The award is especially meaningful because the school was almost closed in 2017. Munro says he's just a reflection of what a great community Belfast is. Nancy Russell was there as he received his award.

Premier Dennis King and Canada’s other premiers will meet with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau Wednesday to talk tariffs.  It comes two weeks after they last met to discuss how to respond to U-S president-elect Donald Trump’s threat to impose a 25 per cent tariff on goods from Canada and Mexico when he takes office next month.  The federal government reportedly promised to present a plan to the premiers for their approach to negotiations with Trump and his officials.  News of the first ministers’ meeting came on Tuesday, the same day that Trump tauntingly took to social media to say it was a pleasure to dine with — quote — “Governor Justin Trudeau of the Great State of Canada.”  It’s a nod to a joke Trump made at a dinner last month in Florida that he might make Canada the 51st U-S state.

Premier Dennis King released a statement on Tuesday for Human Rights Day.  King says the day is an important reminder of the values of equality, dignity, and respect that all people should be afforded.  He says all Islanders are encouraged to reject discrimination and work together to build a more inclusive and equitable community for all.  The Premier’s statement notes that human rights play a crucial role in addressing discrimination and inequality.

Music PEI has announced the nominees for the 2025 Music PEI Awards. This year, Dylan Menzie and Vishtèn Connexions lead the pack with six nominations each, followed by Hikado with five, and both Absolute Losers and Richard Wood with four nominations apiece. Public voting for two fan-favorite categories—Ocean 100 and Hot 105.5 Entertainer of the Year and Maritime Electric Music Video of the Year— is open now and runs until January 3rd, 2025. Fans are encouraged to support their favorite nominees by casting their votes online.  Pop Music PEI Week will take place from March 4th-8th, 2025, with events across the Island celebrating PEI’s music scene. This year’s festival promises unforgettable performances, inspiring stories, and the long-awaited awards ceremony honoring the best in Island music.

Marlene Chapman, who fishes out of Murray Harbour, graduated from UPEI last week with a master's degree in Island Studies. She recently completed her thesis on climate adaptation in the P.E.I. lobster fishery, and shares some of her findings with CBC News: Compass host Louise Martin.

Todd Joseph Gallant was arrested earlier this year, with Charlottetown Police saying DNA evidence collected at the crime scene in 1988 pointed to him. Now his lawyer plans to challenge that evidence.

The nominations are out for the 2025 Music P.E.I. Awards, with winners to be announced during P.E.I. Music Week in March.

YAY! Happy Hump Day all over again!

PEI WEATHER

TODAY:   

TONIGHT:  

TOMORROW:  

TEXT YOUR ANSWERS TO 902-368-1720

Request your favourite Christmas Song with a dedication for a minimum $25 donation to Toys for Tots on December 18th!

Birthday’s for Wednesday, December 11th 

Plans for the new $54-million school in Abram-Village also include an Acadian and francophone arts and culture centre, a public library and a daycare.

The building designs for the new École Évangéline were unveiled on Monday.  The new education centre will replace the school damaged by Hurricane Fiona and will be built on the same site. It will accommodate 225 school-aged students, 56 preschool children in the early years center, and 15 students enrolled in before and after-school care programs. In addition to the school, the centre will feature new office space for the French Language School Board; an Acadian and Francophone arts and cultural centre; a public library; and an expanded early years centre.  

Construction will begin in the summer of 2025, and is expected to be completed in the winter of 2027/2028. 

PEI RCMP stopped seven impaired drivers over the weekend. The RCMP had set up ten checkpoints over the weekend.  They included a checkpoint in Wheatley River, where RCMP say 3 impaired drivers were identified in just 1.5 hours. Checkpoints were also set up in Kinkora; Wilmot; Valleyfield; Stratford; Lower Montague; New London; Slemon Park and Brudenell.  The RCMP says the impaired driving cases involved alcohol and drugs.

Icy road conditions were a major factor Monday morning when an oil delivery truck travelling on the Winsloe Road slid off the road after 6:00am and overturned in the ditch.  The driver was trapped in the truck for a period of time and suffered minor injuries.  A section of the Winsloe Road between the Kentyre Road and Horne Cross Road was closed for several hours.  An estimated 400 to 700 litres of heating oil was spilled as a result of the rollover.  The Provincial Environment Department was called in and officials say the oil was contained and cleaned up with a vac truck.  The oil that was spilled did not impact any waterways.  The North River Fire Department, Island EMS, and Department of Transportation also responded to the scene.

Victims of work-related bullying and harassment will soon be able to make claims to P.E.I.'s Workers Compensation Board, as employees receive training in how to handle them starting in the new year.

Brothers Michael and Tafik Al Mayaleh have been glued to the news and keeping in touch with friends and family in their homeland after Syrian president Bashar al-Assad's authoritarian regime was toppled by rebels on Sunday, bringing what they hope is an end to 14 years of civil war.

Dr. Trevor Jain takes viewers' questions from CBC News: Compass host Louise Martin on this month's segment of Talk With the Doc.

An advocacy group is helping update the reading material in waiting rooms and public spaces across P.E.I., with the goal of deepening Islanders' understanding about a range of diverse topics.  

2024 was a record year for Golf PEI.  It reports that there were 446,000 total rounds played on PEI in 2024, which is a new record, up 12.3% from 2023.  There was also $2.11-million in Golf PEI Reservation Centre sales, a 24% increase.  Golf PEI also successfully completed the first year of its five-year strategic plan, which focused on strengthening its foundation and understanding customer needs. Year two will have new messaging and products to attract more non-resident visitors.

There was a single vehicle collision Monday morning on Route 223 – the Winsloe Rd.  The RCMP says it involved an oil truck rollover, and one person was trapped in the vehicle.  There are no details yet from the RCMP regarding injuries.  The RCMP said there appeared to be some oil leaking from the vehicle. 

A portion of Route 223 was closed off by Police to allow crews to deal with the scene.

The RCMP, Island EMS, North River Fire Department, Environmental officials and PEI Department of Highways crews all responded to the scene.

Air Show Atlantic is coming back to PEI.  The event will return to the Summerside Airport on June 28th and 29th after 7 years.  

Initial performers will be announced as early as this week, and the air and static display lineups will be announced gradually over the next several months. 

Event officials say the process and move to Summerside from Greenwood is underway. 

The fun continues as we kick off Christmas Karaoke today!

PEI WEATHER

DARCY’S TRIVIA FOR ROBIN’S DONUTS

TEXT YOUR ANSWERS TO 902-368-1720

Emergency crews and provincial environment officials are at the scene of an oil truck rollover Monday morning just outside of Charlottetown. 

Some lobster fishing captains on Prince Edward Island say they think there will be little interest in new parental leave benefits just announced by the federal government. 

Canadian Para biathlete is motivated by last season's success.

As the temperature drops, the need from local food banks only rises. CBC's annual holiday campaign to help local food banks is running through the month of December. CBC's Jay Scotland has more on how you can help Make the Season Kind.

Larry Robbins and his son, Logan, of St. Peters Harbour are among 53 athletes, coaches and staff participating in the Special Olympics national championships this week in Calgary.

Green Party Leader Karla Bernard says the population framework released by the PEI Government this week presents more questions than answers.  She says the population framework is definitely not a strategy and it is not what the province needs to address the immense pressures on the healthcare system, housing market, childcare spaces and more.  The Greens say the only tangible action in the entire document is the 25 percent reduction of federal immigration nominations and the intent to target immigration to areas where staff is most needed. But, Bernard says there is no explanation on how this will help the government achieve its goals.

P.E.I.'s only commercial airport, which served 400,000 passengers in 2023, has released its first-ever sustainability plan as managers strive to reduce the travel hub's impact on the environment. 

The tax season is officially underway for 2024 — and for some, it can be daunting. But there is free help for Islanders with a modest income and simple tax situation.

Police on P.E.I. are asking motorists to drive with caution as temperatures drop and roads become more slippery.

As of 4:45pm Saturday, the RCMP says Route 2 near Lock Shore Road in Summerside is closed for the time being following a two vehicle collision. One vehicle caught fire after all passengers had safely gotten out of the vehicle.  The section of road is closed to allow emergency workers to deal with the fire and remove the vehicles.

There was a fatal house fire in Charlottetown on Thursday night.  The Charlottetown Fire Department, Charlottetown Police and Island EMS all responded to the call at about 10:00pm, and arrived to find a working fire in a house in the West Royalty area.  Police say a 71-year old woman was found deceased in the home.   The house sustained extensive damage as a result of the fire.  Fire officials are investigating, trying to pinpoint the cause of the fire.

A 71-year-old woman died in a house fire in the West Royalty area of Charlottetown on Thursday.

Lynx Air, which had recently announced a flight schedule out of YYG Charlottetown this summer, is leaving the skies on Monday.

The Calgary-based ultra-low-cost airline is going out of business after filing for creditor protection.

Lynx Air is advising passengers to contact their credit card company to get a refund.

WestJet is offering discounted fares for stranded domestic travellers and capping fares for international flights on its non-stop routes previously served by Lynx.

Lynx Air had announced just last month that it would start operating flights in late May between YYG Charlottetown Airport and Toronto Pearson International Airport with through service to Calgary International Airport.

A Murray Harbour village councillor accused of posting an anti-Indigenous sign on his property wants a judge to quash sanctions imposed on him. Documents filed with the P-E-I Supreme Court show Councillor John Robertson claims fellow councillors exceeded their authority in fining and suspending him from his municipal post last November.  Robertson argues that he shouldn’t be punished for stating personal opinions on political issues that have nothing to do with his role as an elected council member.

The electric vehicle market on P.E.I. is pumping the brakes a little. Just a year ago, car lots couldn’t keep electric vehicles in stock. But now some EVs are sitting a lot longer.

The P.E.I. kazoo choir is led by Peggy Miles, who formed it last year with the intention of having fun-minded people get together and perform for the public.

Prince Edward Island’s new mental health and addictions emergency department — the first of its kind in Atlantic Canada — is being called a game-changer, monumental, and a long time coming by Health P.E.I. staff and patients. 

People are remembering Mi'kmaq leader Jim Sark, who had served as chief of both Lennox Island First Nation and Abegweit First Nation. Lennox Island Chief Darlene Bernard says her uncle always made people feel special.

Coming off a loss in the District 19 byelection and criticism of the medical school his government backs, P.E.I. Premier Dennis King speaks to CBC News.

The provincial government has released a five-year housing strategy to guide efforts in growing the housing supply; providing more options for low-and medium-income residents; and supporting those most in need. The Province says it was developed through consultation with non-profit and community groups, tenants, landlords, industry associations, developers and all levels of government. It outlines 20 priority action items under three main pillars – acceleration, affordability and vulnerability. Some of the goals of the strategy include growing housing starts to a new level towards the required average annual 2,000 units; achieve and maintain a healthy market vacancy rate of 2 to 4 per cent; explore ways to increase the supply of permanently affordable rental housing through a combination of acquisitions and new constructions; and prioritize the most in need on the PEI Social Housing Registry, while working to eliminate the registry. 

The P.E.I. government released its five-year plan Friday for increasing the province’s housing supply to address the Island’s ongoing housing crisis.

The Province’s first-ever mental health and addictions emergency department is ready to open.  The new $9.5 million facility opens next week to Islanders needing urgent mental health, addiction and substance use care and clinical support in times of crisis.  It provides 24/7 access and is staffed by health care providers who will assess, stabilize, and manage urgent care needs.  The province says health care teams will also work with patients to create a treatment plan and make connections to other acute or community-based mental health, addiction or substance use programs and services that best supports them.  The new 8,000 square foot facility offers two distinct services and spaces – a mental health and addictions emergency department, which will open at 8:00 a.m. on Tuesday, and a mental health and addictions short stay unit, which will open in the coming months.  A psychiatric assessment is required for admission to the short stay service.

A low-cost airline that announced new flights out of P.E.I. just six weeks ago is shutting down before it even got started.