Doctors in western P.E.I. hope a new community health centre will not only improve patient care in the area but also help recruit and retain health-care workers.

The Transportation Safety Board of Canada has issued its final report after its investigation of why MV Confederation ran aground last September off Caribou, N.S.

Dr. Dominique Griffon has been appointed dean of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at UPEI for a five-year term, effective January 1, 2024.   Dr. Griffon is a professor of small animal surgery and associate dean of research in the College of Veterinary Medicine at Western University of Health Sciences, California, with over 25 years of experience training veterinary students in small animal surgery. She developed and led the College’s strategic research plan that resulted in doubling of grant submissions annually and a five-fold increase in research funding over the past decade. 

Five Islanders, through Engage PEI, will be joining the University of Prince Edward Island (UPEI) Board of Governors for a three-year term.  They are:

•             Carolyn Simpson of Charlottetown
•             Lynn Ellsworth of Granville
•             Mary Anne McMahon of Charlottetown
•             Mary Robinson of Albany
•             Pam Montgomery of Stanley Bridge

 The UPEI Board of Governors consists of 26 members appointed by the Province, the UPEI Board of Governors, the UPEI Alumni Association, as well as the Senate, faculty and student body of the University. The UPEI Board of Governors will be accepting applications for new members until October 20, 2023.

The Alberton Community Health Centre was officially opened on Tuesday.  Health officials say it will provide a space for collaborative care to be offered by primary care, mental health and addictions and public health care workers.  The new community health centre, is located at 397 Church Street, and provides space for six nurse practitioner and physician offices; two Mental Health & Addictions exam/consultation rooms; nine Mental Health & Addiction consultation offices; thirteen medical exam rooms; two nursing exam room/offices; four allied health offices; telehealth room; and other services. The entire project cost $7.6 million and was completed in just over two years from the issuing of tenders.

A P.E.I. specialist says there needs to be more supports for the new adult ADHD clinic at the University of Prince Edward Island.

The Canadian Federation of Independent Business wants the P.E.I. government to change the way minimum wage is set, pegging it to a percentage of the median wage rather than following advice from a committee. But what would that actually mean?

The Construction Association of P.E.I. has been making that request for nearly three years, but says there has been no progress, and the issue has only worsened since post-tropical storm Fiona caused nearly $300 million in damage a year ago.

Researchers say the impact of unusual summer weather that brought wildfires in some parts and heavy rain in others is being seen in the fall colours this year.
In areas where August saw heavy rainfall, dull brown has replaced the vibrant oranges and reds usually seen this time of year.
Dalhousie University professor Mason MacDonald says when there is not enough sun for leaves to produce a certain natural pigment, the impact is evident in the fall colours.

Post-tropical storm Fiona brought changes with it to PEI’s beaches and shorelines, lending a helping hand to a tiny bird: the piping plover.  Parks Canada spokeswoman Lily McLaine says the number of piping plover chicks has seen a small increase this year.  She says there were 17 chicks born from 10 breeding pairs on the shores of PEI National Park this year. But McLaine says the birds also face an ongoing threat from climate change, which has also brought about an increase in saltwater flooding on the beaches, which in turn could wash away nests and the birds’ ability to find food. 

Visitor restrictions are in place at The Sea household at Summerside’s Wedgewood Manor after an outbreak of COVID-19 was declared on the weekend.  For now, visitors to that household are restricted to three partners-in-care for each resident, with only one partner-in-care present at a time.  The visitor restrictions will remain in place until the outbreak is declared over.

The RCMP investigation into Saturday night’s incident in Cornwall of a possible police officer impersonation has determined it actually involved an off-duty RCMP constable in uniform.  The officer had been returning home after completing their shift, when they attempted to provide pedestrian safety advice to a woman walking her dog in the dark.  The incident happened at about 8:20 p.m. on a section of the Ferry Road that was not well lit at the time making her difficult to see.  The RCMP says the off-duty constable was attempting to advise the woman she should be walking on the opposite side of the road facing traffic, as she could have been struck from behind by passing vehicles. The woman could not see the constable’s uniform and ran off and called 9-1-1 about the incident when she got home. The constable provided dash-cam footage from his vehicle that captured the event, and police have followed up with the woman to explain what happened.

A councillor in the village of Murray River, P.E.I., says he won’t be stepping down, despite calls to do so from Indigenous leaders and the village mayor.

RCMP say a man who approached a woman claiming to be a police officer on Saturday was in fact a constable with the Prince Edward Island RCMP.

It turns out the case of a man RCMP thought was impersonating himself as a police officer was really an RCMP constable afterall.

In a release, the Mounties say the off-duty constable saw a woman walking her dog along Ferry Road that was not well lit on Saturday evening  and stopped to advise her about safety considering it was dark. He pointed out she should have been walking on the other side of the road facing traffic.

The woman could not see the officer’s uniform and left the scene before he had a chance to talk to her about safety.

The officer provided dash-cam video that captured the incident.

RCMP have followed up by contacting the woman who is thankful the officer was concerned about her safety.

UPEI is looking for volunteer members for its Board of Governors.

The Board is seeking nominations from people from all walks of life. Appointments will begin this fall and will be a three-year term.

You can send an expression of interest online at www.upei/ca/boardrecruitment  Recommendations can be provided by going to [email protected] by email.

The deadline is October 23rd.

The former Holy Trinity Anglican Church was slated for demolition after falling into disrepair. Now the building is being restored, inside and out. CBC’s Nancy Russell has more.

PEI felt the effects of Tropical Storm Phillipe on Sunday with strong winds and rain that disrupted travel and resulted in a few power outages in various parts of the province. 

The wind had gusts up to 80 K and 100 K on the Northumberland Strait which caused cancellation of Northumberland Ferry service at Wood Islands and Caribou. The Confederation Bridge had a traffic restriction in place until the afternoon.

Charlottetown received the most rain….just over 22 mm.

8.6 mm in St. Peters Bay in Kings County and 5 mm in Summerside.

The Liberal Opposition is concerned about the Queen Elizabeth Hospital exceeding capacity in its emergency and inpatient departments as announced by the provincial government.

The Liberals say they’ve been flagging the potential for a situation like this since the spring sitting of the Legislature when the government made the decision to close the ICU at Prince County Hospital without providing due notice to staff or patients.

Closures to emergency department services at Kings County Memorial in Montague and Western Hospital in Alberton over the last several months have compounded the problem according to the Liberals.

The Liberal caucus wants the King government to provide a comprehensive plan to alleviate the burden on health care staff and patients at the QEH, right away.

They are also calling for more action and less excuses on the matter from the Minister of Health.

Summerside’s Wedgewood Manor has declared an outbreak of COVID-19.

Visitors to the households will be restricted to three partners-in-care and only one partner at a time until the outbreak is declared over.

Queens District RCMP is investigating after a Cornwall woman complained about being approached by a man who was driving a blue SUV while she was walking her dog along Ferry Road near Pyes Lane around 8.20 on Saturday evening.

The man identified himself as a member of the RCMP. He asked to get inside his vehicle and had some questions to ask her.

The woman refused and ran home and then called 911.

RCMP are treating the incident as someone impersonating a police officer.

The man is described as being white male  about 35 to 40 years of age with short brown hair and no facial hair.

If you have any information call Queens District RCMP.

RCMP on P.E.I. are looking for a man in a blue SUV who is accused of impersonating a police officer and asking a woman to get inside his vehicle.

We’re feeling the effects of Tropical Storm Phillipe this morning.

Northumberland Ferries has cancelled all crossings today.

Traffic restrictions are in place on the Confederation Bridge that began just after 3.30 this morning.

Winds are gusting up to 100 K on the Northumberland Strait.

Maritime Electric is reporting just a few power outages.

There were over 19-hundred outages in the Summerside area around 6 this morning.

The rain will pick up which will make for wet and windy road conditions later.

Many businesses and services on P.E.I. will be closed on Thanksgiving Monday, Oct. 9. Some restaurants and other venues may be open, but it's a good idea to call ahead first.

The Native Council of P.E.I. is asking for the resignation of Charlottetown Coun. Mitch Tweel after statements he made during a recent council meeting.

The RCMP and Charlottetown Police, among other police departments, are taking part in Operation Impact during the Thanksgiving weekend across PEI.

It’s aimed at making Canada’s roads among the safest in the world by promoting safe driving behaviours and preventing collisions, saving lives and reducing injuries.

Police will be focusing on impaired drivers by alcohol or drugs, aggressive driving, distracted driving and those who are not wearing seat belts.

This year’s campaign focuses on the accountability and role of each driver has to play to support traffic safety.

Each year, about 2,000 Canadians die in traffic collisions and 165,000 are injured with about 10,000 suffering serious injuries.

Charlottetown Fire Prevention Week begins Sunday which is intended to educate the community about simple and important actions to prevent fires including cooking.  Cooking fires are the leading cause of blazes in homes that lead to damage and injuries and even death each year.

Tropical Storm Phillipe is expected to affect the weather in the Maritimes this weekend with wind gusts up to 80 and possibly higher beginning tonight into Sunday morning.

A wind warning is expected to be issued by Environment  Canada.

PEI Stormchaser says to expect 5-15 mm of rain from the storm.

Public Safety Minister Bloyce Thompson says he expects it to be much like Tropical Storm Lee in September which caused power outages to over 4,600 Maritime Electric customers at one point.  Phillipe is not expected to do any major damage. There will be wet driving conditions in the rain and wind on Sunday. The wind will diminish late Sunday afternoon. The storm may affect travel.

There is a wind advisory issued for the Confederation Bridge that goes from midnight  until 5.00 Sunday evening.

Summerside-Wilmot PC MLA Tyler DesRoches has been removed from a legislative standing committee by Premier Dennis King a day after making comments about female paramedics who work in the province. DesRoches has come under fire for those comments by the union that represents paramedics, CUPE among others.

A three-year-old girl and 52-year-old man have died after a head on in western P.E.I Friday evening. A 27-year-old woman and a six-year-old girl are also in hospital as a result of the crash, according to RCMP.

A horrific motor vehicle crash in western PEI on Friday evening.

A 3-year-old girl and a 52-year-old man have died as a result of a head on collision in Coleman. A 27-year-old woman and a 6-year-old girl are also in hospital. About 7:00 on Friday night Prince District RCMP responded to a two-vehicle collision near the intersection of the Mud Road and MacPhee Road in Coleman.

TheO’Leary and West Prince Fire Department along with Island EMS responded. The 52-year-old man was the driver of one of the vehicles and was pronounced dead at the scene. The other vehicle was driven by the 27-year-old woman and she was travelling with two children.

The 3-year-old was also pronounced dead at the scene. The woman and the other child were both transported to Prince County Hospital with serious injuries. The 6-year-old child was later sent to the IWK Children’s Hospital in Halifax. An RCMP collision reconstructionist and the PEI Coroner’s office are providing assistance with the investigation which will continue. 

P.E.I. has been quietly operating a targeted basic income pilot program. Here's what you need to know.

After Dorian’s wrath, Jason Charette started rebuilding his home with eco-friendly material in the hopes it can withstand future hurricanes.

P.E.I. RCMP Const. Jamie Parsons has spent his career trying to reduce impaired driving on the Island. Now he has received a national award from MADD Canada recognizing his commitment.

Hundreds of knitting, crocheting and rug hooking enthusiasts were in Charlottetown this weekend for P.E.I.'s first-ever Fibre Festival. CBC's Nancy Russell has the details.

Some Prince Edward Islanders say they're frustrated after hearing the province's largest hospital was again over capacity for two days this week.

The completion of the new Simmons arena in Charlottetown has been delayed by at least a year, the city confirmed on Friday.

Thanksgiving is just around the corner, but for many of P.E.I.'s less fortunate residents, celebrations will be a little less meaty this year.

RCMP are reporting a more recent sighting of Élora Patoine, a P.E.I. woman whose whereabouts have been unknown since June.

Just like it did recently with Hurricane Lee, PEI’s Emergency Measures Organization has activated to a level 1.  Essentially that means Enhanced Monitoring as Tropical Storm Phillippe is aimed at Atlantic Canada.  It’s still too early to know Phillipe’s exact track and impact, but the province says ongoing discussions with the Canadian Hurricane Centre indicate that PEI will experience a minor weather system beginning in the early hours of Sunday.  Current forecasts are projecting winds ranging from 70 kilometres per hour to 90 kilometres per hour, moderate levels of rain, and the possibility of storm surge in some areas.  In the event of an emergency or significant power outages, there is an up-to-date list of reception centres and the pertinent information on the government website at www.princeedwardisland.ca

An update today from RCMP in PEI regarding the missing person case of 30 year old Élora Patoine. On Tuesday, the RCMP indicated that Élora was last seen in Borden- Carleton on June 17th.  But in an update released today, the Mounties say they have now learned that her last known sighting was on Albert Street in Moncton on June 19. She was last seen wearing a brown faux leather jacket, black pants and had a school bag with her. RCMP have made use of the new Missing Persons Act as part of the investigation.  If you have information concerning the location of Élora Patoine, you’re asked to contact Prince District RCMP or Crime Stoppers.

Statistics Canada says the national economy added 64,000 jobs last month as the country’s population continues to rapidly grow.  The federal agency says the unemployment rate held steady at 5.5 per cent.  Canada’s labour market has cooled over the last year amid higher interest rates, but the unemployment rate remains below pre-pandemic levels.  The job gains last month were concentrated in part-time work, while there were more people working in educational services and transportation and warehousing.  Meanwhile, jobs were shed in finance, insurance, real estate rental and leasing, construction and information and recreation. The PEI economy added 2,700 jobs in September, while the provincial unemployment rate stood at 6.3 percent, down from 7.6 percent in August.

Too many services aimed to help people who are unhoused or in precarious housing situations are in Charlottetown, advocates told government officials at a meeting in eastern P.E.I. Thursday.

The price of gas fell for the fourth consecutive week on P.E.I. Friday morning.

The forecast path for tropical storm Philippe has shifted to the west, further from the Maritimes, but not enough to have a big impact on what will happen on P.E.I.

A significant drop in gasoline prices Friday.  The Island Regulatory and Appeals Commission approved a decrease of 7.0 cents per litre in gasoline prices.  Including taxes, pump prices for regular self-serve gasoline now range from 165.5 to 166.6 cents per litre.  There’s no change in the price of diesel or the price of furnace oil.   Propane price adjustments ranged from a decrease of 1.5 cents per litre to an increase of 0.6 cents per litre. Propane prices range from 81.8 to 83.1 cents per litre.

Special Olympics P.E.I. is looking for 'qualified, eager and excited' volunteers to help keep up with the growing demand for its programs.

The Federation of P.E.I. Municipalities points out that a provincewide land use plan has been called for in numerous reviews dating back 50 years, to 1973's Royal Commission on Land Ownership and Land Use.

The provincial government has outlined the first steps it will take to make the eastern Prince Edward Island community into a non-emitter.

Premier Dennis King says he is removing a PC MLA from all legislative standing committees indefinitely after comments made Wednesday. King says the statement made by Summerside-Wilmot MLA Tyler DesRoches at a legislative committee meeting was inappropriate, wrong and won’t be tolerated.