The Island Regulatory and Appeals Commission has approved a decrease of 3.2 cents per litre in the price of gasoline.  It took effect at 12:01am Friday.  The price of diesel increased by 3.0 cents per litre, while the price of furnace oil went up by 3.6 cents per litre.  Propane price adjustments ranged from decreases of 1.5 cents per litre to increases of 1.4 cents per litre, depending on the dealer.  Including taxes, pump prices for regular self-serve gasoline now range from 184.5 to 185.6 cents per litre, and diesel costs you between 202.9 and 204.0 cents per litre.  The maximum price for furnace oil is 157.4 cents per litre.  Propane prices range from 81.1 to 82.1 cents per litre.

Late planting, slow-growing crops, crops growing too fast, too much rain, too much wind — you name it and some P.E.I. cereal grain farmers have experienced it this summer.

Maritime Electric and Bell Aliant say they're working to improve communication with customers as they draw lessons from what happened during Fiona last fall.

People in Eastern P.E.I. are relieved to hear a new ferry is on the way. But some said the service's reliability is still in question after the federal government announced plans to buy a 16-year-old Norwegian vessel.

Dennis King's Progressive Conservatives need to reassure Islanders they learned the right lessons from Fiona as peak hurricane season nears, the Green Party says.

Environment Canada issued a special weather statement for all of P.E.I. Thursday afternoon. It forecasts periods of heavy rain starting around midnight on Friday into Saturday morning.

The Progressive Conservatives were the preferred choice of more than half of decided voters, according to a survey done by Narrative Research.

The federal government has announced $4.5 million in funding for a new P.E.I. "living lab" — the four-year-old program that brings together farmers, scientists and others to do on-farm research.

The Third Party Greens suggest that after the most devastating hurricane in PEI’s history, Islanders are heading into a new hurricane season without any clear plan of action from the King PC Government to prevent many of the avoidable harms that Islanders suffered.  Leader Karla Bernard says work to repair damage from Hurricane Fiona still hasn’t been completed, leaving many Islanders to ask if we’re ready for another major hurricane.  She says that despite promises of recommendations to improve preparedness, response and recovery efforts, Islanders are still in the dark about what government has learned and how it’s acting promptly to make changes. 

Tourism Minister Cory Deagle says Wednesday’s announcement of a new ferry for Northumberland Ferries is a step in the right direction to ensure a consistent, reliable ferry service for PEI.  Deagle says he’s happy to see that the federal government has listened to the province’s concerns and the concerns of Eastern PEI residents and business operators, and has a solution for next year.  He says that while two ferries have been in operation since mid-July, tourism operators, especially those in eastern PEI, missed out on important weeks at the start of what had been anticipated as a solid tourism season for the province. The uncertainty of the ferry service at the beginning of the season created uncertainty for travellers and our local tourism operators who rely on that ferry traffic. 

Satisfaction with the Dennis King Progressive Conservative government remains strong according to the latest survey by Narrative Research.  Currently, 74 percent of Islanders are satisfied with Premier King’s government, which is up from 67 percent in May .  22 percent of Islanders are dissatisfied with the PC Government’s performance.  As for support among decided voters, the PCs remain well ahead of other parties as they held steady at 53 percent support.  The Green Party has 22 percent support (down from 25 percent in May), and Liberal Party has 18 percent support (up slightly from May’s 16 percent).  The NDP is sitting at 6 percent support (compared with 5 percent in May).  PC leader Dennis King is the preferred choice for Premier of 46 percent of Islanders.  Interim Green Party leader Karla Bernard is preferred by 16 percent of Islanders, while Interim Liberal Leader Hal Perry has 12 percent support, and the NDP’s Michelle Neill 7 percent.

Maritime Electric wants to charge customers for energy it had to buy unexpectedly last year, asking for a new increase despite a price bump earlier this year and amid uncertainty about who will bear the costs for damage from last year's post-tropical storm.

A dozen people lined up at new walk-in clinic in Kensington, P.E.I., Wednesday, in an illustration of the pressure being relieved from emergency rooms by the newly opened service. 

The search continues for a missing woman in a case made public by Charlottetown Police almost a week ago.  27-year old Summer Kneebone was last seen August 7th on Kent street.  She’s described as 5 feet tall , approximately 120 pounds, with brown hair and hazel eyes, wearing a denim jacket, jeans, and black sneakers.  Anyone with information is asked to contact Charlottetown Police Services at 902-629-4172.

Speaker and Belfast – Murray River MLA Darlene Compton says that for too long now, the availability and reliability of the ferry service has been impacted by aging vessels — and workers, businesses and communities have been negatively impacted as a result.  She says Wednesday’s announcement of the purchase of a permanent replacement for the Holiday Island ferry is welcome news for those who rely on the ferry service. Compton adds that hopefully the addition of the new vessel in the meantime will help improve the situation in the short term.  

Outdoor show at Confederation Centre marks its 30th year but first year with all Island Cast.

About two dozen people calling for more urgent action on climate change rallied outside the Charlottetown hotel where Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his caucus were finishing up a three-day retreat on Wednesday.

The Rusanzhyks, a Ukrainian family of four, moved to P.E.I. in September 2022 after Russia invaded their home country. Now, the community of West Point is hosting a meet and greet Aug. 24 to make the family feel at home on Ukraine's Independence Day. CBC's Mikee Mutuc stopped by to help prepare for the event.

Canada's new federal agriculture minister says there are steps he needs to take before lifting the ministerial order banning seed potatoes from leaving P.E.I.

Ottawa is buying a temporary replacement ferry for the MV Holiday Island and the Northumberland Ferries service between Wood Islands and Caribou.  Prime Minister Justin Trudeau made the announcement as he was joined by a number of Ministers, including Cardigan MP and Agriculture Minister Lawrence MacAulay.  The federal Governments says it will purchase the Norwegian ferry, the MV Fanafjord, to replace the MV Holiday Island until a permanent replacement is built.  The MV Holiday Island was forced out of service by a fire last year.  Design work for a new permanent replacement ferry is underway, with delivery expected as early as 2028.

Premier Dennis King called news of Ottawa purchasing a replacement ferry a welcome announcement that will provide stability and consistency for the important transportation link between PEI and Nova Scotia for 2024 and beyond.  King thanked Cardigan MP Lawrence MacAulay for his advocacy and efforts to ensure a replacement ferry was permanently secured after the fire last summer on the MV Holiday Island.   The Premier says the replacement ferry will provide Islanders and tourists reassurance that there will be a reliable and consistent service between Wood Islands and Caribou going forward.  King does say that while Wednesday’s announcement will help stabilize the service, his government will continue to work with the federal government to ensure a new ferry is still a priority.

Relatives and friends of Summer Kneebone are growing more and more worried as time passes since the 27-year-old woman's disappearance, police say.

After years of deliberations, Charlottetown is finally getting a multi-use pathway for pedestrians and cyclists in Towers Road.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says there are a lot of different factors that are affecting the housing crisis.

As the Liberal cabinet retreat wrapped up in Charlottetown on Wednesday, Trudeau cautioned people about blaming individual groups, such as international students, saying the problem is not that simple.

A Leger poll out Wednesday morning finds 40 per cent of respondents think the federal government is to blame for the housing crisis, while 32 per cent blame their provincial government.

Ninety-five per cent say the rising cost of rents and lack of affordable homes are serious problems.

The number of days the emergency department has been affected by closures this year is now up to 25.

This is Day 3 of the Federal Liberal Cabinet Retreat in Charlottetown as it wraps up.  The federal government is examining its approach to immigration as it considers its approach to the housing crisis.  The Liberal government set new immigration targets last fall that would see Canada welcome 500-thousand newcomers in 2025.  That compares with 341-thousand immigrants arriving in 2019, and a record high of 431-thousand-645 in 2022.  Housing has been the main focus of the retreat.

The Western Hospital emergency department will close early on Wednesday due to a lack of staffing.

The emergency department hours of operation on these days will be:

• Wednesday, August 23,  8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The emergency department will resume regular hours will resume Thursday, August 24 at 8 a.m.

Earlier it had been announced that the emergency department would close early on Thursday as well, but last minute changes with staff availability allowed for it to operate as normal on Thursday.  

Liberal MLA and infrastructure critic Robert Henderson says Premier Dennis King should have known that Maritime Electric does not qualify for the federal government's disaster relief program.

Months after the storm hit P.E.I., the province’s electricity supplier said it spent about $36 million in cleanup and restoration costs.

The PEI Health Coalition is holding a news conference Tuesday as it looks to deliver a message to the Prime Minister, his caucus, and the new Minister of Health, Mark Holland, while they are meeting in Charlottetown. The Coalition says it wants them to know that the Coalition expects them to follow through on their promises to table legislation to implement a universal Pharmacare program. The Advisory Council on the Implementation of national Pharmacare recommended a national Pharmacare program to begin in 2022 and to be fully implemented by 2027. The Coalition says that by keeping its promise to table the legislation for a universal Pharmacare program in the House of Commons this fall, the federal action would go a long way to help relieve stresses on the healthcare system.

Charlottetown is in the national spotlight as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his cabinet meet in the city on a three day retreat that got underway Monday. Tuesday’s agenda for the federal Liberal cabinet retreat will feature discussions about whether to revisit the existing national housing strategy and possibly hold a national housing summit in a bid to solve the growing housing crisis across the country.  Two housing experts who helped co-author a recent report on the federal government’s role in solving the housing crisis are set to present their findings.   The report delivered a week ago warns that “Canada’s housing crisis is worsening dramatically” in large part because of an “extreme” lack of accessible and affordable rentals.

An Island woman was one of more than 20,000 people who were told to evacuate Yellowknife due to wildfires late last week.

New research being spearheaded out of P.E.I. is helping Island farmers make better decisions around when to irrigate their crops — and some say it could not come at a better time.

P.E.I. predicted in May the population would reach 200,000 by 2030, four years earlier than what it had forecast in 2022.

Many on P.E.I. know that the Island Regulatory and Appeals Commission adjusts fuel prices each week. With the help of a pie, CBC's Kevin Yarr explains how much IRAC actually manages — and who else gets a slice.

Wages will increase for early childhood educators and staff in designated early year centres on P.E.I. beginning Oct. 1.

UPEI’s Presidential Search Committee is hosting a community forum on Tuesday night.  The Committee recently launched the consultation phase of the 12-month search process that will select a new President and Vice-Chancellor for the University.  The Search Committee wants to hear from members of the UPEI community about what their visions are for the next President.  The community forum is Tuesday from 6:00pm to 7:30pm in Room 135 of the Duffy Science Centre.  You can also offer input through a confidential, anonymous online survey.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Premier Dennis King have announced funding to create more child care spaces in PEI and support early childhood educators.  Effective October 1st, wages will increase for Early Childhood Educators and staff in designated Early Years Centres in PEI.    Wage increases in designated Early Years Centres include a 50-cents per hour for level 1 educators and cooks; $1 per hour for level 2 educators; and $1.75 per hour for level 3 educators and Directors.  It’s the third wage increase for Early Childhood Educators in PEI since the signing of the Canada-PEI Canada-wide Early Learning and Child Care (CWELCC) Agreement in 2021.  Also, for the first-time, employees of Early Years Centres in PEI will soon benefit from a defined contribution pension plan, with matching government funds. Funding was also announced Monday to increase the number of spaces in Early Years Centres through an expansion grant.  It is anticipated that over 300 new spaces will open within the next 18 months.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and P.E.I. Premier Dennis King hold press conference

An officer was sprayed during the drug seizure but did not require medical attention.

Summer Kneebone was last seen on Kent Street on Aug. 7

Housing affordability will be the key focus this week as the federal cabinet meets in Charlottetown for a three-day retreat ahead of the return of Parliament next month.
The get-together comes as the governing Liberals face a cranky electorate and lagging poll numbers following the COVID-19 pandemic and its inflation-riddled aftermath.
Liberal officials say addressing the housing affordability crisis, with a particular emphasis on young people, will be the main agenda item. The Prime Minister will be joined this morning by Premier Dennis King; Jenna Sudds, the federal Minister of Families, Children and Social Development; and Cardigan MP and Agriculture Minister Lawrence MacAulay in making a child care announcement. This afternoon, the Prime Minister will have a meeting with Premier Dennis King before taking part in the retreat..

With the P.E.I. government now offering free tuition for new students going into licensed practical nursing and paramedic programs, some LPNs who are already working and paying off their student loans are hoping for help too. 

Alan Mulholland of Bayfield, P.E.I., is taking a second spin at sailing across the world, three years after his first attempt.

The Atlantic Veterinary College is posting real-time estimated wait expectations for its small animal emergency service.

Charlottetown Police are seeking the public’s help in locating a missing person.  27-year old Summer Kneebone is described as 5 feet tall, approximately 120 pounds with brown hair, hazel eyes, and wearing a denim jacket, jeans, and black sneakers.  She was last seen August 7th on Kent Street.  Anyone with information is asked to contact Charlottetown Police Services at 902-629-4172.

New York gelding Covered Bridge wins the $100K race in front of 25,000 spectators at the Charlottetown Driving Park at Red Shores.

Artist Christopher Griffin is moving to P.E.I. soon, but he's made his mark in Ottawa with a number of public art pieces. An old sign in Stratford is his latest canvas.

The last time someone told Evelyn Bradley she didn’t sound Black, it caught her off guard. What is the sound of Blackness, if not the way I sound? she asks.

Health PEI says that due to a lack of staffing, the Emergency Department at Western Hospital is closed this weekend.  It was closed on Saturday and is closed again Sunday.  The Emergency Department will re-open Monday at 8 a.m. Anyone with emergency medical needs should call 9-1-1