Big growth in small P.E.I. communities good news for Island mayors
CBC
When it comes to why people are flocking to rural areas of P.E.I., it's the simpler things that might be the draw.
"People are trying to get back to their rural areas of P.E.I. which is an important thing," said Gerard Watts, mayor of the Rural Municipality of North Shore said.
"I think we have some pretty good infrastructure out here."
Watts cited community spirit as one reason, and the area being a "good, healthy place to live."
That's especially important as the COVID-19 pandemic drags on. Watts said people have been drawn to the outdoor attractions on the North Shore — including the shore and trails, the ball diamonds and rinks.
The Rural Municipality of North Shore is one of P.E.I.'s top-five fastest growing communities, according to the first release of data from the 2021 census, and P.E.I. is the fastest growing province in the country.
The North Shore community grew by more than 16 per cent since the last census, and Watts said it's evident when you are out and about in the area.
"You can see — you don't know everybody like you used to know, years ago," Watts said. "It's all been good."
The Town of Alberton also had a growth spurt of 13.6 per cent since 2016, and the mayor said there are good reasons for that.
"There's so much stuff that's happened over the last, say, six years, that it's not only a benefit to the town but West Prince as a whole," said Mayor David Gordon.
Gordon said Alberton has been building a community for all ages.
"Right from young kids to seniors," he said.
Gordon thinks the Western Hospital is a big draw for people looking to move to the area, as is news of a health centre opening there soon and other amenities.
The growth comes with some challenges.
As Prince Edward Island's first significant snow of the season touched ground on the Island, so did Jason Bowie.
With over a hundred Yellowknife homes in the race for best holiday lights this year, a former city mayor recalls light displays being much simpler 20 years ago.
An investigation by Indian officials that alleges dozens of Canadian colleges and universities might be linked to a scheme of illegally ferrying students across the Canada-U.S. border reveals the "staggering" extent to which holes in the immigration system can be exploited, some experts say.
A group of trade unions, health-care advocates and non-profits is calling on the province to take action against the opioid crisis, and they say construction workers continue to be especially vulnerable. One Step Forward: An Alliance for Advancing Recovery has put together a list of recommendations for the Ontario government to help combat the opioid crisis, including improving access to more treatment methods.
After almost three decades in business, a longstanding vintage furniture shop in London's Old East Village neighbourhood will permanently shut its doors this weekend.
Halifax Regional Police say a 56-year-old man was found dead in a tent in the Geary Street encampment near the Dartmouth waterfront on Thursday.
Thirteen community organizations in Montreal's Ahuntsic-Cartierville borough had until 5 p.m. Friday to vacate their long-time home, but they refuse to pack up.
An Indigenous man suffering an acute appendicitis attack had to travel all the way to Winnipeg from The Pas for medical care after an ER doctor told him he didn't treat hangovers, a new lawsuit claims.
Music fans in Regina and Saskatoon are getting ready for the annual Band Swap shows in both cities this weekend.
When trucker Daljit Sohi spotted a woman drop her purse in a B.C. parking lot, he immediately stepped in to help.
Eriks Mateiko scored the only goal of the shootout as Latvia stunned an alarmingly uninspired Canada 3-2 at the world junior hockey championship Friday.