Province working to help municipalities stay afloat
CBC
The province is hoping a new pilot project will help keep municipalities from dissolving.
Communities will be encouraged to share staffing and other resources - in order to meet the requirements laid out in the Municipal Government Act.
"There are a number of municipalities that are concerned about their next steps and what their long-term vision and capacity will be," said Christine MacKinnon, director of municipal affairs at the Department of Fisheries and Communities.
"We are always trying to find ways to support and encourage municipalities. Municipalities make an important contribution to the economy and sense of community on P.E.I."
Officials in both Darlington and St. Louis have said it's become too difficult and too costly to follow the standards laid out in the Municipal Government Act.
The act came into effect in 2017, replacing a patchwork of legislation governing the affairs of Island municipalities introduced in the 1980s. Work on updating those laws began in 2004.
Changes include new rules about audits of financial statements, and standards for freedom of information and emergency management. For some of the requirements, municipalities had years to make the adjustment. Other rules took effect right away.
Neither Darlington nor St. Louis has been given approval from the province to dissolve yet.
"There's a long process for any municipal restructuring," MacKinnon said.
The Island Regulatory and Appeals Commission has made a recommendation to approve the dissolution to the ministry of communities.
The province wants to make sure there's no other solution first.
"We are interested in talking to neighbouring municipalities to see if there's a way to promote shared services or if there's an interest in several municipalities working together instead of dissolving," MacKinnon said.
Under the new pilot, municipalities can choose to work together to share offices and staffing. MacKinnon said that's part of a transition plan to help any locations that are struggling. Municipalities could pool money to share a bookkeeper, for example.
"Each council makes the choice about the services that are important to the community and the residents," she said.
CBC Newfoundland and Labrador is kicking off its annual holiday campaign, helping to raise money to support local food banks.
If all goes according to plan, at 6 a.m. AT on Saturday people working at the IWK Health Centre will become the test case for a generational change to Nova Scotia’s health-care system.
One month after Prime Minister Mark Carney announced what he called "generational" military spending, New Brunswick’s defence ecosystem is on high alert.
Miranda Mirlycourtois, 34, looks directly at the camera and makes a confession.
Saskatoon city hall says police spending is projected to be $2.6 million over budget this year. That pushes the city into a $1.2-million deficit position, according to a report that will be considered by city council next week.
Students at the University of Regina are days away from deciding whether a newly formed student association should become their official representative body.
All public schools on P.E.I. are closed Friday and thousands of Maritime Electric customers are without power as strong winds create hazardous travel conditions across the province.
Prince Rupert, B.C., residents are celebrating the holidays this year with coastal flair.
In the four years Chelsey Simmonds has worked at the Eva Rothwell Centre, she has seen the need increase every year at the centre’s community food pantry.
CBC is once again looking to make the holiday season kind in Windsor-Essex.
Acute Care Alberta has extended its contract for another year with a private surgical facility at the centre of probes into health procurement and contracting.
As food bank use continues to climb across the province, front-line workers in Thunder Bay, Ont., are working to improve both food security and education.
More ads could soon be coming to Toronto’s subway system.