Summerside developer charged with threatening to kill provincial staff
Court documents allege Nathan Kember threatened to kill 3 people; at least 2 work for province
A Summerside area developer is facing a number of criminal charges, including threatening to kill provincial government employees.
Strategic Holdings Inc. and its owner and president Nathan Kember are facing nearly a dozen charges under the Environmental Protection Act (EPA) after the province alleges work was being done around a wetland without the proper permits at a property on Water Street East in Summerside.
Court documents show that Kember has also been charged with obstructing a peace officer, mischief, uttering threats and driving in a way that put the public at risk.
None of the allegations have been proven in court and no pleas have been entered.
The documents viewed by CBC News allege that during an incident in October, Kember was "preventing the seizure of heavy equipment" and stopped a constable with the Department of Justice and Public Safety from carrying out duties under the Environmental Prevention Act.
Summerside Police also allege that Kember committed mischief by preventing a tow truck from removing heavy equipment from 674 Water St. East — the listed address of Strategic Holding's office — and also drove a vehicle in a way that was dangerous to the public.
The final allegation is that Kember "did knowingly utter a threat to [three individuals] to cause death to [same three individuals]".
At least two of those alleged victims listed in court documents are employees of the provincial government in the departments of Justice and Public Safety and Environment, Energy and Climate Action, respectively.
A Cox and Palmer lawyer representing Kember appeared in court on his behalf on February 5 and asked for an adjournment.
The lawyer told the judge they were having resolution discussions with the Crown and expected to make significant progress on those talks in the coming weeks. He did not rule out the possibility of a trial.
Continues to work on housing: lawyer
CBC News also spoke with Kember and his lawyer, Jordan Brown, last week.
Kember told CBC News he originally planned to build the Water St. East apartment building in 2020, when it was approved by the city, but delayed the plans due to the impact of inflation.
He also shared a document that appears to be an approved permit from the Department of Environment to work in the buffer zone around the property — issued in August 2020 and expiring Dec. 31, 2020.
"Mr. Kember continues to work on a significant, much needed 70+ acre housing development, in the City of Summerside," Brown said in an emailed statement to CBC.
"Through this process, his goal will be to create a space that the city and its residents can be proud of, including significant green space, walking trails, and much-needed housing, done in a sustainable manner.
"Mr. Kember has been working with Officials from the City of Summerside and the Department of Environment for five plus years on this project. We continue to work with these folks and the Crown in an effort to resolve these issues and to ensure the best development possible for the City of Summerside."
The statement did not address the criminal charges against Kember.
His next scheduled court appearance for both the Environmental Prevention Act and criminal charges is scheduled for March 5 in Summerside.
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