Rural communities organize own plebiscite on amalgamation of Three Rivers area

Rural areas that didn't get a chance to vote on amalgamation of the Three Rivers area in eastern P.E.I. have organized their own plebiscite to be held Jan. 20 and 22.

'We have to find out from these people in these unincorporated areas what they think'

Sara Fraser · CBC News · Posted: Jan 09, 2018 8:06 PM EST | Last Updated: January 10, 2018

A person puts a ballot into a ballot box. — The province says results from the vote can be submitted for consideration at a public hearing if the communities proceed with the plan. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press)

Residents of rural areas that didn't get a chance to vote on amalgamation of the Three Rivers area in eastern P.E.I. have organized their own plebiscite to be held Jan. 20 and 22.

Amalgamation of the Three Rivers area has been under study since 2014 and would include the communities of Brudenell, Cardigan, Lorne Valley, Lower Montague, Montague and Valleyfield. Georgetown voted to pull out of the talks in September 2017

"We feel that we have to find out from these people in these unincorporated areas what they think," said Sylvia Teasdale, who lives in Burnt Point, P.E.I.

The plebiscite is being organized by a group of residents who want to stop amalgamation of their unincorporated communities, although they say voters can vote as they wish.

Georgetown-St. Peters MLA Steven Myers presented a petition on the group's behalf in the legislature in November asking government to organize the vote but said the province did not respond, so residents decided to undertake it themselves.

They point out residents of the incorporated municipalities of Montague, Cardigan and Brudenell were allowed to vote on whether they want to be part of the Three Rivers amalgamation — they voted in favour — but the roughly 3,000 residents of unincorporated areas within the amalgamation zone of about 7,700 people did not have the same opportunity.

'Why add more to it?'

The residents worry about new taxes, more regulations and government interference, and doubt their rural areas will get more services under amalgamation, they said.

Sylvia Teasdale, Mike McCormack and John Walsh are members of a group organizing a vote for residents of unincorporated areas in eastern P.E.I. on whether they wish to be part of a new Three Rivers municipality. (Laura Meader/CBC)

"I can't see any problems with what we have now, and why add more to it?" said John Walsh of Burnt Point. "We're regulated fairly snug now."

Walsh was part of an official advisory committee organized by government, and believes information is being withheld from residents.

"There's so many people being left out in the dark and yet we brag about being a democratic society," said Mike McCormack of Cardigan North, P.E.I.

"I don't think it's fair and we have to at least encourage people to vote."

Where to vote and when

There will be two voting days, Jan. 20 and 22, with polling stations open from 9 a.m. till 7 p.m. both days.

Those in the Cardigan Fire District can vote at Kaylee Hall at Poole's Corner and St. George's Parish Church on Primrose Road in St. George's. Residents in the Georgetown Fire District can vote at Eden's Gate Restaurant in Georgetown, and those in Montague Fire District can vote at Kaylee Hall and St. Paul's Parish Hall in Sturgeon.

The minister responsible for amalgamation, Robert Mitchell, said in a written statement to CBC that the results from the vote could be submitted as part of the public hearing process.

"Once the Three Rivers Steering Committee makes a decision to proceed with an application to restructure, the proposal will require a public hearing as part of the review process under the New Municipal Government Act. The results from the January vote can be submitted for consideration," the statement said.

The plebiscite has its own Facebook page where organizers will post any updates.