Eastern P.E.I. amalgamation committee looking for more reps

The Three Rivers steering committee wants to add four representatives from the unincorporated areas in their proposed amalgamation zone.

Seven communities representing about 7,700 people in Eastern P.E.I. — Georgetown, Montague, Lower Montague, Brudenell, Cardigan, Valleyfield and Lorne Valley — are looking to join together as Three Rivers, but almost 40 per cent of the proposed area is unincorporated.

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Georgetown Mayor Lewis Lavandier said the towns are well-represented on the 12-person steering committee, but property owners outside town boundaries are not.

Meetings Nov. 29 and 30

"This is one of the things that goes along with being in an unincorporated area," he said.

"It's not until certain things come up that you want to take a stand on and you don't have a voice. And that is one of the biggest, I think, selling points for Three Rivers. We need to give unincorporated areas a voice, and I think that that's just one of the things that could benefit them in the long run."

Two meetings — Nov. 29 at Montague Regional High School and Nov. 30 at Kaylee Hall in Pooles Corner — will be held to nominate and vote for the new representatives.

Levandier said once details such as tax rates are figured out, the committee could submit proposal to the province in a few months.

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