Small P.E.I. communities worried they'll pay higher taxes without improved services

A committee representing six small communities in western P.E.I. is asking for more input when it comes to the new Municipal Government Act.

• Join or not? Montague residents to vote on amalgamation
• 5 more Island communities start amalgamation process

Committee chair Dave Pizio is concerned about what the new act could mean for St. Felix, St. Louis, Northport, Greenmount-Montrose, Miminegash andTignish Shore. He shared those concerns which include the prospect of higher taxes without improved services in a presentation Thursday to the standing committee on communities, land and environment.

"There's quite a substantial, financial cost to administer the new regulations and there's no additional services being provided to the communities," Pizio said.

Pooling resources

The new act introduced minimum sizes for new municipalities to provide mandatory community andemergency planning services, as well as hours of operation for an office.

That has smaller communities considering poolingresources under one township to accommodate the government's goal offewer but larger communities across the province.

But Pizio and many residents are worried they'll be paying higher taxes without seeing improved services.

"We have not been provided with anything in the way of actual examples whereannexation, amalgamation was good for all the participants," he said.

Wants act amended

Piziosaidsmall communities don't have enough of a voice at the table in amalgamation and annexation talks, and haven't been effectively represented by the Federation of P.E.I. Municipalities.

According to the Federation of P.E.I. Municipalities website, none of the communities Pizio represents is a member of the federation.

Pizio said he wants the Municipal Government Act amended to better reflect the needs of small communities, and to take away the discretionary power of the minister to force amalgamation on communities.

"Let's fix the process or provide better communication," Piziosaid.

• MORE P.E.I. NEWS |NDP to choose candidate tonight for Charlottetown-Parkdale byelection
• MORE P.E.I. NEWS |How Prince Edward, who never set foot on P.E.I., ended up with an Island named after him