Latest news with #KentMacDonald
Cision Canada
11-07-2025
- Cision Canada
Federal government invests in active transportation in Abegweit First Nation Français
SCOTCHFORT, PEI, July 11, 2025 /CNW/ - The Abegweit First Nation is building infrastructure that will support active lifestyles and eco-tourism, after an investment of more than $5.5 million from the federal government. The Confederation Trail System is used by thousands of Islanders and tourists each day for their active transportation needs. However, the portion of the Confederation trail system that cuts through Scotchfort is not connected to other active transportation routes in the community and does not offer access to the Hillsborough River. The project announced today includes the construction of a 2km multi-use pathway to connect the Confederation Trail to Scotchfort, which will offer residents and visitors opportunities to explore more of the community and encourage healthy lifestyles. A floating boardwalk system will offer access to the Hillsborough River as well as an Active Transportation Visitor Centre. This Centre will serve as a respite location while offering access to kayaks and canoes and training on the safe usage of the equipment. The revitalization of Scotchfort's active transportation infrastructure will make it easier, safer and more convenient to access the community and surrounding areas, providing meaningful benefits and creating economic opportunities for the region. Quotes "Investing in healthy and active communities is a priority of the Government of Canada. The trail system improvements and accessible transportation hub project in Scotchfort will not only foster healthier lifestyles, it will better connect neighbouring communities to Abegweit First Nation so that visitors can explore the community and learn more about their history and culture." Kent MacDonald, Member of Parliament for Cardigan "This investment is an important step forward for our community. Connecting the Confederation Trail to Scotchfort's pathways and the Hillsborough River creates new ways for our people and visitors to engage with the land and water. It supports active living, cultural tourism, and our broader vision for sustainable growth in Abegweit First Nation." Roderick W. Gould Jr., Chief of Abegweit First Nation Quick Facts The federal government is investing $5,532,112 in this project through the Active Transportation Fund and the Abegweit First Nation is contributing $189,296. Active transportation refers to the movement of people or goods powered by human activity. It includes walking, cycling and the use of human-powered or hybrid mobility aids such as wheelchairs, scooters, e-bikes, rollerblades, snowshoes, cross-country skis, and more. The Active Transportation Fund was launched in 2021 to provide $400 million to make travel by active transportation easier, safer, more convenient, and more enjoyable. The new Canada Public Transit Fund (CPTF) will provide an average of $3 billion a year of permanent funding to respond to local transit needs by enhancing integrated planning, improving access to public transit and active transportation, and supporting the development of more affordable, sustainable, and inclusive communities. The CPTF supports transit and active transportation investments in three streams: Metro Region Agreements, Baseline Funding, and Targeted Funding. Visit the Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada website for more information. The federal government has also launched an Active Transportation Online Hub. This webpage provides resources related to active transportation, such as data and research, policies, success stories on projects across Canada, and information on the federal government's active transportation investments. The funding announced today builds on the federal government's work through the Atlantic Growth Strategy to create well-paying jobs and strengthen local economies. Associated links Active Transportation Fund National Active Transportation Strategy Strengthened Climate Plan Housing and Infrastructure Project Map Follow us on X, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn Web: Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada SOURCE Department of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities
CBC
25-06-2025
- CBC
Transport Canada confirms it will dredge Wood Islands this summer, leaving fishers concerned
Social Sharing With the ferry service between eastern Prince Edward Island and northern Nova Scotia once again experiencing cancellations, this time because of the tides, the federal government confirms it plans to dredge Wood Islands Harbour earlier than planned. Northumberland Ferries Ltd. said this week that it would be operating on reduced sailings and limited vehicle capacity due to "unusually low tides." Cardigan MP Kent MacDonald said the last time the area was dredged was in 2022. "The fishermen are experiencing the same problem in the harbours, getting in and out," MacDonald told CBC News. "The ferry's… putting precautionary measures in or cancelling crossings when the tide is extremely low so we don't have any safety issues or any damage to assets that are there." MacDonald said Transport Canada, which owns the ferries, is set to dredge the Wood Islands Harbour later this year. "That process will have to be closely monitored and make sure that the ferries are able to dock and leave safely, if we're going to continue to have extreme weather events with the tide being lower than normal," he said. A spokesperson for Transport Canada confirmed in a statement to CBC News that it would dredge Wood Islands Harbour this year. "Typically, dredging at Woods Island is carried out on a five-year cycle, and the last dredging operation was completed in 2022," the statement reads. "This year's assessment revealed more sediment accumulation than usual. A call for tenders is therefore underway for dredging work, which is scheduled to begin after August 1, 2025." The statement added: "MV Northumberland can operate at the current depth; however, extreme conditions may lead to adjustments." More sediment than usual More P.E.I. harbours have needed dredging in recent years, in part because there's less sea ice over the winter months to keep shifting sand in check. That leads sand and silt building up, which could cause boats to run aground in the shallower waters. If the conditions aren't right, the lobster won't settle there, or they won't survive if they've already settled there. But Transport Canada's pledge to dredge Wood Islands Harbour has raised concerns among some in the fishing industry about where all the accumulated sediment will go. Ian MacPherson, executive director of the P.E.I. Fishermen's Association, said the plan is for the sediment to be deposited at sea, but fishermen are concerned that the large volume of sediment could negatively affect their lobster grounds. "If the conditions aren't right, the lobster won't settle there, or they won't survive if they've already settled there," he told Radio-Canada. "We could be looking at a negative impact in our lobster stock. Because of the life cycle of lobster, we may not find out for a number of years that the stocks suffered a setback." MacPherson said the association has been advocating with Transport Canada to have the sediment dumped on land. The association would also prefer that the dredging take place in late October, so that it wouldn't affect spawning or young lobsters. Darlene Compton, MLA for Belfast–Murray River and P.E.I.'s minister of economic development, innovation and trade, said she is aware of the industry's concerns. She plans to bring them forward during a federal-provincial trade ministers meeting in early July. All dredging activities are carried out in accordance with the regulations set out by Fisheries and Oceans Canada and Environment and Climate Change Canada. "This is part of internal trade. The ideal situation for the fishers would be to take that dredging and dump it on land," Compton said. "I would suggest to the federal government that we should work with the fishers and work with [the provincial Department of] Environment to ensure that we're doing this the right way and at the right time." In its email to CBC News, Transport Canada did not mention where dredged silt will be dumped, but did say: "All dredging activities are carried out in accordance with the regulations set out by Fisheries and Oceans Canada and Environment and Climate Change Canada." 'Everything can't happen the way you want it to' Meanwhile, MacDonald said extreme weather events that prevent off-Island travel have to be expected sometimes. "When the wind is blowing, the [Confederation] Bridge closes; when the tides are extremely low, Transport Canada is taking the necessary precautions to ask the ferry service to cancel those crossings," he said. "I think we have to be realistic in our expectations... Everything can't happen the way you want it to." WATCH | NFL cancels some N.S.-P.E.I. sailings as low tide affects ferries: NFL cancels some N.S.-P.E.I. sailings as low tide affects ferries 2 days ago Duration 1:35 Northumberland Ferries has cancelled some sailings this week for what it calls "unusually low tides." People in the area say dredging work should have been done ahead of time to welcome the new boats, but because that work hasn't been done the ferry service is having a bumpy early summer schedule. CBC's Cody MacKay reports. Despite the disruptions this week, MacDonald said the ferry service has been running well so far. "I think it's been going smoothly this summer," he said. "Spring tide season will be over at the end of this week, and things will return to normal." The ferry route between Wood Islands, P.E.I., and Caribou, N.S., is currently serviced by two ships — MV Confederation and the Northumberland. With both vessels in service, Northumberland Ferries typically runs eight scheduled crossings a day.
CBC
29-04-2025
- Politics
- CBC
P.E.I.'s Liberal MPs promise to tackle key issues facing the Island
Social Sharing P.E.I. is once again painted red on the political map as all four of the province's federal ridings were won by Liberal candidates in Monday's federal election. Three incumbents and one rookie will represent the Island in Ottawa, and all four say they're ready to get to work and address key challenges facing Islanders — from the cost of living to concerns in the fisheries and agriculture sectors. Bobby Morrissey Liberal incumbent Bobby Morrissey retained his seat in the Egmont riding after what looked like a tight race with Conservative candidate Logan McLellan after polls closed. Heading into his fourth term, Morrissey said one of his top priorities is addressing growing concerns among his constituents on the future of P.E.I.'s wild oyster fishery. Concerns about high oyster mortalities caused by the MSX parasite have fishers worried as the season is set to begin May 1. Industry members have been calling for urgent government action and support. "Fishers are going to have to be looked after, and I'm going to go to bat for them," Morrissey told CBC's Island Morning. While the Conservatives did not win any seats on P.E.I., they made significant gains in voter support, particularly in Egmont, where the race was tight at several points. "That shows that people are paying attention here, and sometimes some people felt that the government that I was part of was not listening to them closely enough on some issues," he said, citing the oyster industry concerns. "When certain segments of the population feel isolated from the government in power, then the government has to do a better job at listening." Kent MacDonald Rookie candidate Kent MacDonald will be the next MP in the eastern P.E.I. riding of Cardigan, the only district without an incumbent running after longtime MP Lawrence MacAulay retired. MacDonald won more than 56 per cent of the vote. Liberal candidate Kent MacDonald wins P.E.I.'s Cardigan riding by large margin He said he feels ready to represent the people of Cardigan and the concerns he heard while campaigning. "We have to keep working on affordability. There's certainly concerns in the fishing industry, around DFO and the regulations. Pricing is not great in the lobster industry. So all those things add up to frustration with the voters. I'll address them when I go to Ottawa," he said. MacDonald, a dairy farmer from the Souris area, said he feels well positioned to stand up for Canada as the issue of supply management — which relies on the control of imports and enables the dairy, poultry and egg sectors to limit the supply of their products to what Canadians are expected to consume — once again comes under fire by U.S. President Donald Trump. "My experience will bode well for me, having been involved in associations in the dairy industry, so governing will just be a bigger scale of those same activities," he said. Sean Casey Liberal incumbent Sean Casey will remain the member of Parliament for P.E.I.'s Charlottetown riding, having earned about 65 per cent of the vote in Monday's federal election. Casey, who was first elected in 2011 and has represented the people of Charlottetown for the last four terms, said Islanders in the capital city are anxious about some of the same issues as the rest of Canada — affordability, access to health care, climate change, and ongoing tensions with the U.S. "None of these things are going to be resolved overnight," Casey said "But my sense is that Islanders, specifically, they get it that it isn't something that's going to happen overnight. They want to be reassured that there's a steady hand at the wheel and a methodical approach to each one of these problems." With the Liberals under Mark Carney likely to form a minority government, Casey said collaboration with other parties will be key. "I don't necessarily think that's a bad thing," he said. "I'm confident that with Prime Minister Carney, with the stated will of the electorate, that we will be able to get things done." Heath MacDonald Liberal incumbent Heath MacDonald will be going back to Ottawa as the MP for the central P.E.I. riding of Malpeque after securing about 57 per cent of the vote. MacDonald said he looks forward to continuing to represent his constituents, also citing concerns about affordability, health care access and Trump's tariff threats as top priorities for his second term. "People are certainly looking for political parties to restore some political stability, and people are tired of the rhetoric we've seen south of the border. I think people want us to work together for the betterment of Canada and, of course, Islanders as well," MacDonald said. Reflecting on his first term, MacDonald said the learning curve was steep as he had a lot to learn about Parliament's protocols and procedures as well as building networks, but this time, he's already familiar with the procedures and relationships needed to get things done. When asked whether he believes P.E.I. should have a seat at the cabinet table, given that former Cardigan MP Lawrence MacAulay held ministerial positions under the Trudeau government, MacDonald said he believes the province deserves representation in cabinet.
CBC
29-04-2025
- Politics
- CBC
Liberal candidate Kent MacDonald projected to win P.E.I.'s Cardigan riding
The eastern riding is the only one on P.E.I. without an incumbent running CBC News has projected that rookie candidate Kent MacDonald is the winner in the eastern P.E.I. riding of Cardigan, an hour after results first started to roll in. With the majority the riding's 97 polls reporting, the Liberal candidate holds a lead of nearly 3,000 votes over Conservative candidate James Aylward. NDP candidate Lynne Thiele, Maria Rodriguez of the Green Party and Independent Wayne Phelan were vying for third place, ahead of People's Party of Canada candidate Adam Harding. MacDonald's supporters erupted in cheers and rushed to hug him as they watched the news that he was projected to win the riding. P.E.I.'s easternmost riding of Cardigan is a predominantly rural area, and there's a lot of it. It's the largest in area of the four ridings, and has the most eligible voters, according to Elections Canada. It's the only one of P.E.I.'s four ridings that does not have an incumbent candidate. Liberal Lawrence MacAulay, the longest-serving MP in the Island's history, confirmed in March that he wouldn't run again.
CBC
18-03-2025
- Politics
- CBC
Kent MacDonald acclaimed as federal Liberal candidate in P.E.I.'s Cardigan riding
Social Sharing For the first time in nearly 40 years, the federal Liberals have a new candidate in eastern P.E.I.'s Cardigan riding. Kent MacDonald, a seventh-generation dairy farmer from Little Pond, was acclaimed as the party's candidate for the riding this week. "The Liberal party's platform is what I believe in," MacDonald is quoted as saying in a news release. "The federal Liberals have put millions into our communities through school lunch programs, health care for Island seniors, and low-interest loans for housing. This is supporting families and working people." MacDonald will look to hold the seat for the Liberals after Lawrence MacAulay announced he would not seek re-election after a 36-year political career and 11 straight election wins in Cardigan. MacDonald is a past director, vice-chair and chair of Dairy Farmers of P.E.I., and was a director and vice-chair of the P.E.I. Federation of Agriculture. He is the current president of Pondsedge Farms, his family's dairy and beef operation. The race to succeed MacAulay as Cardigan's MP also includes Conservative nominee James Aylward, a former MLA and provincial cabinet minister; and former educator Lynn Thiele, who's running for the NDP. On Tuesday, the Green Party of Canada told CBC News that it has candidates for three of the four federal ridings on P.E.I. and intends to announce their names "later this week or at the beginning of next week." The next federal election is supposed to be held on Oct. 20 under Canada's fixed election date system. However, it is widely expected to be triggered this spring — by the minority Liberal government under new Prime Minister Mark Carney calling a snap general election, or by the opposition parties voting against a motion on a supply bill or a specific motion of no confidence.
