top of page

PEI

Last Updated:

April 2023

Population:

Population: 0.44% (1)

Area: 0.06% (2)

Current majority government:

Premier: Dennis King, Progressive Conservative 


Number of Members of Legislative Assembly in PEI: 27 

  • Progressive Conservative: 22 

  • Liberal: 3

  • Green: 2

Find your Member of Legislative Assembly here: (3)

Environmental stance of majority party:

While Premier King initially committed to a 2050 carbon-neutrality goal for the province, synonymous with the federal goal, this goal has since been accelerated, with the province now aiming to be carbon neutral by 2040 (4) ( 5).

Percentage of 2020/2021 budget estimated to be allocated to the environment:

Total 2022-2023 Estimated Budget: $2,662,066,700

Total 2021-2022 Estimated Spending: $2,599,661,800


Environment, Energy and Climate Change:

  • Estimated Budget for 2022-2023: $86,270,400 (3.24% of the budget)

  • Estimated 2021-2022 Spending: $76,992,800 (2.96% of the budget)

  • $9,277,600 projected funding increase from 2021-2022 to 2022-2023 (6)

Main provincial-level legislation for environment protection:

Environmental Protection Act (1988): 

  • Purpose is to manage, protect and enhance the environment. (7) 


Wildlife Conservative Act (8) 

  • Provisions for the protection of species at risk and their habitats. 


The Water Act (2017) (9) 

  • Legislation to support and promote the management, protection and enhancement of the water resources of the province.


Plastic Bag Reduction Act (2019) (10)

  • Prohibits a business from providing plastic checkout bags to customers. 

Specific government-based environmental programs:

Climate Change Action Plan 2018-2023 (11)

  • The provincial government of PEI’s five year plan to prepare the province for current and future climate change impacts through greenhouse gas reductions, carbon sequestration and the expansion of knowledge and understanding for addressing the threats climate change poses.


2040 Net Zero Framework (12)

  • The province’s plan to be the first net zero province in what is currently Canada. The plan details methodology for achieving targets of net zero energy (i.e. not producing greenhouse gases emissions through energy use beyond the capacity of the planet and human-made technologies to absorb them), by 2030 and net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2040.


Watershed Management Fund

  • Provides financial support to community-based watershed groups.


Wildlife Conservation Fund

  • Provides funding for the protection of wildlife and wildlife habitats.


Greening Spaces Program 

  • Provides support to communities and schools for tree planting programs.


Small Marsh Program

  • Provides support to Island landowners to restore approximated 20 wetlands on PEI each year.

You can learn more about these programs here. 

Next election date:

The province recently underwent a provincial election. You can read more about PEI's provincial elections here. 

Fun Facts:

  • PEI’s electric vehicle incentive offers $5,000 to residents that buy a new or used electric vehicle, and $2,500 to those who buy a plug-in hybrid. (13) 

  • PEI passed legislation in July 2019 banning plastic bags. (14)

  • The current Progressive Conservative premier has called climate change “the seminal issue of our time”. (15)

  • The fragile sandstone shoreline is subject to immense coastal erosion following rising sea levels, which in PEI are already up 36 cm over the past century. (16)

  • Global warming is expected to warm the Gulf Stream as well as the St. Lawrence River, both of which are in close proximity to the island. This warming is expected to bring about marine life from the American coastline, including species that may disrupt the ecosystem of the island waters. (17)

  • Climate change could spell disaster for the potato industry - heat stress dramatically reduces the ability of the plants to produce potatoes. (18)

  • Rather than implementing the federal carbon tax plan, the provincial government of PEI developed its two-part carbon levy pricing program in which there is a distinct price for consumers dictated by the province, while carbon pricing for ‘large emitters’ is dictated by the federal government. (19)

  • PEI’s carbon levy is estimated to bring in $31,630,000 according to the province’s 2022-2023 budget. (20)

bottom of page