Department of Education and Early Childhood Development

Government Department in Summerside

I was certainly surprised and extremely pleased on Friday April 4th when I attended the provincial speech from the Throne when it was announced the Provincial government’s plan to move the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development to Summerside. Certainly adding 120 civil servant positions to East Prince will have a positive impact on our area. City council made this a priority and presented the concept to local MLAs. Obviously this then became a priority of our MLAs and they deserve a lot of praise for bringing this concept to cabinet and back to our community.

By moving this department to Summerside, it is a shot in the arm to our local economy. When government employees are located within a community other opportunities will arise to tap into the spending habits of those employees such as food service businesses. When you have most of the senior bureaucrats centralized in one region of the Province, one could assume that region could become the focus of the bureaucrats. This move will benefit the residents of Prince County.

Move of P.E.I. departments angers mayor
Last Updated: Monday, April 7, 2008 6:50 AM AT
CBC News
Charlottetown Mayor Clifford Lee was upset to hear in Friday's provincial speech from the throne that his city will lose about 150 jobs when the government moves two departments out of the capital.
'I would have expected by this day and age that the concept of beating up on Charlottetown, as a province we were over that,' said Mayor Clifford Lee.(CBC)
The Education and Early Childhood Development Department is moving to Summerside, while the Department of Fisheries, Aquaculture and Rural Development goes to Montague. Ghiz told reporters after the speech the shift will help jump-start the sagging rural P.E.I. economy.
"We're one Island. We're one Island community. Our boundaries are not the county lines. They're not the municipality lines. Our boundaries are our shorelines," said Ghiz.
Ghiz had hinted Thursday that one or more departments could be moving. Opposition MLA Jim Bagnall was pleased to hear government was being decentralized, as was the City of Summerside.
"Christmas has come early this year for the East Prince region. Clearly the government has shown leadership in de-centralizing the government," said Summerside Coun. Corey Thomas.
"When there is a government department in a region, the focus will not always be on the capital city, which rightfully or wrongfully it has been. And this certainly is good news for the residents of Summerside, Kensington, Miscouche and Prince County as a whole."
One person unhappy with yesterday's announcement is Charlottetown Mayor Clifford Lee.
"I would have expected by this day and age that the concept of beating up on Charlottetown, as a province we were over that. Obviously we're not," said Lee.
"We've announced a new Department of Rural Development. Who's the department of urban development in this province?" said Lee.
The moves are expected to be completed by 2010. Ghiz said the union representing government workers will be consulted throughout the process.