Communities won’t be forced to meet guidelines, says Brown

There’s a deadline in place for municipalities to meet government requirements, but Communities Minister Richard Brown says they won’t be forced into them if they run out of time.

Brown was responding in the legislature Friday to questions from Tignish-Palmer Road MLA Hal Perry about the Municipal Government Act and regulations under the legislation.

Municipalities have a five-year transition period to meet the requirements and Brown said the province is working with the P.E.I. Federation of Municipalities to help communities meet them.

“But if some communities cannot meet the requirements of the act, in no way are we going to force them into it,” Brown said.

Some of the requirements under the Municipal Government Act include developing land-use plans, holding office hours for 20 hours a week and having all-day elections.

Perry asked Brown what would happen if a municipality can’t afford the office hours or the expense of an election as required under the act.

“Will government help them,” Perry asked.

Brown responded that the government was open to anything if solutions can be found with communities working together.

“We’re not going to force municipalities to hire somebody for 20 hours a week,” he said.