January 2025 Municipal Update - Victoria-by-the-Sea
Rural Municipality of Victoria
January 2025 Newsletter
From the Mayor’s Desk
Happy new year, Victoria! As we look forward to 2025, I am filled with hope and optimism. We have some exciting projects and initiatives on the horizon that will continue to make Victoria a vibrant, inclusive, and prosperous place to call home. I can’t wait to see what unfolds.
For this month’s newsletter, I will take this opportunity to reiterate the opening remarks I made at our January regular council meeting.
As I mentioned in the December newsletter, this council is now in its second half of its four-year mandate. I outlined an impressive number of accomplishments for the first half of our term in Office, but I also noted that there are significant challenges ahead that will require the support of the provincial government. In adopting the Municipal Government Act (MGA) in 2017, the provincial government failed to adopt the committee’s recommendations to include a restructuring of municipal boundaries that would have provided municipalities with the capacity to fully implement the requirements of the MGA leading to efficient and effective government services for residents in rural PEI. As a result of not acting in line with the committee’s recommendations, this government and the previous government have wasted untold thousands, possibly millions of taxpayer dollars in inefficient and ineffective municipal governments across the province. As well, the decision to not restructure municipalities have left smaller municipalities such as ours vulnerable to crisis management and challenges with attracting volunteers to participate in the democratic process.
In this regard, I have written to the Minister responsible for communities, Hon. Steven Myers, asking him to meet with me and our council so that he can better understand the impacts of this government’s unwillingness to fully implement the governance structures that have been needed over the last 7 years.
The Minister has not responded to my invitation. I will be continuing to encourage the provincial government to take its responsibilities for municipal governance seriously and to lead the process of restructuring municipal boundaries, something that small municipalities such as ours is very challenged to do with the resources we have at our disposal.
At this time, I would again like to thank all the volunteers in our community for the hard work they have done over the years, including, of course the members of this council. Volunteers support communities in which they live by strengthening community bonds, contributing to environmental conservation, enhancing public safety, fostering economic development, promoting our cultural and tourism sectors, advocating for better programs and services and providing the resilience we are noted for throughout the province.
I would also like to thank community members for coming out for the open house on January 8th hosted by Amar and for the efforts made to engage the company in a positive manner. The information, questions and answers at the meeting will hopefully provide a greater understanding of the project to expand their operations in Victoria and the potential impacts it will have on the environment. As we are such a small municipality, all residents will be impacted by this development. The public is invited to provide written comments on the proposed project up to February 7, 2025 (30 calendar days after open house). Written comments can be submitted via email to the PEI Department of Environment, Energy and Climate Action at ELM@gov.pe.ca.
RMV residents and provincial officials attended the EIA presentation for PID #207290 on January 8, 2025.
While I haven’t made it a regular practice of acknowledging birthdays in the newsletter, I do want to note that Sheldon White recently celebrated a birthday that included a “5” and a “0”. Happy Birthday Sheldon!
I remind residents to contact their council members or the Municipal Office if they have questions or suggestions for how we might improve our municipal services. https://www.rmvictoria.com/mayor-and-council I can be contacted at 902-388-7584 or by email at allenfarm17@gmail.com.
From the Municipal Office
Planning Board Update
The Planning Board had a first meeting on January 7th to process three development permits. The meeting was the first one following a new process that was put in place in order to simplify and to speed up permit applications. From now on, development permits will not require the help of outside professionals except for large investments. It has to be known that land use professionals’ fees went up 25% just last year and this kind of spending cannot be integrated in the Municipality’s 2025-26 budget. The CAO and the FAA were trained to manage permit applications in 2024 and can now supply information on a number of subjects about land use. The Planning Board makes recommendations to Council who has the final say for each permit application. (chair: Jean McCardle, vice-chair: Shelley Trainor member: Janet Lauzon member: Susan Oxley member: Ben Smith)
Water & Sewer Corporation Update
The Water and Sewer Corporation Board had scheduled a meeting at the beginning of January, however, a member stepped down prior to the meeting taking place. As our bylaw stipulates, the WSC Board needs to have at least two people from outside the Council to operate. The position is now available and candidates should signal their interest to the Municipal Office in time for the February Council meeting. (chair: Eric Gilbert, vice-chair: Linda Gilbert member: Ian Dennison member: vacant)
Q3 Finances & Strategic Planning
During the January Council meeting, the CAO made an update of the 2024-25 budget. The main features of that budget are a forecasted surplus of 54,130$ for the Municipal Office operations while an anticipated deficit of 11,000$ is expected for the Water and Sewer Corporation. A combined surplus of around 40,000$ is to be expected as of March 31st 2025. One has to consider that an exceptional grant came the way of Victoria following large capital expenditures (Causeway Road repairs, Lift station at the wharf, Generators). Regarding the Capital expenditures fund, an amount of 104,000$ will sit in that fund in late March for future investments.
Another step will be taken on January 18th, when Council members will further discuss the content of Victoria's strategic plan being prepared for the years 2025-2030. This step will be the last one before a public presentation where villagers will be asked to prioritize the actions that are envisioned at this point and suggest new ones. A special invitation will be sent to Victoria’s population for this very special meeting.
Community Hall Roof RFP
A new request for proposals is going out soon for the replacement of the Community Hall/Playhouse roof. The Municipality was awarded a heritage permit from the Provincial Government in order to proceed further using very specific guidelines. The new roof will be standing seam metal roofing in a medium gray tone. Any qualified roofer is invited to contact the Municipality to participate in this project that should take place in 2025. This will complete painting work that began last year along with Fire prevention compliance work.
Dangerous, Hazardous and Unsightly Premises Bylaw Now in Effect
The Municipal Office wishes to remind Victoria’s residents that the Dangerous, Hazardous and Unsightly Premises Bylaw, voted in the summer of 2024, is now coming into effect. The first step taken by the Council has been to formally identify the properties that were judged to be either dangerous, a fire hazard, hazardous or unsightly. In all, nine properties are now identified in these categories and their owner will be contacted soon in order to discuss how they can comply with the bylaw. The bylaw can be consulted on our website. The purpose of this bylaw is the beautification of our village and the reuse of abandoned land.
Water & Sewer Accounts
The Municipal Office wishes also to remind community members about the spring issuance of water and sewer invoices. As specified in the 2024 Fees and Water and Sewer Tariffs Bylaw, invoices have to be paid in full within 30 days. After this period, a 2% interest is added monthly to your account. Remember that no payment plans are offered anymore due to the financial constraints of the Municipality.
Victoria Volunteer Fire Department Association (VVFDA)
James Boulter and Allen Marshall, Fire Chief and Deputy Fire Chief respectively, met with Council members in January. A discussion was engaged about the follow-up to be considered for the Fire Marshal report’s recommendations (see website). At this meeting, the Fire Chief reiterated that the Victoria Fire Brigade wishes from now on to act as a private company and that he expects that a contractual agreement will soon take place between this new organisation and the Municipality.
In other exciting news related to the VVFDA, Amar has agreed to assist with the purchase of new equipment. In relation to the Fire Marshal report and the need for new air supply equipment for the VVFDA volunteers, Amar will help the Department financially to acquire new air tanks and masks. That is a first step towards a fruitful collaboration between the seafood company and the Municipality to ensure that the right equipment is available for a safe intervention in large buildings.
Welcome Centre RFP
Now that a decision of Council about the Welcome Center rental has been taken in an open session, we can announce that the Welcome Center will be rented for 5 years, starting in the 2025 summer season, to Brian and Shelley Trainor’s new business. On the list of conditions attached to this rental, the major activity there will remain the greeting of visitors, but a retail operation has been awarded by Council in order to generate more activity. The tenant will be making repairs on the building and will take care of the garbage and washrooms close by. The Center is scheduled to be open six months of the year rather than the usual four months. Community activities will take place on the site.
Merry Pop-Ins Daycare
The Municipal Office was recently mandated by the Council to investigate the feasibility of a Childcare facility in Victoria. Operators from Tryon (Merry Pop-Ins) have approached the Municipality to initiate the project that coincides with the wish of the Municipality to attract more families. Community members wishing to collaborate to this project should contact the CAO.
A look into the current facility being used by Merry Pop-Ins Daycare.
A Community With Heart
In February, you may see illuminated hearts in Victoria’s municipal buildings that signify hope, strength and community togetherness. You are invited to do the same at your own house. If interested, please contact the Municipal Office for more details on how to purchase one.
That’s all for this month! See past issues at www.RMVictoria.com/newsletters
Questions or feedback? Info for a future newsletter or photos you’re willing to share?
Contact staff at victoriamunicipalitypei@gmail.com
Office hours: Mon-Thurs, 9:30-12 & 1-3:30, except holidays and storm days.
Victoria Historic Schoolhouse
730 Victoria Road, Victoria, PE,
C0A 1J0, Canada