Three Rivers steering committee to consider amalgamation options

The Three Riversamalgamation proposal in eastern P.E.I. could still move forward, even though some communities have voted to no longer be a part of the process.

The proposal to join the seven communities and three unincorporated areas could still go ahead with an application to theIsland Regulatory and Appeals Commission (IRAC).

Brian Hardingchairs the Three Rivers steering committeeand said it will have a meeting Wednesday for the members todiscuss how to move forward.

The proposal made to the government in August 2017was for the amalgamation ofthe Three Rivers region, whichwouldcreatethe Island's fourth largest municipality.

It would include the seven communities ofMontague, Georgetown, Lower Montague, Brudenell, Cardigan, Lorne Valley and Valleyfield, as well as the unincorporated fire districts areasof Montague, Georgetown and Cardigan.

Full amalgamation could still be proposed

Harding said Monday's vote in Montague, which was3-2 against theamalgamation plan,was disappointing but well within the council'sright.

He said the steering committeewill now meet to determine how to proceed, including submitting the original proposal for all of thecommunities to join.

"What it means is under the Municipal Government Act, that one, two, three, four, five communities can still make application to the government to consider the proposal that was presented to them back in August."

Richard Brown, minister of communities, land and environment,confirmedthat the steering committee can still move theapplication forward.

Any community can put forward to IRACa plan of communities getting together for the betterment of the area. Richard Brown, minister of communities, land and environment

"Any community can put forward to IRACa plan of communities getting together for the betterment of the area. IRAC then will take that plan, review it and have public meetings and make a recommendation back to province," Brown said.

"IRAChas the authority to review the plan, to work out with the communities a variation of the plan if they want, but at the end of the day IRAC's decision will be coming to the cabinet and the cabinetwill make the final decision."

Future of the region

Harding said that he won't speak for what the steering committee will do Wednesday evening, but says they are committed to planning for the region's future.

"It's been an emotional issue but hopefully as time goes on, people will see the benefitsthat are created if it does go ahead and this isn't a one, two, three, four year thing," he said. "This is a five, 10, 15, 20 years down the road to make this community, this region more viable."

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