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February 1, 2010
For immediate release

The Province of Prince Edward Island Donates $108,000 to the Salvation Army to Help Low Income Islanders Keep Warm this Winter

Community Services, Seniors and Labour

Hon. Janice Sherry, Minister of Community Services, Seniors and Labour is pleased to announce that the Government of Prince Edward Island is donating $108,000 to the Salvation Army Home Heating Assistance Program. With the unspent funding of $61,000, this is expected to meet the needs demonstrated in previous years. This important contribution will allow the Salvation Army to assist hundreds of Islanders in heating their homes this winter.

The Government of Prince Edward Island continues to focus its efforts on long-term energy efficiency solutions.

The Salvation Army Home Heating Assistance Program has met a critical need in the community over the past number of years. This is a unique partnership, with business, community and government working together, one we are pleased to be a part of, said Minister Sherry. This emergency assistance will be used to help Islanders who have no other means for heating their homes this winter.

In addition to the donation that Community Services, Seniors, and Labour is making, the PEI Petroleum Marketers Association (Kenmac, Island Petroleum, Bluewave Energy, Pineau Fuels and Noonan Petroleum) are also contributing to the Home Heating Assistance Program for the second year by donating 5,600 litres of fuel. Other supporters include Co-op Fuels who will donate $6,000, two-thirds of which came from their customers donations.

Even though oil prices have stabilized, our members, like consumers, are still very concerned with the impact that these costs have on low income Islanders, said Dan MacIsaac, President of the PEI Petroleum Marketers Association.

While the Salvation Army Home Heating Program is a positive step toward helping low income Islanders, this is only a short-term solution, said Minister Sherry. We must find ways to reduce energy in our homes and businesses for the long run . A variety of programs from the Office of Energy Efficiency can assist with this goal.

The Government of PEI provides many programs, through its Office of Energy Efficiency, to help Islanders improve the energy efficiency of their homes. Anyone who has accessed this program in the past has also been referred to the Office of Energy Efficiency.

I want to help Islanders fight energy costs by helping them cut energy consumption. The Office of Energy Efficiency can provide financial assistance to upgrade inefficient houses and apartments. Energy advisers are available to help Islanders make affordable and effective improvements to their homes, said Richard Brown, Minister of Environment, Energy and Forestry. We work with community groups who help identify potential clients for the Office of Energy Efficiency and wed like to see even more of that happen.

Residents can apply for home heating assistance once per year and the Salvation Army is continuing to approve new applications into April.

Residents of Queens and Kings Counties can reach the Salvation Army at (902) 892-8870 and people in Prince County should call (902) 888-3870.

BACKGROUNDER

Salvation Army Home Heating Assistance Program

Since Winter of 2008, the Government of Prince Edward Island has donated over $500,000 to the Salvation Army Fuel Program to provide low-income Islanders with heating fuel.

Over the last two winters (2008-2009), this funding has assisted 899 families in 68 communities across the province. This is in addition to support the Department provides to Islanders receiving Social Assistance.

To qualify, a single person or couple without children must have an income level of $20,000 or less; and $30,000 or less for a family with a child.

All clients will be expected to produce proof of income and expenses to the Salvation Army, and the Salvation Army has the right to refuse assistance if personnel feel an applicant does not have sufficient need.

Applicants who applied last year to the Salvation Army will be eligible to apply this winter. Should the program be available, the maximum amount of fuel provided to an applicant is 450 liters.

In March 2007, the Province contracted the Vermont Energy Investment Corporation (VEIC) to complete an assessment of the Energy Efficiency Potential in PEIs residential, commercial/institutional, and transportation sectors. The study report is complete. A number of potential programs/initiatives have been identified and are currently being assessed by staff to determine an appropriate implementation strategy.

Actions To Date:

The Office of Energy Efficiency currently offers programming for the residential and commercial sectors. Planning for initiatives in the industrial/agricultural sector is underway.

The Office of Energy Efficiency offers the following programs:

1) PEI EcoEnergy Audit Assistance Program

The PEI EcoEnergy Audit Assistance Program will pay for half the cost of a pre- and post-retrofit audit to a maximum of $250 per household.

The PEI EcoEnergy Audit Assistance Program for Low-Income Households will pay the full costs of a pre- and post-retrofit audit.

2) PEI Energy Efficiency Grant Program

The PEI Energy Efficiency Grant Program provides a direct subsidy of 15% (max $1,500) to homeowners to implement measures in the EcoEnergy Retrofit Program Evaluation Report.

PEI Energy Efficiency (Windows and Doors) Grant Program

Clients who install windows and/doors will receive a grant of $40 per eligible window or door installed.

3) PEI Energy Efficiency Loan Program

Provides financing (up to $10,000) to complete energy upgrades. Low-income clients are eligible for loan forgiveness for a portion of the loan (50% for less than $15,000 income, 25% for those over $15,000 but less than $30,000).

Commercial Sector and Institutional Buildings Program (CSI-PEI) provides financial incentives up to $3,000 for energy assessments and up to $25,000 for energy upgrades.

Fast Facts:

Reducing our energy consumption and Green House Gas (GHG) emissions through energy efficiency is the most cost-effective approach.

The Office of Energy Efficiency (OEE) provides Islanders with one-stop-shopping for provincial and federal energy efficiency programs, services and information.

Over 3,000 energy audits have been conducted on Island homes since the OEE began operations. Over 1,200 low-income clients have been approved for free energy audits.

Over 700 loans/grants have been processed. Loans totaled over $3.3 million. Total grants in excess of $275,000.

Media Contact: Jay Beckles

February 1, 2010
For immediate release

Beer Price Adjustment

Liquor Control Commission

The Prince Edward Island Liquor Control Commission (PEILCC) adjusted prices today on beer products. The adjustment represents an increase of $0.50 per dozen on domestic beer and $0.20 across the board on the single-serve can category. The slight price increase brings the Prince Edward Island market in line with retailers in the neighbouring provinces of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia.

Twelve-pack cans (12) from the domestic brewers will increase from $20.99 to $21.49 which is on par with New Brunswick and $0.50 lower than the same product sold in Nova Scotia.

Increased costs incurred by suppliers in the areas of raw material, transportation, packaging and glass have necessitated the slight price increase. For example, the closure of Owens Illinois glass plant in Scoudouc, New Brunswick has forced a number of suppliers to source glass from far outside the region which has increased transportation costs.

With the adjustment, domestic beer products in Prince Edward Island are on par with neighbouring Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. For example, regular priced Coors Light 12-pack bottles goes from $20.49 to $20.99 as does Molson Canadian 12-pack bottles; Moosehead Light 12-pack bottles and Alpine 12-pack bottles go up $0.50 from $20.49 to $20.99; Keiths 12-pack bottles will also increase $0.50 here on Prince Edward Island from $20.49 to $20.99 as will the Bud Light 12-pack bottles.

As indicated above, the domestic 12-pack cans will increase correspondingly which will be on par with New Brunswick and $0.50 less than Nova Scotia. The single- serve can category, the majority of which are imported products from outside North America, all increase by $0.20. Many of the single-serve imports are on par or lower than mainland pricing.

The PEILCC is one of the largest retailers in the Province, generating in excess of $80 million revenue a year and returning in excess of $35 million annually to the Province. PEILCC employs 307 Islanders (permanent, part-time and summer casuals) and offers more than 1500 products from around the globe through 19 retail and one agency stores.

A complete listing of all products and pricing can be found at www.peilcc.ca .

Media Contact: Fred MacDonald

February 1, 2010
For immediate release

Fluid Milk and Cream Product Prices Increase

Agriculture

Gordon MacBeath, Prince Edward Island Marketing Council chair, today announced that the minimum wholesale and minimum home delivery prices of fluid milk and cream products will increase by one cent a litre on February 1.

Fluid milk products include homogenized (standard) milk, 2 per cent milk, 1 per cent milk, skim milk and chocolate milk. Fluid cream products include blend, table cream and whipping cream.

Producers will receive about 30 per cent of the increase while processors will receive the remaining 70 per cent, said Mr. MacBeath.

Mr. MacBeath said that Marketing Council takes into account producer milk component price changes announced by Dairy Farmers of Prince Edward Island, a cost-of-processing formula developed in the province several years ago, and consultations with processors about other manufacturing costs and economic factors.

Prices established by Marketing Council are minimum prices, said Mr. MacBeath. Processors and distributors may sell their products above the minimum prices if they wish. Mr. MacBeath said that retail prices are not regulated.

A full schedule of prices will be published in the Royal Gazette.

Marketing Council is a statutory body established under the Natural Products Marketing Act. Among other things, it has been granted authority under the Act to establish the minimum wholesale and minimum home delivery prices of Class 1 or fluid milk products.

Media Contact: Murray Myles

Home / Bargaining

January 30, 2010 12:46 PM

The Saskatchewan government and health employers “final offered” 25,000 health care providers and cancelled conciliation.

Their actions have angered CUPE, which represents 12,600 health providers in five health regions.

• Related: Hear radio host Roger Currie talk about the government’s failure to bargain

“We are bitterly disappointed that the employers’ first move in conciliation is to present a final offer and cancel conciliation,” says CUPE Health Care Council President Gordon Campbell. “They’ve made a mockery of the conciliation process.”

The employers’ arrogance is tied to the government’s new essential services legislation, he adds. Under the legislation, three out of four health care providers are deemed essential and unable to strike.

The three health care providers unions – CUPE, SGEU and SEIU – have been negotiating for 17 months. Their contracts expired nearly two years ago.

“This so-called final offer is disgraceful,” says Mike Keith, CUPE’s chief negotiator, adding it contains all of the major concessions CUPE members rejected last June, when they voted 88% in support of job action. “These concessions are a license for health employers to understaff and overwork our members and mismanage our health care system.”

Keith says the union has “lost all confidence” that health employers have the mandate to negotiate a fair agreement.

“We are calling on the government to get serious about contract negotiations and stop trying to provoke a strike,” says Keith.

“We want to return to the bargaining table and negotiate a reasonable contract settlement. And we want the government to put a bargaining team in place to make make that happen,” he says.