PEI

Green Party seeks audit of Lands Protection Act enforcement

P.E.I.’s Green Party wants the province’s auditor general to have a look at how the Island Regulatory and Appeals Commission is enforcing the Lands Protection Act.

Michele Beaton wants to ensure both letter and intent of the law are being observed

The Lands Protection Act is designed to limit the amount of land any one person or corporation can own. (Brian McInnis)

P.E.I.'s Green Party wants the province's auditor general to have a look at how the Island Regulatory and Appeals Commission is enforcing the Lands Protection Act.

A key piece of the act sets limits on how much land individuals and corporations can own on P.E.I.

Green Party finance critic Michele Beaton stood in the legislature Wednesday to ask Premier Dennis King to direct the auditor general to conduct a performance audit on IRAC's enforcement of the act.

"If the legislation isn't being enforced as it currently stands, then that's a concern all Islanders should be raising, and they are," said Beaton.

Green MLA Michele Beaton has asked questions about IRAC and the Lands Protection Act before. (Legislative Assembly of P.E.I.)

The MLA says it is important that "not just the letter of the law but the spirit and the intent of the legislation was being enforced as well."

Beaton has raised concerns around the fact that IRAC said it does not share the results of investigations with the groups it is investigating.

She has also questioned why the minister of land had to direct IRAC to investigate a controversial land transaction in 2019, when IRAC could have launched the investigation on its own.

The premier said he would take Beaton's request under advisement and report back next week.

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