New hospital, all electric school buses, highlights of capital budget

The P.E.I. government will begin planning next year on redevelopment of Kings County Memorial Hospital, and will not be buying any more school buses that are powered by fossil fuels.

The two commitments were part of the provincial capital budget, tabled by Finance Minister Darlene Compton in the legislature on Tuesday.

Speaking to the media in a lockup before tabling the budget, Compton emphasized that the capital budget is about the future.

"The capital budget is about things that last," she said, "not only next year but into the future."

With particular reference to the future, one of the three themes of the budget is climate action and sustainability. It was in this section that Compton announced the province's plans regarding new school bus purchases.

"This government is making the commitment that all new school buses will be electric," said Compton.

The $40.3 million investment in electric school buses over the next five years will see half of the province's school buses running on electricity by 2027.

Health and education

A theme on the well being of Islanders includes funding for the new Kings County Hospital.

The capital budget includes a five-year plan, with $13.3 million for the hospital. Planning will begin in the next fiscal year. As that planning proceeds, the full cost of the hospital will be determined.

The budget sets aside $7.5 million for ventilation systems for 10 Island schools that currently do not have them. This work is will be spread over the next two budget years. In the current year $225,000 has been set aside for HEPA filters for those classrooms without mechanical ventilation, in total 150 to 175 units.

Air quality in the schools has been an issue in the pandemic, with mechanical ventilation being shown to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.

The budget includes $60.3 million to expand a network of community health centres, as the brick-and-mortar component of government's plan to provide access to primary care through medical homes and neighbourhoods. That includes an additional $13.6 million to build and house a new centre in Summerside. The government is also planning new centres in Alberton in West Prince, as well as in Queens County and eastern P.E.I.

Public housing

The province is adding $35 million to its housing support budget, for a total of $60.7 million over five years.

That spending includes plans for more than 100 new public housing units.

Compton said the province, recognizing that building from scratch will be too slow, is looking at ways to have units ready for Islanders to move as soon as possible. That could include purchasing units currently under construction by developers.

"We keep looking at ways of being innovative," said Compton.

Opposition will 'reserve' applause

As usual, the biggest single budget item is bridges and roadways, with $190 million set aside over five years, $48.5 million in 2022-23.

The money will go to paving and replacement and repair of bridges. The budget did not include mention of any specific projects.

Green MLA and Opposition finance critic Hannah Bell said she's happy to see a financial commitment to housing, but that she's heard that promise before.

"There was a commitment last year and we actually didn't spend most of that money, so until we actually see buildings going up, I'm going to reserve my applause," she said. 

Bell also criticized the government for falling behind schedule on its commitment to replace the mental health campus at Hillsborough Hospital in Charlottetown.

"It went from shovels in the ground on Day 1 to we're still years away and we can't even keep up with the previous government's plan."