P.E.I. planning shortages lead to delays for developers
Opposition says people 'tearing their hair out' waiting for building permits
The P.E.I. government is dealing with a shortage of planning staff. In question period Thursday the Official Opposition said that's bogged down the approval of development permits in rural parts of the province, where the provincial government is in charge of the process.
"Subdivision applications are taking upwards of two years for approvals, and building permits can drag out for two or three months or more," said PC MLA Brad Trivers.
"People are tearing their hair out trying to get their permits approved."
Communities Minister Richard Brown admitted government is short planning officers. "We are advertising for more planning officers right away," he told the House, adding that if "anyone knows any good planners out there, send me their name."
Even at full staff it's not enough, says Opposition
The province later confirmed it's currently advertising for two senior development officers and will soon post a half-time position for a safety standards officer. The postings are not new positions, but to fill existing vacancies.
Trivers said even at full staff, the seven year-round positions in the planning department aren't enough to keep up with demand.
He said the province's director of provincial planning told a provincial standing committee in 2016 that "the situation of staff shortages and lack of resources is leading to stress leave and huge delays in project development."
"These resourcing challenges have been identified internally for at least over a year," Trivers continued, "so why are we heading back into another construction season without any solution to support your staff in place?"
Looking to co-operate with city
Brown said the current vacant positions had to be advertised internally before they could be posted externally.
Brown also said the province is looking at partnering with the City of Charlottetown on a new computer system for planning and permitting. He said that could lead to one permitting system in use for the whole province, "and that people could go in one area, get their permit no matter where on Prince Edward Island."
In response to concerns the salaries P.E.I. is offering are not competitive with other jurisdictions, Brown said he has ordered a "labour adjustment analysis" to determine whether pay scales need to be increased.
Trivers noted the province has budgeted to spend slightly less than it did last year on salaries within the provincial planning department.