Search for P.E.I. man renewed after 17 years

There are renewed efforts to find a Prince Edward Island man who disappeared 17 years ago in Charlottetown.

Steven O'Brien was 18 years old and attending the Holland College Culinary Institute when he disappeared on March 20, 1993.

He was last seen at an intersection on Queen Street on a Friday night during March break.

Janet O'Brien, the missing man's mother, has issued a written statement as the latest anniversary of her son's disappearance rolled around. 

"Not a day goes by that we don't think about Steven," O'Brien's statement said.

"Please look into your heart and try to imagine what it would be like to have a family member missing without explanation."

The Missing Children Society of Canada is conducting a targeted search on Prince Edward Island and in the greater Toronto area.

The family believes if O'Brien left P.E.I., he may be in or near Toronto.

The society is offering a $10,000 reward for new information and is sending thousands of posters of O'Brien to stores and youth centres in the Toronto area.

Det. Randy Currie, a spokesman for the Charlottetown Police, said the force's investigation into O'Brien's disappearance is still open.

"I'm sure the family is very interested, and that's an understatement, in having this matter resolved. To put some closure regarding where he may be and what happened," Currie said.

O'Brien was five-foot-six, 140 pounds, with brown hair and dark brown eyes and he wore prescription glasses.