COMMENTARY: Pay down P.E.I.’s debt by building public assets |
Prince Edward Island’s rising debt is a legitimate concern. Islanders understand that population growth, climate impacts and rising costs are putting pressure on public finances. What we should avoid, however, is the false choice between fiscal responsibility and investing in the future.
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There is a smarter path: build public assets that generate revenue, reduce long-term costs, and keep Island wealth on the Island. These approaches are already working — here in Canada and in comparable jurisdictions.
Community-scale renewable microgrids — solar paired with battery storage and smart controls — are already operating successfully in Indigenous and rural communities across Canada.
Gull Bay First Nation (Ontario) operates Canada’s first fully integrated solar-plus-battery microgrid in a remote community, significantly reducing diesel use and fuel costs while improving reliability. Xeni Gwet’in First Nation (British Columbia) is using a renewable microgrid to lower energy costs and strengthen local energy sovereignty.
In the U.S., the publicly owned Electric Power Board of Chattanooga has shown how public energy infrastructure can improve reliability while delivering long-term economic benefits.
A strong local example already exists in Prince Edward Island. Summerside Electric is a municipally owned public utility that manages local electricity distribution, integrates wind and solar generation, and uses smart-grid technologies to balance demand and control........