Part 2: Housing Governance Decisions, Committee Appointments, and Land Sale Approval – 05/11/2023

This section breaks down how councillors positioned themselves during key housing, homelessness, and land-use decisions, and how those votes connect to different parts of the County. The meeting on May 11, 2023, for a Committee of the Whole meeting, focused on implementation steps, so the way people voted and amended motions matters just as much as the final outcomes.

Queen Elizabeth School site and housing direction

The discussion and decisions around the former Queen Elizabeth School site were shaped by several councillors, with Councillor Janice Maynard (Ameliasburgh) formally moving the main motion that set the process in motion. That motion directed staff to issue an Expression of Interest, reserve two acres for the Prince Edward County Affordable Housing Corporation if the purchase succeeds, and create a Tenant Selection Committee. Council ultimately voted in favour, and the motion carried as amended.

During discussion, Councillor Roy Pennell (Ameliasburgh) raised the issue of governance and specifically questioned whether the mayor should have a permanent role on the Tenant Selection Committee. That concern led directly to an amendment. Maynard then moved an amendment to add the mayor as a fourth member of the committee, which council supported and carried.

© PEC Council/ YouTube

View the entire PEC Council Meeting; or view our recap.

When nominations opened, several councillors were put forward. Councillors Sam Branderhorst (Athol), Corey Engelsdorfer (Wellington), Kate MacNaughton (Picton), and Janice Maynard all accepted their nominations. Councillors Bill Roberts (Sophiasburgh) and John Hirsch (South Marysburgh) both declined.

To avoid excluding any of the willing nominees, Mayor Steve Ferguson moved a further amendment to appoint all four councillors plus himself to the Tenant Selection Committee. Councillor Phil St-Jean (Picton) seconded that motion. Despite St.-Jean initially stating he would not support a five member committee, council ultimately voted in favour, and the amended committee structure carried.

Homelessness resolution and council support

The homelessness resolution was clearly led by Mayor Steve Ferguson, who moved the motion calling on the Province to recognize homelessness as a social, economic, and health crisis and to commit to coordinated action. The motion was seconded by Councillor Chris Braney (Hillier).

While there was broad support, some nuance emerged in discussion. Pennell voiced concern that responsibility should not rest solely with the Province and noted that federal and municipal roles also matter. Even with that comment on record, he did not oppose the motion. Council voted unanimously in favour, and the resolution carried.

Roberts added a practical layer by asking whether the County would also take up AMO suggested public communication tools, including social media messaging. This resulted in staff receiving clear direction to proceed with a social media campaign tied to homelessness awareness and advocacy.

Closed session and Habitat for Humanity land sale

Council entered closed session on a motion moved by Engelsdorfer and seconded by Pennell. That motion carried, allowing council to discuss land matters privately.

© Prince Edward County

When council returned to open session, St.-Jean moved the motion arising from closed session to declare part of the Bowery Street and Delhi Park lands surplus and approve their sale to Habitat for Humanity Prince Edward Hastings. Councillor Branderhorst (Athol) seconded the motion. Council voted in favour, and the sale carried.

What this means for the residents

For Picton residents, the decisions were especially direct. The Queen Elizabeth School process sets up a path for future community and housing uses on a prominent local site, and the approved land sale to Habitat for Humanity creates a concrete opportunity for new housing tied specifically to Picton land.

For residents in Wellington, Athol, Ameliasburgh, Hillier, Sophiasburgh, and the Marysburgh wards, the impacts are broader but still meaningful. Representation on the Tenant Selection Committee spans multiple areas of the County, and the homelessness resolution plus related public messaging signal a County wide approach that will influence housing services, advocacy efforts, and municipal priorities across all communities.

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Disclaimer: This article is based on a meeting with an approximate duration of 1:27:34. Due to the length of the meeting, our team was not able to independently review the full recording in its entirety. As a result, we relied on software-generated transcription, automated summarization, and automated recognition of speakers and participants, which may not be entirely accurate. All transcriptions, summaries, and related content are prepared by our team in good faith and on a reasonable best-efforts basis. The content is provided for general informational purposes only and is intended to support public understanding of the topics discussed. While reasonable efforts have been made to present the information accurately, automated processes may result in errors, omissions, or unintended misinterpretations. This article does not constitute an official, certified, or verbatim record of the meeting, and it should not be relied upon as such. Readers are encouraged to consult original source materials, official minutes, or recordings where available for confirmation or clarification. Questions, requests for clarification, or suggested corrections may be submitted to hello@pecconnect.ca for review and consideration.