Part 2: Who Said What at PEC Council and What the Sep 22 Decisions Mean for Locals - 09/22/2026
Updated: Sep 23
Prince Edward County Council’s September 22 meeting covered issues that reached different parts of the County, from agriculture and youth programs to road work, housing and a heritage property in South Marysburgh. Mayor Steve Ferguson chaired the meeting, and while many of the decisions applied County-wide, councillors also used the departmental updates to raise concerns tied to particular communities. The meeting’s major motions carried, including the Youth Engagement Strategy, departmental reports, the 2027 meeting schedule and a heritage permit and grant for Welbanks House.
View the entire PEC Council Meeting; or view our recap>
County-Wide: Youth Strategy Gets Council Support
The Youth Engagement Strategy produced one of the evening’s longest discussions. Councillor Phil St-Jean and Councillor Kate McNaughton put the recommendation on the floor, including a direction to place up to $30,000 in the draft 2027 budget for consideration. Councillor Brad Nieman questioned whether including that amount was getting ahead of the budget discussion, and staff clarified that it was not an approved expenditure. Instead, the amount would return for consideration with more detail during the budget process.
Councillor Janice Maynard focused on young people living in the northern part of Prince Edward County who attend schools outside the municipality. She asked how future funding and programs could be distributed fairly when some County youth do not attend PECI. Staff said they were gathering information on students who live in Prince Edward County but attend school in Belleville or surrounding communities, with the goal of finding ways to extend similar engagement opportunities to them.
Councillor Phil St-Jean emphasized the importance of asking young people directly what they want, while Councillor Kate McNaughton asked how youth-friendly communication channels and future surveys could keep those conversations going.
The overall strategy and recommendations carried.
Roads: Councillors Point to Work Across the County
The Operational Services update gave councillors an opportunity to discuss road projects in several areas. Councillor John Hirsch highlighted work around Morrison Point and County Road 13, saying residents had provided positive feedback about resurfacing, ditching and communication during construction.
He also suggested making departmental reports easier to find so councillors could refer back to project information during future budget discussions.
Councillor Bill Roberts spoke about the County Road 49 reconstruction and staff efforts to respond to traffic and speed concerns around affected intersections.
Councillor Sam Grosso pointed to positive feedback he had heard from residents around Victoria Road, while another discussion noted the amount of road work completed around Ameliasburgh. Councillor Janice Maynard suggested creating an easier public way to see which road sections were scheduled for work, how much was being completed and approximately when projects would finish. Council received the Operational Services report.
County-Wide: Housing Incentives Raise Questions
Housing Services brought the discussion back to an issue affecting communities throughout Prince Edward County. Councillor Roy Pennell raised concerns about how development-related incentives for affordable housing could be structured in the future. He questioned how Council could ensure incentives actually result in affordable units being delivered in a timely way rather than creating expectations without enough protection for the municipality.
Staff agreed that municipal risk would need to be considered and said future approaches could include changes to incentive programs through a community improvement plan. Pennell also asked that the issue be prepared clearly for the incoming Council so new members would understand the concerns and possible next steps. Staff confirmed that a broader orientation was being prepared and that incentive programs would be discussed with the next Council. The Housing Services update was then received.
South Marysburgh: Welbanks House Gets Approval
A much more localized decision came near the end of the meeting. Councillor John Hirsch and Councillor Bill Roberts brought forward the recommendation concerning Welbanks House at 1972 County Road 13 in South Marysburgh. Council approved Heritage Permit Application HP-17-2026 along with a Heritage Property Grant of up to $5,000. There was no further debate before the vote, and the motion carried.
What This Means for the Locals
For families and young people across Prince Edward County, Council’s vote means the Youth Engagement Strategy can move into its next phase, although the proposed $30,000 still has to go through the 2027 budget process. The discussion also put specific attention on youth in northern areas who attend school outside the County, with staff acknowledging that those students will need different ways to participate.
For residents dealing with road construction and maintenance, councillors pointed to work around Morrison Point, County Roads 13 and 49, Victoria Road and Ameliasburgh while also pushing for easier access to project information.
For residents concerned about affordable housing, the meeting did not establish a new incentive program, but it showed that the structure and conditions attached to future incentives will be an issue carried into the next Council. In South Marysburgh, the most direct decision was the approval of the Welbanks House heritage permit and grant, allowing that heritage-related work to move forward under the approvals considered by Council.
Disclaimer: This article is based on a meeting with an approximate duration of 3:39:24. 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.
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