Montague, Cardigan, Brudenell vote in favour of amalgamation

Montague, Cardigan, and Brudenell are in favour of moving forward with the amalgamation process on P.E.I., according to three votes Monday night.

Three areas voted on proposal to become one large municipality Monday night

Krystalle Ramlakhan · CBC News · Posted: Nov 28, 2017 6:00 AM EST | Last Updated: November 28, 2017

Montague voting poll on amalgamation Monday night. (Krystalle Ramlakhan/CBC)

Montague, Cardigan, and Brudenell are in favour of moving forward with the amalgamation process on P.E.I., according to votes in each of the areas Monday night.

The Three Rivers Amalgamation proposal would see a number of communities — including Montague, Cardigan and Brudenell — join together to create P.E.I.'s fourth largest municipality, with a population of at least 7,000 people. The proposal has been years in the making and details became available to the public last month when the local steering committee released it.

Montague

Yes: 220/72.8%
No: 82/27.2%
Total: 302 of 952 eligible votes
31.7 % voter turnout

Cardigan

Yes: 23/57.5 %
No: 17/42.5%
1 spoiled ballot
Total: 41 of 204 eligible votes
20% voter turnout

Brudenell

Yes: 40/67.8%
No: 19/32.2 %
Total: 59 votes cast

Voter turnout was below 50 per cent said Brian Harding, vice-chair of the Brudenell Community Council. He didn't have the exact numbers of eligible voters, but said according to Canada Post, Brudenell has 152 residences, including summer residences where the owners vote where their principal residence is.

Vote provides guidance

Montague Mayor Richard Collins said council will use the vote as guidance when it decides Montague's position on amalgamation.

"We do have some guidance and there's no question about it," said Collins.

But he said he doesn't know how exactly the vote will affect Montague's position.

"Now what council will do with it in the briefing, when it's debriefed, I do not know. Those are things that will come forward in the days to come," said Collins.

Voter turnout disappointing

All three communities said their councils would follow how their people voted if 50 plus one per cent of eligible voters showed up, but that was not the case in any area.

Collins said he is disappointed with the voter turnout.

"The result is the people's choice and they spoke, but not enough of them spoke," he said.

Collins hopes everyone in the proposal area including the unincorporated areas have a vote on amalgamation.

Staying out of debate

Collins said he isn't letting his personal opinion on amalgamation be known publicly.

"I think I'll keep those thoughts to myself for tonight," he said.

"At the end the result is with the province and the steering committee and all this area is still up in the air as far as I'm concerned."

Collins is still waiting to see what the local fire districts, as well as Valleyfield, Lower Montague, and Lorne Valley have to say.

Once councils decide their stance on amalgamation, an application would have to be brought to the province and then reviewed by the Island Regulatory and Appeals Commission.