CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. — As P.E.I. starts to open its border to seasonal residents, Premier Dennis King says about 850 seasonal applications have been approved for them to return to the province.
King responded to questions in the legislature Wednesday from Opposition Leader Peter Bevan-Baker who asked for more details about seasonal residents coming to P.E.I.
So far about 850 applications have been approved, King said, adding the he didn’t know how many were from Ontario or Quebec and would bring that information back to the house.
“I don’t believe that they initially were in the first phase, but we might be running through the process more quickly so maybe…we’re now into Ontario and Quebec,” he said.
The province is limiting the number of seasonal residents entering the province to 500 per week as part of the effort to ensure the coronavirus (COVID-19) doesn’t spread while still taking small steps to reopen the economy.
Seasonal residents will need to apply to enter the province and, if approved, will have to follow several guidelines, including self-isolation for 14 days upon arrival.
King said there were about 350 applications approved in the first week with 160 the following week, fewer than 100 the next and 66 the week after that.
Bevan-Baker asked King about the seasonal resident applications on Wednesday and continued the same line of questioning Thursday.
During Wednesday's question period, Bevan-Baker asked how many applications from Ontario and Quebec have been approved, but he didn’t get an answer as King said he didn’t have that information with him.
In response, Bevan-Baker said he is aware of at least five families from Ontario that have received approval to come to the province starting in a few days.
“How is it that you don’t know that cottagers from Ontario are already being approved and they are scheduled to arrive as quickly as that?”
King said there are staff and a process in place to approve them based on a number of factors.
“As I said Mr. Speaker, I’m not actually approving where they come from,” he said.
Bevan-Baker said the staggered approach to allowing seasonal residents is letting people from higher risk areas arrive a few days after those from Atlantic Canada.
“Why do you provide Islanders with this false sense of security if you intended to follow your original plan all along?”
King said the plan all along has been to allow a maximum of 500 seasonal residents a week.
“So far we haven’t gotten to that number.”
