PEIConditions on P.E.I. over the summer were dry, and that led to potato yields being down by 30 per cent. Now, the Green Party is calling on the province to set up and “arm’s-length independent body” to oversee the approval of new high-capacity wells.Arm’s-length body was recommended in province’s irrigation strategy 3 years agoRyan McKellop · CBC News · Posted: Nov 14, 2025 12:41 PM EST | Last Updated: 1 hour agoListen to this articleEstimated 4 minutesThe audio version of this article is generated by text-to-speech, a technology based on artificial intelligence.Opposition MLAs ask the province to create a body to govern wells on P.E.I.The Green Party is calling on the P.E.I. government to set up an “arm’s-length, independent body” to oversee the approval of new high-capacity wells on the Island. That was one of the recommendations in the province’s own irrigation strategy — but three years later, it hasn’t happened. CBC’s Wayne Thibodeau has more. P.E.I.’s Green Party is calling on the province to set up an “arm’s-length, independent body” to oversee the approval of new high-capacity wells.Conditions on P.E.I. over the summer were dry, and that led to potato yields being down by 30 per cent. Friday, in the P.E.I. Legislature, Green MLA Peter Bevan-Baker pressed the province’s environment minister for answers on who is overseeing requests for new high-capacity wells. There has been a slew of new applications from farmers for the wells — more than 70. If approved, that would triple the number currently in use. LISTEN | Dry P.E.I. summer leads to flood of irrigation requests:This is PEI17:59Dry P.E.I. summer leads to flood of irrigation requestsMany P.E.I. farmers are looking to irrigate more land after spending much of the summer under drought conditions. Mitch explores how the application process works and what rules protect your drinking water.Bevan-Baker said the province’s irrigation strategy, released in 2022, outlines the need for independent governance of high-capacity well applications. “On governance, the irrigation strategy says this: ‘exploration of how this can be done by an arm’s-length, independent body is underway, which has been indicated as a preferred model by stakeholders,'” Bevan-Baker said. “More than three years later, has this arm’s-length, independent governance body, which is so critical to the future of sustainable water use on P.E.I., been established?”P.E.I. Environment Minister Gilles Arsenault said his department has been working with farmers.Gilles Arsenault, P.E.I.’s minister of environment, energy and climate action, says he doesn’t believe an independent body for high-capacity well applications is needed in the province. (Rick Gibbs/CBC)”I’ve met with over 20 farmers this year in the Kinkora area to address exactly what the honourable member is referencing,” he said.”We will continue to work closely with them…. Our staff are constantly engaged with the people in the industry and making sure that we’re looking after the needs of our farmers.”Bevan-Baker replied by reading part of a statement from the P.E.I. Potato Board that said the agriculture industry wants protections and regulations for responsible water use. “What we do not have, minister, is a good governance system that was promised in the irrigation strategy,” he said.”The Water Act development process, in contrast, brought together all the voices from various stakeholder communities to build this critical piece of legislation. It was great work, but without proper governance structures in place, all of that good work could go to waste.”Green Party MLA Peter Bevan-Baker says a governance body is needed to ensure the extraction of water is done in a way that does not damage the province’s ecosystem. (Rick Gibbs/CBC)Arsenault said the government is taking the issue seriously.”We’re doing excellent work in the Department of Environment to make sure that the water levels are where they’re supposed to be, working alongside our farmers,” he said.”We have a great working relationship with farmers, with the watershed groups and all our partners.”No need for governance body, says ministerAfter question period, Bevan-Baker elaborated on how the province’s irrigation strategy works.”Because the irrigation strategy came out, government lifted the moratorium which had been in place for almost two decades at that point on agriculture drilling high-capacity wells,” he said, adding that an independent governance body was supposed to be put in place when the moratorium lifted. Arsenault told reporters he will rely on the expertise in his department when reviewing applications for high-capacity wells.He said he doesn’t believe an independent oversight body is needed because that work is already being done by provincial staff.”We have quality staff members, hydrologists, people looking into this,” Arsenault said. “I want to see what the outcome will be as well on the work that we’re doing with the Department of Agriculture and industry… before adding on another level.”Arsenault couldn’t say how many, if any, new high-capacity wells will be approved by the province.ABOUT THE AUTHORRyan McKellop is a graduate of the Holland College journalism program and is working as an Associate Producer and Web Writer. Got a story idea? Email ryan.mckellop@cbc.caWith files from Wayne Thibodeau
Green Party calls for independent body to oversee high-capacity wells on P.E.I.
