Word on the Doorstep Week 3

Lets address it- Roads, Water and Waste water, Development, Budget and Growth

Week 3 was spent to the South East of the Ward- Walmsley, Outlet, Royal, Lighthall. And ended with part of Cty Rd 11.

Water and Wastewater. Do we need that size of project? Are we having the projected growth now? What are the other options? What do the contingencies look like? 

These are all questions myself and many residents have had when discussing the proposed Water and Wastewater project. This is the one project I feel as a candidate I can have more of an actionable say on because it is still on the table. For me, I need to better review the materials. Review all the initially proposed scenarios, and the cost associated. I would like to connect more with staff and professionals. I have connected with residents and the consensus is that the project seems too big and expensive. I spoke to a resident who is currently a civil engineer who suggested that a smaller project to update just the Picton plant could improve condition and increase capacity inline with a more reasonable estimation of our growth. However, the idea of going from four plants to three comes with long term cost savings. I'd like to better understand the financial numbers and the engineering requirements. Something I have unfortunately not had the time to dive into during this busy campaign period. 

Currently, I am finding it hard to justify such a high cost project when we are not seeing this growth or supporting this growth with other economic initiatives such as creating other 4 season industries here in the County.

I hope that these “newsletters” are helpful to understanding where I am at and my commitment to understanding the perspectives of the people in tandem with the complexities of this project. If elected, I will continue to look for the answers, do my own research and interact with the community for their perspectives. 

Overall, it is clear many residents of Athol have expressed they are not in favour of the current plan with the current information. I, too, need to consider all the options as there is no “do nothing scenario”. My biggest questions are about whether we need a project of this size and whether or not there is an in the middle option, something that accounts for growth and has long term cost savings?

I have touched on housing/growth a bit already in some previous responses and interviews however, housing for our youth was a large topic among all the weeks I campaigned. Affordable housing, large scale developments were often brought up. The biggest concern is County youth having to move away to find jobs or simply the affordability crisis we are all trying to navigate. Housing and affordability go hand in hand. These issues are not solved by simply building housing. If the County wants a youthful population through growth we need to provide the means to afford the developments. This again is not just achieved through just  “affordable housing” which we all know is not truly affordable. It is about jobs, infrastructure, and community appeal. 

When it comes to development I would like to see the County take more of an interest in housing projects that are truly attainable, creative solutions like community housing and housing based on income rather than market values which leaves most people outside the loose definition of “affordable”.

Budget another hot topic among most areas of the Ward, it is the first job of a new council. I want residents to be getting better bang for their buck so to speak. I want to make sure the benefit outweighs the cost in all aspects of the budget. Making sure we are maintaining the appropriate level of services and being the most effective and efficient with the budget. I want to delve into every nook and cranny making sure there are no wasted funds. Moving forward with better fiscal management, thorough review of large projects, and better management of reserves. Taking a holistic, intersectional and sustainable approach to our policy and goals is the way forward. We cannot afford to be single issue minded. The idea that if we build they will come is blind to the realities of what truly drives growth and keeps our youth able to stay here. It completely ignores the kind of growth we need to sustain our population for further generations. Keeping young people and their families in Prince Edward County needs to be a focus so that we can support our elderly population, staff our healthcare industry, keep our schools and grow into a prosperous municipality for generations to come.

Roads were the biggest theme among these areas. Royal and Lighthall Rd residents brought concerns about the constant patchwork turning the road into a lumpy mess and the nightmare it becomes in the winter. Along County Rd 11 concerns about culvert maintenance, paved shoulders, flooding and upkeep were all brought up. These are long term maintenance and upkeep problems. I want to move forward with better transparency about scheduling and better management in the future so we don’t end up here again. I especially want to advocate for conscientious, long lasting upkeep rather than patchwork pile up or degrading ditches and culverts causing devastating flooding. I cannot promise to fix everything, but I can promise to be an unwavering advocate. 

These concerns that were brought to me were not unknown, but what was unknown was the individual effects everyone was facing, especially the flooding. I hope to be involved and informed of the next 5 year plan by the roads department which will take effect in the next term of council. I want to share this process with the residents and especially those who are directly affected on County Rd 11 and elsewhere. Anyone who has brought concerns to me has been noted so I know where to go and who to contact, if elected, with updates.

That is all for now. The next editions will come a lot quicker so stay tuned to hear about Week 4 and what I have been up to since deciding to run for Council.

All my best,

Emily Jane Pickstock

2026 Candidate for Athol Councillor