Province won't heat old Prince Edward Home this winter

The province will not heat the Prince Edward Home this winter.

Last spring, the Opposition criticized the government for spending money to heat the former nursing home and palliative care building since it closed in March 2015.

Health PEI says maintenance costs have been about $100,000 a year and about $190,000 in total since the closure.

Old Prince Edward Home seen as valuable

Last spring provincial officials said many of its vacant buildings were not heated, but in the case of the old Prince Edward Home it was seen as a valuable property and heating it in colder months preserved the infrastructure.

This year, Health PEI said it will minimize expenses by turning off the heat and reducing electricity to emergency sources only.

"Health PEI is working with the Department of Transportation, Infrastructure and Energy to explore alternative uses for the former Prince Edward Home building," said Jamie MacDonald, Chief Administrative Officer of Emergency Health Services, Long-Term Care and Hospitals East in an email.

He said Health PEI is also working to ensure "the building's structural integrity and safety are not being compromised."

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