CHARLOTTETOWN/FREDERICTON - The leaders of the Green Party caucuses in Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick are calling on the Atlantic Premiers to collaborate on the development of public transportation and renewable energy infrastructure for the region.

“Islanders routinely seek health care services in Moncton and Saint John, but the public transportation infrastructure is inadequate to get them there and back without access to a private vehicle,” said Peter Bevan-Baker, Leader of the Official Opposition, Prince Edward Island and Green Party of PEI.

“It is time to serve people’s need for transportation services without forcing them to rely on expensive private vehicles,” said David Coon, Leader of the New Brunswick Green Party. “We need a more convenient bus network integrated with a new regional rail service and improved ferry services if we are serious about doing our fair share in response to the climate emergency.”  

The two Green leaders also want to see a fully integrated electricity grid in order to share electricity from the region’s abundant renewable energy resources among the Atlantic provinces.

“The Atlantic Provinces each have unique strengths and challenges with respect to energy,” said Bevan-Baker. “By working together, we can complement each others’ strengths and mitigate our weaknesses. This would be an immeasurable help in the transition to clean energy and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.”

In order to better facilitate regional collaboration and success, both leaders are also calling on all four Atlantic Premiers to recommit their support for the Council of Atlantic Premiers.

“Successive premiers have allowed the capacity of the council secretariat to wither on the vine,” said Coon. “It's time for the premiers to commit to adequately funding the single most important means of collaboration they have.”