A look back at the stories that shaped Prince Edward Island in 2023

A provincial election. A scathing report detailing a toxic workplace at the University of Prince Edward Island. Playing host to the Canada Games. Let's take a look at the stories that made headlines on the Island this year.

Workplace harassment at UPEI

A report into allegations of workplace misconduct at UPEI released in June painted a shocking picture of an institution where bullying and harassment went unchecked, prompting the university to part ways with a vice-president and thrusting the use of non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) into the spotlight.

The report from a Toronto-based law firm followed a wide-ranging 18-month review of complaints and policies at the Charlottetown-based campus after former UPEI president Alaa Abd-El-Aziz resigned. It laid out "dire, toxic" issues at the university, including sexual violence, bullying, racism and sexism.

Advocates called the report the strongest condemnation yet of the use of NDAs in cases of sexual violence, abuse and harassment on campuses across Canada.

Erin Casey spoke to reporters following a closed meeting of the UPEI Board of Governors in which she shared her experiences since making allegations of sexual harassment against former UPEI president Alaa Abd-El-Aziz in 2012. (Rob LeClair/CBC)

Two women who signed NDAs with UPEI were later permanently released from the threat of being sued by the university for speaking out, but still face the possibility of being sued by Abd-El-Aziz.

The university's vice-president administration and finance, Jackie Podger, was placed on administrative leave in the days after the report was released. Several months later, UPEI announced she was no longer a university employee.

Meanwhile, Pat Sinnott resigned as chair of the university's Board of Governors one week after the report was released, citing a need for new leadership.

UPEI's interim president offered an apology on behalf of the university "to anyone who had suffered harm." In response to the report, the university created a new vice-president responsible for people and culture. The board of governors issued an unequivocal apology for the university's handling of the complaints, and promised to develop an action plan based on the report's recommendations.

In November, the university announced it had spent $677,578 on nine different settlements that included non-disclosure agreements over the years covered by the report, all involving allegations of harassment, discrimination or sexual harassment.

Later that month, the two women who came forward back in 2012 appeared in person to deliver victim impact statements to board of governors members behind closed doors. Erin Casey, who spoke to reporters after the meeting, called it "an important first step."

A spring election

Dennis King won a second term as premier on April 3 after leading the Progressive Conservatives to one of the strongest victories in modern P.E.I. history following a snap election call.

The PCs took 22 of the province's 27 seats, the Liberals secured the role of Official Opposition with three seats, and the Greens fell to third-party status after winning just two seats.

Premier Dennis King arrives to celebrate a majority government with supporters at his election night headquarters in Charlottetown on April 3, 2023. (Darren Calabrese/The Canadian Press)

The election came a full six months earlier than the fixed election date of Oct. 2. Some criticized King's decision to trigger an early election, given that he said in 2019 that fixed election dates are "something that we should actually set and stick to."

Critics also blamed that early election call for the historically low voter turnout. Fewer than 70 per cent of eligible voters cast a ballot, marking the lowest voter turnout on the Island in six decades.

The election campaign was dominated largely by the province's ongoing health-care crisis, homelessness and housing, as well as inflation and the rising cost of living. As well, people marked their ballots just six months after post-tropical storm Fiona pummeled P.E.I., pushing advocates to push candidates for swift action on climate change.

Growing homeless population, drug use

The question of how to help P.E.I.'s growing homeless population and how best to serve people struggling with drug addiction — even whether they should be served at all — was a contentious topic this year.

The controversy largely centred on the provincially funded Community Outreach Centre, which offers a variety of services to people experiencing homelessness, and the nearby Park Street Emergency Shelter. Both are located in the heart of Charlottetown.

The outreach centre has had vocal opponents since it was moved into the old curling club on Euston Street in 2021, but the backlash was louder and more public than ever this year.

The Community Outreach Centre has been a bone of contention since it moved to Charlottetown's Euston Street in 2021. (Steve Bruce/CBC)

Neighbours spoke out, saying they no longer felt safe in their own community. They complained about a proliferation of discarded needles, trespassing, vandalism, theft, open drug use and more.

MLAs were urged to shut the centre down altogether at a public committee meeting in October. Days later, protesters gathered outside a provincial government building demanding the province do something about the issues plaguing the neighbourhood. And the following week, the province announced the centre would be moving — at least temporarily — to a site next to the Park Street shelter, pending city zoning approval.

Critics argued the move would do little to address the issue, saying the centre will cause problems wherever it goes. Those living nearby said the emergency shelter has already been an issue, and doubling down in the neighbourhood will only make things worse.

Meanwhile, the future of a supervised consumption site remains in limbo.

During the spring election campaign, Premier Dennis King announced that a planned facility on Belmont Street wouldn't be going ahead after all.

The province later announced plans to put that facility at Park Street too — a move that got the goat of some nearby residents.

The Park Street Emergency Shelter is located near the foot of the Hillsborough Bridge. It's where the province plans to re-locate the Community Outreach Centre, and had been the planned location of a supervised consumption site. (Tony Davis/CBC)

A public meeting on the issue in July devolved into chaos. The provincial housing minister was shoved by an angry resident demanding the shelter move out of his neighbourhood. A man was charged and the matter is still before the courts.

The city eventually voted against the province's plan to put the supervised consumption site at Park Street. The province later said it was still committed to providing the service, but has not identified a site and has not established a timeline to do so.

P.E.I.'s chief public health officer has said a supervised injection site could save lives amid an alarming increase in fentanyl use on the Island. Dr. Heather Morrison also said it's a key connection point to link people with treatment services.

The Canada Games

Thousands of athletes, coaches and spectators descended on P.E.I. for the 2023 Canada Winter Games, which ran from Feb. 18 to March 5.

Team P.E.I. took home two medals, a bronze in archery and a silver medal in judo.

P.E.I. hosted the 2023 Canada Winter Games, bringing athletes and coaches from across the country to the Island. (Canada Games Council)

About 5,000 volunteers came together to help make the Games a success, from stamping hands at the admission gates to grooming ski hills and keeping the ice smooth during speed skating events.

Canada Games events were hosted across the Island — from O'Leary to  Charlottetown to North Rustico to Three Rivers. That meant some Island athletes got the chance to compete on home ice, surrounded by friends and family and feeling the support of the entire community.

The legacy left behind by the Games will continue to help the Island for years to come, including a $63-million residence at UPEI, a $10-million Olympic-sized skating rink in North Rustico, and a $5-million multi-purpose dome in Summerside.

Critters making news

The past year also had its fair share of newsworthy animals.

An injured coyote made headlines after staff at a building supplies store in Charlottetown found the animal hiding behind a garbage bin. The coyote was picked up by P.E.I. Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation and taken to the Atlantic Veterinary College for treatment.

In May, a dead leatherback sea turtle washed up on the shore of Fernwood, west of Borden-Carleton.

A massive sea turtle was found dead on the shores of Fernwood, P.E.I., in May. (Submitted by Tom Sherry)

Leatherback sea turtles are the world's largest living turtles. The species faces population decline worldwide, and is considered to be endangered in Canada.

Officials said the turtle, which was entangled in fishing gear, had likely been dead for some time.

A P.E.I. nature and wildlife photographer captured the picture of a lifetime on the east coast of Newfoundland over the summer.

Glen Strickey captured a shot of the only known Steller's sea eagle in North America, perched on a cliffside. He'd been tracking sightings of the bird since 2020.

A scientist said the shark found on a Greenwich beach in August may have starved to death. (Submitted by Flo Durelle)

And finally, a young white shark washed up on a Greenwich beach in August.

Experts say shark encounters are becoming more common farther north as populations rebound due to protective measures in Canada and the U.S., and as the number of grey seals in the Northwest Atlantic Ocean booms.