The environment as a resource : lessons from Prince Edward Island from other sub-national island jurisdictions

Abstract

Laws governing the environment and the natural resources may be enacted by national or federal legislatures. These may have a wide coverage, particularly in large countries like Canada which span various geographic, climatic and ecological zones. At the sub-national or provincial level, relatively large provinces like Ontario and Quebec comprise different environmental types across latitudes and longitudes, and this necessitates an appreciation for the diversity of environmental conditions and resources. On the other hand, a small province like Prince Edward Island becomes a special case study by reason of its geography and particularly its physical definition as an island. Physically, Prince Edward Island is a province that is well delineated by the sea surrounding it and with a relatively homogeneous terrestrial environment throughout. As a sub-national island jurisdiction, the provincial government is vested with authority and some autonomy from the national government in the crafting of its laws that respond to the special and particular needs and demands of its island environment. The Prince Edward Island Development Plan of 1969, for example, has set the pace for the process of provincial state building and has led to greater empowerment of provincial authorities, reducing federal intervention in decision-making (Bickerton, 1998). This contribution is divided in three sections. The first reviews the state of the environment on PEl. The second scans some comparable environmental practices by various sub-national island jurisdictions, teasing out some of those policies which PEl appears to be in a position to consider and perhaps benefit from. The third and final section draws up a summative 'environmental score card' for PEl and reaffirms the opportunities that islandness could provide towards sounder environmental management for the island province.