P.E.I. Greens warn 'day of reckoning is coming' over economy and COVID-19

COVID-19's impact on the Island's economy was front and centre during the opening day of the fall sitting of the P.E.I. legislature on Thursday.

Opposition leader Peter Bevan-Baker pressed Premier Dennis King about what will happen after federal funding ends.

"A magic money faucet through federal programs like CERB and other relief programs has kept Islanders and Island businesses afloat during these uncertain times, but that magic faucet can't stay opened indefinitely," said Bevan-Baker.

"That has a lot of Islanders and a lot of Island businesses worried. Individuals and most businesses, of course, have survived so far, but the reality is that many will not make it through another year like 2020."

The Green leader said he and all MLAs are "extraordinary grateful" for the assistance so far "but a day of reckoning is coming, a day of reckoning is coming.  

"We have to get our economy and our balance sheet in order."

'We're in a little bit better place'

King said P.E.I.'s economy is in a better position than expected, given the impact of the global pandemic. He said his government is focused on getting the province through the remainder of the pandemic first, before focusing on what happens afterward. 

"I believe we're in a little bit better place than maybe we originally thought when it first hit here… in March of 2020 and we had a big, serious lockdown," said King.

"I think that many sectors of our economy have probably outperformed what we thought they would have. [Yet] industries such as tourism, for example, [and] aerospace are devastated, quite frankly." 

King says Islanders are absolutely worried and should be. But he says his government will be with them every step of the way as they navigate both the pandemic and its economic impacts. 

Bevan-Baker asked the premier what steps he's taking to ensure all Island jobs and all Island businesses survive the slowdown.

"Many Islanders are anxious, of course, about whether their job will still be there after we get through this winter and so many Island businesses are anxious about whether they are going to be around this time next year."

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