February 2026 Municipal Update
February 2026 Newsletter
From the Mayor’s Office
As we move through February, I would like to extend warm wishes to everyone in our community as Valentine’s Day has just passed, a time that reminds us of the importance of kindness, connection, and care for one another in our municipality.
Most Recent Council Meeting
The Council held its regular meeting on February 9th, and I want to thank those residents who took the time to attend and participate. At that meeting, Council presented a first draft of the 2026-27 municipal budget and invited feedback from the public. Residents in attendance provided thoughtful comments and observations. The Council welcomes additional input from residents over the next four weeks. An updated version of the budget will be brought forward for Council’s consideration at our next regularly scheduled meeting on March 23rd.
The Council also received a third-quarter financial update from the Municipal Office. This report identified serious overspending related to Water and Sewer repairs, which has had an impact on our forecast spending for the current fiscal year. The Council will continue to closely monitor this situation and work with the Municipal Office to ensure financial sustainability while maintaining essential services.
The by-election nominations closed on February 13th. Three Councillors—Janet Lauzon, Susan Oxley, and Andrea Slysz—were elected by acclamation. We still have vacancies on municipal committees, which provide another valuable way to contribute to local decision-making.
The Council received updates on large development matters within the municipality.
The proposed Amar Seafood expansion has been delayed due to an IRAC appeal, which was dismissed in late 2025. The company has since informed the municipality that it is planning to begin construction in 2026. The Council will continue to monitor the project and provide updates as appropriate.
Causeway Provincial Property Developments
There have also been recent developments regarding the provincially owned properties along the causeway. The washroom facilities on the property have now been demolished and removed. The provincial government had previously notified the municipality of its intention to remove this structure, which was reported at the October 6th, 2025 Planning Board meeting. Residents had an opportunity to engage directly with officials from the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure at a public meeting held on November 12th, 2025, where feedback and ideas were shared regarding the future protection and use of these lands. Residents are still welcome to provide input directly to the provincial government on this important matter. At the November 12th meeting, provincial officials committed to providing a report and plan for the future use and protection of the lands. I have requested that the report be completed in a timely manner and that any initiatives to prevent the further erosion of lands along the Causeway be considered as a priority.
Village Meet and Greet
I would also like to encourage all residents, especially those who are new to our community, to attend the Village Meet and Greet on Saturday, February 21st, from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. This will be a wonderful opportunity to connect with new residents and to reconnect with neighbours in a relaxed and welcoming setting.
Snacks and refreshments will be served. This event is proudly sponsored by the Victoria Women’s Institute and the Rural Municipality of Victoria and supported by donations from local businesses.
I encourage all residents to stay engaged—attend council meetings, follow municipal updates, and reach out with questions, ideas, or feedback on how we can continue to improve municipal services. You may contact your Council representatives or the Municipal Office directly. I am also available at 902-388-7584 or by email at allenfarm17@gmail.com.
For updates and additional information, please visit our municipal website.
Martin Ruben, Mayor
From the Municipal Office
New Developments
During the first seven weeks of 2026, we received five development permit applications in addition to the twelve 2025 applications. Improvements on Main Street buildings are currently underway and new houses on Wanda Street will be built shortly. It has to be noted that two of these applications are for conformity purposes for tourist accommodation permits. Permit applications are processed monthly by the Planning Board (Chair Jean McCardle and Committee members Susan Oxley, Andrea Slysz, Sharlene MacEachern, Martin Ruben).
The Office is also working with the Roberts Group of Companies for the MacDonald land housing development (off Nelson Street). The Municipality is waiting for the result of a grant application submitted to the Canadian Housing Infrastructure Fund to cover part of the cost of a water and sewer connection for this housing project. The Capital Contribution Policy adopted earlier in 2025 will apply to this W&S connection.
Water and Sewer
The Water and Sewer Corporation Board (Chair Tom Wright and Corporation members Shelley Trainor, Ian Dennison, Henry Dunsmore, Martin Ruben) has been working with the Municipal Office on the 2026-27 budget and made a series of recommendations to the Council, one of which is to include the assessment of the water systems during the coming fiscal year. A request for proposal is currently being prepared by the CAO for this assessment and will be presented at the next W&S meeting later in February. In addition, the electrical issues at the water pump house regarding the use of our new generator there, seem to be a thing of the past. Earlier repairs and recent tests indicate that in the event of a power outage, the water service will be maintained.
2025-26 Budget Update
The 2025-26 budget update as of December 31st, 2025 reveals that the main challenge to maintain a balanced budget is the maintenance of the W&S systems. In the year 2025, around $60,000 in unexpected repairs had to be managed to maintain the sewer systems. Fortunately, last-minute use of the Municipality’s Canada Community-Building Fund (CCBF) could be used to reimburse more than half of this money. More money is now spent on the water pump house to better manage the electrical supply there.
Despite this situation and challenging cash flow management, the Municipality is expected to end the 2025–26 fiscal year with a small but positive result, due to a surplus in 2024–25.
A New Accounting Policy
In view of more challenging times ahead, the Municipal Office suggested to Council a new accounting policy. One of the goals of this policy is to better manage money transfers between the W&S Corporation and the Municipality and to better differentiate the use of the W&S fees as opposed to property taxes. The policy also addresses the use of MCEG grants and general accounting procedures.
Discussions about the 2026-27 Budget
A first version of the 26-27 budget was presented in the Council’s open session at the February 9th meeting. The highlights of this draft budget are a $20,000 reserve for W&S repairs and a balanced budget for the Municipality. A second version of the budget will be presented at the March 23rd meeting of the Council.
That’s all for this month! See past issues at www.RMVictoria.com/newsletters
Questions or feedback? Info for a future newsletter or photos you’re willing to share?
Contact staff at victoriamunicipalitypei@gmail.com
Victoria Historic Schoolhouse
730 Victoria Road, Victoria, PE,
C0A 1J0, Canada