Prince Edward Island (PEI)

Flag of Prince Edward Island

• Capital » Charlottetown
  • Motto » Cunabula Foederis – or – Birthplace of Confederation
  • Also largest city in PEI
    • pop of 38,000 (2019)
• Time Zone » UTC-04:00
• Weather » Environment Canada

Facts

• Population » 160,000 (2019)
  • Mostly white

Geography

• Total Area » 5,660 sq km (2,190 sq mi)
  • Canada’s smallest province located on the east coast
  • Island located in the Gulf of St. Lawrence
    • Confederation Bridge to New Brunswick
      • The fixed link, as it is sometimes called, is part of the Trans Canada Highway
      • The 12.9-kilometre (8.0 mi) bridge crosses the Northumberland Strait
        • Longest bridge in Canada
      • Tolls and fees are paid when leaving the island
        • 2 axle vehicles start at CDN$50.25 (2023)
        • Tolls increase annually in January
      • High sided vehicles are restricted due to high winds, often in winter months
        • Official travel advisories posted here
    • Ferry from Wood Islands, PEI to Caribou, Nova Scotia
      • Fairs start at CDN$86 per vehicle (including passengers) for 75-minute ferry.
      • Fairs paid only when leaving PEI. Other fees may apply (fuel surcharge)
    • It is permissible to take the ferry to PEI and leave by the Confederation Bridge, or vise-versa and only pay when leaving.

Tourism

• The island economy depends heavily on tourism. Expect to pay more for everything on the island.
• Beaches with many spendy tacky tourist traps.
• Tourist season is short due to the harsh cold winters in the Gulf of St. Lawrence.
• Tourism PEI
  • Walking and Hiking Trails

National Parks

• Prince Edward Island National Park (Parks  Canada)
  • Restoration work continues in 2023 post Hurricane Fiona
  • Beaches are the main attraction (gets crowded). Easy trails are not as busy.

Notes

• Province House, a National Historic Site, in Charlottetown, hosted the Charlottetown Conference in 1864, the first gathering to discuss the proposed Maritime Union. This conference led, instead, to the union of British North American (BNA) colonies in 1867, which was the beginning of the Canadian confederation. PEI, however, chose not join Confederation until 1873.
  • Province House is still home of PEI’s Legislative Assembly.
  • Prior to Confederation, Province House was named Colonial Building.
• Very rural, mostly farmland.
  • Rusty Red soil is ideal for potato farming.
• The whole island has a very small town feel.
  • One gets the impression these are not the friendliest of people if you are not local, unless they want your tourist dollars.
• Anne of Green Gables, a 1908 fiction, is set in the fictional town of Avonlea, PEI.
  • A major tourism industry has been built around the fictional story of an orphan child.
  • Wikipedia

Resources

• Wikipedia
• Tourism PEI

This page was updated June 14, 2023