P.E.I. government releases rural action strategy

After almost two years of work and consultation with more then 1,200 Islanders, the Prince Edward Island government released its Rural Action Plan Tuesday.

The Liberals say the five-year plan will lead to a more vibrant andhealthy rural Prince Edward Island.

The plan was released in western P.E.I. at the Tignish Royal Star Co-op, in the riding of Rural Development Minister Neil LeClair.

The strategy sets out 40 recommendations and attempts to stem opposition criticism thatthe Liberal government is ignoring the province's small communities and primary industries.

LeClair saidthe strategywill build a prosperous rural economy, but willcost $10 million a year to implement.

Those are dollars that will be reallocated within government from existing programs, he said.

"But you have to understand that this is a broad-based initiative right across government," LeClair said. "We'll have every government department with a rural focus, and each will be looking at what the needs are in a more focused way for rural P.E.I."

One part of the strategy is to establish three rural action centres across the Island to be used as a single source of information for businesses.

There's also a plan encouraging Islanders to direct their RRSP contributionstoward community businesses. The plan includes a community economic development investment fund and support for regional tourism associations.

There's a five-point lobster plan, with investment in product development and marketing. And there's an effort to diversify agriculture.

"A strategy such as this has never been launched before," LeClair said. "That's how important ruralP.E.I. is to this government, that's our focus. We've had some severe economic times."

Most of the Liberal caucus was on hand for the announcement. But Premier Robert Ghiz is out of province, vacationing in Mexico.