A map of Canada, showing Prince Edward Island in red.Distribution of Prince Edward Island's 72 municipalities by municipal status type as of 2017[update]
Prince Edward Island is theleast populous province in Canada with 154,331 residents as of the2021 census and is thesmallest in land area at 5,681.18 km2 (2,193.52 mi2).[1] Prince Edward Island's 63 municipalities cover34.7% of the province's land mass and were home to73% of its population in 2021.[2][3][a] These municipalities providelocal government services to their residents in the form of fire protection, municipal planning services, and emergency measures planning.[4] The remaining unincorporated areas have no local government.[5]
Municipal statuses in Prince Edward Island arecities,towns,rural municipalities, andresort municipalities.[6] Under Prince Edward Island'sMunicipal Government Act (MGA), which came into force on December 23, 2017,[7] the formation of a municipality can be proposed by the Minister of Fisheries and Communities, the council of an existing municipality, or a petition signed by 30% of the residents that would be the electors of the new municipality.[4] To be eligible for city or town status, certain minimum estimated population and total property assessment value criteria must be met.[4] If those criteria are not met, rural municipality status can be granted if it is the opinion of the Minister of Fisheries and Communities that it would be in the public interest.[4] The province's lone resort municipality – theResort Municipality of Stanley Bridge, Hope River, Bayview, Cavendish and North Rustico – was established byorder in council in 1990.[6] The 2017MGA prevents creation of any new resort municipalities.[6]
Prince Edward Island has two cities, ten towns, fifty rural municipalities and one resort municipality,[3][6] which are distributed across three counties –Kings,Prince andQueens.Charlottetown is Prince Edward Island's capital and largest municipality by population whileBelfast is the largest municipality by land area.[2] The smallest municipalities by population and land area areTignish Shore andSt. Louis respectively.[2]
Aerial view ofCharlottetown, Prince Edward Island's capital and largest citySummerside, Prince Edward Island's second largest municipality and only other city
Prince Edward Island has two cities.[3] Charlottetown is Prince Edward Island's capital and largest city both by population with 38,809 residents and by land area with 44.27 km2 (17.09 mi2).[2] It forms the core of a census agglomeration that encompasses the middle of the island and is home to 78,858 residents, or51% of the island's population.[8] The province's second city isSummerside, which is located on the west side of the island. It has a population of 16,001 and a land area of 28.21 km2 (10.89 mi2).[2] Starting with themunicipal elections in 2018, theMGA enables cities to elect a mayor and a minimum of eight councillors.[6] With general municipal elections occurring every four years, the next municipal election is scheduled for November 2026.[9]
Prince Edward Island has ten towns that are incorporated municipalities,[3] which had a cumulative population of 32,632 in the 2021 census.[2] The province's largest and smallest towns areStratford andNorth Rustico with populations of 10,927 and 648 respectively.[2]Three Rivers is Prince Edward Island's largest town by land area with 431.47 km2 (166.59 mi2) andO'Leary is the province's smallest town by land area with 1.83 km2 (0.71 mi2).[2] Three Rivers is also the province's newest town, which incorporated as a town on September 28, 2018, through the amalgamation of the towns ofGeorgetown andMontague, five rural municipalities (Brudenell,Cardigan,Lorne Valley,Lower Montague, andValleyfield), and portions of three adjacent unincorporated areas.[10] Starting with the municipal elections in 2018, theMGA enables towns to elect a mayor and a minimum of six councillors.[6] With general municipal elections occurring every four years, the next municipal election is scheduled for November 2026.[9]
^ab"EC2018–584, EC2018–585 and EC2018–586"(PDF). Government of Prince Edward Island Executive Council. September 25, 2018. pp. 321–327. Archived fromthe original(PDF) on November 30, 2019. RetrievedOctober 28, 2018.
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