Prince Edward Island’s Province House, the historic seat of the province’s legislative assembly, is preparing to reopen after nearly 12 years of closure and a major restoration project with total costs of about $138 million.
The almost 180-year-old building, which was the site of the 1864 Charlottetown Conference, shut its doors in January 2015 for the extensive refurbishment. With the work now nearing completion, provincial politicians and legislature staff are preparing for what many describe as an emotional return to the building.
Joey Jeffrey, clerk of the P.E.I. Legislative Assembly, said there remains work to finish before the building fully reopens, but described a strong sense of anticipation among staff. He called Province House a symbol of Island democracy and said its importance to the province is not lost on him.
Only Two Sitting MLAs Have Experience in the Chamber
Because the building has been closed for so long, only two current MLAs — Opposition Leader Hal Perry and fellow Liberal MLA Robert Henderson — have actually sat in Province House during a legislative sitting. The rest of the sitting members, including those first elected in 2015, have never conducted legislative business inside the historic chamber.
Green Party MLA Peter Bevan-Baker, who was first elected in 2015, said he had come to accept that he would never get the chance to sit in the chamber as a legislator, particularly after announcing in January that he will not run in the next provincial election. He noted a distinctive architectural feature of the building, where the public gallery sits above the legislative floor, giving Islanders a literal view down onto their elected representatives.
Progressive Conservative MLA Sidney MacEwen, who also took his seat in 2015, said the reopening presents an opportunity to educate the public about the legislature’s history. He said he is looking forward to reconnecting with the building’s past and its record of milestones in the province’s political history.
Restoration Tied to Confederation History
Geraldine Arsenault, superintendent of the P.E.I. field unit for Parks Canada, said the restoration carries significant meaning given the building’s role in Confederation. She pointed to the level of care taken by workers to preserve the character-defining elements of the structure throughout the project.
Crews still have some finishing work to complete, including installing carpets and blinds, before the building is ready for public and legislative use. Opening events are planned for Oct. 23 and 24, ahead of the fall sitting of the Legislative Assembly scheduled to begin Nov. 3.
Perry said returning to sit at a desk in the chamber where conversations shaping the country once took place carries deep significance, describing the moment as one that makes him “a bit emotional and a bit nervous.” Jeffrey echoed that sentiment, saying the building’s stature reflects the broader value placed on democracy, and expressed hope that Islanders will share in the sense of pride as the legislature returns to its historic home.
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