Staff of the Department of Fisheries, Aquaculture and Rural Development will begin working out of their new office in Montague on Monday. Construction of the new building on Main Street across from the post office has been completed, and furniture, equipment and supplies are being moved in. The relocation of the department was announced in the 2008 Speech from the Throne.
“We are very excited to be moving into our new facilities in Montague,” said Fisheries, Aquaculture and Rural Development Minister Neil LeClair. “This move is a further demonstration of the commitment of the provincial government to rural Prince Edward Island, and we are happy to become part of the community.”
As a result of the relocation, 32 staff are making the move to Montague. They include the offices of the minister and deputy minister, the Marine Fisheries and Seafood Services, Aquaculture and Rural Development divisions, along with the administration of Access PEI and the headquarters of the Employment Development Agency.
The 9161 square foot building was constructed by K&S Development and is leased by the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal. The building incorporates a number of energy efficient features and complements the downtown streetscape. The building was acquired through a competitive tender process.
“The department serves rural residents through its work with fishers, aquaculturalists and rural communities and the provision of services by Access PEI throughout the province,” said Minister LeClair. “The relocation of the department to Montague will better enable us to bring a rural perspective to government policies and programs.”
The Minister said the department will maintain a satellite office in Charlottetown for meetings with industry groups and other departments and agencies.
Employment Development Agency and seasonal hiring applications can be obtained or dropped off at the 5th floor of the Jones Building on Kent Street in Charlottetown or at Access PEI sites across the province.
The new telephone number at the Montague office is 902-838-0910. Clients outside the Montague exchange can call toll-free to 1-877-407-0187.
The department is planning an open house in February.