Wayne MacQuarrie has been appointed the new Chief Executive Officer of the Prince Edward Island Energy Corporation. Mr. MacQuarrie, a professional engineer, is being seconded from the Department of Transportation and Public works where he is currently the chief engineer heading up the Capital Projects Division.
In announcing the appointment Development Minister Don MacKinnon welcomed Mr. MacQuarrie saying, "Securing access to natural gas is critical for the future economic development of our province and I'm confident that Mr. MacQuarrie has the skills and background to get the job done."
Transportation and Public Works Minister Mike Currie said that while he is sorry to lose the services of Mr. MacQuarrie, "I feel the job that he is taking on is vitally important to ensure sustained economic development for our Province. I have every confidence in Mr. MacQuarrie and wish him all the best."
As CEO of the Prince Edward Island Energy Corporation, Mr. MacQuarrie will implement the Natural Gas Distribution Act recently passed by the Legislature as well as other aspects of the government's energy policy.
Among Mr. MacQuarrie's new challenges are negotiations with both Maritimes Northeast Pipeline and the federal government to ensure natural gas from Sable Island will be available to customers on Prince Edward Island as it is to other Maritime provinces.
Under Mr. MacQuarrie's leadership, the Prince Edward Island Energy Corporation will develop a program to encourage oil and gas exploration both on the Island and in the Province's offshore waters. They will also explore new roles for the wind test site at North Cape, the only laboratory for wind energy research and development in Canada, as well as seek out partnerships with universities and other research organizations.
"The Energy Corporation is the focal point of our government's efforts to develop a long-term energy policy for Prince Edward Island that will help increase the competitiveness of Island businesses and strengthen the economies of our Island communities. Mr. MacQuarrie's addition will complement the skills of the staff already assembled to make our government's vision a reality," says MacKinnon.
Mr. MacQuarrie graduated from the Nova Scotia Technical College in 1975 with a degree in Civil Engineering and worked in the energy sector with Montreal Engineering Company Ltd. and PetroCanada in both Montreal and Calgary before returning to the Island. He joined the public service in 1983, working on energy related projects for the Province until he transferred to his current position at the Department of Transportation and Public Works in 1994.
Mr. MacQuarrie assumes his new duties on August 15 and will report to the Deputy Minister of Development, Mr. James Johnston.