PEI Canola

Canola Growing... What an awesome sight! 

We saw acres and acres of PEI canola with its striking yellow flowers growing in fields all over Prince Edward Island.  We didn't know what it was until we got home and did a Google search.  We discovered it to be rapeseed, better known as Canola, in the picture we took below...

Canola is a member of the mustard or cabbage family.

PEI Canola seeds are used to produce edible oil suitable for consumption by humans and livestock. The oil is also used as biodiesel.

I read that PEI Canola seeds are in high demand from the Japanese market.  Apparently PEI grows Canola that is not genetically modified (which is few and far between these days).  There is a huge market for non-GMO seeds both in Japan and in our own country in the province of Quebec.  The demand for PEI Canola seeds is so great that Japanese buyers are starting to think of pressing the oil in PEI instead of importing just the seeds!

PEI farmers are excited I'm sure.  They have already started to envision selling other oilseed crops/products to the Japanese and have experimented with growing buckwheat and adzuki beans. Sounds to me like this is where the PEI jobs will be in the future if you're looking for employment! People are getting educated and don't want GMO food and the biofuels industry is growing rapidly too.  Prince Edward Island has a goal of being reliant on renewable sources for 100% of its electricity by 2015. Who doesn't want a cleaner, greener, more economic fuel source?

Linda

P.S. Thinking of moving to Prince Edward Island and looking for homes for sale?
Contact me here.  I can help you.

PEI Weather

PEI Weather Has a Nice Variety of Temperatures With Each Seasonal Change!

Spring...

Thinking of vacationing in Prince Edward Island and wonder what time of year to visit? The spring is actually a really nice time to go as the temperatures are very comfortable. From late May to early June the range is usually from 46 to 71 degrees F (8 to 22 degrees).

My husband and I chose to visit PEI in June. Whenever the sun came out we made our own picnic lunch and headed for the beach with our blanket. The water was too cold to swim in but on sunny days the beaches were the perfect place to go for peace and serenity as there was hardly anyone on them.

Most days we were the only ones visiting the beach so its the perfect time to go if you like solitude and you're not into "sun bathing." Although on the odd day we did come across scattered bathers here and there as well as this creepy critter below...

 
You can wear summery clothes but make sure you have a sweater or light jacket with you. You will probably need it more often than you think especially if you're going near the water where the air temperature is much cooler.

One thing we noticed right away on our coastal drive was that there were numerous "free public access" beaches everywhere! It's not like that in Ontario (where we currently live). Anywhere here where there is a chance to make a dollar (by charging at the gate or for parking) someone has their hand in it!

Summer...

Summer PEI weather is hot but rarely humid which is a plus.  (Here in Ontario we have very humid weather). Most  Prince Edward Island tourists and islanders wear short sleeves in the summer. 

Day time temperatures are usually in the 70 degree F range ( 20s C) but can go as high as
90 degrees F (32 degrees C).  You'll definitely want to head for the water on those days!   But don't worry, from most places in PEI you are only 15 minutes away from a beach.

Fall...

Autumn PEI weather is clear and bright. September afternoons can be quite warm but evenings are cooler. Temperatures can range from 46 to 71 degrees F (8 to 22 degrees C). Lots of people are still swimming in the Ocean in September we've been told as the water is still quite warm in the Fall.

Winter...

PEI Winter is crisp and clean with it's fair show of snow. Temperatures usually range from  26 to 11 degrees F (-3 to -11 degrees C). Winter is pretty much like winter in Ontario, except when it snows it almost always comes with winds, so even a 10cm snowfall can create havoc because of the snow drifts wind can create.

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P.S. Thinking of moving to Prince Edward Island and looking for homes for sale?
Contact me here.  I can help you.
 

Where is Prince Edward Island?

Prince Edward Island (PEI) is located in Canada. 

It is a crescent shaped island nestled between the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Québec, and Newfoundland and Labrador in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. You can see it in the magnified map area below colored "red".

 

PEI is a Maritime Province

Prince Edward Island is one of  the three "Maritime" provinces on the East Coast. The other two provinces are New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. All the provinces of Canada except Alberta and Saskatchewan border water.

The word maritime is an adjective that means "of the sea". The term "Maritimes" has historically been applied to NB, NS and PEI (now abbreviated PE) but technically, any land associated with the sea can be considered a maritime state or province.

Where is Prince Edward Island?
(How to Get to PEI Traveling from New Brunswick)

To get to PEI from "within" Canada you can travel through New Brunswick and cross over the Northumberland straight using the Confederation Bridge from Cape Jourimain.  It takes about ten minutes to cross the bridge.

Once over, you will be in Borden-Carleton which is the southwestern area of Prince Edward Island. When leaving PEI you will be required to pay a bridge toll fee which costs $45 for a car and $18 for a motorcycle.

Where is Prince Edward Island?
 (How to Get to PEI Traveling from Nova Scotia)

If you are coming from Nova Scotia, you could get into PEI making use of the ferry boat in Caribou which  will accommodate your car and takes approximately 75 mintues.  The ferry will arrive in Wood Islands which is in the southeastern part of Prince Edward Island. 

Keep in mind that the ferry is only in operation from May until mid-December and there is a charge of $66.00 per car when leaving Prince Edward Island, a charge of $17.00 per adult pedestrian, $40.00 per motorcycle, and $20.00 per bicycle. 

 
Where is Prince Edward Island?
(Traveling from Toronto, Montreal, Boston, or New York)

Prince Edward Island is roughly 1600 km (1000 miles) from Toronto, (CA )1000 km (625 miles) from Montréal, (CA) 1100 km (650 miles) from Boston (US), and 1450 km (850 miles) from New York City, US.

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P.S. Thinking of moving to Prince Edward Island and looking for homes for sale?
Contact me here.  I can help you.

Retire to Prince Edward Island

One of the Beautiful Beaches Everywhere in Prince Edward Island

Why Retire to Prince Edward Island?

Other than having the luxury of living on an island surrounded by beautiful ocean beaches like the one above and still be in Canada? Well, lets see... for one, you could probably sell your current house and retire "within months" if you moved to PEI and paid cash for your home there.

Is that reason enough?

The average price of homes In Prince Edward Island (according to the Canadian Real Estate Association in 2013) was $149,021.

A retired couple without a mortgage (and even living on just their pension income) would be better off in PEI than any other Canadian Province.

Check out these eye opening stats...

Province - Average House Price

British Columbia $568,419

Ontario $395,698

Alberta $380,477

Quebec $264,690

Saskatchewan $278,764

Newfoundland / Labrador $289,279

Manitoba $286,571

Nova Scotia $208,555

New Brunswick $160,867

Prince Edward Island $149,021!!!

Canadian Average $390,034
 

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Island Poem

My husband, Roger and I, visited Prince Edward Island two years ago and haven't got the island out of our minds since then. We absolutely loved it. PEI felt like home to us and it probably would to you too should you ever decide to take a vacation there.

 My Hubby Roger walking on a PEI beach (looks like a tourist doesn't he?  lol)

 

Recently I read a poem by Rachel Field that sums up our sentiments about the Island pretty accurately.

It goes like this....

If once you have slept on an island
You'll never be quite the same;
You may look as you looked the day before
And go by the same old name,

You may bustle about in street and shop
You may sit at home and sew,
But you'll see blue water and wheeling gulls
Wherever your feet may go.

You may chat with the neighbours of this and that
And close to your fire keep,
But you'll hear ship whistle and lighthouse bell
And tides beat through your sleep.

Oh! you won't know why and you can't say how
Such a change upon you came,
But once you have slept on an island,
You'll never be quite the same.

The Scenery is Breath Taking

We found the Island people very friendly and we reveled in the layed back atmosphere everywhere. It was so relaxing and peaceful.

The ocean is within 15 minutes drive no matter where you are on the Island with miles and miles of beaches, fresh air, and sunshine.

The scenery was breath taking... We saw hundreds and hundreds of acres of potato fields, brightly painted trackers plowing the land, beautiful old farm homes, picturesque weathered barns, red dirt roads, and multi-coloured lupins growing along the roadsides.

 One of the Many Potato Fields We Saw

 

While we were there, we both felt like we had "come home" and since then have dreamed of retiring to Prince Edward Island some day and purchasing a getaway place that we can share with family and friends.

I'm constantly on the internet looking at PEI homes for sale and because of that I have found hundreds of listings and have had constant contact with many realtors.

Recently, a top notch PEI realtor offered me the opportunity to help him sell Island property which I eagerly accepted.  My first listing is on this Real Estate PEI page.  At $3,950,000.00, it's not exactly your "average price" but take a look for the fun of it. You'll definitely agree it's a beauty!

If you ever think you might like to retire to Prince Edward Island, be sure to thoroughly read my blog. You will find a lot of information about PEI that will help you make an informed decision. Be sure to contact me (Linda Pepin) here any time or call me @ (905) 357-0479. I'd be happy to chat with you and answer your questions.

Click here to get PEI Real Estate Alerts.

Young Alpaca we petted at a PEI Alpaca Farm.. I want one!

Thinking of moving to Prince Edward Island and looking for homes for sale?
Contact me here.  I can help you. 
Linda