Donna Waddell, a former CAO and director of corporate services for the City of Charlottetown, has won the 2026 Bruce H. Yeo Award from the Federation of PEI Municipalities (FPEIM). The award recognizes outstanding contributions to municipal government in Prince Edward Island.
“Donna exemplified the professionalism and dedication that strong municipal government depends on,” said FPEIM President Bruce MacDougall, who presented the award at Charlottetown City Hall this week. “She earned tremendous respect for her knowledge, integrity, and willingness to help others. Her many contributions and years of service have had a lasting impact on the city and the municipal community of PEI.”
Waddell’s municipal career began in 1986 as executive director of FPEIM. She then became administrator of the Community of West Royalty in 1989. With the newly amalgamated City of Charlottetown, she served as director of corporate services beginning in 1995, and later as CAO from 2015 to 2016 and interim CAO from 2022 to 2023. She played a key role in municipal projects including transit system implementation, the Smart Communities initiative, and the Charlottetown Area Municipalities Act.
“Her leadership, dedication, and corporate knowledge have been instrumental in forming the city we know today,” said Sue Fraser, a former interim CAO and director of community services who nominated Waddell for the award.
Waddell said municipal work could be challenging but also incredibly rewarding. “You can see a project through from start to finish — whether you are constructing a building or starting a transit system,” she said.
She found particular motivation in witnessing the difference that municipal services made in people’s lives. “There is such a sense of satisfaction when you receive a comment from the public about how great the firefighters or the police were in their time of need. Municipal government really does offer the services closest to the people.”