Provincial Fire Marshal Orders Immediate Closure of Boardwalk Patios

The City of Saint John has been informed by the Provincial Office of the Fire Marshal (OFM) that an order has been issued to close the open-air boardwalk patios effective immediately. The unexpected closure of the patios does not impact the regular inside operations of the restaurants.

The City takes issue with this decision of the OFM as a thorough inspection of the space was completed prior to the patios opening, and approval from both the Saint John Fire Prevention Office, acting on behalf of the OFM, and the City’s Building Inspection Office was provided under specific conditions.

The City takes public safety seriously and has maintained a dedicated fire watch in the space as planned while remaining work on the exterior fire suppression and alarm system takes place this week.

With mitigation measures in place, the City is greatly disappointed by the decision to close the patios and the impact this will have on the restaurants and our community. We are committed to resolving this issue promptly and will provide further updates as more information becomes available from the Province.

The restaurants remain open and ready to welcome patrons to their indoor spaces. We encourage everyone to continue to enjoy the tremendous hospitality the restaurants have to offer.