The City of Saint John has been providing front facing and support services to residents and businesses for more than two centuries. The current organization structure consists of six service areas, working together to plan and coordinate effective and efficient service delivery.
Growth and Community Services
Providing guidance, direction, and support for development by incorporating Council and community objectives for strategic growth. Initiatives that enhance the quality of life through housing, business investment, heritage and leisure to create a city where people want to live, work and invest.
Service delivery includes: One Stop Development Shop; building inspections; permitting; infrastructure development; community standards and compliance; heritage conservation, planning, growth and community service; arts and culture; and the Saint John City Market.
Transportation and Public Works
Supporting the community vision of a green, accessible city that offers opportunities for physical activity, and ease of transportation including public, active and roads.
Service delivery includes: leisure facilities such as parks and public spaces; roads and sidewalks; parking; solid waste; fleet; urban storm water; and, traffic. Saint John Transit delivers services through a commission.
Strategic Services
By providing strategic insight, guidance, and expertise, this group enables the City to deliver quality public services in an innovative and sustainable way.
Service delivery includes: information technology; corporate performance; communications; government relations; insurance and claims; customer service, finance; and, procurement.
Corporate Services
Corporate Services is the point of contact between the city administration and Common Council. Ensuring the organization is meeting its required obligations and compliance through general counsel, human resources and the City Clerk.
Service delivery includes: City Clerk; human resources; general counsel; real estate; contract administration; and, records and information management.
Public Safety
Public safety protects citizens, property and the environment with a focus on creating safe neighbourhoods, essential to overall quality of life.
Service delivery includes: fire prevention; fire suppression; HAZMAT; and, Saint John Emergency Management Organization. The Saint John Police Force delivers services through a commission.
Utilities and Public Infrastructure
This area is responsible for all facilities, systems, and structures that are owned and operated by the municipality, in this case The City of Saint John. The Saint John Water Utility is committed to providing safe, clean drinking water; protecting the environment through wastewater management; and supporting industry through supply of industrial water.
Service delivery includes: Saint John Water Utility; Public infrastructure and support services such as engineering; climate change programs; GIS; facilities management and asset management. Saint John Energy is governed through a commission.
The names of streets and public spaces help to define the identity of a city and how citizens interact with it. Practically, they serve as a mailing address for deliveries, a location for emergency services, or a navigational tool. Culturally, they are the vernacular of a city; a beloved corner, a park dedicated with pride and reflection, a street name that tells a story. As a City rich in diverse histories, cultural identities, and natural resources, the names placed on a street or public space can help build social cohesion, and influence experiences and perceptions of the city.
The City of Saint John adopted the Street and Public Space Naming Policy in July 2023. This policy is intended for the naming and renaming of streets and public spaces and is used to provide a framework for adjudicating applications submitted to the Civic Commemoration Committee and City staff.
The City acknowledges that the names of streets and public spaces reflect community values by demonstrating how the City chooses to collectively recognize and honour the past. The City may use commemorative street and place naming as a tool to create an inclusive and diverse culture.
All commemorative naming of street and public spaces must comply with the guidelines and process outlined in the policy.
HOW TO PROPOSE A STREET OR PUBLIC SPACE NAME IN SAINT JOHN
STREET AND PUBLIC SPACE NAMING OVERVIEW
PUBLIC REQUEST TO REVIEW AN EXISTING COMMEMORATIVE NAME
COMMEMORATIVE NAMES AND NON-COMMEMORATIVE NAMES
HOW TO PROPOSE A STREET OR PUBLIC SPACE NAME IN SAINT JOHN
The Naming Proposal Form is available on the City’s website to propose a name.
Letters to Common Council will be referred to staff and the applicant will be asked to submit a Naming Proposal Form submission. These will be placed in the queue to be processed.
Requests by staff or council regarding time-sensitive projects will be given precedence.
STREET AND PUBLIC SPACE NAMING OVERVIEW:
The City will not consider naming proposals that:
- Propose to rename streets that have been named or renamed in the past ten (10) years.
- Make direct or indirect reference to recent events or recently deceased individuals until two (2) years have elapsed since the event or death.
- Are discriminatory or derogatory of race, colour, ethnic origin, gender identify or expression, gender, sexual orientation, creed, political affiliation, disability, or other social factors.
- Are problematic for dispatching emergency services personnel or the City’s ability to deliver services. This includes but is not limited to duplicate or soundalike names.
COMMEMORATIVE NAMES
Members of the public interested in submitting a proposal for a commemorative name must:
- Carefully review the Naming Proposal Form and the City of Saint John Street and Public Space Naming Policy
- Reach out to community members, organizations, and groups to develop a proposed name and to confirm that there is community support for the proposal (at least 75% of the street’s residences, property owners, and businesses via a petition, letters, or emails).
- Maintain a record of the positive and negative feedback you receive from others.
- Note important information about the proposed name you receive from historical sources (newspaper articles, historical documents, etc.)
PROPOSAL REVIEW PROCESS
All proposals will go through a Technical Review; if the proposed name is commemorative, the proposal will also be reviewed using the criteria in the Street and Public Space Naming Policy.
PUBLIC REQUEST TO REVIEW AN EXISTING COMMEMORATIVE NAME
The City will only consider requests to review a name of a City street or public space where in:
- The name poses a threat to health and safety and/or wayfinding;
- The name honouring a person has been misspelled;
- The historical legacy of the namesake of a street or park has been found to be unfitting of honour.
- The current name is inconsistent with City By-laws or policies.
The public may submit a proposal to rename a City Street or Public Space that currently has Wayfinding name or Commemorative name with a new Commemorative name.
The City will consider such proposals but is under no obligation to accept a proposed name.
Proposals by the public must be made using the City’s Naming Proposal Form and at minimum is to include:
- The current name and/or address of the City Property;
- The proposed Commemorative Name for the City Property or street;
- The rationale for the proposed Commemorative Name and how the Commemorative Name adheres the Guiding Principles for Commemoration;
- Documented support from the community, including but not limited to petitions and support letters.
- A public request to rename a street requires 75% of residents, property owners, and businesses surrounding the street providing support through a petition, letter, or email.
The information above is sent to Community Services, and staff will prepare the information to be included in the Civic Commemoration Committee’s proceeding meeting. The Committee will use the Commemorative Naming Review.
If the Committee decides there is ample cause for renaming, the Committee will follow the process outlined in the Commemorative Naming Review.
COMMEMORATIVE NAMES AND NON-COMMEMORATIVE NAMES
Commemorative Name is a name assigned to a Street or Public Space to commemorate one or more individuals, communities, organizations, events, or ideas of significance to Saint John, New Brunswick, or Canada. If your proposed name is deemed by City staff to be commemorative in nature, your proposal will be assessed by the Civic Commemoration Committee.
Examples would include:
- Horsler Drive (named after a mayor of Lancaster)
- Champlain Drive (named after explorer Samuel de Champlain)
- John T. McMillan (the owner and operator of Little John's Variety Store in Glen Falls and community leader)
Non-Commemorative Name is a name that is generic, aesthetic, or references topographic, flora, or fauna.
Examples would include:
- Loch Lomond Road (named for the lake of the same name)
- Sandy Point Road (leads to a sandy point in the north end)
- Island View Drive (has a view of the island in the bay)
Province enters next phase of living with COVID-19 on Monday, March 14
Effective Monday, March 14, 2022 at 12:01 a.m. AST
Masks will no longer be required at public facilities owned and operated by the City of Saint John.
Facilities operated by third parties such as the Canada Games Aquatic Centre, TD Station, and Community Centres will provide their own direction and updates.
Masks will not be required on Saint John Transit buses.
All Common Council and Committee meetings will return to in-person attendance. The option to attend virtually will still be provided.
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the City of Saint John has remained committed to the health and safety of its employees, of visitors to our workplaces and members of the public.
While masks are no longer required in our facilities, mask usage should still be viewed as an excellent safety precaution due to the high level of community transmission.
The City of Saint John reminds the public to be considerate and supportive of anyone who chooses to continue wearing a mask or practice any other precautions related to COVID-19. These measures are a personal choice and must be respected.
The City of Saint John encourages residents to protect their health and prevent the spread of COVID-19 in our community by getting vaccinated. To book your vaccination appointment, and for walk-in clinic information, visit COVID-19 vaccines (gnb.ca)
Please continue to follow the Government of New Brunswick and Government of Canada websites for the latest updates and information.
The City of Saint John provides City employees the financial benefits of a pension plan. Upon meeting the eligibility criteria, all employees of the City of Saint John are required to join the City’s Shared Risk Plan.
The City of Saint John and the four unions—representing police, firefighters, inside workers, and outside workers—jointly agreed to create the City of Saint John Shared Risk Plan, which became effective January 1, 2013. The Plan is administered by a Board of Trustees made up of eight people—each of the four unions appoint one trustee, and the Saint John Common Council appoints the other four.
Information with respect to the pension plan can be found at www.sjsrp.ca.
