Discover urban energy. And outdoor rejuvenation.

Not every getaway offers everything you could dream of. But when you visit Saint John, you can dive into in every experience that makes vacations memorable and rewarding.

Saint John is a stunningly beautiful and historic city. Step back into the past—with every modern indulgence. When you explore our narrow and lovingly preserved uptown city streets, you’ll stumble upon charming boutiques, creative bistros, cozy cafés and cocktail bars, welcoming pubs, and locally-owned galleries. From your hotel or B&B, you’re likely just a short walk from the famously historic Saint John City Market, the delightful Market Square, the stunning Imperial Theatre, and the Trinity Royal Heritage Conservation Area. This is urban adventure at its most cosmopolitan.

Of course, you’ll also be in awe of our natural wonders. Saint John is the only city on the powerful Bay of Fundy, whose tides are the highest in the world. Where the St. John River meets the Bay, you can get a feel for that power—at the Reversing Falls, the tides of the Bay of Fundy actually force the water at the mouth of the river to reverse its flow. Explore the trails of Rockwood Park, the seaside in Irving Nature Park, and the charming urban parks that dot the City’s landscape.

And the best part? Saint John isn’t far. We’re an easy drive from anywhere in the Maritimes, and a short flight from Montreal, Toronto, and Boston. Getting here is easy. And easy is what vacations should be, right?

Our content team is working to complete the information, including links on this page. Thank you for your interest and patience.

This listing is provided as a courtesy by the City of Saint John using information supplied by the organization. Pease contact the individual organization for more information.

To be considered for addition to the list please contact our Arts and Culture Coordinator.

Community Organizations

Festivals

Venues

Libraries

Literary Arts

Dance Companies

Music Companies

Media

Galleries/Visual Art and Craft Studios

Museums

Theatre Companies

Eight Catalysts for Greater Prosperity

Saint John Common Council is committed to working across governments and sectors to unlock the City and region’s growth potential. To do this, Council has identified eight high-impact priorities that will spur growth by addressing critical infrastructure and building stronger partnerships.

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Why?

Growth won’t just happen on its own. To be successful we must focus our resources on priorities that align with our growth strategies and will have the greatest potential impact. The priorities also help focus the support of our partners in the federal and provincial governments. We are seeking strategic investments that will help deliver the most benefit.

Four Catalytic Infrastructure Projects

01 Innovative Central Peninsula Learning Commons

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This new urban school will also be a community hub to support and revitalize the south-central peninsula neighbourhood. The project has been underway since 2019 with significant community involvement. The Government of New Brunswick is the lead on the project and is selecting a site. We are eager to advance to the design and construction stages of the project.

02 Redevelopment of Fundy Quay

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Site preparation has begun for this mixed-used project that will transform Saint John’s urban waterfront and boost tourism. Two thirds of the $27.4 million project, or about $18.4 million, has been funded by the federal and provincial governments, with the remainder funded by the City of Saint John. Continued advocacy and investment by all levels of government is crucial to securing full build out of the project over the next 10 years and unlocking further investments.

03 New Comprehensive Recreational Facility

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A large multi-purpose facility has been prioritized to replace aging arenas (some that are close to 50 years old) and provide modern, functional space for other sports, recreation, and the arts. A more modern facility will not only improve community wellness and service offerings, but it will also boost the attractiveness of our region.

04 Investment in Industrial Parks

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The City is looking to expand lands and investment in its industrial parks to fuel economic growth by attracting new businesses and skilled workers. More lands and investment are needed to ensure the City is positioned to capitalize on emerging growth opportunities in sectors such as green energy, advanced manufacturing and transportation and logistics. These investments will enable these sectors to operate efficiently without adversely impacting the quality of life in residential neighbourhoods.

Four Catalytic Advocacy Efforts

01 Comprehensive Tax Reform

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Saint John has long called on the Province for comprehensive tax reform to ensure more local tax dollars stay in the City to help maintain strong and sustainable municipal services. Currently, the Province collects significant property tax for its own purposes that is disproportionately high when compared to other provinces. In alignment with the Province’s Sustaining Saint John Plan, the time for modernizing our outdated tax system is now.

02 Matching Dollars for Bilateral Funding

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Currently, more than $36 million in green infrastructure funding is available from the federal government. The City is calling on the Province to unlock these federal funds by providing the required provincial matching funds. These dollars would help make critical investments in climate change-related infrastructure, further enable the creation of a green economy, and support the City’s goal to be carbon neutral by 2040.

03 Affordable Housing

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About one third of Saint John residents struggle to pay for housing. Affordable housing is important to our residents and key to our community’s success. Our collective ability to provide access to safe, affordable housing will enable us to achieve growth and improve the sense of belonging for those who call Saint John home. The City is looking for federal and provincial support as it embarks on creating and delivering on its Affordable Housing Action Plan.

04 Post-Secondary Education

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The City aims to work with post-secondary institutions, other levels of government and the business community to expand programs at UNB Saint John and NBCC to spark growth and innovation across our region. Strong and vibrant educational opportunities are critical to growth, attracting and retaining our youth, and developing a talent and leadership pipeline.

A classic, historic, and inviting urban park, King's Square is located in uptown Saint John at the head of King Street and bounded by Sydney, Charlotte, King's Square North, and King's Square South Streets. A salute to the Loyalist heritage of the city's founders, its pathways were designed in the shape of the British Union flag. The square is home to several monuments and plaques paying homage to individuals who helped shape the City’s heritage. Many of the tall trees that stand in the Square today were planted for the 1883 Centennial Celebrations of the landing of the Loyalists in Saint John. 

In 1909, the City Coronet Band donated the unique two-storey bandstand, located in the Square's centre, as a tribute to King Edward VII.

MoveSJ is a three phase project that will guide how people and goods will move throughout the City. The plan will guide transportation infrastructure investments within the City for the next 25 years. This plan is not just about roads. MoveSJ takes an integrated approach to transportation incorporating considerations such as parking, active transportation and transit which were not components of the previous 1999 transportation study.  
 
The purpose of MoveSJ is to create a balanced transportation network. It integrates active shared modes of transportation and supports sustainable development, healthy communities, and a vibrant urban centre – all principles of Smart Growth.
 
MoveSJ is another example of how the City is striving to better position itself for sustainability as it will guide both the operation and development of the City’s transportation system. It is for these reasons that a guide for future transportation investment is crucial.

Phases one and two are complete.

The project team expects to bring Phase 3 to Common Council for endorsement in late 2021 or early 2022.

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Virtual Open House for MoveSJ Phase 3 (archive)

Residents, businesses and community stakeholders gave their input into MoveSJ, the City's 25-year transportation plan, at a Virtual Open House held spring 2021.

Presentation 

Survey 

Please see related documents for more background information.

Grow the City. Serve the City. Be the Community of choice.

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.

In summer 2024, the City of Saint John will launch two all-terrain wheelchairs for use in Rockwood Park. All-terrain wheelchairs are designed for off-road capabilities to tackle uneven ground, gravel and the outdoor elements. The wheelchairs are intended to provide barrier-free access and allow park users to enjoy outdoor activity with families and friends regardless of abilities. 

e-Push	e-Trike
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The ePush requires an attendant to push the user. This all-terrain electric wheelchair can accommodate users with little to no upper body mobility. The attendant can push the wheelchair manually and use the throttle to provide additional power for more challenging terrain or inclines.	The eTrike is designed for users with upper body mobility. This all-terrain electric wheelchair can be propelled manually using the drive levers, electronically using the throttle, or a combination of both.

(Transfer devices are not provided.)