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Do not advertise or promote your event until you get preliminary approval from the special events office
We recommend you host your party in a public space---a street or park---as it increases the shared responsibility of the event. If your block party is going to be held on public land (street, park, playground), you must apply to host your event with the City.
The arena season operates this year from October 11, 2024 to March 31, 2025, the City of Saint John offers free public skating at all three of our indoor rinks. For dates and times, please download the public skating schedule, which is located on the right side of this page under related documents.
If you’re looking for somewhere to skate in Saint John, whether for hockey or recreational skating, you’re in luck. Not only does your city have the facilities you need (three municipal arenas and one outdoor rink), but all public skating in Saint John is completely free! In addition to public skating, our arenas also offer free scheduled ice time for preschoolers and seniors.
Indoor skating arenas include:
Charles Gorman Arena, 80 University Ave.
Stewart Hurley Arena, 1500 Hickey Rd.
Peter Murray Arena, 711 Dever Rd.
Outdoor skating is available at Lily Lake in Rockwood Park as weather and conditions permit, from dawn until 10 p.m. Outdoor ice conditions are available by calling Customer Service at 658-4455.
What if you could do something good for your community and your planet just by choosing to do something good for yourself? Seems like a trick question! But when you choose active transportation, that's exactly what you’re doing. You benefit. Your city benefits. And so do future generations.
Active transportation is when you use your own power to get from one place to another. Walking, biking, skateboarding, in-line skating/rollerblading, jogging, running, non-mechanized wheel chairing, snowshoeing, and cross-country skiing—it’s any transportation that runs on you for fuel.
Active transportation is good for you because it gets you moving on a regular basis. You improve your fitness, which improves your overall health—including mental health. It’s also a pretty affordable way to get around, especially compared to driving, since there’s no gas or parking to buy. It’s good for your city because it reduces road congestion. Plus, everyone who chooses active transportation makes it more visible, which makes it an easier choice for others too. It’s good for the planet because active transportation reduces greenhouse gas emissions.
What do you need in order to choose active transportation? Not a lot. You might need a little gear. You need some initiative. And, you need a city that supports your decision—a community that builds and maintains the necessary infrastructure that makes active transportation safe, accessible, and easy.
Active transportation in Saint John
Saint John is working hard to build, maintain, and improve infrastructure that encourages more residents to choose active transportation options. All Saint John Transit buses are equipped with front-end bike racks, and there are conveniently-located bike racks throughout the Uptown core—you can usually park your bike right outside of where you want to be. There are 373 km of sidewalks throughout the City, plus Harbour Passage—a 4.7 km trail that rings the Saint John Harbour—is an important pedestrian link to connect the City’s North end with the Uptown.
There are two extensive bike routes in the City. The Campus Harbour Connection is a north-south route connecting Harbour Passage to the Hospital/University area. The Saint John portion of Trans Canada Trail (now the Great Trail) is an east-west route that stretches from Grand-Bay Westfield to Rothesay.
Most importantly, the City is building active transportation into all of its major planning initiatives.
The future of active transportation in Saint John
Three initiatives that promise to make active transportation an easier and safer choice for Saint Johners are called PlanSJ, MoveSJ, and the Central Peninsula Plan.
PlanSJ, the City’s Municipal Plan, aims to grow the City smarter by reinvesting in the Saint John’s urban core neighbourhoods, promoting denser, more complete suburban communities, and protecting our traditional rural character and landscape. This includes promoting greater choices for moving around the City and progressive environmental policies.
MoveSJ, Saint John’s transportation strategy, addresses the City's need to create a balanced transportation network, and to make public transit and active transportation more viable and desirable options. The purpose of MoveSJ is to plan for active, shared modes (cycling, walking) of transportation integrated with the City’s existing street and highway networks.
The Central Peninsula Secondary Plan provides direction for new development and reinvestment in the City’s Central Peninsula. It is intended to implement Plan SJ within the Uptown neighbourhoods and align with and respond to the City’s recreation, transportation, economic, and population growth strategies.
Many communities and local organizations throughout Saint John like to host events during the warmer months to clean and beautify their neighbourhoods. The Green Machine is 14-foot trailer that contains all the equipment and supplies needed to support such clean-up initiatives in our community. And it’s available to clean-up crews free of charge. With the help of the Green Machine, residents are more easily able to take ownership of their parks and public spaces, which increases their appreciation for the natural green spaces, and fosters a sense of community pride.
The Green Machine is available each spring from May 1 - June 30, 2024. Online reservation applications open April 2, 2024.
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:
COMMEMORATIVE NAMES
Members of the public interested in submitting a proposal for a commemorative name must:
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 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 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:
Non-Commemorative Name is a name that is generic, aesthetic, or references topographic, flora, or fauna.
Examples would include:
Having well-researched, properly funded, and thoughtful plans is one way the City secures the strongest future possible for all residents. Through Corporate Plans, the City maps out priorities and key focus areas that will guide the decisions of Saint John Common Council. The following Corporate Plans address some of the City’s challenges and opportunities, and give Council direction on where and how to invest resources. A strong future—through better planning.
Our 10-year, Long-Term Financial Plan developed in 2020, will ensure the City can afford to provide reliable services and sound infrastructure for the next decade and beyond. The plan is a foundation that lays out targets to be implemented in our annual budgets.
PlanSJ is our municipal plan and guides development and investment in the City of Saint John. It ensures that the development and planning decisions made by the City over the the 25-year planning period are made in the long-term, best interests of the whole community. This holistic plan shapes how the City develops and delivers infrastructure and services to enrich the quality of life for its citizens. Adopted in 2012, it represents a fundamental shift in the City of Saint John’s (the City) future; one grounded in a more sustainable and compact pattern of growth for the City.
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. 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.
The City of Saint John has been recognized nationally as a leader in environmental leadership in Canada. This section contains our Climate Action Plan and information about the many environmental and climate change initiatives undertaken by the City.
PlaySJ is the strategic plan for parks and recreation to meet the community’s recreational needs while remaining within our financial means. It provides guidelines and recommendations on how best to advance our quality of life and make Saint John a more attractive place to live, work and play.
Growth plans emphasizing economic and population growth will determine Saint John’s future. This section provides specifics about how the City is working to encourage growth.
The 2023-2033 Saint John City Market Strategic Plan will chart a vision forward under key direction to maintain its reputation as the premier destination and gathering place for locals and tourists alike.
The City must couple our short-term cost-control measures with reforms. For several years, we’ve been working to close our budget gap. The Sustainability Plan addresses the immediate priority of balancing the 2021 and 2022 budgets and details the longer-term work needed with the province and our regional partners to close the gap.
The City of Saint John's 10-Year Strategic Plan identifying a renewed vision for the City and a new set of long-term goals was approved by Council on Tuesday, November 1, 2022. The plan will serve as a management tool to improve the City’s performance and align with existing plans, including the Long-term Financial Plan, PlanSJ, and MoveSJ.
It’s no surprise that operating a city like Saint John smoothly and efficiently costs money. These are the rates and fees that you can expect to pay for permits and licenses, parking, and water.
Comex rapid transit service provides fast commuter bus service, Monday to Friday. Morning service runs from Rothesay, Quispamsis, and Hampton to uptown, and after-work service runs in the opposite direction. Each bus can remove 40 cars from the road, eliminate the need for forty parking spaces in uptown Saint John, and reduce overall CO2 emissions in our city.
Fares (all ages)
Cash $4.00
10 ride punchcard $38.00
20 ride punchcard $68.00
Monthly pass $125.00 (plus, transfer to regular Saint John Transit buses for free.)
Monthly Passes and Punch Cards are non-refundable and cannot be exchanged. Monthly Passes are valid from the 1st day of the month showing on the card until the last day of that month. Transcards have no expiry date.
Download the Kennebecasis Valley schedule
Download the Hampton schedule
Download the Quispamsis schedule
Where to buy Comex Monthly Passes and punchcards
Hampton Five Son's Video and Convenience Store
Quispamsis
Town Hall
Shoppers Drug Mart
Saint John Cashier's Office, City Hall
Lawton's Drugs (Brunswick Square)
Howard's Tobacco (King's Square)
Heroe's Beacon (Charlotte St.)
UNB (Bookstore)
Newsmart (Lancaster Mall)
Saint John Transit (55 McDonald St.)
Lotto Booth (Prince Edward Square Mall
Saint John Transit offers a 10% discount for companies who purchase 20 or more monthly passes for their employees. Many companies choose to pay a portion of the discounted price to create even more of a perk for employees. By offering discounted monthly passes, you improve employee recruitment and retention, help reduced demand for employee parking, and help your employees contribute to a more sustainable Saint John.
Both Comex passes and regular monthly passes are available. Offer is valid only if Saint John Transit can bill the participating company directly.
Financial support from the City's Land for Public Purpose Trust Fund is available to community groups within the City of Saint John whose new project aims to develop a public space for the recreational enjoyment and use of citizens.
The maximum eligible funding from the LPP Trust Fund will be based on the project/park classification, and will be limited to:
(*Please review the policy for additional information.)
Grants are eligible for up to 50% of the project cost up to the maximum amount of each category.
Applications (see related documents) for financial support are received annually and must be submitted by March 4, 2024.
Once complete, please forward applications to: grants@saintjohn.ca
Visit the Open Data Platform to view a map displaying all land conveyed to the City for public purposes. The City will consider, on a case by case basis, projects to be developed on provincial, federal or private land.
Join in the fun this summer with our event series running Tuesdays to Saturdays all summer long. Free family-friendly activities will be offered weekly throughout the City.
Our COVID-19 safety plan is in place for all events. Public health requirements must be met at all times, and City staff will be on site should there be any questions.
This week’s events are as follows:
Tuesday, August 24
Music in the Market Series
12 noon – 1 p.m.
Saint John City Market
Live music with Matt Currie
Wednesday, August 25
Outdoor Yoga Series
7 p.m. – 8 p.m.
Queen Square
Yoga in the Park with Saint John Yoga Co-Op (Bring your own mat)
Thursday, August 26
Saint John Night Market
5 p.m. - 9 p.m.
North and South Market Streets
Live Music with Frank James from 6 p.m. - 9 p.m.
Friday, August 27
Open Air Art Series
12 noon – 1 p.m.
City Hall Plaza, 15 Market Square
Performance by PRUDE
