There is a lot to celebrate in the City, old and new. Here are a few notable milestones the corporation of the City of Saint John has achieved.

Please note this list is not exhaustive.

2019
Completion of the Safe Clean Drinking Water Project, bringing quality, award-winning drinking water to Saint John Water customers. 

2014
Completion of the Harbour Clean-up project, ensuring the Saint John Harbour is 100 percent sewage free.

2012
City earns “Cultural Capital of Canada” designation.

1996
As an early adopter of implementing energy efficiency measures in relation to municipal facilities, the City of Saint John became one of the first Canadian municipalities to create a Municipal Energy Efficiency Program (MEEP).

1967
The District of Simonds (east), and the City of Lancaster (west) amalgamated with the City of Saint John. The sculpture ‘Progression” on the front of City Hall recognizes the amalgamation.

1908
Canada’s first public playground, the Allison Ground Playground, opened thanks to the work of Miss Mabel Peters. 

Mid-1800s
Rockwood Park is constructed, designed by Calvert Vaux, one of the designers of New York City's Central Park. Today, the 2,200-acre regional park is the outdoor jewel to the city.  

1880s
One of the North America’s first sewage systems is built.

1849
The Saint John Police Force was established. 

1845
Saint John’s first street lights were lit. 

1844
First gas works commenced.

1837
Lily Lake anchored the first municipal water supply.

1797
First City Hall building built on Market Square.

1786
Fire service established.

1785
The City of Saint John was established and named by Royal Charter amalgamating (The Town or  District of Parr) Parrtown and Carleton. Only white inhabitants of the United States or Europe were granted all rights and privileges as stated in the Charter.  Black Americans and people of colour could only be granted said privileges by the Mayor. They would then be known as “Freeman.”  The Charter was amended in 1849 to read “Notwithstanding anything in the said Charter to the contrary contained, any black person or person of colour may become a free citizen of, and be admitted to the freedom of the said City.”

1604
Sieur de Monts and Samuel de Champlain arrived at the mouth of the present-day St. John River on June 24, 1604- and named the area in honour of Saint-Jean-Baptiste.

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.

Image

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

Image

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

Image

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

Image

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

Image

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

Image

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

Image

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

Image

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

Image

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.