Great to see Envision Saint John: The Regional Growth Agency Saint John’s 2026 focus areas and year in review.
From the Saint John Region Chamber of Commerce’s perspective, this level of clarity and coordination is critical to fostering a strong business environment—and identifying where we, as a community, need to lean in.
We’re hearing clearly from our members and stakeholders that growth readiness matters. Advancing industrial land, particularly in areas like Spruce Lake with investors such as VoltaGrid, is essential if we want to remain competitive.
At the same time, major investments are driving real momentum across our region:
• Port Saint John’s West Side modernization—now delivering more than four times previous capacity and strengthening our position as a global trade gateway
• Americold Logistics’ new West Side facility
• J.D. Irving, Limited’s $1.5B Project NextGen
• The New Brunswick Museum redevelopment
That said, we must stay focused on key risks:
• Slowing population growth (immigration is critical)
• U.S. trade uncertainty
• Housing and rental affordability
The opportunities ahead are equally compelling:
• Trade diversification
• Unlocking growth through coordinated action
• Leveraging assets like the Port and Spruce Lake
It cannot be overstated—immigration is central not only to growth, but to sustainability. Over 80% of New Brunswick’s recent population growth has come from newcomers. Without continued focus on attraction and retention, we risk losing workforce capacity and our ability to maintain services, let alone grow.
As community champions, we must continue advocating for aligned immigration pathways and long-term retention strategies.
We at the Chamber appreciate the leadership of Andrew Beckett and the entire team at Envision Saint John. There’s a strong foundation here—and a lot to build on.
