Saint John council concluded its final meeting by approving the city’s North End plan.
On Tuesday, council gave third reading to a bylaw amending the municipal plan to allow development.
Community planning and housing director Pankaj Nalavde said during a presentation to council on Monday that the project could add between 6,000 and 10,000 housing units over the next 20 to 25 years.
The plan “builds upon the smart growth principles the smart growth principles of municipal plan SJ, which identified the North End as a residential intensification area capable of offering true diversity of housing choice to it’s residents,” explained Nalavde.
According to a staff report, the plan aims to establish direction for growth and development through “gentle” densification, strategic infill, redevelopment and revitalization of historic corridors, and the creation of new planned neighbourhoods.
The project began in November 2024, and the city has worked with two major North End community groups to draft a boundary map.
The staff report adds that, based on 2021 census data, areas identified for development in the North End include some of the city’s most impoverished neighbourhoods, with approximately 25 per cent of households earning less than $30,000 a year.
The planning area is divided into six character areas: Douglas Avenue, Old North End, Lansdowne and Main Street, Mount Pleasant, Somerset, and the Pokioke Green Field.
RELATED: Saint John seeks feedback for north end plan
Fotenn Planning + Design consultant Matt McElligot told council the plan’s main goal is to expand housing choice, improve long-term affordability and strengthen the sustainability of the North End.
McElliot said development within the designated areas will not necessarily be the same throughout, but they will share “identifiable characteristics” in built form, land use and other community features.
The city has held three community engagement events to gather public input on the project.
Through that input, the city identified additional priorities, including prioritizing housing growth opportunities and emphasizing beautification by revitalizing North End streets and buildings while maintaining the area’s historic character.
To develop the project, the city received funding from the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation’s Housing Accelerator Fund and the Green Municipal Fund.
A public hearing followed staff’s presentation. Several councillors raised concerns about brownfield sites in prime North End locations, noting the cost of remediation can be substantial and make the properties difficult to develop.
Staff suggested council consider developing a citywide brownfield policy, but Coun. Greg Norton said immediate action is necessary, warning that a comprehensive policy could leave sites undeveloped for a decade or more.
“I’m happy to frame it up with a city wide policy, but it really start like ‘hey look, we’ve got one, let’s go after that one, we’ve got one crossing, let’s go after that crossing and get it done,” he said.
Despite there being no clear resolution on brownfields, council unanimously gave third reading to the bylaw during a special meeting Tuesday.
Following council’s approval, the project will now move into the master planning phase.
