Public Hearing on Saint John Industrial Park Expansion Draws Hours of Community Opposition

A public hearing on controversial plans to expand an industrial park near Saint John stretched over five hours on Monday night, as councillors heard passionate testimony from concerned residents.

The NB Media Co-op reviewed hours of footage to compile highlights of the hearing, which featured strong opposition from members of the "Save Lorneville" campaign. Community members cited environmental damage, the destruction of forests and wetlands, and threats to residential well water as key concerns.

The City of Saint John has argued that the project would generate jobs and promote growth in “green and clean economic sectors,” particularly in a city vulnerable to American tariffs. Officials have made adjustments to the plan, such as increasing setbacks from residential areas, but these changes did little to satisfy the overflow crowd of opponents.

Voices from the Community

Lorneville resident Ashley Anthony described the project as setting up the area to become a “sacrifice zone.”

“What about seven years from now?” she asked. “What about the children that are going to grow up in Lorneville?”

Another resident, Sherri Colwell-McCavour, challenged assurances that heavy industrial uses would be restricted, arguing that the regulations remain too broad.

“I’m sorry, but the door is wide open for heavy industrial use,” she said.

Don Alexander spoke “from the heart,” urging council, “You’re the only hope for saving these wetlands.”

One speaker summed up the community’s exhaustion: “Living in Lorneville should not be a generational fight for survival. What other community has to fight generation after generation just to secure clean air, water, and a safe place to live?”

The hearing adjourned at 11 p.m. and will continue on Tuesday. A final vote is expected after the second session.

Council Weighs Environmental Concerns and Economic Growth

Councillor-at-large Brent Harris indicated he was leaning toward supporting the project, but remained undecided. In a blog post, he acknowledged the validity of community concerns while pointing to what he called “unprecedented levels of zoning restrictions and environmental planning.”

“I believe that meaningful work—secure, well-paid, future-focused work—matters,” Harris wrote. “It uplifts families. It restores dignity. And it gives us the means to build the green, equitable, sustainable society we all want.” He added, however, “I remain open to being convinced.”

Indigenous Leadership Speaks Out

Wolastoq Grand Chief Ron Tremblay (Spasaqit Possesom, or Morningstar Burning) issued an open letter opposing the project, citing unceded Indigenous title and a lack of consultation.

“First and foremost, the area in which the proposed extension is located is our original Homeland near Menahqesk (Saint John), and we as original citizens were never consulted or even advised,” Tremblay wrote.

He emphasized the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, which requires free, prior, and informed consent for developments on Indigenous lands. He also underscored the ecological importance of wetlands, calling them “a natural source to prevent flooding and an ecological sponge to filter anything that might harm the land and waterways.”

Questions About Process

Chris Watson, a researcher at the University of New Brunswick and Lorneville resident, issued an open letter questioning the hearing’s integrity. He criticized Mayor Donna Reardon’s early remarks that “we won’t be dealing with the environment,” due to jurisdictional limits.

“While I understand that environmental approvals fall under the provincial EIA process, I am alarmed that the mayor and staff explicitly discouraged residents from raising environmental concerns grounded in Saint John’s own Municipal Plan,” Watson wrote.

“This is not only procedurally questionable — I view it as legally and ethically inappropriate.”

City Response

The City of Saint John declined to comment on the proceedings. “Until the conclusion of the public hearing related to this item, the City will not be providing interviews or comments,” a spokesperson wrote in an email to the NB Media Co-op.

David Gordon Koch is a staff reporter with the NB Media Co-op.  Lucas Reynolds is a student at Mount Allison University and a summer intern at the NB Media Co-op. This reporting has been made possible in part by the Government of Canada, administered by the Canadian Association of Community Television Users and Stations (CACTUS).