Final vote passes for Lorneville industrial park expansion

Saint John, N.B., council voted unanimously in favour of the Spruce Lake Industrial Park expansion.

A little over a year after residents first learned about the potential expansion of an industrial park in their own backyards, city council has given the final approval for the project to move ahead.

During its third and final reading at Monday night’s Saint John City Council meeting, council once again voted unanimously in favour of the expansion of its Spruce Lake Industrial Park located on the city’s west side. Council also voted 9-0 in favour of the project two weeks prior during the first two readings.

Despite passing council approval, the project won’t be moving forward until the pending results of an environmental impact assessment are completed. There is no timeline for the EIA’s completion, which is being conducted by the province’s environment department.

If the project passes the EIA, the city plans to expand its existing industrial park by 1,500 acres. Saint John Industrial Parks General Manager Ian MacKinnon has previously called the project a “once-in-a-generation growth opportunity.”

Lorneville residents disappointed

Residents of Lorneville have been against the project since the start, citing fears over impacts to the environment and the idea of industry being located within a few hundred metres of their own backyards.

Residents have also recently discovered the forest, which sits on the land where the industrial park would reside, is home to the province’s third-oldest age forest in the province, based on the area’s 20 oldest trees. One red spruce tree is the fourth oldest tree documented in the province at over 400 years old.

“The past 12 months have shown New Brunswickers that the City of Saint John never really had any intention of actually working with the Lorneville community, they never had any actual intention of meaningfully engaging with the community, and there was no limit to how low they would stoop to get this proposal approved,” said Lorneville resident Adam Wilkins, who is one of the funders of the Save Lorneville movement.

“This long-drawn-out process was nothing more than a tactic, as the city and province bumbled along, making up the rules as they went, for a decision that had already been made years ago. All of this culminated in a completely staged sham of a public hearing unanimous vote on June 16, 2025, where, after more than 75 people spoke against the proposal, only three people spoke in favour, leaving over 70 questions and concerns unanswered.”

Lorneville residents have stated they will continue to fight for their homes and livelihood as they await the results of the EIA.

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