Net-zero fire station in Salisbury, N.B., nationally recognized

Salisbury, N.B., wins national award for its net-zero ready fire station.

The Town of Salisbury, N.B., is receiving national recognition for its new fire station.

The municipality was presented with the 2026 Environmental Leadership and Sustainability Award from the Canadian Association of Municipal Administrators (CAMA) during the organization’s national conference in Whistler, B.C.

The award recognizes Salisbury’s new net-zero ready fire station, which opened this past November and was designed to meet the community’s growing firefighting needs while reducing long-term energy costs and environmental impacts.

Austin Henderson, Salisbury’s chief administrative officer, accepted the award on behalf of the municipality.

“I think the biggest takeaway is that regardless of the size of the town, we’re able to, while fulfilling the fire department’s needs, also make sure that we’re checking some other boxes and showing some leadership on that front as well,” Henderson said.

The approximately 15,000 sq. ft. facility replaced the town’s previous fire station, which dated back to the 1970s. The building includes renewable energy features, expanded water storage capacity for fire suppression and infrastructure that will support a planned solar array.

Officials say the project was about more than environmental sustainability. It was also designed to support a growing community and its volunteer firefighters.

Mayor Robert Campbell said Salisbury Fire Rescue saw a 16 per cent increase in calls last year, highlighting the need for a modern facility.

“We’re planting seed for generations to come. We’re as well sending a message that our volunteer firefighters are very important and we’re investing in them,” said Campbell.

According to the town, the station was built to serve the community for decades while helping reduce operating costs through energy-efficient design and renewable energy systems.

The municipality says solar panels are expected to be fully installed this summer, further reducing the building’s energy requirements.

The national award was presented in CAMA’s Environmental Leadership and Sustainability category for municipalities with populations under 20,000.

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