Saint Andrews town council votes to proceed with controversial infill project

St. Andrews council voted on final decision about a wharf refurbishment project in the community.

The municipal council in Saint Andrews, N.B., has voted to proceed with the controversial Market Wharf infill project.

In January 2024, town council approved a plan to refurbish the deteriorating wharf with a hybrid of steel and infill at a price tag of roughly $7 million.

In June, the final decision on refurbishing the wharf was delayed following the addition of an environmental impact assessment.

The final vote Tuesday night was five-to-one, with another councillor abstaining, meaning the project will now go to tender.

Councillors who voted yes say there’s been plenty of public consultation on the design, and a tender must proceed to meet the deadline for federal and provincial funding.

“So we’re pleasing as many people as we can,” says acting mayor Kata Akagi. “We’re pleasing as many councillors as we can, because we’re not all on board.”

Some residents and business owners have raised concerns, such as the blocking of natural tidal flows, an increased flooding and erosion risk, and the impact to the environment and marine ecosystem.

Local resident and engineer Steve Saunders made a presentation to council before the final vote, arguing the environmental impact assessment (commissioned by council and conducted by Gemtec) didn’t include a wide enough scope to answer all concerns – including how the project might impact the flow of debris and seaweed.

“We’re kind of defacing one of our icons here in town,” says Saunders. “I don’t think it’s going to be very good looking, and that’s why my last slide was a picture of the Lunenburg waterfront which doesn’t have rock wells like this. It’s got a collection of timber wharfs and it’s a world heritage site.”

Several councillors spoke before the vote, taking issue with the Market Square project being described by some as a parking lot.

“None of the councillors want it to be a parking lot,” says Akagi, adding how public consultations would be organized to gauge how to make the space “vibrant.”

Akagi said the town is hopeful construction could begin by October.

With files from CTV Atlantic’s Bruce Frisko and Nick Moore.

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