People & Places
Saint John: A surprising city
Saint John is the largest city in New Brunswick, one of the Maritime provinces and boasts an interesting history, writes Margaret Totten
French explorers Sieur de Monts and Samuel De Champlain arrived at the mouth of the St John River, an aboriginal meeting place, on 24th June 1604. This was the feast day of St John the Baptist, therefore the river was named in his honour. A fort was established in 1631 but the settlement only really began to develop in 1783 with the establishment of the communities of Parr Town and Carleton. In 1785 the two communities merged to form Saint John, Canada's first incorporated city. Through subsequent waves of immigration, including Irish newcomers during the potato famine of the 1850s, Saint John has become home to many cultures and, more recently, a large international student population. The city takes great pride in its history and has restored many of the original buildings and homes of the early settlers.
Historical highlights
The spirit of the past can be seen everywhere here, inspired by the Loyalists, those intrepid settlers from the 13 colonies who remained loyal to Britain after the American Revolution. They founded the city virtually overnight in 1783.
Today you can discover the restored Georgian-style Loyalist House museum or tour the old Burial Ground along with many other historic cemeteries and churches. Stop at Barbour's General Store to see an authentic reproduction of a 19th century country store, or visit the Saint John Jewish Historical Museum with its eight display areas, library and archives. Saint John is home to Canada's oldest museum and farmers' market. This city has been welcoming people from Eastern Europe, the UK and Ireland for centuries, with each group of immigrants leaving their unique imprint on Saint John's culture, architecture and language.
Wining and dining
The Maritimes are known for seafood and Saint John is a great place to sample the variety of delicious dishes available. From pub-style lunches to fine dining, the city has something to suit every taste and appetite.
The Saint John City Market is somewhere it is well worth looking for fresh food. The original City Market (named Country Market and held in the open air) was located at the foot of King Street at Market Square. In the 19th century Saint John was one of the world's leading shipbuilding centres, so it is no surprise that the roof of the City Market resembles the inverted keel of a ship. Hand-hewn timbers and dove-tailed joints that have stood fast for more than a century attest to the skill and experience of the builders. Fortunately, the Great Fire of 1877 left the market building undamaged and today the market is more vital and productive than at anytime in its history.
Located in the centre of the city, the Saint John City Market is open year-round, Monday to Saturday, and offers a unique shopping experience for locals and visitors alike. Nowhere else in Saint John can you experience a traditional Farmers' Market while shopping for such a wide selection of goods and services ranging from dulse to hand-made local crafts, and enjoy a delicious meal from one of the numerous restaurants featuring local and international foods. The market is alive with the sounds of busy clerks and shoppers, the aroma of fresh food, and colourful displays of produce, meats and seafood. Browse for Maritime crafts, imported items, and items hand-crafted by the City Market's own resident artists.
Elsewhere, located in one of the many historic buildings on Saint John's Prince William Street, the Opera Bistro was featured on the Fine Living network's Opening Soon
television programme prior to its official opening. The Opera Bistro has quickly evolved into one of the city's favourite dining spots. The menu, featuring many local and Maritime delicacies, would entice the most discriminating palate. Partnering with other local businesses, the Opera Bistro provides a variety of entertainment and events on a regular basis, making any night out on the town a unique experience.
Entertainment and educational packages are also waiting for you at Calithumpians, The Phoenix Dinner Theatre and The Water Street Dinner Theatre. These venues feature themed dinner entertainment along with a vast variety of music and comedy.
Shopping
Wherever you wander in Uptown Saint John, boutiques, galleries and restaurants line the streets. You are never more than a short stroll from the best shops the city has to offer.
Prince William Street, a designated Historic Streetscape, boasts unique gift shops, art, antiques and eateries. Germain Street, known as the 'Quality Block', is home to numerous family-owned businesses, professional services, galleries and eateries.
Canterbury, Charlotte, Union and Princess Streets offer a variety of shopping and dining choices, while jewellery and handcrafts are just a few of the surprises to be found on King Street, the centre of the uptown area. These shop-lined streets surround Brunswick Square, Market Square and the Saint John City Market. Brunswick Square Shopping Centre boasts over 60 shops to serve you and more than half are locally owned and operated. All these areas can be reached by the Inside Connection Pedway System. This extensive internal pedway system connects virtually the entire uptown and waterfront core. Shopping centres, motels, meeting facilities and recreation facilities are all accessible via this well-lit, climate-controlled walkway. You never even have to step outside.
Entertainment
The Imperial Theatre re-opened in April 1994 and has been restored to its original 1913 splendour. Performances include everything from classical music to live theatre. The Saint John Theatre Company offers three annual main-stage productions at the Imperial Theatre and also produces musical cabaret evenings, murder mysteries and theme nights for corporate and special events.
Opera New Brunswick is a celebration of the province's talented artists of national and international status, while the musicians of Symphony New Brunswick join forces with guest artists – both established international stars and young performers on the verge of breakthrough – to present a full season of classical music from October to May each year.
Elsewhere, Harbour Station is designed to showcase virtually any performance or attractions from sporting events to exhibitions, concerts to family entertainment. Harbour Station features wheelchair accessibility and seating for the physically challenged on the concourse and floor levels. A special highlight of this facility is its access to the inside Connection.
Parking is available for 500 vehicles at Harbour Station, with more than 1,500 spaces available through the Inside Connection. Harbour Station operates its own in-house, computerised ticket system, featuring an on-site box office and other convenient ticket locations.
For further information:
Tourism Saint John
Saint John: Life on your terms
Saint John Facts
Location:
Canada's east coast – 45.2N latitude, 65.53W longitude.
Atlantic time zone – three hours behind GMT.
The only city bordering the Atlantic Ocean's world renowned Bay of Fundy.
Population:
Saint John Census Metropolitan Area (CMA) – 126,600.
Regional catchments and commuter
population – 175,000.
Workforce:
Labour force – 66,300
Unemployment rate – 7.2%
Annual post-secondary graduates – 1,200
Cost of living:
Average house price – CDN$116,836
Average apartment rent (two bedroom) – CDN$520 a month
Rental vacancy rate – 5.8%
Median personal income – CDN $28,817
Median family income – CDN$50,163
Climate:
Mean daily temperature (July) – 17°C
Mean daily temperature (January) – -7°C
Precipitation, annual – 1,434 mm (average monthly = 119.5 mm)
Hours of sunshine, annual – 1,895