A major expansion is being planned for the Spruce Lake Industrial Park in west Saint John.
The city has requested 1,591 acres of land from the province’s Regional Development Corporation.
Council also voted during a special meeting in June to spend $1.5 million on 33 acres of privately owned land.
Mayor Donna Reardon said expanding the city’s industrial parks has been one of council’s top priorities.
“We look at Halifax and we look at Moncton — I think Moncton’s on their third or fourth industrial park — and we really don’t have any pad-ready sites,” Reardon said in an interview.
“It’s pretty difficult to sell your location if you’re not ready for business to move in. So that’s what we want to do.”
The expansion comes on the heels of a recently completed modernization project at Port Saint John.
Reardon said not only has that increased cargo capacity but it has sparked greater interest in industrial operations in the city.
“We’re looking to attract somewhere in the fields of green energy, advanced manufacturing. We’re looking for that high-value work as we go forward,” said the mayor. “They’re cleaner industries. They work well with your communities.”
Several approvals are still required before the proposed expansion can move ahead, according to Reardon.
An environmental impact assessment is being undertaken by the province to ensure the project meets all environmental regulations. A decision is not expected until at least mid-August.
The project also requires a municipal plan amendment and rezoning to change the land designation of approximately 1,040 acres from Park and Natural Area, Rural Resource, Employment Area, and Stable Area to Employment Area and Heavy Industrial.
A 30-day public comment period opened on July 8 and the matter is set to return to council on Aug. 19.
Council will decide if it wants to continue exploring the project and may choose to set a public hearing date at that time and then refer the matter to the Planning Advisory Committee for input.
An in-person public hearing is anticipated to take place at 6:30 p.m. on Oct. 1.
In the meantime, Dillon Consulting will hold an open house at the Lorneville Community Centre from 1 to 3 p.m. and 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. on July 17.
