61 Buildings Spared From Demolition In 2021

The Vacant and Dangerous Buildings program in Saint John monitors vacant buildings throughout the city.

In 2021, the program saved 61 vacant buildings from getting demolished, with roughly 75 per cent of the properties getting repaired and reoccupied.

Commissioner of Growth and Community Development, Jacqueline Hamilton, told Common Council the program also supports the city’s growth outcomes and is an important leaver to foster more livable neighbourhoods.

“With our recent successes of this program we are seeing much higher rates of renovation of these buildings, and often demolition is a last resort,” said Hamilton.

This year was also the first year for the city’s developers notification list and is made up of developers interested in reconstructing a vacant building.

In 2021, seven notifications were released, which resulted in four properties being sold.

“Which have transformed these properties from really being at-risk properties to seeing reinvestment and returns for the city, in terms of new revenue from water services and property taxes,” added Hamilton.

Common Council approved the final demolition of the year for a building located at 119 Riverview Drive on the city’s west side.

A staff report outlined to council that the two-storey building had excessive damage due to water infiltrating through various locations.

“If left unaddressed the building will continue to deteriorate at an accelerated rate, a notice to comply was issued on the building on Nov. 1, 2021, and the owner did not comply within the timeframe provided,” said Benn Purinton, manager of the dangerous and vacant building program to Common Council.

Staff first became aware of the building’s vacancy in 2018 and began standard enforcement procedures.