Spruce Lake Industrial Park Expansion: What Saint John Residents Need to Know

Lorneville is faced with a devastating plan to re-designate over eight hundred acres of land from Park and Natural Area and Rural Resource to Heavy Industrial. The plan was jointly devised by the City of Saint John and the New Brunswick Regional Development Corporation (RDC). It is part of a proposed transfer of 1500 acres of provincial land to the city to expand Spruce Lake Industrial Park and create “pad ready” industrial sites. 

Proposed Spruce Lake Industrial Park Expansion — The red outline shows 871 acres slated for industrial development near Lorneville, New Brunswick. This area includes protected wetlands, coastal forests, freshwater streams, and residential homes. Far from being "vacant land," this is a living ecosystem and community facing environmental risk from heavy industry expansion.

There is a profound history of disruption in Lorneville which comes with pain and anguish, from loss of homes and property, environmental degradation of natural areas, streams, beaches and recreational areas, to pollution, hosting a landfill, illegal dumping and other consequences. The current plan is the latest in a series of existential threats to the community such as, the deepwater port; oil trans-shipment terminal; LNG terminal; Free Trade Zone; second landfill. It is a giant step backward toward the “land grab” mentality of governments past and lack of respect for environmental protection, public input, transparency, and processes designed to protect the public interest. 

So, what has caused this latest disruption to community life?  Once again, another rumoured heavy industrial development considered locating in Saint John. This initiated a flurry of activity within the city and provincial government and a rush to have gravel pads completed and ready for development by the end of October 2024.   RDC engaged a consulting firm to design and construct the pads on 306 acres of land on King William Road. This requires an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and amendments to the city’s Municipal Plan By-Law and Zoning By-law to re-designate the lands Heavy Industrial. This process is ongoing and a future public hearing before Common Council will be scheduled. 

The first public information about the project appeared in the June 19, 2024 edition of the Telegraph Journal newspaper -“Council votes to expand Spruce Lake Industrial Park”. Residents of Lorneville received official written notice of the plan on July 3 when it was delivered to their mailboxes in unaddressed plain white envelopes. The notice contained a web link to access the EIA document for further information. Summary information on the plan was posted under “Shape Your City” section on the city website.  

The short construction schedule allowed for the EIA resulted in less than a thorough effort.  A number of errors and shortcomings in the report were noted by residents and shared with the proponents, RDC and the consulting firm. The original design showed only a 30 meter ”buffer” between the pads and residential properties and drew heavy criticism.  

The overall tenor of the EIA report seemed one of support for the project while environmental impacts were diminished or omitted altogether.  Examples include: 1) omission of socioeconomic impacts - no assessment was made of socioeconomic impacts (e.g. property values) of Heavy Industrial development only 30 m (or possibly now 150 m) from residential properties; 2) residual effects of  loss of 266 acres of vegetation characterized as of “small” magnitude “short-term” duration, “reversible” and overall “Not Significant”- apparently the forest will  grow back at some point on the development pads; 3) residual effects of loss of 266 acres of habitat for both wildlife and birds  “Not Significant” of “small magnitude”, “reversible”, but of “long-term duration”; 4) loss of habitat via recent development of the adjacent wind farm was not considered; and 5) that the area is in the flight path of migratory birds, was not considered. 

How many homeowners would be satisfied or agreeable with a 30 metre, or 150 metre set-back distance from Heavy Industry?  Why were no other already serviced locations not considered?” 

The EIA did determine that 132 acres of the project site (50%) were “wetlands”.  Instead of being a “dormant asset” this area of wetland is an important and active community asset. The New Brunswick Wetlands Conservation Policy and DELG’s own “Wetland Guidelines” recognize that wetlands provide “many important functions and benefits such as: habitat for wildlife and plants (including species at risk), groundwater recharge, water purification, flood mitigation, shoreline stabilization, recreation and tourism, and climate change adaption and mitigation.”  Obliteration of 132 acres of functional wetlands through infill will result in loss of these environmental benefits to the whole community. Two hundred and sixty-six (266 acres) of vegetation, forest, wildlife and bird habitat will also be lost, and two local steams, two tributaries, and associated fish habitat degraded if things go according to plan.  

The New Brunswick Department of Environment’s “Compliance and Enforcement Policy” has the Department “committing to protecting and enhancing the environment to enable a sustainable future for all New Brunswickers”. Also stated “it is the responsibility of every New Brunswicker to respect and protect the environment for present and future generations”. “Enforcement officials will apply environmental law in a fair, firm, and consistent manner” and “Environmental law will be administered with emphasis on the prevention of damage to the environment”.  

As far as Lorneville residents are concerned, no EIA “conditions” or mitigation measures on earth will overcome the environmental damage that will happen if this project and associated By-law amendments are approved. This is unacceptable. Please Stand up for our ENVIRONMENT and 

Let your elected leaders know that the ENVIRONMENT in Saint John is NOT FOR SALE.