The Official Moncton, NB Project Thread

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by Leroy321

This popped up on Canada construct connect

RESTAURANT, HOTEL
Stage: pre design
Start date: sep 2026
Funding: private
Value: $20,000,000
Work type: new
Building type: retail

This seems like quite a lot of money this could be something big.

https://canada.constructconnect.com/dcn/...ada/34CDC655-0332-424F-B32A-43350F5E65DB

Good find!

This is a lot of coin. The listing is a little confusing, but, I assume the general category is "retail", with the business type being "hotel/restaurant."

I can think of several possibilities.

1) - I still think there is another hotel destined for the Mapleton area (Northwood by the Hampton Inn). The signage may have been taken down for the Home 2 Suites, but, when they announced the Mapleton/TCH interchange improvements, I took note of the fact that part of the funding package was for "sidewalk improvements" being funded by a hotel out there. I could be wrong, But I can't imagine the existing Hampton Inn or Holiday Inn chucking in money for the project since they already exist out there. I assumed the sidewalk improvements were for an extension of the sidewalk for a new hotel. The "restaurant" bit is interesting. Typically, Home 2 Suites does not have a restaurant, just your typical breakfast buffet. If there is a new hotel going in out there, and it will include a restaurant, maybe we are talking about a more upscale Hilton banner. They do after all have the Four Points by Sheraton out there to compete with. Hmmmm......

2) - Perhaps Westmount/Du Parc has found a replacement hotel for the Junction Urban Village.

3) - Now that the Gray Group and Tier Too Properties own the Terminal Plaza complex, and the vacant lot between the complex and the Avenir Centre, a redevelopment of this whole area is probable. Maybe something could be built here? I think there is room for one more hotel in the Avenir Centre entertainment precinct.

4) - there is a fourth possibility that I am not at liberty to discuss as it is privileged information.

They say construction next fall. We should know more in the near future.

[bingun]

I am not sure of the best thread for it, but Lafford got a mention in today's TJ article on Temporary Foreign Workers.

https://tj.news/new-brunswick/analysis-w...-foreign-workers-in-n-b?itm_source=index

There’s 342 in construction, including 313 “construction labourers.”

L&L Concrete Foundation, located in Grand-Barachois, was approved to bring in 25 construction trades helpers and labourers last year, and has already been approved for another 35 this year.

Artisan Roofing and Home Improvements in Moncton was approved for 20 roofer and shingler workers in the first quarter of last year and nine in the first quarter of this year.

Lafford Developments, a property development company based in Sackville, was approved for 12 construction trades helpers and labourers.

[jonny golden]

Since we've heard that shortage of workers has been an issue with regards to construction projects, it's no surprise that they're approving foreign workers. The demand is definitely there.

[jonny golden]

Perhaps Westmount/Du Parc has found a replacement hotel for the Junction Urban Village.

I really hope this is it, because the Junction development absolutely needs a shot in the arm. And if they're going to build a hotel, one would think that it would be along the Main Street portion of their property. The only downside to this would be that we likely wouldn't see a lot of height.

[MonctonDowntown]

I provided the following thoughts in the St. Bernard Place thread, but I believe it is better located here in the general Moncton forum...


Based on my research, for a city of Moncton's size, the ideal building height is in the 4–8 storey range, with occasional taller buildings (10–15 storeys) in the core if supported by demand and infrastructure. This “mid-rise urbanism” approach offers density without the drawbacks of very tall towers.

Pros and Cons of Taller Buildings include:

Pros

Efficient land use – Maximizes housing or office space on small parcels of land.

Urban density – Supports public transit, local retail, and walkability by concentrating people.

Skyline identity – Creates a visual landmark for the city.


Cons

Wind tunnels and downdrafts – Tall buildings can increase ground-level wind speeds, making streets less comfortable.

Shadowing – Block sunlight on nearby streets and properties, reducing livability and affecting plants/green spaces.

Infrastructure strain – Require more robust utilities, elevators, fire safety systems, and emergency planning.

High cost and risk – Large projects are expensive and complex, discouraging smaller local developers and concentrating ownership.



Benefits of Mid-Rise and Low-Rise Development

More incremental growth
Mid-rise projects (4–8 storeys) are financially feasible for a wider range of developers. This means more numerous, smaller projects rather than a few large towers, keeping development momentum steady.

Context-sensitive scale
Lower heights blend well with existing neighborhoods and preserve the city’s character.

Better street experience
They allow more sunlight, reduce wind impacts, and make streets feel more human-scaled and inviting.

Flexibility for future development
If land is fully consumed by a few huge towers, redevelopment opportunities can stall for decades. Smaller, lower projects leave parcels available for phased growth as demand increases.



Summary

Cities of Moncton size benefit from mid-rise density as the backbone of growth.

Too many very tall towers can harm street life, create wind/shadow issues, and “lock up” land in a few projects, limiting future opportunities.

Moderate heights encourage continuous, sustainable development and a healthy mix of local developers.

[MonctonRad]

Agreed, and here was my response in the St. Bernard thread:

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

Good post.

I generally agree, but, the wasteland of parking south of Main Street is a tabula rasa where the city is able to create a distinctive skyline without impacting pre-existing residents or streetscapes. I think the city should be daring here. We need to create a skyline.

In the Avenir Centre precinct, new development seems to be in the six storey range. I am comfortable with this. This section of the city is developing a walkable high density character.

Similarly, I envisage more human scale development between Main and St. George (with the odd tower), again to promote human scale and walkability.

BUT, south of Main, and, to a lesser extent in the extreme east end, I think height should be promoted to give the city a defining skyline. This is where the Three Sisters, the Gateway Towers, the Infinity Tower and the Ashford/Downing development are going anyway. This should continue to be promoted and encouraged.

And, here was Mud's response:

Originally Posted by Mud

Thank you, I'm always surprised to see the constant poopooing of smaller scale projects on here.

High rises have their place in our downtown and I would never agitate for height limits or whatnot but there are plenty of cities around the world that offer a great urban environment with nothing over 10 storeys.

The reaction to this reduction in particular is a great example. 18 storeys would have been a really jarring break from its surroundings. 55 Queen a stones throw away would be a much better model for this development.

I think we have to come to terms with the fact that the demographic in Moncton that would fill these highrises is not really that large and whatever demand there is will probably be hoovered up by the projects of bigger players in the city. At least at 6 storeys this development is much more likely to get off the ground soon. Moncton would benefit more from 200 urban-dwellers now rather than 600 a decade later.

[habs33]

Paywall article on T&T APEX Industries wins $25M contract for LED lights on navy ships

Moncton-based APEX Industries has been awarded a $25-million contract by Halifax-based Irving Shipbuilding Inc. to supply lighting systems for Canada’s River Class Destroyer ships, the company announced this week.

APEX Industries CEO Keith Parlee said the contract will result in hiring 10 new staff and renting out extra space on Henri Dunant Street in the industrial park to do the work.

[LewisVillis]

I know there's a specific thread for this, but looks like much of Moncton and surroundings have been updated to July 2025. Ten years since the last update on my street.

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by LewisVillis

I know there's a specific thread for this, but looks like much of Moncton and surroundings have been updated to July 2025. Ten years since the last update on my street.

Street view has been updated, but, sadly, I don't think the 3D Google map has been updated.

[adamuptownsj]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

Street view has been updated, but, sadly, I don't think the 3D Google map has been updated.

12 years for Saint John. No idea why Google won't update Maps. Earth was updated in like April. Hell even PAOL NB is updated through 2020.

[reflist]

I cant wait for Google 3d to be updated, almost every single day I check for it. But if anybody's curious, there is a site that posts updated satellite imagery every week or so. Its not the clearest imagery or the easiest site to navigate, but It works if your looking at large scale projects. https://browser.dataspace.copernicus.eu/...PZEN%22&cloudCoverage=30&dateMode=SINGLE

[bingun]

Originally Posted by adamuptownsj

12 years for Saint John. No idea why Google won't update Maps. Earth was updated in like April. Hell even PAOL NB is updated through 2020.

Ironically, when the red zone map was released, I noticed the map was actually quite recent, I think as of this spring, so I was taking a look around!

[habs33]

Not construction related but since these are all over the city.

Running an e-scooter business may soon require a licence in Moncton
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/micromobility-licence-bylaw-moncton-council-1.7640565

[Sandbagger]

^^ I've been wondering how long it would take for the city to stick their nose into the e-scooter business. Unregulated helmet use does seem like a disaster waiting to happen, but at the same time how are they possibly going to enforce this, especially if it's the company that has to pay the fine? They'd be out of business in a month. The likely solution would seemingly be to pass the fines onto the riders through the data being tracked when you pay. This could set a bit of a dangerous precedent.

How does it work with bike rentals?

[SevenSquared]

Originally Posted by habs33

Not construction related but since these are all over the city.

Running an e-scooter business may soon require a licence in Moncton
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/micromobility-licence-bylaw-moncton-council-1.7640565

The proposed bylaw is - for the most part - surprisingly reasonable.

Earlier this summer, what was basically implied during various Moncton and Dieppe council meetings, was that the committee's plan was essentially to copy bylaws from larger cities, then "Monctonize it" in a way that would make e-bikes and e-scooters as unpalatable as possible for commuting; absurdly low speed limits on streets/bike lanes, banning them off trails, geofencing the rental scooters off downtown etc.

It was said that a big part of their plan required the province to amend some wording in the motor vehicle act, in order for the city to be able to enforce whatever they had in mind.... which hasn't been done.

The TT article did mention the talks of the downtown ban, which would have been absolute lunacy. Which begs the question, who on that committee even entertained that idea, and why were they even on the committee to begin with.

[MonctonPerson]

Originally Posted by SevenSquared

The proposed bylaw is - for the most part - surprisingly reasonable.

Earlier this summer, what was basically implied during various Moncton and Dieppe council meetings, was that the committee's plan was essentially to copy bylaws from larger cities, then "Monctonize it" in a way that would make e-bikes and e-scooters as unpalatable as possible for commuting; absurdly low speed limits on streets/bike lanes, banning them off trails, geofencing the rental scooters off downtown etc.

It was said that a big part of their plan required the province to amend some wording in the motor vehicle act, in order for the city to be able to enforce whatever they had in mind.... which hasn't been done.

The TT article did mention the talks of the downtown ban, which would have been absolute lunacy. Which begs the question, who on that committee even entertained that idea, and why were they even on the committee to begin with.

The Moncton committee that discussed the bylaw is composed entirely of city councillors.

[adamuptownsj]

I will say, there needs to be more policing provincewide of escooters and ebikes. I almost ran over four high school girls, as they blew through a stop sign, on escooters last weekend at dusk in Saint John. Rules of the road seem to not apply to these things.

A license seems reasonable to operate one of these businesses. No idea how they're insured.

[MonctonRad]

Moncton fire chief lays out $285M plan to grow city's fire service
Spending over 15 years proposed to implement recommendations to hire more staff, add 6th station
Shane Magee · CBC News · Posted: Sep 24, 2025 6:00 AM ADT | Last Updated: 3 hours ago
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/moncton-fire-department-1.7640929

Among the first steps next year, subject to budget approval, would be hiring 10 more firefighters to staff a new medical response truck. Landry said about half of the department's calls are medical. The new vehicle would be dispatched instead of a much larger truck.

Landry's plan calls for spending to ramp up in 2027, estimated at $47 million. Most of that would be to start construction of a sixth fire station.

The plan also calls for spending $3.2 million to buy a new ladder truck, and $677,000 to hire 20 more firefighters to staff an aerial fire truck.

The plan Landry presented calls for hiring 40 more firefighters starting in 2028 to staff the new fire station.

The review presented in July says the St. George Street station should be moved closer to the St. George Boulevard and Edinburgh Drive area.

The review says the Brandon Street station should remain in the Mountain Road and Mapleton Road area.

The review suggests the Botsford Street station should be moved to the Shediac Road and Glengrove Road area, which Landry said would be one of the last recommendations to be implemented given Botsford is the city's newest station.

Currently, 22 firefighters are on duty per shift, below the 38 a National Fire Protection Association standard says should be part of an initial response to a highrise fire. The review's recommendations would increase the city's staffing to 37 per shift.

A lot of this is necessary pain. The city is growing and needs more firefighting resources. Given high rise construction, we need to be able to deal with any emergencies with the basic number of firefighters necessary. Within 6-8 years, we will likely have at least eight (and perhaps more) buildings in the city exceeding 15 storeys in height, two of which will be 30 storeys or more. If we want to encourage more growth like this, we need to prove to developers that we have the firefighting resources to support them.

The hardest sell for me is the relocation of three of the existing city fire stations (especially the one on Botsford Street which is nearly brand new).

If we build a sixth station, this will give Moncton/Dieppe/Riverview a grand total of nine fire stations.

[josh_cat_eyes]

Originally Posted by MonctonDowntown

I provided the following thoughts in the St. Bernard Place thread, but I believe it is better located here in the general Moncton forum...


Based on my research, for a city of Moncton's size, the ideal building height is in the 4–8 storey range, with occasional taller buildings (10–15 storeys) in the core if supported by demand and infrastructure. This “mid-rise urbanism” approach offers density without the drawbacks of very tall towers.

Pros and Cons of Taller Buildings include:

Pros

Efficient land use – Maximizes housing or office space on small parcels of land.

Urban density – Supports public transit, local retail, and walkability by concentrating people.

Skyline identity – Creates a visual landmark for the city.


Cons

Wind tunnels and downdrafts – Tall buildings can increase ground-level wind speeds, making streets less comfortable.

Shadowing – Block sunlight on nearby streets and properties, reducing livability and affecting plants/green spaces.

Infrastructure strain – Require more robust utilities, elevators, fire safety systems, and emergency planning.

High cost and risk – Large projects are expensive and complex, discouraging smaller local developers and concentrating ownership.



Benefits of Mid-Rise and Low-Rise Development

More incremental growth
Mid-rise projects (4–8 storeys) are financially feasible for a wider range of developers. This means more numerous, smaller projects rather than a few large towers, keeping development momentum steady.

Context-sensitive scale
Lower heights blend well with existing neighborhoods and preserve the city’s character.

Better street experience
They allow more sunlight, reduce wind impacts, and make streets feel more human-scaled and inviting.

Flexibility for future development
If land is fully consumed by a few huge towers, redevelopment opportunities can stall for decades. Smaller, lower projects leave parcels available for phased growth as demand increases.



Summary

Cities of Moncton size benefit from mid-rise density as the backbone of growth.

Too many very tall towers can harm street life, create wind/shadow issues, and “lock up” land in a few projects, limiting future opportunities.

Moderate heights encourage continuous, sustainable development and a healthy mix of local developers.

An important thing to be is setbacks and surrounding developments. Look at Dubai, it’s a very tall city, but it doesn’t feel very dense as it is basically a series of mega projects connected by highways. On the flip side, you have Rome or Paris, or DC with very dense walkable neighborhoods wide streets, but the setback from the road is very minimal. However they’re is basically no skyscrapers in the important parts of these cities.

In Moncton, the Junction Urban Village and the ‘Tomato building’ (its official name escapes me) as well as the 3rd sister off assumption, the Icon Riverview development and all of Thrives residential builds all have significant setbacks from the roads creating a disconnect.

It is possible to create these types of areas, Halifax had done a good job as this in the last decade or so. Even downtown Dieppe is very dense and has very little setbacks. This differs substantially to the Dieppe Blvd area with very large setbacks by it’s apartment buildings.

A 6 storey building were the sidewalk is right up against the building is going to have the same impact as an 8 storey building that’s built 15 feet from the edge of the road.

As for St. Bernard’s square, I don’t know that 18 storeys was the right call here, but I also certainly don’t think that 6 is the right call either. For Moncton to do this right, they should amend their downtown plan to include minimum height requirements on new builds in certain downtown locations, remove parking requirements and remove minimum setbacks as well. This will greatly improve the city going forward.

[Leroy321]

“ two of which will be 30 storeys or more.” Two? One is infinity and the other is the unannounced ashford project I take it?