[Moncton] Sackville Developments

[jonny golden]

Something like this would look spectacular on Main Street in downtown Moncton!

Big time! The first thing I thought about when I read your post was the render that Ashford put out a while back for the building across from the Avenir center. This building is much nicer, and would certainly be a big improvement over that old auto detailing business. It's a nice corner lot as well.

[MonctonRad]

The York on schedule for early 2027; will welcome Pump House restaurant opening day
July 14, 2026
Michael Robar
CHMA News, Radiometres Local News Project, Community Radio Fund of Canada
https://www.chmafm.com/welcome/the-york-...lcome-pump-house-restaurant-opening-day/


JN Lafford standing in front of "The York" in downtown Sackville

The York is on schedule for its February 1, 2027, opening and will be bringing a new restaurant with it.

The new 7-storey, mixed-use building by Sackville developer John Lafford and partner Mike Wilson of AIL Group, will have 89 residential units, along with a new Pump House restaurant and the Tantramar Primary Health Care Centre on the ground floor.

The article states that the residential component of the building is already 50% leased.

The article also had this very interesting tidbit:

Further development

The York sits on the sites of three former historic houses, which were demolished to accommodate the new build. As Sackville still lacks a heritage bylaw after repealing the previous one in 2018, some residents were concerned that the look of downtown was changing.

More changes are also likely coming in the not-too-distant future, as Lafford and Wilson have also purchased the 132-year-old Main Street building that houses Goya’s Pizza and Chirps Bar, along with a few other businesses and apartments in March 2026.

As for how it will change, he’s not prepared to say.

“ It’s really, it wouldn’t be the time now to speak on it, but I’m sure we’ll have (an) opportunity in the future to look at that.”

It is interesting to note that on a previous discussion about six months ago here on SSP about Lafford's tower cranes and what might happen to the crane being used on The York when it came down, one of the respondents said that Lafford wanted to "keep that crane in Sackville." Do we now know the reason why???

Allow me some speculation. The building that Lafford has purchased on Main Street is just to the south of the Guardian Drug Store located on the SW corner of Main/York Streets. The building to the west of the Guardian Drug Store (which contained Joey's Pizza) burned down several years ago. Lafford is currently using this property as a staging area for "The York."

What if Lafford's next project will be an "L" shaped building encircling the Guardian Drug building on the corner of Main/York. This would be right across the street from "The York", and as we all know from his projects in Moncton, Lafford likes to build his projects in close proximity to one another.

Hmmm.........

My spidey senses are tingling........

[jonny golden]

I wonder if the Guardian would be interested in occupying the ground floor of a new residential building? (If it were large enough)

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by jonny golden

I wonder if the Guardian would be interested in occupying the ground floor of a new residential building? (If it were large enough)

The building the Guardian is in is almost brand new (maybe 10 years old or so). I don't think it's going anywhere.

An encircling building (if built) could be in the 4-5 storey range. This wouldn't be too imposing on them.

[jonny golden]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

The building the Guardian is in is almost brand new (maybe 10 years old or so). I don't think it's going anywhere.

An encircling building (if built) could be in the 4-5 storey range. This wouldn't be too imposing on them.

Perhaps they'd be all for it, as it would deliver more potential customers right to their doorstep!

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

What if Lafford's next project will be an "L" shaped building encircling the Guardian Drug building on the corner of Main/York. This would be right across the street from "The York", and as we all know from his projects in Moncton, Lafford likes to build his projects in close proximity to one another.

Hmmm.........

My spidey senses are tingling........

According to PAOL NB, the sales date for the property in question was March 31, 2026.

The two other properties to the west of the Guardian store (where the fire was) were listed as being sold on June 2, 2026. They both sold on the same day. Lafford has been using these properties as a staging area since construction on The York began last year. I am sure that the buyer must have been Lafford.

I think that this is exactly what is going to happen. Lafford plans a large "L" shaped building incorporating all these properties.

Speculation, yes, but well founded speculation I think,

[Titan2030**]

If you look at the area and his development footprint these recently purchased lots point to him keeping his crane downtown and continuing with another large development possibly starting sometime in 2027 or 2028.
Tantramar- (Sackville) is experiencing some major investments planned across many spectrums in the $ Billions. Energy generation- New Solar Farm, NB Power Plant, New Dorchester Health Center, Downtown Lafford revitalization Projects, New Residential Housing Subdivisions- projects across town- including yet anther 4 Story Apartment Building being build currently on Westmorland Street, Mount Allison New Multi purpose Recreational Center downtown. The area has other core services that are also vital to growth such as the Hospital and the Train services and Train Station with new business moving in after renovations.
Come to think of it Sackville has a new 200 acre Industrial Park created bordering the highway to Moncton (Large Data Center location instead of Saint John).

[MonctonRad]

What's this about a data centre????

Yes, if you include the solar farm, the natural gas power plant, and the new prison hospital, you are definitely looking at a couple of billion dollars of new investment in Tantramar.

[MonctonRad]

Gaspereau Press gears up for move into historic Sackville train station
New owner Keagan Hawthorne excited to open up print shop to community
Erica Butler · CBC News · Posted: Jul 22, 2026 6:00 AM ADT | Last Updated: 5 hours ago
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-bruns...storic-sackville-train-station-9.7278236

The papered-in windows of the 119-year-old Sackville train station will soon be letting in light again.

Literary publisher Gaspereau Press is moving into the space roughly 14 years after VIA Rail staff last sold tickets there.

He plans to renovate about one-third of the building immediately, to house three heritage letterpress printing machines, a publishing office, a small retail store, and an area for waiting VIA Rail passengers.

If all goes well, he hopes to be ready to open to the public by December.

There is room in the station building for Gaspereau to eventually expand, and Hawthorne’s long-term goal is to have a portion available to lease to another small business, anything from a café, to a repair shop, to an artist’s studio.

This is a fantastic good news story. Train stations are like lighthouses. They are both iconic and emblematic symbols of the communities where they are located. Any time structures like this can be saved, should be a time of celebration.

[Photo1]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

Gaspereau Press gears up for move into historic Sackville train station
New owner Keagan Hawthorne excited to open up print shop to community
Erica Butler · CBC News · Posted: Jul 22, 2026 6:00 AM ADT | Last Updated: 5 hours ago
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-bruns...storic-sackville-train-station-9.7278236




This is a fantastic good news story. Train stations are like lighthouses. They are both iconic and emblematic symbols of the communities where they are located. Any time structures like this can be saved, should be a time of celebration.

So excited about this, very happy this building is getting a new life! Places need to do this more instead of tearing things down.

[bingun]

It seems like the gas power plant has received its EIA approval.

https://www.gnb.ca/content/dam/GNB3/t/en...istrements/1642-1656/1651-conditions.pdf

[MonctonRad]

Sackville is filled with environmentalists and academics. They will be most displeased.

Nevertheless, environmental concerns need to be balanced with geopolitical realities. This gas plant is needed, especially for periods of excess load. We will need energy is Mactaquac is to be rehabilitated, and, until Lepreau 2 is built.

[EnvisionSaintJohn]

Quoting Casper’s post from the Canadian Current Events forum:

Originally Posted by casper

Speaking of Atlantic Canada, looks like they are approving a 500 MW natural gas fired generating station in NB. However it looks to be older turbines that will primarily be used for grid stability instead of energy production.

Looks to be capped at 17% duty cycle. Not bad, it basically means it is available online to deal with peek load.

_______

Sounds like several of the units are going to be configured as a synchronous capacitor. In that setup the motor shaft is disconnected from the turbine and allowed to move freely. That absorbs transient voltage and makes the grid more stable. Helpful if you have a grid with a lot of wind or solar.

If they become desperate for power they can reconnect the turbine and produce power. They have been permitted to generate power up to 17% of the time. This is a backup.

Would be nice to see more CANDU reactors as well.

Sounds like this facility could actually be complimentary to wind and solar projects, so that’s definitely a good thing.

[bingun]

Originally Posted by EnvisionSaintJohn

Quoting Casper’s post from the Canadian Current Events forum:



Sounds like this facility could actually be complimentary to wind and solar projects, so that’s definitely a good thing.

Good info from someone with better knowledge than I. I understand some of the environmental concerns about its location on the isthmus, but I get fed up otherwise. I wish more people would understand a peaker plant like that actually enables more wind and solar.

[EnvisionSaintJohn]

Originally Posted by bingun

Good info from someone with better knowledge than I. I understand some of the environmental concerns about its location on the isthmus, but I get fed up otherwise. I wish more people would understand a peaker plant like that actually enables more wind and solar.

Well, maybe more people would understand if the Holt government got after Carney to live up to his big talk, and invest in some major wind and solar projects here in NB. Carney made it seem in his speech in Beijing like he’s open to getting rid of prohibitive tariffs on Chinese wind and solar to help Canada massively increase our power generation. Holt has at least seemed to get Carney on board for a second CANDU, but she doesn’t seem to offer up a whole lot of other big, ambitious projects, like he’s been calling for.

Holt should be doing everything she can to change the conversation and invest in complementary solar and wind projects in Tantramar, which surely left wing academics and green activists won’t be opposed to!

Solar is now cheaper than wind, nuclear, hydro, natural gas, coal, and virtually every other form of energy, yet NB has a very, very minuscule installed capacity. I think if we really want to see NB Power sorted out and set our province up for sustained economic success, we need to see a massive investment in solar and wind… and definitely not just wait for Nova Scotia to finish their massive offshore wind project.

But yeah, I really hope more people start to understand this type of project can actually be complimentary to solar and wind. If NB wants to start adapting EVs en masse, let alone approve a few more data centres, it will need to massively increase is generating capacity. It’s pretty easy to get fed up in NB when so many people are opposed to progress and content with our province being left behind.

[MonctonRad]

Yorkville University completes acquisition of Sackville nursing school
Nursing school inside Sackville Memorial Hospital now has 364 students
Author of the article:Alan Cochrane
Published Sep 14, 2026 • Last updated 17 hours ago • 3 minute read
https://tj.news/moncton-miramichi/yorkvi...-acquisition-of-sackville-nursing-school (paywall)

[MonctonRad]

Keillor House faces $700,000 restoration as original stonework shifts
September 28, 2026
Theodore Ramharack
CHMA News, Local Journalism Initiative, Community Radio Fund of Canada
https://www.chmafm.com/welcome/keillor-house-faces-700000-restoration-as-original-stonework-shifts/

Part of the foundation beneath Dorchester’s Keillor House is gradually sinking, contributing to movement in the original stone walls of the 213-year-old building.

The first phase will focus on the largest section of the main house. Morison said work there will involve the foundation itself and she expects part of the wall will need to be reconstructed.

Keillor House has been a provincially-protected heritage place since 1977. Heritage records trace the house back to 1813 and John Keillor, who farmed in the area and later served as a justice of the peace and a judge in Westmorland County.

The house is still used as a museum. Its collection includes historical and genealogical material, and some programs show how cooking and textile work were done in the past. The Westmorland Historical Society has operated since 1967 and also looks after the St. James Textile Museum, Bell Inn and Payzant Building in Dorchester.

“Keillor House is more than a museum. It is a symbol of our region’s history and identity,” Morison said in the Society’s fundraising appeal.

Dorchester is the original shire town of Westmorland County and, despite the small size of the village, there are several important historical buildings in the town, dating back to the early days of NB.

[MonctonRad]

Builder named for 155-bed federal inmate hospital in southeast N.B.
Federal government selected EllisDon Corp. to design, build facility by 2032
Shane Magee · CBC News · Posted: Sep 29, 2026 7:10 PM ADT | Last Updated: September 29
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/dorchester-prison-health-centre-contract-9.7363221

The federal government has selected Ontario-based construction giant EllisDon Corp. to design and build a health centre for prison inmates in southeast New Brunswick.

The 155-bed facility will be constructed on the grounds of Dorchester Penitentiary, replacing the 53-bed Shepody Healing Centre inside the prison.

The centre will offer mental and physical health care in French and English to men and women in the federal correctional system.

"The health centre of excellence project will bring a total investment of over $1 billion and the design and construction will bring an estimated 450 jobs to the region, starting right now," LeBlanc said.

Dorchester Penitentiary opened in 1880. The medium and minimum security facility has capacity for 744 inmates. Correctional Service Canada describes it as the second oldest continuously operating prison in Canada.

The facility will be built on the southeast portion of the penitentiary grounds where the prison farm used to be.



This land lies on the bottom right of this aerial photo, close to the village of Dorchester proper.



The new centre is designed to be a national centre of excellence for treatment of mental health issues for both male and female inmates. It will also include an infirmary for treatment of physical illnesses as well, including inpatient beds, medical imaging facilities, treatment rooms for minor surgical procedures and also space for hospice or end of life care.

Total cost of this new facility will be more than a billion dollars. Previously, the ASEC project in Moncton had been described as the "largest federal investment in Atlantic Canada since the Confederation Bridge." This new prison hospital will actually be more expensive than the Confederation Bridge.

A billion dollars may seem like an outrageous cost, but, building a brand new hospital these days is incredibly expensive. At 155 beds, this would be equivalent to a regional hospital like the URVH. Building any hospital of this scale would likely cost a billion. The expansion of the Infirmary Hospital in Halifax is going to cost $7.4B.

[adamuptownsj]

Sure a regional hospital would cost more, but a (secure, admittedly) facility only offering "treatment of physical illnesses as well, including inpatient beds, medical imaging facilities, treatment rooms for minor surgical procedures and also space for hospice or end of life care" costing $6.45M a bed? What the hell?

[sailor734]

Originally Posted by adamuptownsj

Sure a regional hospital would cost more, but a (secure, admittedly) facility only offering "treatment of physical illnesses as well, including inpatient beds, medical imaging facilities, treatment rooms for minor surgical procedures and also space for hospice or end of life care" costing $6.45M a bed? What the hell?

It's a government contract. What what else would you expect?

Never underestimate the government's ability to overpay for anything.