Visitors to Saint John, N.B. will be able to enjoy live music, shopping and dining on the waterfront next spring thanks to the July 30 announcement of federal and provincial funds to build a new shipping container village in the port city.

The village is being built on Water Street, adjacent to Port Saint John’s primary cruise terminal and will consist of retail and hospitality vendors and feature a stage, lounge and plaza to host live music performances and other events, according to a news release.

 

 

“By investing in this type of infrastructure, we are positioning the tourism sector for a strong recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic,” New Brunswick’s Environment and Climate Change Minister, Gary Crossman said in the release.

“This shipping container village, combined with other recent investments in uptown infrastructure and the Fundy Quay development, are transforming the city and will help build a better New Brunswick.”

 

 

The federal government is contributing $1,295,000 to the project through the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency’s Innovative Communities Fund and the province is providing an additional $450,000 through the Regional Development Corporation, for which Crossman is the minister responsible.

Speaking on behalf of federal Economic Development and Official Languages minister, Mélanie Joly, Saint John-Rothesay MP Wayne Long said New Brunswick’s tourism industry needs the support of the community if it’s going to come back strong. “That is why we are proud to develop tourism infrastructure like the container village in Saint John, which will help reposition Atlantic Canada as a destination of choice and prepare the region to welcome more visitors when the time is right,” Long said.

The Saint John Port Authority has partnered with AREA 506, the organizer of an annual music and arts festival of the same name, on the project, which is intended to increase public access to Saint John’s waterfront and offer more experiences for tourists, the release said. The funding was announced during the opening ceremonies of the AREA 506 Waterfront Concert Series.

“Since our inception in 2016, Port Saint John has been an incredible partner,” Ray Gracewood, AREA 506’s founder and chair said. “We are excited to extend the AREA 506 experience across the entire season to provide a place for live entertainment, waterfront drinks and incredible retail experiences.”