Saint John NB: From Decay to Prosperity through People, Planning, and Process

Be sure to check out this recent Smart Growth Leadership Case Study that was just released on Saint John, NB:

Saint John NB: From Decay to Prosperity through People, Planning, and Process

by David Holman. (ne/efc case 10-02)

Saint John, New Brunswick, a booming commercial and shipping center in the 19th century, became known in the 20th century as a gloomy industrial city with low quality of life, where work was hard. In the late 1990s key actors from different sectors began a series of planning and development initiatives that spurred growth and poverty reduction into the 21st century. Local and regional leaders began meeting and planning together to attract and retain people by developing local assets and focusing on four key economic sectors. Through extensive community outreach and consensus-building, cultivating a spirit of collaboration that endures through political cycles, and branding Saint John as a wonderful place to live, work, and raise a family, Saint John has begun to overcome its gritty reputation and reach new levels of more sustainable development.

I had the opportunity to sit down with it’s writer, David Holman, while he was in the city to help provide input.

This Case Study, along with many others, can be found as part of a library on the University of Southern Maine’s website:

Smart Growth Leadership Profile Case Study Library

The library contains detailed case studies of smart growth projects, developments, and policy initiatives in New England communities. Developed by the New England Environmental Finance Center for its Next Communities Initiative (NCI), they are intended for use by state and local officials, lay planners, community activists, developers, conservation groups, and others involved in land use planning conflicts and opportunities.