Living Coastal: Exploring Coastline Changes in Saint John

The City of Saint John, New Brunswick is located on the Bay of Fundy at the mouth of the Wolastoq [St. John River]. As a municipality, many actions have been taken to address climate change impacts including increasing precipitation and temperatures, sea level rise, and increased storm severity. The City of Saint John’s Climate Change Adaptation Plan, adopted in November 2020, formalizes several objectives that aim to increase resilience and protect the city in the future. Objective 2 of this plan is focused on adaptations to sea level rise which is identified as a high risk for the municipality. Monitoring, infrastructure relocation, and information sharing are recognized as opportunities to protect and enhance communities at risk. This research intends to support the actions outlined in Objective 2 and can be used by municipal staff, stakeholders, and community members to protect, preserve, and restore the beautiful coastline that surrounds the city.

In 2020, sea level rise estimates for the province of New Brunswick were updated, reinforcing the severity of the issues and the urgency that climate change poses. The rising sea level is not the only threat to coastlines, as erosional processes are a function of marine, terrestrial (i.e., land use), and atmospheric (weather) systems. ACAP Saint John has collected data from ten sites throughout the city to inform adaptation measures and highlight the need for action. This report includes an overview of coastal erosion, historical analysis, results from site assessments, and information to guide adaptation.

There is no single solution for erosion, however preventative strategies can be taken to slow down the process, allow infrastructure to be relocated or supported, and protect the community. A large part of prevention is monitoring the changes that occur over time and building awareness about effective strategies that may help stabilize and enhance coastal areas. This report builds off research completed in 2016 and aims to provide a baseline for future monitoring of coastlines in the area.