Sunset in Moncton.
'Moncton' is a
Canadian city in
Westmorland County,
New Brunswick.
The city is situated in southeastern
New Brunswick, in the
Petitcodiac River valley about 55 km (34 mi) from the
Nova Scotia border, at the geographic center of the
Maritime Provinces. The community has the nickname "Hub City" because of its central location and also because Moncton has historically been the railway and land transportation hub for the Maritime Provinces.
[4]
European settlement began in 1733 when
Acadian farmers arrived after migrating up the Petitcodiac River from the
Bay of Fundy. The region was captured by the
English in 1755 and the Acadian inhabitants were subsequently
deported. The ''official'' founding of the community was in 1766, with the arrival of
Pennsylvania "Deutsch" settlers sponsored by the Philadelphia Land Company. The settlement was initially agricultural but by the mid 1800s, a wooden shipbuilding industry flourished. The shipbuilding economy collapsed in the 1860s but was quickly replaced by the railway industry when, in 1871, the
Intercolonial Railway of Canada chose Moncton to be their headquarters. Moncton would then remain a railroad town for well over a century.
Moncton was first incorporated in 1855 and was named after Lt. Col.
Robert Monckton, the British military commander who had captured nearby
Fort Beauséjour in 1755 and who had later been given responsibility for overseeing the
Acadian deportation.
[5] The collapse of the shipbuilding industry caused the town to lose its civic charter in 1862 but the community was able to survive and to reincorporate in 1875 on the strength of the developing railway industry; as a result, it adopted the motto ''Resurgo''.
Although Moncton was traumatized twice, by the collapse of the shipbuilding industry in the 1860s and by the closure of the
CNR locomotive shops in the 1980s, the city's economy was able to rebound strongly on both occasions. At present, the city's economy is stable and diversified. Moncton's economy is based on its transportation, distribution, retailing and commercial heritage, but is also supplemented by strength in the educational, health care, financial and insurance sectors. The strength of the economy has received national recognition and the local unemployment rate is consistently less than the national average.
The Moncton
Census Metropolitan Area (CMA) is one of the top ten fastest growing metropolitan areas in
Canada and is also the fastest growing urban region east of
Toronto. The CMA includes the neighbouring city of
Dieppe and the town of
Riverview, as well as adjacent areas of Westmorland and
Albert counties.
[6]
Moncton is the second largest city in New Brunswick with 64,128 residents (2006).
[7] The Moncton CMA, however, is considerably larger and has a population of 126,424,
which makes Moncton the most populous metropolitan area in New Brunswick, and also makes it the second largest CMA in the
Maritime Provinces, after
Halifax.
[8]
The
municipal coat of arms illustrates Moncton's agricultural, industrial and railway heritages, along with the
Petitcodiac River's
tidal bore.
[9]
Geography
Moncton lies in southeastern
New Brunswick, at the geographic centre of the
Maritime Provinces and is located along the north bank of the
Petitcodiac River at a point where the river bends from a west–east flow to a north–south direction.
Aerial photo of Metro Moncton showing "the Bend"
The sharp bend of the Petitcodiac River at Moncton has strongly influenced the names given to the community by the various succeeding inhabitants living in the area.
'Petitcodiac' in the
Mi'kmaq language has been translated as meaning "bends like a bow". The early
Acadian settlers in the region named their community 'Le Coude' which means "the elbow".
[5] Subsequent English immigrants changed the name of the settlement to 'The Bend of the Petitcodiac'.
Moncton lies at the original head of navigation on the Petitcodiac River, but a causeway to Riverview, constructed in 1968, resulted in extensive infilling by sedimentation of the river channel downstream. Because of this, the river in the Moncton area is no longer navigable.
[5]
The Petitcodiac river valley at Moncton (50 kilometres inland) is broad and relatively flat, bounded by a long ridge to the north (Lutes Mountain) and by the rugged Caledonia Highlands to the south.
Climate
Despite being less than 50 km (31 mi) from the
Bay of Fundy and less than 30 km (19 mi) from the
Northumberland Strait, the climate can seem more continental than maritime during the summer and winter seasons, whereas maritime influences tend to temper the transitional seasons of spring and autumn.
[12]
Moncton skyline in the summer
Winter days are cold but generally sunny with solar radiation generating some warmth. Daytime high temperatures usually range just below the freezing point. Several cold snaps usually occur each winter when temperatures can fall to between -15°C (5°F) and -25°C (-13°F). Similarly, there are usually one or two "January thaws" each year when considerable snow melt can occur. Major snowfalls can result from
nor'easter ocean storms moving up the east coast of North America, following the
jet stream from the southeastern United States.
[13] Large amounts of precipitation can result from the
counterclockwise rotation of these storms picking up moisture from the Atlantic Ocean and dumping it on southeastern New Brunswick as the storms pass by to the south and east of the region.
[13] This can be amplified locally by "sea effect" snow squall activity due to northeasterly winds passing over the nearby Gulf of St. Lawrence on the trailing edge of the storm. In February 1992, a nor'Easter lasted for two days and dropped 162 cm (65 inches) of snow on the Moncton area, paralyzing the city for nearly a week. Major snowfalls more typically average 20–30 cm (8–12 in) and are frequently mixed with rain or freezing rain.
Autumn in Moncton
Spring is frequently delayed because the
sea ice that forms in the nearby
Gulf of St. Lawrence during the previous winter requires time to melt and this cools the prevailing onshore winds. The ice burden in the gulf however has diminished considerably over the course of the last decade, which may be a consequence of global warming.
[15] The springtime cooling effect has subsequently weakened. Daytime temperatures above freezing are typical by mid March. Occasional snowfalls in late April and early May can happen however and trees are not usually in full leaf until the end of May.
[16]
Summers are hot and humid due to seasonal prevailing westerly winds strengthening the continental tendencies of the local climate.
[17] Daytime highs are usually around 25°C (77°F) but can sometimes reach highs of over 30°C (86°F). Rainfall is generally modest, especially in late July and August and periods of drought are not uncommon.
[18] The heaviest rainfalls tend to occur during thunderstorms.
Autumn is influenced by the retention of heat in the nearby Gulf of St. Lawrence and daytime temperatures remain mild until mid October.
[17] First snowfalls usually don't occur until mid November and consistent snow cover on the ground doesn't happen until mid to late December. The Fundy coast of New Brunswick occasionally experiences the effects of post-tropical storms.
[18]
The stormiest weather of the year, with the greatest precipitation and the strongest winds, usually occur during the fall/winter transition (mid December to mid January).
[18]
| Moncton Climatological Data |
|---|
| Temperature | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | | Mean |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Record high °C (°F) | 17 (63) | 18 (64) | 21 (70) | 28 (83) | 34 (94) | 34 (93) | 36 (97) | 36 (98) | 33 (92) | 28 (82) | 23 (73) | 18 (64) | | |
|---|
| Avg. high °C (°F) | -3 (26) | -2 (28) | 2 (37) | 8 (47) | 16 (61) | 21 (71) | 25 (77) | 24 (75) | 19 (66) | 12 (54) | 6 (42) | -0.5 (31) | | 11 (52) |
|---|
| Mean °C (°F) | -8 (17) | -7 (18) | -2 (28) | 3 (39) | 10 (51) | 16 (60) | 19 (66) | 18 (65) | 13 (56) | 7 (46) | 2 (35) | -4 (23) | | 6 (42) |
|---|
| Avg. low °C (°F) | -13 (7) | -12 (9) | -7 (19) | -0.9 (30) | 4 (40) | 9 (49) | 13 (56) | 12 (55) | 8 (46) | 2 (37) | -2 (28) | -9 (15) | | 0.6 (33) |
|---|
| Record low °C (°F) | -37 (-34) | -38 (-36) | -32 (-25) | -18 (-.1) | -7 (19) | -4 (25) | 0 (32) | -1 (30) | -6 (21) | -9 (15) | -21 (-6) | -34(-30) | | |
|---|
| Precipitation and Sunshine Hours |
|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total mm (in) | 109 (4.3) | 81 (3.2) | 103 (4.0) | 90 (3.5) | 99 (4) | 94 (3.7) | 100 (3.9) | 76 (3.0) | 92 (3.6) | 100 (3.9) | 97 (3.8) | 106 (4) | | 1144 (45) |
|---|
| Rainfall mm (in) | 42 (1.6) | 28 (1.1) | 42 (1.6) | 58 (2.3) | 93 (4) | 94 (3.7) | 100 (3.9) | 76 (3.0) | 92 (3.6) | 96 (3.8) | 77 (3.0) | 52 (2) | | 849 (33) |
|---|
| Snowfall cm (in) | 67 (26.1) | 53 (21.0) | 61 (24.5) | 32 (13) | 5 (2.5) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 4 (1.4) | 20 (7.8) | 54 (21) | | 295 (116) |
|---|
| Sunshine hours | 115 | 124 | 139 | 158 | 205 | 229 | 248 | 244 | 167 | 142 | 103 | 95 | | 1971 |
|---|
| Data recorded at Greater Moncton International Airport by Environment Canada. Data spans 1971 to 2000. |
|---|
History
:''For more information see
History of Moncton''
The original native inhabitants of the Petitcodiac river valley were the
Mi'kmaq. Moncton is situated at the southern end of a traditional native
portage route connecting the Petitcodiac River and Shediac Bay on the nearby Northumberland Strait.
The head of the
Bay of Fundy was first settled by French
Acadians in the 1670s.
[22] The first reference to the "Petcoucoyer River" was on the De Meulles map of 1686.
[23] Settlement of the
Petitcodiac and
Memramcook river valleys began about 1700, gradually extending inland and reaching the site of present day Moncton in 1733. The first Acadian settlers in the Moncton area established a marshland farming community and chose to name their settlement 'Le Coude' (The Elbow)
[24] in reference to the sharp bend of the Petitcodiac River.
The "
Great Upheaval" resulted in the expulsion of the Acadian population from Le Coude.
In 1755,
Fort Beausejour in nearby
Aulac was captured by English forces under the command of Lt. Col.
Robert Monckton.
[25] The Petitcodiac and Memramcook river valleys subsequently fell under English occupation. Later that year, Governor
Charles Lawrence issued a decree ordering the
expulsion of the Acadian population from
Nova Scotia. The population of Le Coude was included in the expulsion order but some of the local Acadians were able to escape into the woods and then conducted a guerilla resistance against the English occupiers. This resistance was suppressed by 1758.
[26]
In June 1766, Captain John Hall arrived from
Pennsylvania[23] armed with a land grant for 100,000 acres from the Philadelphia Land Company; one of the principal investors of which was
Benjamin Franklin. On Captain Hall's ship were eight immigrant Pennsylvania "Deutsch" families who were to re-establish the pre-existing farming community at Le Coude. Although the new settlement was to be formally named 'Monckton Township', it was more colloquially known as "The Bend of the Petitcodiac", or simply 'The Bend'.
The Bend grew slowly and the principle economy of the community remained agriculturally based until the early 1800s, when
Royal Navy requirements helped to stimulate a lumbering and shipbuilding industry. As shipbuilding gained in importance, The Bend developed a service based economy and gradually began to acquire all the amenities of a growing town. In particular, as the economy strengthened, an important financial institution, the Westmorland Bank, opened and this in turn was able to finance further expansion of the shipbuilding industry.
[5]
The prosperity engendered by the wooden shipbuilding industry allowed The Bend to incorporate as the town of 'Moncton' in 1855. The first mayor of Moncton was the shipbuilder Joseph Salter. The town was named after Lt. Col.
Robert Monckton,
[5] the British military commander who had captured Fort Beauséjour a century earlier. A clerical error at the time the town was incorporated resulted in the mis-spelling of the community's name, which has been perpetuated to the present day.
Two years later on
20 August 1857 the
European and North American Railway opened its line from Moncton to the nearby
Northumberland Strait port of
Shediac; this was followed by the E&NA's line from Moncton to
Sussex and on to
Saint John opening in 1859.
[30]
At about the same time as the arrival of the railway, steam-powered ships began to replace clipper ships on the ocean's sea routes and this forced an end to the era of wooden shipbuilding. The industrial collapse that developed from this, as well as the associated bankruptcy of the Westmorland Bank caused Moncton to surrender its civic charter in 1862.
[5]
Moncton's economic depression did not last long and a second era of prosperity came to the area in 1871 when Moncton was selected to be the headquarters of the
Intercolonial Railway of Canada.
[32] The ICR was a merger of the pre-existing E&NA and the
Nova Scotia Railway. In addition, a new route was constructed through northern New Brunswick into Quebec to join with the
Grand Trunk Railway at
Rivière-du-Loup.
The coming of the ICR to Moncton was a seminal event for the community. For the next 120 years, the history of the city would be inextricably intertwined with that of the railway.
With the arrival of the Intercolonial Railroad; Moncton, in 1875
[5], was able to reincorporate as a town and adopted the motto "Resurgo" (I rise again). One year later, the ICR line to Quebec was opened. The railway boom that emanated from this and the associated employment growth allowed Moncton to achieve city status on
23 April 1890.
[5]
Moncton's first city market was opened in 1884 and burned to the ground in 1914.
Moncton grew rapidly during the early part of the 20th century, particularly after provincial lobbying saw the city become the eastern terminus of the massive
National Transcontinental Railway project in 1912.
[35] This line would link Moncton with
Edmundston,
Quebec City, and on to
Winnipeg where the
Grand Trunk Pacific Railway continued to
Saskatoon,
Edmonton, and
Prince Rupert. The
First World War brought a halt to the era of transcontinental railway expansion.
[36]
In 1918, the ICR and NTR (then autonomous companies grouped under the
Canadian Government Railways) were merged by the federal government into the newly formed
Canadian National Railways (CNR) system.
[36] The ICR shops would become CNR's major locomotive repair facility for the Maritimes and Moncton became the headquarters for CNR's Maritime division.
[38]
As the city grew, it began to draw on its hinterland for population growth. Much of the surrounding countryside to the east and the north of the city was (and is) inhabited primarily by French-Acadians who were descendants of the refugees that had returned to the region following the deportation of 1755.
26 The influx of Francophone Acadians seeking employment beginning in the early 1900s would result in a major demographic and cultural shift for the community.
Moncton continued to develop as a regional distribution and transportation hub during the
Second World War. The
Royal Canadian Air Force established two air bases in the area as part of the
Commonwealth Air Training Plan. The Canadian Army also built a large military supply base (CFB Moncton) along the railway mainline near the CNR shops facilities northwest of downtown.
Main street, circa 1960
Railway employment in Moncton at the height of the
steam locomotive era (circa 1950) peaked at about six thousand workers before starting a long slow decline. This decline occurred because the newer diesel locomotives and longer trains that were introduced in the early 1950s required fewer employees for operation and for maintenance. Some of this employment loss was offset by the construction of a large railway
hump yard by the CNR in the city's west end.
Moncton was placed on the
Trans-Canada Highway network in the early 1960s after Route 2 was built along the northern perimeter of the city. Subsequent development saw
Route 15 built between the city and nearby
Parlee Beach at
Shediac. At the same time, the Petitcodiac River Causeway was constructed.
[5]
The
Université de Moncton was founded in 1963.
[40] This began an Acadian "renaissance", which was in large measure encouraged and supported by university faculty who had been trained in Quebec during the founding years of the "
Quiet Revolution". U de M, the renaissance, and the election of premier
Louis Robichaud and his program of "
equal opportunity" all led to increasing demands by the Francophone populace for municipal services in French and led to tension between the Acadian minority and the Anglophone majority during the latter part of the 1960s and early 1970s.
The Acadian population began to become more prosperous and influential during the 1980s as linguistic tensions began to relax (although not disappearing entirely). The Anglophone population of the city generally began to accept the principle of bilingualism and enrollment in
French Immersion classes in public schools became popular. Bilingualism would ultimately become one of the strengths of the community.
The
CNR repair shops were the largest employer in Moncton until they were dismantled in the late 1980s.
The late 1970s and the 1980s again saw a period of economic hardship hit the city as several major employers closed or restructured. The
Eatons catalogue division closed in 1976 and CN closed its locomotive shops facility in 1988,
[41] throwing thousands out of work and forcing the federal and provincial governments to step in with economic restructuring packages to help in diversifying the Moncton economy. CFB Moncton was also closed at about this time due to defence cutbacks resulting from the end of the Cold War.
[42] Moncton was so despondent by the late 1980s that the city's promotional slogan became simply ''Moncton - We're OK''.
[43]
Diversification in the early 1990s saw the rise of
information technology, led by
call centres which made use of the city's bilingual workforce.
[5] Bilingualism was heavily promoted by premier
Frank McKenna's government to attract the
call centre industry to provide a temporary employment "bridge" for the city as it transitioned from the old economy to a more modern one. By the late 1990s, retail, manufacturing and service expansion began to occur in all sectors and within a decade of the closure of the CN locomotive shops, Moncton had more than made up for its employment losses. This dramatic turnaround in the fortunes of the city has been termed the "Moncton Miracle".
[45]
The growth of the community has continued unabated since the 1990s and in fact has been accelerating. The confidence of the city has been bolstered by its ability to host major events such as the
Francophonie Summit in 1999.
[46] Recent positive developments include the
Atlantic Baptist University relocating to a new campus in 1996 and achieving full university status, the Greater Moncton Airport opening a new terminal building and becoming a designated international airport in 2002,
[47] and the opening of the new
Gunningsville Bridge to Riverview in 2005.
[48]
In 2002, Moncton became Canada's first officially bilingual city.
[49] Moncton officially became a
Census Metropolitan Area (CMA) in 2006. The 2006 census subsequently declared Moncton to be the largest metropolitan area in the province of New Brunswick.
[50]
Language and demographics
Moncton is a growing city. This is highlighted by the constant construction of new properties, including the new
Marriott hotel in the downtown core of the city, slated for completion in 2008.
Moncton's linguistic majority is English, however the city has an active French-speaking
Acadian minority population (30%), many of whom speak the
Chiac variant of
Acadian French.
[51] The adjacent city of
Dieppe is about 80% Francophone and has benefited from an ongoing rural depopulation of the Acadian Peninsula and areas in northern and eastern New Brunswick.
[52] The town of
Riverview meanwhile is heavily (95%) Anglophone.
[53] The different linguistic characteristics of the three communities have defeated several attempts at metropolitan amalgamation.
Since the previous national census in 2001 the metropolitan area has grown by 6.5%. This rate of growth is within the top ten amongst major cities in
Canada and Moncton has the fastest growth rate of any city east of
Toronto. The
census metropolitan area had a population of 126,424 as of the 2006 national census, which makes it the largest metropolitan area in the province of New Brunswick and the second largest in the
Maritime Provinces after
Halifax.
Historically, the population of the city has been racially homogenous with almost all residents originating from northwestern Europe (
United Kingdom,
France and
Ireland). The population has been becoming more diverse over the course of the past couple of decades but it still remains a challenge to attract visible minorities as new immigrants to the city. Inmigration is mostly from other areas of New Brunswick (especially the north) as well as Nova Scotia (13%) and Ontario (9%). Overall, 62% of new arrivals to the city are Anglophone and 38% are Francophone (Census 2001).
[54]
About 40% of the metropolitan population of Moncton is
bilingual, (the remainder being mostly unilingual Anglophone). The only other cities in Canada that approach this level of linguistic duality are
Ottawa and
Montreal. Moncton became the first officially bilingual city in the country in 2002.
[55]
'Census Subdivision'
|
Moncton Population Statistics| Type | 1991 | 1996 | 2001 | 2006 | NB Rank |
|---|
| City | 56,823 | 59,313 | 61,046 | 64,128 | 2 | | Urban Area | ? | ? | 90,431 | 97,065 | 1 | | Census Metropolitan Area | 107,436 | 113,495 | 118,678 | 126,424 | 1 | | Economic Region | 172,079 | 179,117 | 182,820 | 191,860 | 1 |
|
 First language learned and still understood by residents of Metro Moncton (2001 census)
|
Economy
The educational and health care sectors are major factors in the local economy; the two hospitals alone employing over five thousand people. Despite this, the underpinnings of the local economy remain based on Moncton's commercial, distribution, transportation and retailing heritage. Moncton's central location in the Maritimes is the reason for this: 1.4 million people live within a three hour drive of Moncton. This is the largest catchment area in Atlantic Canada.
[56] In 2002 Moncton and
Halifax joined to promote the concept of a Moncton-Halifax growth corridor, building on the strengths of the two cities as well as those of the intervening communities including
Truro,
Amherst and
Sackville.
[57] Moncton has garnered national attention because of the strength of its economy. The local unemployment rate averages between 5-6%, which is below the national average. In 2004
Canadian Business Magazine named it the "The best city for business in Canada"
[58] and in 2007,
FDi magazine named it the fifth most business friendly city in North America (in the small cities category).
[59]
A number of regionally prominent corporations have their head offices in Moncton including
Atlantic Lottery Corporation, Assumption Mutual Life Insurance,
Medavie Blue Cross Insurance,
Pizza Delight Corporation,
Major Drilling Group International, and
Co-op Atlantic.
There are 37 call centres in the city employing over 5000 people. Some of the larger ones include
Asurion,
BBM Canada,
ExxonMobil,
Royal Bank of Canada,
United Parcel Service,
Fairmont Hotels,
Rogers Communications,
Sitel, Minacs and
America Online.
[60]
A growing high tech sector includes companies such as Whitehill Technologies, Nanoptix, Spielo Manufacturing, OAO Technology Solutions, and Beltek Systems Design.
[61]
Several arms of the
Irving corporate empire have their head offices and/or major operations in Greater Moncton. These include Midland Transport, Majesta/Royale Tissues, Irving Personal Care, Master Packaging and Cavendish Farms.
[62]
Several major banks have their regional offices in Moncton, including the
Bank of Montreal seen here
There are three large industrial parks in the metropolitan area. The Irving operations are concentrated in the Dieppe Industrial Park. Hub Meat Packers is a major employer in the city and is in the Moncton Industrial Park.
Molson/Coors Breweries is scheduled to complete construction of a new brewery in the Caledonia Industrial Park in summer 2007.
[63] All three industrial parks have large concentrations of warehousing and regional trucking facilities. The Armour transportation group is based in Moncton.
A new four lane
Gunningsville Bridge was opened in 2005, connecting downtown Riverview directly with downtown Moncton. On the Moncton side, the bridge will connect with an extension of Vaughan Harvey Boulevard as well as to Assumption Boulevard and will serve as a catalyst for economic growth in the downtown area.
[64] This is already evident as an expansion to the
Blue Cross Centre was completed in 2006. Also, construction has started on a new
Marriott Residence Inn and on a new
Sobeys downtown on the Vaughan Harvey connector. A new regional courthouse will be built on Assumption Boulevard in 2008. On the Riverview side, the bridge will connect to a new ring road around the town and is expected to serve as a catalyst for development in east Riverview.
[64]
The retail sector in Moncton is increasingly becoming one of the most important aspects of the local economy. Major retail projects such as the
Wheeler Park Power Centre on Trinity Drive have become major destinations for locals and for tourists alike. Major tenants of this development include
Atlantic Superstore,
Costco,
Winners,
HomeSense,
Wal-Mart,
Future Shop,
Kent Building Supplies,
Sears,
Staples,
Old Navy,
Pier 1 Imports,
Empire Theatres and the
Home Depot.
[66][67] A new power center is under construction on Mapleton road, adjacent to Wheeler Park. The first anchor of this development will be a
Brick store.
Arts and culture
Moncton is a culturally vibrant community, which has lively representation from all the disciplines of the arts, including music,
theatre, dance,
visual arts,
film, and
literature.
[68]
The
Capitol Theatre, an 800-seat, meticulously restored, 1920s-era
vaudeville house on Main Street serves as the main centre for cultural entertainment for the city.
[69] The theatre hosts a performing arts series and routinely stages live theatrical performances. It also provides a venue for symphony orchestra and dance performances.
[70] The smaller Empress Theatre, located immediately behind the Capitol, provides a more intimate location for smaller performances and recitals.
[70]
A school for the performing arts has been established by the Capitol Theatre. The
Atlantic Ballet Theatre is based in Moncton. This group tours mainly in
Atlantic Canada, but has also toured both
nationally and
internationally.
[72] Théâtre l’Escaouette is a Francophone live theatre company that has its own auditorium and performance space on Botsford Street. The
Chocolate River Conservatory of Music is located in Dieppe. The
Canadian Poetry Association national headquarters is located in Moncton.
[73]
The
Aberdeen Cultural Centre is a major Acadian cultural cooperative containing multiple studios and galleries and is located on Botsford Street. Among other tenants, the Centre houses the Galerie Sans Nom; the principal private art gallery in the city and also the IMAGO print workshop, which presents and develops contemporary print works and techniques.
[74]
There are two main museums in the city; The
Moncton Museum on Mountain Road and Le Musée Acadien at
Université de Moncton. The city has several recognized historical sites. The 'Free Meeting House' was built in 1821 and is a New England-style meeting house adjacent to the Moncton Museum.
[75] The 'Thomas Williams House' was built in 1883 and was formerly the home of a city industrialist, which is now maintained in period style and serves as a genealogical research centre and is also home to several multicultural organizations.
[76] The 'Treitz Haus' is located on the riverfront adjacent to Bore View Park and has been dated to the early 1770's both by architectural style and by dendrochronology. It is the only surviving building from the Pennsylvania Deutch era and now serves as the city's principle tourist information centre.
Moncton is home to the 'Frye Festival', a bilingual literary celebration held in honour of world renowned literary critic and favorite son
Northrop Frye. This event attracts noted writers and poets from around the world and takes place in the month of April.
[77]
Other notable events include:
★ 'The Atlantic Seafood Festival' - held every August.
★ '
The HubCap Comedy Festival' - held annually in the spring.
★ '
"Le 15 Aout"' - held in August, celebrating Acadia's National holiday.
★ 'The World Wine and Food Exposition' - The largest event of its kind in eastern Canada, with exhibitors from around the world presenting their wares. Wine tastings are augmented by food displays and by banquets. This event takes place every November.
★ 'The Atlantic Nationals Automotive Extravaganza' - held each July and is the largest annual gathering of classic cars in Canada.
Sports and recreation
Sports facilities
The
Moncton Coliseum serves as the city's main venue for indoor sports, concerts and exhibitions.
The
Moncton Coliseum is a 6,554-seat arena (7,200 with standing room). It serves as a venue for major concerts and trade shows and is the home of the
Moncton Wildcats of the
Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.
[78] The
CN Sportplex is a major recreational facility which has been built on the former CN Shops property. It includes ten ballfields, six soccer fields and an indoor rink complex with four ice surfaces (the
Tim Horton's 4 Ice Centre). The
Dundee Sports Dome, an indoor air supported multi-use building is also located at the Sportsplex. This building is large enough to allow for year-round football, soccer and golf activities. A newly constructed YMCA near the CN Sportsplex has extensive cardio and weight training facilities as well as three indoor pools. The CEPS at
Université de Moncton contains an indoor track and a 37.5-metre (123 ft) swimming pool with diving towers.
[79] The only
velodrome in Atlantic Canada is in
Dieppe. The metro area has a total of 12 indoor hockey rinks and three curling clubs. Other public sporting and recreational facilities are scattered throughout the metropolitan area.
Sports teams
Major sporting events
Moncton is known for its ability to host large sporting events. Moncton hosted the
2006 Memorial Cup with the hometown
Moncton Wildcats losing in the championship final to their arch rivals the
Quebec Remparts.
Ted Nolan, a former head coach of the
Buffalo Sabres of the National Hockey League (and current head coach of the
New York Islanders), coached the Wildcats for their Memorial Cup run.
[80] Moncton hosted the
Canadian Interuniversity Sports (CIS) Mens University Hockey Championship in 2007 and will do so again in 2008.
[81] Moncton has been awarded the 2010
IAAF World Junior Championships in Athletics. This will be the largest sporting event ever held in Atlantic Canada. The federal and provincial governments have committed to help in the construction of a 10,000 seat outdoor stadium to host this event. This stadium will be built on the U de M campus.
[82]
Major Sporting Events Held in Moncton
Golf
Greater Moncton is blessed with an abundance of excellent golfing facilities. There are nine 18-hole golf courses in the census metropolitan area, two of which are residential courses and two more of which are undergoing residential conversion with courseside housing developments under construction. Both the
Royal Oaks and
Fox Creek golf clubs can be rightfully considered as championship courses, with Royal Oaks being the first
Rees Jones designed golf course in Canada.
[83] Other notable courses include the 'Moncton Golf & Country Club', 'Memramcook Valley Golf Club' and 'Magnetic Hill Golf Club'.
Urban parks
Metro Moncton is home to many urban parks. They are an important resource for the many citizens of Moncton who have an active lifestyle.
[84] The main urban parks in the Moncton area are:
Ducks in Mapleton Park
★ '
Centennial Park' - located in the city's west end and has an area of 0.93 km². The park contains a boating pond, artificial beach, lighted cross country skiing and hiking trails, a childrens splash park, the city's largest playground, a Rotary lodge, a children's day camp and 'Rocky Stone Field', the city's only football field with artificial turf.
[85]
★ 'Mapleton Park' - located in the rapidly growing northwest part of the city adjacent to the trans Canada highway and measures 1.21 km² in size. The park contains hiking trails, a skating pond and a Rotary lodge.
[85]
★ 'Irishtown Nature Park' - located north of the trans Canada highway on Elmwood Drive and, at 10 km², is one of the largest urban nature parks in Canada. The park is scenic and surrounds a large
reservoir. The park is principally a wilderness area but has numerous hiking trails and is an excellent venue for birdwatching.
[85]
★ 'St. Anselme Park' - located in
Dieppe and is nearly one km² in area. The park contains a Rotary lodge, children's play facilities, hiking trails and the only
velodrome in Atlantic Canada.
[88]
There are numerous neighbourhood parks throughout the metro Moncton area. The most notable are 'Bore View Park', which overlooks the Petitcodiac River and the downtown 'Victoria Park' which features a bandshell, flower gardens, fountain and the city's
cenotaph.
[85]
There is an extensive system of hiking and biking trails in the metro area. This system is best developed along the riverfront. The riverfront trail is part of the
Trans Canada Trail system and various markers, monuments and pavilions can be found, especially along the downtown components of the trail.
[90]
Tourism
Historically, the tourism industry in Moncton owes its origins to the presence of two natural attractions; the
tidal bore of the
Petitcodiac River and the optical illusion of
Magnetic Hill.
The
tidal bore would sometimes rise to over one meter (3.2 ft) before the
causeway was built in 1968
The Petitcodiac River exhibits one of North America's few
tidal bores, a regularly occurring wave that travels up the river on the leading edge of the incoming tide, and hence a tidal wave in the truest sense of the term. The bore is as a result of the extreme tides of the
Bay of Fundy. Originally, the bore was very impressive, sometimes between one and two metres (3.2–6.4 ft) in height and extending across the kilometre (.62 mi) width of the Petitcodiac River in the Moncton area. This wave would occur twice a day at the incoming of the high tide, travelling at an average speed of 13 km/h (8 mph) and could produce quite an audible roar.
Seagulls would flock to the river at the coming of the tide to feed. Not surprisingly, a local tourism industry sprang up around the spectacle.
[91]
In 1968, a
causeway was built to Riverview, across the Petitcodiac just upstream from downtown Moncton. The river channel quickly silted in due to the high sediment burden in the water column. The channel at the bend is now no more than 100 metres (328 ft) wide and the bore rarely exceeds 15-20 cm in height. Not surprisingly, the "bore" is now an object of derision and is not nearly the tourism generator it once was. Still, seeing the arrival of the bore remains an educational experience and Bore View Park and the adjacent Riverfront Trail provide a pleasant distraction.
[92]
Magnetic Hill is on the northwestern outskirts of Moncton and is now the city's most famous attraction. It is a
gravity hill form of
optical illusion, where the local topography gives the impression that you are going uphill when in fact you are going downhill. In the early 1930s, it was discovered that on a particular stretch of road near the foot of the hill, that if you put your car in neutral gear, you would seem to coast uphill. Before long, a tourism industry sprang up around the phenomenon.
[93]
The "Magnetic Hill Illusion" remains a popular tourism draw and the city and province have built a major tourism development on the surrounding properties to capitalize on this. The complex includes:
★ The ''
Magnetic Hill Zoo'', a nationally recognized zoo with over 400 animals displayed in themed exhibit areas. It is the largest zoo in Atlantic Canada and features a large gift shop, animal shows and an educational program.
[94]
★ ''
Magic Mountain Water Park'', the largest water park in Atlantic Canada, with a half dozen large water slides, a lazy river, wave pool, children's splash pool and a 36 hole professional mini-golf course.
[95]
★ The ''Magnetic Hill outdoor concert site'', was constructed in 1984 for
Pope John Paul II to hold a papal mass during his tour of Canada. In the 1990's, the city redeveloped the site to become an outdoor concert facility. The city now holds one or two megaconcerts at the facility every year.
The Rolling Stones performed there in 2005 in front of 85,000 fans.
[96] Tim McGraw and
Faith Hill playing there in 2007 in front of 50,000.
[97]
★ The ''Wharf Village'', a collection of souvenir shops and restaurants.
★ The ''Magnetic Hill Miniature Railway''.
Moncton's central location and large catchment area has made the city a natural as a regional tourism and shopping mecca.
[98] The
Eaton's warehouse and store was the original destination point for retail tourism but gradually, retail development on Main Street, and later the construction of the downtown Highfield Square shopping centre allowed for increasing choice for out of town consumers.
At present, the major destinations for shopping enthusiasts are the
Wheeler Park Power Centre in the northwestern part of the city and
Champlain Place in Dieppe, which, at 816,000 sq ft,
[99] is the
second largest shopping mall in Atlantic Canada and has over 160 stores and services including
Sobeys,
Wal-Mart,
Sears,
Toys "R" Us,
Sport Chek,
GAP,
MEXX,
Tommy Hilfiger,
Eddie Bauer and the
Disney Store. Finally, New Brunswick's only
Bay department store is in Highfield Square.
[100]
Crystal Palace, an indoor
amusement park with a dozen rides including a
rollercoaster and a Tivoli swing was built adjacent to Champlain Place in 1990 to take advantage of the tourist traffic generated by the mall. The facility has been quite successful and includes a hotel, conference centre, restaurant, eight cinema multiplex and a
Chapters bookstore/
Starbucks Cafe. It is a popular family destination and has ''Top Attraction'' status with tourism New Brunswick.
[101]
The largest hotels in the metropolitan area are in downtown Moncton. Main Street has wide bricked sidewalks lined with outdoor cafes. A
Yuk Yuk's Comedy club, dinner theatres, elegant restaurants and the Capitol Theatre all provide for a pleasant experience for tourists visiting the downtown area.
Regional tourism
Moncton is well situated as a regional tourism destination. Two major national parks (
Fundy National Park and
Kouchibouguac National Park) are within a one hour drive of the city. The warmest salt water beaches north of
Virginia can be found on the
Northumberland Strait, only 15 minutes away at
Parlee Beach in the nearby town of
Shediac. New Brunswick's signature natural attraction, the
Hopewell Rocks, are only a half hour's drive down the Petitcodiac river valley. The
Confederation Bridge to
Prince Edward Island is only an hour's drive east of the city.
Other nearby attractions (within 30–60 minutes of the city) include:
★ The ''Cape Jourimain National Wildlife Preserve'', at the base of the Confederation Bridge.
★ ''La Dune de Bouctouche Irving Eco-Centre'', an ecotourism site and beach. It is the longest remaining unspoiled barrier dune system on the mainland eastern seaboard of North America.
★ ''
Cape Enrage'', located near Alma. This popular attraction includes an historic lighthouse, fossil cliffs, scenic vistas, and adventure tourism.
★ ''
Le Pays de la Sagouine'', an Acadian cultural theme park in Bouctouche.
★ ''
Fort Beauséjour'', a
National Historic Site in nearby
Aulac, New Brunswick.
★ ''The Sackville Waterfowl Park'', in Sackville close to Mount Allison University. It includes nature trails and a boardwalk over freshwater marsh as well as waterfowl viewing platforms.
Transportation
Air
Moncton is served by the
Greater Moncton International Airport (YQM). A new airport terminal with an international arrivals area was opened in 2002. The GMIA handles over 558,000 passengers per year, making it the second busiest airport in the
Maritime provinces.
[102] Scheduled carriers servicing the GMIA include
Air Canada Jazz,
Westjet and
Continental Express. Current regularly scheduled destinations include
Halifax,
Montreal,
Ottawa,
Toronto,
Hamilton and
Newark. Charter airlines include
Air Saint-Pierre,
Air Transat,
Canjet,
Condor Airlines,
Corsairfly,
Skyservice and
Sunwing Airlines.Seasonal destinations include
Paris,
Hanover,
Orlando,
Saint Petersburg,
Punta Cana,
Puerto Plata,
Varadero,
Cancún and
Saint Pierre and Miquelon.
[103]
The GMIA is also a major air cargo centre with both
FedEx and
Purolator having their Atlantic Canadian bases at the facility. In addition, the GMIA is the home of the
Moncton Flight College, one of the largest flight colleges in Canada.
[104] It is also home to the New Brunswick Air Ambulance service, the
Royal Canadian Mounted Police regional air support service and Transport Canada's regional hangar and maintenance facility.
There is a second smaller
aerodrome in the city as well.
McEwen Airfield (CCG4) is a private airstrip located north of the Trans Canada Highway on Elmwood Drive. It is used for
general aviation. 'Skydive Moncton' operates the province's only nationally certified sports parachute club out of this facility.
The
Moncton Area Control Center, located in Riverview, is one of only seven such centers in Canada and is responsible for high level air traffic control over the Maritime Provinces.
[105] Being as it is on the
North Atlantic great circle route, all flights between the atlantic seaboard of
North America and
Europe pass through Moncton Centre airspace.
Railways
Moncton is served by two freight railway companies,
Canadian National Railway and the
New Brunswick East Coast Railway. The city is also served by
VIA Rail Canada, which provides rail passenger service to
Halifax and
Montreal six days per week with the ''
Ocean''.
[106]
Highways
Moncton is on
Route 2 (the
Trans-Canada Highway), at the junction of two other major divided highways. Route 2 leads to Halifax in the east and to
Fredericton and central Canada in the west.
Route 15 runs from Riverview, encircling Moncton, intersecting Route 2 on the eastern outskirts of the city, then leading to
Shediac and on to
Prince Edward Island.
Route 1 intersects Route 2 approximately 15 km west of the city, leading to
Saint John and on to
Maine.
[107]
Major urban roads
Codiac Transit
Principal city thoroughfares include Main Street, Assomption Boulevard, St. George Boulevard, Vaughan Harvey Boulevard, Mountain Road, Elmwood Drive, Morton Avenue, Lewisville Road, Paul Street, and Shediac Road. The
Trans-Canada Highway (
Route 2) bypasses the northern perimeter of the city. Wheeler Boulevard (
Route 15) serves as an inner ring road and is remarkable in that it is a high speed, 100 km/h (63 mph), divided highway bounded at either end by traffic circles.
[108]
Urban transit and regional bus service
The Metro Moncton Area is served by 'Codiac Transit', which is operated by the City of Moncton. It operates 28 busses on 23 routes throughout Moncton,
Dieppe and
Riverview.
[109] The city is currently working to increase its annual ridership from 1.6 million to 2.8 million. To assist with this, the bus fleet will increase to 54 vehicles within the next two years.
[110] Service frequency will increase with old routes reconfigured and new express routes added, including regular service to the international airport.
Moncton is also the headquarters of, and is a principal hub for, the
Acadian Lines interprovincial bus service. All other major centres in New Brunswick, as well as Halifax and Truro are served out of Moncton.
Military
The Moncton Garrison
Aside from locally formed militia units, the
military did not have a significant presence in the Moncton area until the beginning of the Second World War. In 1940, a large military supply base (CFB Moncton) was constructed on a railway spur line north of downtown next to the CNR shops. This base served as the main supply depot for the large wartime military establishment in the Maritimes.
[111] In addition, two
Commonwealth Air Training Plan bases were also built in the Moncton area during the war.
[112]A naval listening station was also constructed in Coverdale (Riverview) in 1941 to help in coordinating radar activities in the North Atlantic.
[112] Military flight training in the Moncton area terminated at the end of World War II and the naval listening station closed in 1971. CFB Moncton remained open to supply the maritime military establishment until just after the end of the
Cold War.
[112]
With the closure of CFB Moncton in the early 1990s, the military presence in Moncton has been significantly reduced.
[115] The northern portion of the former base property has been turned over to the Canada Lands Corporation and is slowly being redeveloped.
[116] The southern part of the former base remains an active
DND property and is now termed the 'Moncton Garrison'. It is affiliated with
CFB Gagetown.
[117] Resident components of the garrison include the 1 Construction Engineering Unit and 4 Air Defence Regiment (regular forces). The garrison also houses the 37 Canadian Brigade Group Headquarters (reserves) and one of the 37 Brigades constituent units; the
8th Canadian Hussars (Princess Louise's), which is an armoured reconnaissance regiment.
[117] A small logistical support unit providing assistance to CFB Gagetown is also located at the base.
[117]
Education
Post-secondary education
Although Moncton is not a "university town" in the same sense as
Halifax or
Fredericton, there are still a variety of options available for post secondary education in the southeastern New Brunswick region.
Universities
★
Université de Moncton - The largest French language university in Canada outside of
Quebec. Enrollment is just under 5000 students. U de M is a comprehensive university with a wide variety of undergraduate and post graduate degree programs including a School of Law.
[120][121]
★
Atlantic Baptist University - A private Christian liberal arts and science institution, affiliated with the
Convention of Atlantic Baptist Churches. Enrollment is over 600 students. Degrees are available in arts, science, education, business and religious studies.
[122]
★
University of New Brunswick - UNB Moncton consists of a health sciences campus located at the Moncton Hospital. Degree courses are available in Nursing and Medical X-ray Technology.
★
Mount Allison University - Consistently ranked as one of Canada's top undergraduate universities. Mt. A is located within commuting distance, only 25 minutes away in the nearby town of
Sackville. Enrollment is over 2200 students. Degree programs include Arts, Science, Commerce, Music and Fine Arts, and masters degrees in Biology and Chemistry. Mount Allison provides first year and extension university courses in Moncton and is planning a formal affiliation with the
Moncton Flight College to allow for a bachelors degree in aviation.
[122]
Community colleges
★
New Brunswick Community College - Moncton - (English), The largest campus in the NBCC system with an enrollment of over 4000. It provides training in over 30 different trades and technology disciplines.
[124]
★
New Brunswick Community College - Dieppe - (French), mandated to provide training in the trades and technology in the French language. Enrollment of about 2000.
Private colleges
★ Atlantic Business College - offers a variety of business, paramedical and paralegal programs.
★
Moncton Flight College - one of Canada's oldest and most prestigious flight schools, is also one of the largest flight schools in Canada.
★
McKenzie College - a visual arts institution specializing in graphic design, digital media and animation.
★
Oulton College - New Brunswick's longest established private college, provides training in a variety of business, paramedical, dental sciences, pharmacy, veterinary, youth care and paralegal programs.
Public school system
There are 34 public schools in greater Moncton, which are administered by separate Anglophone and Francophone school boards.
District 1 is Francophone and administers nine schools in the Moncton area.
District 2 is Anglophone and administers 25 schools in Greater Moncton.
High schools in Metro Moncton
★
Moncton High School, (Moncton, Anglophone)
★
Harrison Trimble High School, (Moncton, Anglophone)
★
Bernice MacNaughton High School, (Moncton, Anglophone)
★
Riverview High School, (Riverview, Anglophone)
★ École Mathieu-Martin, (Dieppe, Francophone)
★ École L'Odyssée, (Moncton, Francophone)
Health facilities
There are two major regional referral and teaching hospitals in Moncton:
The Moncton Hospital
'The Moncton Hospital' has approximately 400 active treatment beds
[125] and is affiliated with
Dalhousie University Medical School. It is home to the Northumberland family medicine residency training program and also hosts UNB degree programs in nursing and medical x-ray technology. Tertiary medical services include neurosciences (including neurosurgery and neurointerventional radiology), vascular surgery, orthopedics, trauma, burn unit, medical oncology, and neonatal intensive care. A $48 million expansion to the hospital scheduled for completion in 2007 will contain a new laboratory, ambulatory care centre and trauma centre.
[126]
The Dr. Georges-L. Dumont Regional Hospital
The 'Dr. Georges-L. Dumont Regional Hospital' has 347 beds
[127] and operates a satellite medical training program affiliated with
Université de Sherbrooke Medical School. There are degree programs in nursing and medical x-ray technology, which are administered by U de M. Tertiary medical services include oncology (including radiation oncology) and nephrology. A cardiac cath lab and a PET/CT scanner have been announced for the hospital.
[128] The hospital is also affiliated with the 'Atlantic Cancer Research Institute'.
Between these two institutions, Moncton serves as the main medical referral centre for the central Maritime region.
Media
Television
Rogers Cable has its provincial headquarters and main production facilities in Moncton and broadcasts on two
community channels, Cable 9 in French and Cable 10 in English. The French-language arm of the
CBC, (
Radio-Canada (SRC)) maintains its Atlantic Canadian headquarters in Moncton. The other broadcast television stations in Moncton represent all of the major national networks and include:
★ Channel 2 (Cable 8):
CKCW,
CTV
★ Channel 7 (Cable 3):
CBAT-2,
CBC
★ Channel 11 (Cable 12):
CBAFT,
SRC
★ Channel 27 (Cable 6):
CIHF-3,
Global
Radio
There are 14 broadcast radio stations in the city covering a variety of genres and interests, Ten of these stations are English and four are French. These stations are:
Print
★ The ''
Times & Transcript'' is Anglophone and is the city's main daily newspaper. It is also
New Brunswick's largest circulation daily newspaper.
[129]
★ ''L'Acadie Nouvelle'' serves as the city's French newspaper, but is published out of
Caraquet in northern New Brunswick.
★ ''
Here'' is a free weekly publication which covers local news from a more youthful perspective.
Cityscape
Moncton generally remains a "low rise" city and occupies a relatively large footprint for its size. The citys skyline however encompasses many buildings and structures with differing styles from many periods. Some of the most defining buildings and structures in the city are:
★ The
Aliant Tower, A 127 metre (417 ft) microwave communications tower which was built in 1971. When it was constructed it was the tallest tower of its kind in North America. It was formerly known as the NBTel Tower.
[130]
★
Assumption Place, A 20 story office building which is the headquarters of the Assumption Mutual Life Insurance Corporation. This building is 80.8 metres (265 ft) in height and is tied with Brunswick Square, (
Saint John) as the tallest building in the province.
[131]
★ The
Blue Cross Centre, A nine story building in downtown Moncton. Although only nine stories tall, it is architecturally distinctive, encompasses a full city block and is actually the largest office building in the city in terms of square footage.
[132] It is the headquarters of
Medavie Blue Cross.
★
The Delta Beauséjour Hotel, A 310 room, ten floor hotel. The Delta is the city's premier hotel and major conference facility, it is scheduled for major renovation in 2007.
[133]
There are about a half dozen other buildings in Moncton that range between eight and twelve stories in height, including the Brunswick Crowne Plaza Hotel and the Terminal Plaza office complex. None of these buildings however are imposing enough to really help define the city.
Government
Municipal government consists of a mayor and ten city councillors elected to four year terms of office. The council is non partisan with the mayor serving as the chairman, casting a ballot only in cases of a tie vote. There are four wards electing two councillors each with an additional two councillors selected at large by the general electorate. Day to day operation of the city is under the control of a City Manager.
[134]
The mayor of Moncton is
Lorne Mitton (elected May 2004).
Councillors:
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