🥒 No more game dill-ays

Good morning, Saint John. 105 years ago, the “Patriotic Potato Scandal” proved politics and potatoes don’t mix. Tens of thousands of barrels were supposed to go to from SJ to Europe, but somehow ended up in a gravy boat of patronage, perjury, and general half-baked shenanigans. 🥔

Here’s what we’re baking up this morning:

• City Sets Tent Rules 🔴

• Pickleball mania coming to Saint John 🥒

• Imelda Staunton, Martin Freeman & Rosamund Pike… Right Here! 👀

Later tater!

-Geoff Walsh, Publisher

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NEWS NOTES

🏕️ Council draws the lines on tent zones

After weeks of debate, Saint John council signed off on its “red zone” plan to limit where encampments can set up, but with a softer touch. Instead of a blanket ban, the city will move case by case, with a new 27-unit housing site opening in November to help. Non-profit Fresh Start Services, which originally pushed back, says talks with staff have been “thoughtful” and they’re on board for now. Meanwhile, a separate bid to ban all encampments outright got a hard no from most councillors, to cheers from the gallery.

🚓 Council pumps the brakes on police shake-up

Saint John council flirted with a big change Monday…scrapping the police commission and putting the force directly under council’s wing. Coun. Gerry Lowe pushed for it, saying it’d boost accountability, while Coun. Barry Ogden warned people don’t feel safe city. Instead, council hit pause. Coun. Paula Radwan said they need expert advice first, so staff will now review the governance model, with public input likely on deck.

📱 Bye-bye dead zones

Ever hit the Peninsula blasting your favourite tunes… and suddenly silence? The province is teaming up with Bell Canada to fix that. Using existing government towers, the first 10 sites will get upgraded starting in 2026, with mid-2027 as the target for completion. Minister René Legacy promises more reliable coverage for rural spots, so road trips, TikTok scrolling, and group texts might finally survive the countryside. Progress is slow, but at least your playlists will eventually keep up.

🌿 Nature Conservancy comes home

After a 10-year break, the Nature Conservancy of Canada is back in New Brunswick and they picked Saint John as the spot for their national meeting this week. Staff and board members are huddling here to check in on a big goal: protecting one million hectares of land by 2030. Top of their list? The Saint John River watershed, which is under pressure from development and home to more at-risk species than most places in Atlantic Canada. NCC is urging landowners to consider conservation deals, saying protecting forests, wetlands, and shorelines doesn’t just help wildlife — it can also protect people from flooding. Delegates will even head to Shampers Bluff on the Kingston Peninsula, a longtime NCC showcase site, to see conservation in action.

🦢 Goose poopocalypse averted

Saint John just leveled up in the battle against Canada geese. Meet the $13,500 “sweep-all”: basically a spinning broom on a tractor that eats goose droppings for breakfast (you eat what for breakfast?!) No more heroic raking, shoveling, or accidental nose-dives into fowl fallout. Parks staff say fields are cleaner than a surgeon’s floor, players can slide without fear, and geese? They’re about to learn who’s boss. Summer 2026 looks terrifying for waterfowl: the sweep-all is coming, and it’s hungry. ($)


🚢 Aurora docks, Uptown might be manageable

After an surprising three-ship day yesterday, uptown Saint John should feel… almost chill today with just under 2,000 tourists on the Aurora. Ya might actually get a seat at Pub Down Under for lunch, today. The city will still be buzzing, but at least it won’t feel like dodge-the-tourist day.

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LOCAL BUSINESS

🥒  Pickleball gets a Saint John home court

Pickleball is getting a permanent home in Saint John. Cross Court Pickleball is opening a four-court indoor facility at Loch Lomond Place, with doors expected to open mid-February. Co-founder Steve Skinner, who grew up in Atlantic Canada, says the city was “always high on our list because of its vibrant pickleball community and lack of dedicated facilities.” Memberships start at $27 a year, with casual players paying about $21.50 an hour to rent a court…or splitting the cost with friends. “For us it’s really about community and creating a place where people can play and have fun,” Skinner said. Expect leagues, drop-ins, skills sessions, and tournaments running from 5am to 11pm daily. 

👉 Want in? Join the Saint John Facebook group to keep tabs on updates and the membership pre-sale…our city’s own membership page goes live in November.

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EVENTS
What’s Happenin’

🎉 Grief centre marks 5 years with big community chat

The Compassionate Grief Centre is celebrating its 5th birthday in style with a night at Lily Lake Pavilion on October 8. The evening includes a Fireside Chat on mental health with Health Minister Dr. John Dornan and Dr. David Elias, plus a silent auction, cake, photo booth, and more. Tickets are $85, with every dollar helping the Centre reach its $20,000 goal to fund free and low-cost counselling. Tickets are available now.

🎭 London theatre lands in Saint John 

The Saint John Theatre Company just scored a major win for local culture buffs: National Theatre Live is coming to the BMO Studio Theatre. The series beams in world-class productions straight from London’s legendary stages, giving audiences here a front-row seat to performances by stars like Rosamund Pike (Gone Girl), Imelda Staunton (the Crown), Bessie Carter(Bridgerton), Martin Freeman (Fargo, the Hobit), and more. Tickets are $25, with the first show, Inter Alia, set for October 14.

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LOCAL PICS
WHERE ARE WE? 📸

Watch this spot each Wednesday for a random snap from somewhere in the Saint John Region. Where are we? Only true locals will know the answer. This one might be kinda tough, but then again, it may not. If you think this looks familiar hit reply and give us your best guess at where it might be. We’ll reveal the location and any correct guesses in Friday’s issue of SJ Today.

Tag @sjtoday.ca on Facebook to get your photos featured!

SIDE NOTES

Today’s Tides 🌊 

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Thanks!

Thanks for reading SJ Today - If you found it useful, share it with someone who likes to get to the root of local info each morning. 🥕

-Geoff Walsh, Publisher

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