As warmer summers become more common in Saint John, city officials are taking steps to better understand where heat is building up and how to manage it.

A new urban heat mapping project is underway to study temperature patterns across the city’s core.

The initiative is being led by the City of Saint John in partnership with ACAP Saint John and Bloom Funding.

The goal is to identify areas that retain more heat than others and explore ways to make those spaces safer and more comfortable.

The project focuses on the Urban Heat Island effect, a phenomenon where paved surfaces and buildings absorb and trap heat, making some neighbourhoods significantly warmer than nearby green spaces.

Roxanne MacKinnon, executive director of ACAP Saint John, said tree coverage plays a key role in cooling public areas.

“It can feel much hotter waiting at a bus stop downtown than sitting in a shaded park just a few kilometres away,” she said.

To collect data, the team is using temperature sensors and drone technology to map heat levels across Saint John.

The findings will help guide future investments in shade infrastructure, tree planting and cooling solutions, particularly in areas where residents may be more vulnerable to heat.

Maria Murphy, who is the vice president of development and social sustainability at Bloom Funding, highlighted how important it is to get input from the public.

“We want to hear from residents, where do you feel the heat most? What routes or bus stops need better shade?” she said.

Three community sessions are scheduled to gather input:

• September 15 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Nick Nicolle Community Centre
• September 26 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at Harbourfront Extension (rain location: Market Square Theatre)
• October 7 from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. online via Zoom

The Sept. 26 session will include contributions from Knowledge Keeper Elder Lapskahasit Cihkonaqc (Chris Brooks) of Sitansisk (St. Mary’s) First Nation.

Residents who cannot attend in person can share their input through the City’s Shape Your City online platform.

Funding for the project comes from the New Brunswick Environmental Trust Fund and the Federation of Canadian Municipalities’ Local Leadership for Climate Adaptation initiative.