[Moncton] Vision Lands | Dense Mixed Use Neighbourhood | up to 16 storeys | Proposed

[sailor734]

Originally Posted by new kid in town

Yeah the facebook comments are horrendous and terribly misinformed lol

Yep! I looked at a few of them but then gave up. A couple of people actually seemed to think this would all be paid for with government funds

Others seemed to be against private developers being allowed to build anything other than affordable housing.

[AGGUS]

I think I am going to buy a popcorn cart at set up at the city council meeting with public comments - should make a killing selling for the entertainment of the evening.

Just remembering how bad it was for previous reviews, this one might be epic.

[MonctonRad]

City moves forward with plan for Vision Lands
Vision Lands plan calls for thousands of homes, nature park, schools and businesses
Author of the article:Alan Cochrane
Published Feb 03, 2026 • Last updated 17 hours ago • 3 minute read
https://tj.news/moncton-miramichi/city-moves-forward-with-plan-for-vision-lands (paywall)

Moncton city council voted Monday to move forward with a secondary plan for the Vision Lands, which provides a road map for developers in the future.

The plan sets out guidelines for development of vacant properties in the northeast side of the city, which could eventually have more than 14,000 housing units with everything from single-family homes to 18-storey apartment buildings, along with recreational facilities, a fire station, big box stores and service businesses. The plan was passed by city council and will now go to the Planning Advisory Board, and return to council for a public presentation on Feb. 17. A public hearing, where council will hear from supporters and objectors, will be held April 7.

The plan unveiled Monday is the Visions Lands West, one of three “precincts” in the overall Vision Lands project. The others are the East Precinct and the Université de Moncton Precinct. The plan outlines the type of streets, buildings and other infrastructure regulations for developers.

They were also discussing this on CBC Information Morning today. They are applying for federal funding for LJR Blvd and for the Leopold Belliveau extension. Optimistically they think it will still be three years before shovels are in the ground. In the meantime, they will carry on with preliminary engineering work. The whole Vision Lands West build out will likely take at least 30 years. So, the plans as envisioned above won't come to full realization until nearly 2060.

[Taeolas]

With that much development in there, the McLaughlin is going to need a TCH exit just to help offset some of the pressure this will put on the Mapleton exit (and better serve Granite drive and Costco). Not as high a priority as getting those framework streets put in, but something that will certainly need to be done in the next 5-10 years.

I can't read the diagrams well enough to tell; but it seems to me that they may also want to add another exit interchange on Wheeler into this development. At the very least the Morton interchange will probably need some significant upgrades/reworking.

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by Taeolas

With that much development in there, the McLaughlin is going to need a TCH exit just to help offset some of the pressure this will put on the Mapleton exit (and better serve Granite drive and Costco). Not as high a priority as getting those framework streets put in, but something that will certainly need to be done in the next 5-10 years.

I can't read the diagrams well enough to tell; but it seems to me that they may also want to add another exit interchange on Wheeler into this development. At the very least the Morton interchange will probably need some significant upgrades/reworking.

There is a plan for an eventual interchange at McLaughlin/TCH. The question is "when?" Personally I think they should be doing this soon, A new interchange here would do a lot to decompress the traffic along Elmwood Drive at the TCH interchange there, and the Elmwood/Granite intersection.

I doubt there will be a second TCH interchange between Mapleton and McLaughlin.

[Sunnybrae]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

There is a plan for an eventual interchange at McLaughlin/TCH. The question is "when?" Personally I think they should be doing this soon, A new interchange here would do a lot to decompress the traffic along Elmwood Drive at the TCH interchange there, and the Elmwood/Granite intersection.

I doubt there will be a second TCH interchange between Mapleton and McLaughlin.

And right at the new interchange on McLaughlin/TCH, a 30 km/h school zone. Well, at least its on the south side so shouldn't impact traffic off the highway going to Granit Drive.

[adamuptownsj]

Would a full service road connecting Caledonia/Elmwood/Mapleton/McLaughlin/Gorge via Frenette-Granite-Queensway-Northwood help alleviate traffic, or is east-west less of an issue than north-south?

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by adamuptownsj

Would a full service road connecting Caledonia/Elmwood/Mapleton/McLaughlin/Gorge via Frenette-Granite-Queensway-Northwood help alleviate traffic, or is east-west less of an issue than north-south?

I think such a connection is an inevitability, but, the city is doing it's best to try and keep development south of the TCH in order to prevent sprawl. The city will only pursue this on a piecemeal basis to support specific development concerns.

Most east/west traffic out of the Granite Drive area are probably concerned more with access to the TCH than an alternate route with lower speed limits.

[Photo1]

I still have very mixed feelings about this project, while I know that we are one of the fastest growing cities in the entire country...I'm not completely sold on this project (which I realize is moot).

There was an opportunity here to make a large natural area within the growing city (think central park in New York, Stanley Park in Vancouver, Golden Gate Park San Fran, Richmond Park in London...etc).

Already bordered by infrastructure, with a wetland, forested, some trails...missed opportunity to expand on that, to me. Will the builders start coming after Centennial Park next?

In 20 years it will probably just be another neighbourhood in the city...and we'll forget that it was once a forest teeming with biodiversity.

Time will tell...onwards and upwards as they say.

[MonctonRad]

There is already a lot of protected area around there. The whole Hall's Creek Marsh is a greenway, which feeds into Mapleton Park. There will be a trail which will eventually extend all the way down to the Petitcodiac River near the Dieppe traffic circle. They are also planning a new regional park in the centre of the Vison Lands surrounding the north branch of Hall's Creek. This is not that much smaller than Mapleton Park, They also plan to convert the former quarry in the Vision Lands into a Wetlands park. Despite the density of this precinct, it will be a pretty green neighbourhood.

[Photo1]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

There is already a lot of protected area around there. The whole Hall's Creek Marsh is a greenway, which feeds into Mapleton Park. They are also planning a new regional park in the centre of the Vison Lands surrounding the north branch of Hall's Creek. They also plan to convert the former quarry in the Vision Lands into a Wetlands park.

What would have been great, is that extension piece that extends out from "West" down the the wet land area...if they'd made that part of the "park" area and had that as part of the green space too.

I'd draw it but have no where to upload it from to show what I mean.

[MonctonianSentinel01]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

There is already a lot of protected area around there. The whole Hall's Creek Marsh is a greenway, which feeds into Mapleton Park. There will be a trail which will eventually extend all the way down to the Petitcodiac River near the Dieppe traffic circle. They are also planning a new regional park in the centre of the Vison Lands surrounding the north branch of Hall's Creek. This is not that much smaller than Mapleton Park, They also plan to convert the former quarry in the Vision Lands into a Wetlands park. Despite the density of this precinct, it will be a pretty green neighbourhood.

This map doesn't show the UdeM lands north of Morton Avenue that they have on reserve, but only shows the campus south of Morton Avenue. Do they plan on developing the UdeM lands as a neighborhood as well or is this a mistake on the map visualization? Does anyone know if the city owns that land now?

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by MonctonianSentinel01

This map doesn't show the UdeM lands north of Morton Avenue that they have on reserve, but only shows the campus south of Morton Avenue. Do they plan on developing the UdeM lands as a neighborhood as well or is this a mistake on the map visualization? Does anyone know if the city owns that land now?

I agree. I beleive this was a mistake in the presentation.

They mentioned there were three separate areas in the overall Vision Lands project - the Vision Lands West, the Vision Lands East and the UdeM lands.

In their map they show the main UdeM campus, but neglect the land that UdeM owns on the north side of Morton Avenue. I firmly believe this UdeM expansion land is what they were really referring to when discussing the overall project

The expansion lands consist of the Faubourg du Mascaret project by Shannex (partially a retirement home for old UdeM staff, and also a training ground for health sciences, nursing and medical students at UdeM). This is why it was built on UdeM property. It also consists of the land immediately to the west of the Faubourg, where UdeM has constructed an access road and a parallel street. Nothing has been built in there yet (AFAiK), but the intent is to use it as an incubator business, science and commercial park affiliated with the university. This will be used to help nourish and promote businesses during early development based on research work done at the university.

Land will be developed here in conjunction with the university, and it will essentially be a business park.

[Leroy321]

Some more photos from PAC:















https://www5.moncton.ca/docs/pac/PAC/Feb_25_2026/6_a_Vision_Lands_Avis_Public_Notices.pdf

[Leroy321]

I also noticed they listed the landowners. I am suprised thrive is still on it, maybe this is what they have been saving for.

[MonctonRad]

New plan proposes to unlock Moncton’s Vision Lands for urban development
120-acre regional park included in plan for residential, commercial growth
Erica Butler · CBC News · Posted: Feb 21, 2026 6:00 AM AST | Last Updated: 6 hours ago
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-bruns...es-unlock-moncton-vision-lands-9.7099873

Not much really new in this CBC article. I imagine it was posted based on the PACS presentation.

“We're looking at a housing projection of around 14,000 [units]” said Josh Davies, manager of Moncton’s long-range planning team.

That’s enough to accommodate about 30,000 residents. But all that development will not happen right away.

Between the Vision Lands and the Station Yards, the city now has master plans in the northwest end for about 40,000 new residents. These two developments are close together but not contiguous, so there will be two nodes for growth for the future. The trend for Moncton to be a multi-nodal city is accelerating.

Moncton’s urban growth strategy calls for only about one third of new development to happen on “greenfield” sites like the Vision Lands. The rest is expected to happen in the city’s downtown or through infilling and densification throughout the city.

I'm glad to see the city still plans for densification in the core. This is really dependent on Ashford/Downing. I am really conflicted on the eventual future of this development. I believe Ashford is committed, but cautious, and the city is supportive and is providing the necessary infrastructure, but, I think federal and provincial support is on shaky grounds, threatening the entire development.

In addition to copious residential and commercial development, the plan includes a major new regional park, a greenway along Hall’s Creek, a stormwater wetland park, space for new recreation facilities and two potential new schools.

Davies said about 34 per cent of Vision Lands West has been set aside for “green or active transportation space,” which will set it apart from other areas of the city in terms of how people get around.

The idea of getting people to move around the area without need for a car was a “primary focus,” said Davies. That includes trails and multi-use paths and also plans for commercial and mixed-use zones in the area.

This image from Leroy321's post above shows how committed the city is to active transportation in the Vision Lands. All of the routes in brown are either trail or active transportation corridors. The thicker brown lines are the active transportation corridors. The route labelled "1" will be part of a single long contiguous active transportation corridor extending from The Petitcodiac River by Champlain Place all the way past the Vision Lands and through Mapleton Park to Gorge Road. This could easlit be extended to Magnetic Hill.

The “timing is right” for public funding opportunities, said Davies, with new federal housing programs, like Build Canada Homes, coming online, for which Vision Lands West could be “a really strong candidate.”

[jonny golden]

I am really conflicted on the eventual future of this development. I believe Ashford is committed, but cautious, and the city is supportive and is providing the necessary infrastructure, but, I think federal and provincial support is on shaky grounds, threatening the entire development.

It's a difficult project to figure out, especially given Ashford's silence.

If there are issues with public funding, would Ashford forge ahead with the private component of the overall development in the meantime?

I'm sure that the city is anxious for this development to proceed, and will do everything in their power to facilitate things, but so much is going on behind the curtain. We just don't know for sure what the holdup is.

What we really need is a meaningful update on the whole project.

[MonctonRad]

I posted this a couple of years ago. I think this is even more true today.

Moncton has a nascent active transportation trail system which should be the envy of other cities in the region. This is based on greenways along the Petitcodiac River and Hall's Creek and Humphrey Brook. No other city (except perhaps Fredericton) has such an advantage.

In the far distant future (50 years or so) when the city feels the need to explore the possibility of regional mass transportation (presumably LRT), this same active transportation system could serve double duty as the basis of an LRT network.

I drew up this fanciful depiction of a simple LRT network back in 2024:



My simplified LRT system would consist of two lines.

Line One would begin at Magnetic Hill, extend down the Northwest Trail and through the MID Industrial Park (along Wheeler Blvd), then along the south side of West Main Street and the Petitcodiac riverfront adjacent to downtown and south of Champlain Street, before deviating a little to the south along the north side of the Dieppe Marsh, then onwards to Dieppe Blvd (uptown Dieppe) and ultimately YQM.

Line Two would similarly begin at Magnetic Hill, passing close to Crandall University, then through Mapleton Park and along the south flank of the Vision Lands (adjacent to the suburban town centre), along Hall's Creek by UdeM and the GDH before interconnecting with Line One somewhere near the Superstore or Champlain Place.

Two lines, but passing by a majority of the places in Moncton/Dieppe That people would want to go to. The number of street interactions is minimal, and could be dealt with by elevated sections of track. Elevated trackage might also be a good idea along the Northwest trail and the Petitcodiac riverfront.

With regional mass transportation, you would want to limit the number of stations in order to make the line more speedy. For Line Two.the stations could be:
- Magnetic Hill
- Crandall
- Vision Lands
- UdeM/GDH
- Champlain Place

Connections at Champlain would allow commuters to transfer to Line One to get to downtown Moncton, uptown Dieppe or YQM.

Moncton is designed for an LRT system. It will happen at some point, but we will need to get to a regional population of 400,000 or 500,000 first.

Compare how easy it is to come up with LRT routes in Moncton vs Halifax. There is no comparable obvious route structure available in HRM. The city is already too built up. The harbour, and the constricting nature of the downtown peninsula get in the way, and, HRM does not have greenways along the riverine systems like Moncton does. They are comparatively screwed.

[Philbilly]

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[monctonwatch]

the moncton industrial park purchased 145 acres north of the tch between mapleton and mclaughlan, at one point i was shown a plan but can't seem to find it, but the plan included a new industrial park that will connect Queensway to Granite. That would alleviate some of the pressure for the elmwood exit if it ever gets built