GDS-014 - Street and Public Space Naming Policy
Title: City of Saint John Street and Public Space Naming Policy
Subject: Street and Public Space Naming Category: Policy
Policy No.: GDS-014 M&C Report No.: 2023-193
Effective Date: Next Review Date: (3 years)
Area(s) this policy applies to: Growth and Office Responsible for review of this Policy:
Community Services, GIS, Clerk’s Office, GCO Growth and Community Services
Related Instruments: Policy Sponsor:
Document Pages: This document consists of 13
pages.
Revision History:
Common Clerk's Annotation for Official Record
Date of Passage of Current document: July 24, 2023
I certify that this Policy was adopted by Common Council as indicated
immediately above.
November 27, 2023
City Clerk Date
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PREAMBLE: NAMING PUBLIC STREETS AND SPACES
DEFINITIONS
1. POLICY STATEMENT ................................................................................................................ 4
2. PURPOSE ................................................................................................................................ 5
3. SCOPE ..................................................................................................................................... 5
4. GENERAL GUIDELINES ............................................................................................................. 5
5. SPECIFIC GUIDELINES FOR NAMING STREETS .......................................................................... 6
7. SPECIFIC GUIDELINES FOR NAMING PUBLIC SPACES ................................................................ 7
8. CITY STREET AND PUBLIC SPACE NAMING PROCESS ................................................................ 7
9. ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES ................................................................................................10
"Cities have the capability of providing something for everybody, only because, and only when,
they are created by everybody."
-Jane Jacobs
The names of streets and public spaces help to define the identity of a city and how citizens
interact with it. Practically, they serve as a mailing address for deliveries, a location for emergency
services, or a navigational tool. Culturally, they are the vernacular of a city: a beloved corner, a
park dedicated with pride and reflection, a street name that tells a story. As a City rich in diverse
histories, cultural identities, and natural resources, the names placed on street and public spaces
can help build social cohesion, and influence experiences and perceptions of the city.
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Definitions
Ceremonial Name refer to an honorary name assigned to a space in honour of an
individual, event, or an organization that has made a significant contribution to that
community or neighborhood.
City refers to the City of Saint John
Civic Commemoration Committee is the Council appointed committee that adjudicates
city asset naming applications based on the approved policy.
Collector Road is a low to moderate capacity road which serves to move traffic from local
roads to arterial roads and which is designed to provide access to residential properties.
Commemorative Name is a name assigned as the primary name to a Street or Public
Space to commemorate one or more individuals, communities, organizations, events, or
ideas of significance to Saint John, New Brunswick, or Canada.
Consultation refers to the process in which staff engages subject matter experts and/or
the public for information and feedback for decision-making. This may include online
consultation, in person meetings, surveys, or polls.
Directionals are words that incorporate a cardinal or ordinal direction (i.e., North, South,
Northwest, etc.)
Duplicate Names are names that are spelled identically, even if pronunciation differs.
Guiding Principles refers to the Terms of Reference of the Civic Commemoration
Committee
Knowledge Keeper/Elder is a person recognized by a First Nations community as having
knowledge and understanding of traditional culture of the community. Individuals
possess knowledge and wisdom of spiritual and social traditions, coupled with the
recognition and respect of community members. “Elder” is the most common
contemporary English word for these individuals, although many First Nations utilize
different traditional terms to describe these individuals.
Master List of Street and Public Space Names is a City dataset that includes all names
approved by the Civic Commemoration Committee for use as a street or public space
name. Names may be reserved for a specific development or available for general use.
Naming a street or public space means assigning a legal name. This is the name used for
addressing and emergency response identification.
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Public Space refers to any City owned real property or significant related assets including,
but not limited to, community centres, plazas, beaches, parks, playgrounds, sports fields,
gazebos, trails, multipurpose rooms, gymnasiums, and ice rinks. Additionally, unless
otherwise stated in this Policy, any reference to City Property in this Policy includes
Property Features.
Soundalike Names are names that sound alike when the name is spoken aloud but that
may be spelled differently, or that sound sufficiently similar that a person in distress may
mispronounce the name in such a way to cause confusion for way finding (i.e., Hutchison,
Hutchinson; Smith, Smyth; Johnson, Johnsen)
Sponsorship is the contractual arrangement for a defined period of time where a third
party provides goods, services, or financial contribution in return for access to the
commercial/marketing potential associated with rights for the inclusion and public
display of the third party’s name as part of the name of a City Asset.
Subdivision By-law is the by-law governing the subdivision process of dividing a larger
parcel of land into individual lots and streets.
Subject Matter Expert (SME) acts as a repository of authoritative information. In relation
to this policy, the SME could be a historian, government staff, stakeholder in EDI,
community organizer, elder, or a person who has historical, analytical, or other
knowledge to guide staff and committee members.
Theme Naming means assigning names within a neighbourhood or subdivision that have
a commonality to create a sense of place or belonging.
Topographic Feature is a surface feature or geographical contours of the land, both
natural and manmade
Equity Deserving Group describes a subset of a population that holds a smaller
percentage within a significant subgroup than the subset holds in the general population.
Wayfaring Name is a non-Commemorative Name, often using topographic, flora, or fauna
names.
1. Policy Statement
The City of Saint John recognizes that the names of streets and public spaces are critical
for municipal addressing and emergency response purposes.
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The City acknowledges that the names of streets and public spaces reflect community
values by demonstrating how the city chooses to collectively recognize and honour the
past.
The City may use commemorative street and place naming as a tool to create an
inclusive and diverse culture.
The City will streamline the operational guidelines to address requests from residents,
staff, and developers who request to name a new or pre-existing street or public spaces.
The City will empower staff and the Civic Commemoration Committee to guide and
advise Council through the naming of public streets, assets, and spaces including but not
limited to roads, parks, buildings, rinks, fields, beaches, and plazas.
2. Purpose
This policy is intended for the naming and renaming of streets and public spaces, This
policy is used to provide a framework for adjudicating applications submitted to the
Civic Commemoration Committee. This policy is also used to provide a framework for
departments and other committees as applicable.
3. Scope
3.1 This policy applies to the Civic Commemoration Committee, City departments and
other Committees appointed by Common Council as applicable. Naming for the
purposes of “wayfaring, cultural, historical, heritage, or commemoration” is within
the scope of this policy, while naming rights for the purposes of economic benefit
for this City is not. The sponsorship process and naming of assets by way of
sponsorship by third parties is outside the purview of the committee.
3.2 This policy applies to City owned assets only, including but not limited to streets
and public spaces. Requests to honour individuals, groups, or organizations on
private land are out of scope and should be organized by the neighborhood
association or community organization.
3.3 “Dedications” such as found on benches, trees, paving stones, ceremonial markers,
planting beds are out of scope, and would be directed to the Parks Department,
Land for Public Purposes Program, or the Commemorative Bench Program.
3.4 “Interpretative panels and outdoor exhibits” provide appreciation of persons,
places, and events of importance. Their intent, however, is not to “honour” but to
educate and to provide an understanding of the significance of the subject and
therefore are not included in this policy.
3.5 “Public Art” - A separate policy and set of procedures will capture the
commissioning, donation, and placement of Public Art within the City of Saint
John.
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4. General Guidelines for Street and Public Space Naming
4.1 The City will consider proposals for street and public space naming but is under
no obligation to accept a proposal to name or rename a Street or Public Space.
4.2 Streets and Public Spaces whose names have been reviewed within the previous
ten years will generally not be renamed or reviewed.
4.3 All materials submitted to the Civic Commemoration Committee in conjunction
with street and public space applications will be considered public information.
4.4 All naming requests will be subject to the naming review process, including a
Technical Review and Commemorative Name Review.
4.5 All new commemorative park, street, and civic asset names within the City of Saint
John must be approved by the Civic Commemoration Committee in accordance
with these guidelines.
4.6 Proposed names must be in compliance with the New Brunswick Human Rights
Code.
4.7 Approved names for streets, parks, and other civic assets must not be problematic
for dispatching emergency services personnel (i.e., duplicate or soundalike names).
Names will be cross referenced with NB911 services to prevent this issue.
4.8 Proposed names in an Indigenous language or a Commemorative Name
recognizing an Indigenous individual, organization, event, or concept will require
consultation with Indigenous communities and adherence to appropriate
Indigenous practices or protocols.
4.9 Theme naming for streets and parks within a neighbourhood or subdivision is
permitted so long as the theme is in accordance with these guidelines.
4.10 Street and Public Space names shall not make a direct or indirect reference to
recent events or recently deceased individuals until two years has elapsed since
the event or death.
4.11 All street and public space names, regardless of language of origin, must be
rendered in the modern Latin alphabet on the primary signage on the pole to
facilitate way finding and mail delivery. Additional signage featuring syllabics in
language groups or other cultural groups with a strong connection to the area may
be added as secondary signage.
4.12 Directionals may not be incorporated into the prefix of a street or park name.
4.13 The duration of the property name is at the sole discretion of the City and may be
revoked or the City Property may be renamed as per the process outlined in this
policy.
4.14 Naming or renaming a street or public space on behalf of an individual, event, or
organization requires the written consent of the named party or the named party’s
representative. In circumstances where consent has not been received, the City, in
the absence of any refusal to provide consent or legal concerns, may approve the
name if it is satisfied that reasonable efforts have been made to obtain consent.
4.15 Suffixes for street names are assigned by GIS to ensure the appropriate suffix is
used to describe the type, function, length, and configuration of the street.
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4.16 New streets and subdivisions will follow the same guidelines for public streets and
spaces. The recommendation by the Civic Commemoration Committee will adhere
to the subdivision by-law of the City of Saint John.
5 Specific Guidelines for Naming Streets:
5.1 When a street name honours a person or persons, surnames alone will be approved
for use.
5.2 The City of Saint John will work with the developer/owner to create more
meaningful address descriptions for structures located thereon and to align with
this policy criteria to ensure public safety and way finding.
5.3 Whenever possible, the City of Saint John will work with regional partners
including First Nations and the Province of New Brunswick to conduct naming
procedures in the Saint John area in a manner that ensures public safety and way
finding. This may include, but is not limited to: consultation, name vetting on
behalf of the regional partner, reserving a name from the Master List of Street
and Public Space Names for a regional partner.
5.4 Private streets shall be required to conform to the General Guidelines of this policy
(Section 4).
6 Specific Guidelines for Naming Public Spaces:
6.1 This policy does not apply to parks or features within a park where sponsorship
has been provided by third-party organizations.
6.2 When a park name honours a person or persons, first and last names may be
approved for use.
6.3 The City of Saint John shall consult with third party interest groups, including but
not limited to:
6.3.1 The local community association or board
6.3.2 The developer of the park or subdivision
6.3.3 User groups, organizations, or residents in the area
6.4 If the park is located on a joint use site involving the City of Saint John and a
school, or if the site is adjacent to a school, the City shall consult with the province
prior to naming the park.
6.5 In the case of a proposed renaming, the City shall arrange for a public consultation
process in cooperation with the respective community association, board, or user
group to consult those affected by the name change.
6.6 Elements within zone and municipal parks that are distinct and separate such as
athletic fields, pavilions, plazas and other public spaces may also be named in
accordance with these guidelines at the discretion of the City of Saint John.
7 City Streets and Public Space Naming Process
7.1 At any time, a proposal for naming City Streets and Public Spaces may be
submitted by staff, council, or the public.
7.2 In the case of a staff referral, the proposal is sent directly to GIS staff.
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7.3 The public can propose a potential name to the City via a website form requesting
a name change or a submission to the master list.
7.4 Letters to council will be referred to staff and placed in the queue for
consideration and will be processed as a website submission.
7.5 Requests by staff or council regarding time-sensitive projects will be given
precedence.
7.6 All proposals to name a street or public space will go through a Technical Review;
if the proposed name is Commemorative, the proposal will also go through a
Guiding Principles Review.
7.7 Technical Review
7.7.1 GIS staff will notify applicant when a proposal is received.
7.7.2 Staff (GIS) will review proposal for completeness. If the proposal is
incomplete, staff will provide recommended next steps.
7.7.3 For non-commemorative street names, if the proposal is complete and
complies with the Street Naming Policy, staff will make a positive
recommendation to Council for consideration on the proposed non-
commemorative name.
7.7.4 If the proposal does not comply to the Street and Public Space Naming
Policy, the applicant will be notified.
7.7.5 For Commemorative names, if the proposal is complete and complies
with the Street and Public Space Naming Policy, GIS will forward it to the
Civic Commemoration Committee Staff lead for the Guiding Principles
Review.
7.8 Commemorative Naming Review
7.8.1 If a Commemorative name is recommended during the Property
Development and Capital Project Planning process, a request will be
made to the Civic Commemoration Committee.
7.8.2 The Committee will begin the process to select a Commemorative name,
working with the City's Guiding Principles for Commemoration.
7.8.3 The Committee may engage the public and stakeholders for naming or
choose from the Master List of Street and Public Space Names.
7.8.4 If the proposal does not meet the Guiding Principles, staff will notify the
applicant if further information is required for resubmission, or the
reasons that the proposal was declined. Staff may also suggest
alternative commemorative naming opportunities such as the City of
Saint John Memorial Tree and Bench program.
7.8.5 At the completion of the Civic Commemoration Committee process, and
a name that demonstrably meets all criteria has been chosen, the Civic
Commemoration Committee will submit a Commemorative Name Report
for approval by Common Council. If the request is for a new street in a
subdivision, the committee will adhere to the direction of the current
Subdivision By-law.
7.9 Naming a New Street or Public Space
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The staff lead responsible for a new City Street or Public Space will consult GIS
and Growth and Community Services prior to naming and follow the Technical
Review and/or Commemorative Naming Review.
7.10 City Led Renaming
The City may be required to update the existing Wayfinding name of an existing
City Street for safety or operational purposes following a Technical Review. The
City will follow the guidelines outlined in this policy.
7.11 Public Requests for Renaming
7.11.1 The City will only consider requests to review a name of a City street or
property when in:
a. The name poses a threat to health and safety and/or wayfinding;
b. The name honouring a person has been misspelled;
c. The historical legacy of the namesake has been found to be
unfitting of honour through consultation with the Civic
Commemoration Committee and subject matter experts;
d. The current name is inconsistent with City By-laws or policies;
7.11.2 The public may submit a proposal to rename a City Street or Public Space
that currently has a Wayfinding name or Commemorative name with a
new Commemorative name.
7.11.3 The City will consider such proposals but is under no obligation to accept
a proposed name.
7.11.4 Proposals by the public must be made using the City’s Street Naming and
Public Space Naming Form and at minimum is to include:
a. The current name and/or address of the City Property;
b. The proposed Commemorative Name for the City Property or
street;
c. The rationale for the proposed Commemorative Name and how
the Commemorative Name fits the Guiding Principles for
Commemoration;
d. Documented support from the community, including but not
limited to petitions or support letters;
e. A public request to rename a street requires the applicant to
demonstrate that at least 75% of the street’s residents, property
owners, and businesses are in support through a petition, letter,
or email.
7.11.5 The information above is sent to Growth and Community Services, and
staff will prepare the information to be included in the Civic
Commemoration Committee’s proceeding meeting. The Committee will
use the Commemorative Naming Review.
7.11.6 The Committee will assess the proposal against the City of Saint John
Guiding Principles for Commemoration.
7.11.7 If the Committee decides there is ample cause for renaming, the
Committee will follow the process outlined in the Commemorative
Naming Review.
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7.12 Master List of Street and Public Space Names
Twice a year, the City will provide an opportunity for the public to submit
commemorative names to be considered for the Master List of Street and Public
Space Names. This will be done via a webform on the City’s website.
Information must include:
a. The proposed Commemorative Name;
b. The rationale for the proposed Commemorative Name and how
the Commemorative Name fits with the Guiding Principles for
Commemoration;
c. Any historic Documentation.
7.13 The submitted commemorative names will be vetted using the Technical Review
and Commemorative Naming Review.
7.14 Names that meet the criteria will be placed on the Master List of Street and
Public Space Names for future consideration. This list will be reviewed annually
for NB911 changes.
8 Roles & Responsibilities
The GIS staff has authority to recommend to the Common Council or a committee with
delegated authority as identified in the Subdivision By-Law, a wayfaring street name.
The GIS staff is responsible for providing committee support for the Civic
Commemoration Committee, including maintaining the list of street and park names
approved for use.
The Civic Commemoration Committee is responsible for adjudicating commemorative
names of street and public space applications in accordance with this policy.
The Common Council is responsible for final approval of names recommended by GIS
staff or the Civic Commemoration Committee unless otherwise delegated to a
committee.
City departments are responsible for ensuring that street and public space names
suggested for use in new neighbourhoods are in compliance with this policy.
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