Saint Stephen Parish, New Brunswick

Saint Stephen is a civil parish in Charlotte County, New Brunswick, Canada,[4] located in the southwestern corner of the province.

This article is about the civil parish, former local service district, and rural census subdivision. For the town, see St. Stephen, New Brunswick.

Saint Stephen
St. Stephen
Parish
Location within Charlotte County.
Location within Charlotte County.
Country Canada
Province New Brunswick
CountyCharlotte County
Erected1786
Area
[1]
 • Land102.83 km2 (39.70 sq mi)
Population
 (2021)[1]
 • Total1,671
 • Density16.3/km2 (42/sq mi)
 • Change 2016-2021
Decrease 9.1%
 • Dwellings
772
Time zoneUTC-4 (AST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC-3 (ADT)
Figures do not include portion within the town of St. Stephen

For governance purposes, almost the entire parish is part of the town of the Municipal District of St. Stephen,[5] with a small area along Moores Mills Lake belonging to the Southwest rural district,[6] both of which are members of the Southwest New Brunswick Service Commission.[7]

Prior to the 2023 governance reform, it comprised one town, two local service districts (LSDs), and part of a third LSD, all of which were members of the Southwest New Brunswick Service Commission (SNBSC).[8]

The Census subdivision of the same name includes all of the parish except the town of St. Stephen.[1]

Origin of name

Historian William F. Ganong believed the name suggested by other Saint names in the area.[9] Five of the original six mainland parishes of Charlotte County used names of major saints recognised by the Church of England: Andrew (Scotland), David (Wales), George (England), Patrick (Ireland), and Stephen.

History

Saint Stephen Parish was established in 1786 as one of Charlotte County's original parishes,[10] including Dufferin Parish, but only extending as far north as Hayman Hill and Swede Road.

Boundaries

Saint Stephen Parish is bounded:[2][11][12]

  • on the north by a line beginning at a point about 1.2 kilometres east-northeast of where Route 735 crosses Hoodleys Brook, then running east-northeasterly along the prolongation of the northern line of a grant to Robert Watson, the Watson grant, and the prolongation to a point on the eastern shore of Moores Mills Lake about 600 metres north of the kink in Murphy Road;
  • on the east by a line running downstream through Moores Mills Lake and Dennis Stream to where the stream crosses the eastern line of the tier of grants along Route 750, about 350 metres east of the junction of Marks Road and Route 750, then southerly along the eastern line of the tier and its prolongation to the rear line of grants fronting on the St. Croix River, then westerly along the rear line to the Old Bay Road, then southwesterly along the road to the mouth of Dennis Stream;
  • on the south and southwest by the St. Croix River;
  • on the northwest by a line beginning on the St. Croix about 1.5 kilometres upstream of the end of Chandler Road, at the prolongation of the northwestern line of a grant to Isabella Boyce on the western side of Mohannes Stream, then running northeasterly along the prolongation, the Boyce grant, and the prolongation to meet the western line of grants along Route 735, then northerly along the western line of the tier of grants, crossing Route 735 and continuing on to the starting point.

Evolution of boundaries

The original northern line of Saint Stephen began near Valley Road and ran westerly through Hayman Hill and Swede Road to the St. Croix River.[10] The identity of the St. Croix was still in dispute, the British claiming the Penobscot as the river where Samuel de Champlain overwintered, the Americans claimed the Magaguadavic. In 1798 the boundary commission settled on the Schoodic River following the discovery of Champlain's site on Dochets Island and the river was officially renamed St. Croix.

In 1813 the northern line was extended north to match the northern line of Saint David Parish, adding everything south of a line from Saint David's northwestern corner to north of the mouth of King Brook Lake.[13] Basswood Ridge, DeWolfe, Gleason Road, Oak Hill, Pomeroy Ridge, Scotch Ridge, and Upper Little Ridge are all in the area that was added.

In 1823 the northern and northwestern parts of the parish formed the newly erected Saint James Parish,[14] giving the parish its current northern boundary.[lower-alpha 1]

In 1873 the eastern part of the parish was erected as Dufferin Parish,[17] giving the parish its current boundaries.

Former governance

Town

The pre-reform town of St. Stephen is in the southeastern corner of the parish, stretching from nearly the eastern line of the parish to Milltown.[18]

Local service districts

All LSDs assessed for only the basic LSD services of fire protection, police services, land use planning, emergency measures, and dog control.[19]

Saint Stephen Parish

The local service district of the parish of Saint Stephen originally comprised all of the parish outside the twin towns of St. Stephen and Milltown. It was later reduced to the southwestern corner of the mainland and the islands of the St. Croix River.[20]

The LSD was established in 1969 to assess for community services,[21] in this case to provide ambulance service after local funeral homes ceased doing so.[22] Fire protection was added in 1970.[23]

The taxing authority was 518.00 Saint Stephen.[19]

Dennis-Weston

Dennis-Weston comprised all of the mainland east from the rear line of grants along Route 740.[20]

The LSD was established in 1988 to assesses for first aid and ambulance services.[24]

The taxing authority was 529.00 Dennis-Weston.

Western Charlotte

Western Charlotte extended into Saint Stephen Parish from Saint James Parish.

Former municipalities
  • Milltown was a town on the western edge of St. Stephen, with Boundary Street as the border between them. It was incorporated in 1873,[25] and amalgamated with St. Stephen on 1 October 1973 as St. Stephen – Milltown,[26] which was renamed St. Stephen in 1975.[27]
  • Upper Mills was a town along the St. Croix River from slightly west of the mouth of Mohannes Stream to the Bailey Rips. It was incorporated in 1874[28] and dissolved in 1896.[29]

Communities

Communities at least partly within the parish.[11][12][30] bold indicates an incorporated municipality

Bodies of water

Bodies of water[lower-alpha 2] at least partly within the parish.[11][12][30]

  • St. Croix River
    • Woodland Flowage
  • Dennis Stream
  • Mohannes Stream
  • Kendricks Lake
  • Moores Mills Lake

Islands

Islands at least partly within the parish.[11][12][30]

  • Butler Islands
  • numerous unnamed islands in the St. Croix River

Other notable places

Parks, historic sites, and other noteworthy places at least partly within the parish.[11][12][30]

Demographics

Population total does not include town of St. Stephen

Population
Canada census – Saint Stephen community profile
202120162011
Population1,671 (-9.1% from 2016)1,839 (-7.4% from 2011)1,986 (-6.0% from 2006)
Land area102.83 km2 (39.70 sq mi)103.25 km2 (39.87 sq mi)103.38 km2 (39.92 sq mi)
Population density16.3/km2 (42/sq mi)17.8/km2 (46/sq mi)19.2/km2 (50/sq mi)
Median age49.6 (M: 48.8, F: 50.4)47.8 (M: 46.9, F: 48.7)44.0 (M: 43.5, F: 44.5)
Private dwellings705 (total)  820 (total)  827 (total) 
Median household income$50,560$50,064
References: 2021[31] 2016[32] 2011[33] earlier[34][35]
Historical Census Data - Saint Stephen Parish, New Brunswick
YearPop.±%
1991 1,818—    
1996 1,890+4.0%
YearPop.±%
2001 1,856−1.8%
2006 2,113+13.8%
YearPop.±%
2011 1,986−6.0%
2016 1,839−7.4%
[36][37]

Language
Canada Census Mother Tongue - Saint Stephen Parish, New Brunswick[36]
Census Total
English
French
English & French
Other
Year Responses Count Trend Pop % Count Trend Pop % Count Trend Pop % Count Trend Pop %
2011
1,955
 1,900 Decrease 6.9% 97.19% 35 Decrease 12.5% 1.79% 5 Increase n/a% 0.25% 15 Decrease 40.0% 0.77%
2006
2,105
 2,040 Increase 12.0% 96.91% 40 Increase 12.5% 1.90% 0 Decrease 100.0% 0.00% 25 Increase 60.0% 1.19%
2001
1,850
 1,795 Decrease 1.9% 97.03% 35 Increase 28.6% 1.89% 10 Increase n/a% 0.54% 10 Increase n/a% 0.54%
1996
1,855
 1,830 n/a 98.65% 25 n/a 1.35% 0 n/a 0.00% 0 n/a 0.00%

Access Routes

Highways and numbered routes that run through the parish, including external routes that start or finish at the parish limits:[38]

See also

Notes
  1. A single-word error inserted in 1850[15] was corrected in 1958[16] without the boundary ever changing.
  2. Not including brooks, ponds or coves.

References
  1. "Census Profile". Statistics Canada. 26 October 2022. Retrieved 30 October 2022.
  2. "Chapter T-3 Territorial Division Act". Government of New Brunswick. Retrieved 5 June 2023.
  3. "Chapter I-13 Interpretation Act". Government of New Brunswick. Retrieved 5 June 2023.
  4. The Territorial Division Act[2] divides the province into 152 parishes, the cities of Saint John and Fredericton, and one town of Grand Falls. The Interpretation Act[3] clarifies that parishes include any local government within their borders.
  5. "Southwest Regional Service Commission: RSC 10". Government of New Brunswick. Retrieved 5 June 2023.
  6. "Southwest Regional Service Commission: RD 10". Government of New Brunswick. Retrieved 5 June 2023.
  7. "Regions Regulation – Regional Service Delivery Act". Government of New Brunswick. 21 July 2022. Retrieved 5 June 2023.
  8. "Communities in each of the 12 Regional Service Commissions (RSC) / Les communautés dans chacune des 12 Commissions de services régionaux (CSR)" (PDF), Government of New Brunswick, July 2017, retrieved 1 February 2021
  9. Ganong, William F. (1896). A Monograph of the Place-Nomenclature of the Province of New Brunswick. Royal Society of Canada. p. 270. Retrieved 17 March 2021.
  10. "26 Geo. III Chapter I. An Act for the better ascertaining and confirming the Boundaries of the several Counties within this Province, and for subdividing them into Towns or Parishes.". Acts of the General Assembly of His Majesty's Province of New-Brunswick, passed in the year 1786. Saint John, New Brunswick: Government of New Brunswick. 1786. pp. 3–12. Retrieved 20 March 2021.
  11. "No. 160". Provincial Archives of New Brunswick. Department of Natural Resources and Energy Development. Retrieved 4 July 2021.
  12. "478" (PDF). Transportation and Infrastructure. Government of New Brunswick. Retrieved 4 July 2021. Remainder of parish on mapbooks 487 and 488 at same site.
  13. "53 Geo. III c. 2 An Act, to enlarge the limits of the Parish of Saint Stephen, in the County of Charlotte.". Acts of the General Assembly of His Majesty's Province of New-Brunswick; Passed in the Year 1813. Saint John, New Brunswick: Government of New Brunswick. 1813. p. 21. Retrieved 27 March 2021.
  14. "4 Geo. IV c. 11 An Act for erecting a part of the Parish of Saint Stephen and the Country adjacent, in the County of Charlotte, into a separate and distinct Town or Parish.". Acts of the General Assembly of His Majesty's Province of New-Brunswick, Passed in the Year 1823. Fredericton: Government of New Brunswick. 1823. pp. 14–16. Retrieved 27 March 2021.
  15. "13 Vic. c. 51 An Act to consolidate all the Laws now in force for the division of the Province into Counties, Towns and Parishes.". Acts of the General Assembly of Her Mjaesty's Province of New Brunswick, Passed in the Year 1850. Fredericton: Government of New Brunswick. 1850. pp. 142–152, 145–149. Retrieved 27 March 2021. Book was poorly proofread, resulting in title typo and reuse of page numbers 145–152.
  16. "7 Elizabeth II, 1958, c. 56 An Act to Amend the Territorial Division Act". Acts of the Legislature of New Brunswick Passed During the Session of 1958. Fredericton: Government of New Brunswick. 1958. pp. 117–119.
  17. "36 Vic. c. 75 An Act to erect a part of the Parish of Saint Stephen, in the County of Charlotte, into a separate Town or Parish.". Acts of the General Assembly of Her Majesty's Province of New Brunswick. Passed in the Months of March & April 1873. Fredericton: Government of New Brunswick. 1873. pp. 253–254. Available as a free ebook from Google Books.
  18. "New Brunswick Regulation 85-6 under the Municipalities Act (O.C. 85-45)". Government of New Brunswick. Retrieved 9 February 2021.
  19. "2020 Local Government Statistics for New Brunswick" (PDF). Department of Environment and Local Government. p. 55. Retrieved 9 February 2021.
  20. "New Brunswick Regulation 84-168 under the Municipalities Act (O.C. 84-582)". Government of New Brunswick. Retrieved 9 February 2021.
  21. "Regulation 69–17 under the Municipalities Act (O. C. 69–161)". The Royal Gazette. Fredericton. 127: 149. 12 March 1969.
  22. "St. Stephen – Milltown Ambulance Brigade". The New Brunswick Municipal Monthly. Fredericton, NB: Department of Municipal Affairs. 25 (3): 5. March 1969.
  23. "Regulation 70–63 under the Municipalities Act (O. C. 70–385)". The Royal Gazette. Fredericton. 128: 343–344. 17 June 1970.
  24. New Brunswick Regulation 88-227.
  25. "36 Vic. c. 103 An Act to incorporate certain Districts of the Parish of Saint Stephen, in the County of Charlotte, to be known as the Town of Milltown.". Acts of the General Assembly of Her Majesty's Province of New Brunswick. Passed in the Months of March & April 1873. Fredericton: Government of New Brunswick. 1873. pp. 334–363. Available as a free ebook from Google Books.
  26. "Regulation 73–99 under the Municipalities Act (O. C. 73–745)". The Royal Gazette. Fredericton. 131: 921–922. 26 September 1973.
  27. "Regulation 75–59 under the Municipalities Act (O. C. 75–390)". The Royal Gazette. Fredericton. 133: 529. 11 June 1975.
  28. "37 Vic. c. 60 An Act to incorporate certain Districts of the Parish of Saint Stephen, in the County of Charlotte, to be known as The Town of Upper Mills. Available as a free ebook from Google Books.". Acts of the General Assembly of Her Majesty's Province of New Brunswick. Passed in the Months of March & April 1874. Fredericton: Government of New Brunswick. 1874. pp. 112–113.
  29. "59 Vic. c. 78 An Act to repeal an Act to incorporate the Town of Upper Mills.". Acts of the General Assembly of Her Majesty's Province of New Brunswick. Passed in the Month of March, 1896. Fredericton: Government of New Brunswick. 1896. pp. 397–398. Available as a free ebook from Google Books.
  30. "Search the Canadian Geographical Names Database (CGNDB)". Government of Canada. Retrieved 4 July 2021.
  31. "2021 Community Profiles". 2021 Canadian Census. Statistics Canada. 4 February 2022. Retrieved 27 April 2022.
  32. "2016 Community Profiles". 2016 Canadian Census. Statistics Canada. 12 August 2021. Retrieved 7 September 2019.
  33. "2011 Community Profiles". 2011 Canadian Census. Statistics Canada. 21 March 2019. Retrieved 19 March 2014.
  34. "2006 Community Profiles". 2006 Canadian Census. Statistics Canada. 20 August 2019.
  35. "2001 Community Profiles". 2001 Canadian Census. Statistics Canada. 18 July 2021.
  36. Statistics Canada: 1996, 2001, 2006, 2011 census
  37. "Census Profile, 2016 Census Saint Stephen, Parish [Census subdivision], New Brunswick". Statistics Canada. Retrieved 7 September 2019.
  38. Atlantic Canada Back Road Atlas ISBN 978-1-55368-618-7 Pages 4, 12



45.21125°N 67.325935°W / 45.21125; -67.325935 (Pennfield Parish, New Brunswick)

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