Moncton



Moncton is a city in Southeastern New Brunswick, Canada, inland of the Bay of Fundy and Acadian Coast. Moncton has a population of about 72,000 (2016), with a metropolitan population of about 145,000 (2016), making it the largest city and the largest metropolitan city in New Brunswick.

Understand
The city adopted the motto "Resurgo" meaning "I rise again" after its rebirth from the collapse of being a railway centric town. The city's economy is stable and diversified, with core strengths in a bi-lingual workforce, primarily based on its traditional transportation, distribution, retailing, and commercial heritage, and supplemented by strength in the educational, health care, financial, information technology, and insurance sectors. Moncton's economy has received national recognition and the local unemployment rate is consistently less than the national average.

Just to the east of Moncton is Dieppe (population 27,000 in 2019). It is the fourth-largest city in the province, and the largest predominantly francophone city in Canada outside Quebec.

Across the Petitcodiac River from Moncton on the south bank is Riverview, with about 20,000 people in 2016.

History
The Moncton area was settled by Europeans in 1733, but is considered to have been founded in 1766 with the arrival of Pennsylvania Dutch immigrants from Philadelphia. It began as an agricultural settlement. The city was named for Lt. Col. Robert Monckton, the British officer who had captured nearby Fort Beauséjour a century earlier.

A significant wooden shipbuilding industry had developed in the community by the mid-1840s, allowing for the civic incorporation in 1855, but the shipbuilding economy collapsed in the 1860s. In the 1870s, the community's economy rebounded, mainly due to a growing railway industry. In 1871, the Intercolonial Railway of Canada had chosen Moncton to be its headquarters, and Moncton remained a railway town for well over a century until the closure of the Canadian National Railway (CNR) locomotive shops in the late 1980s.

Climate
The climate tends to be more continental than maritime during the summer and winter seasons, with maritime influences somewhat tempering the transitional seasons of spring and autumn.

Winter days are typically cold but generally sunny. Daytime high temperatures usually range a few degrees below the freezing point. Major snowfalls typically average 20–30 cm (8–12 in) and are frequently mixed with rain or freezing rain. Spring is frequently delayed because the sea ice that forms in the nearby Gulf of St. Lawrence during the previous winter requires time to melt, and this will cool onshore winds, which can extend inland as far as Moncton. The ice burden in the gulf has diminished considerably over the course of the last decade (which may be a consequence of global warming), and the springtime cooling effect has weakened as a result.

Summers are warm and humid. Daytime highs sometimes reach more than 30 °C (86 °F). Rainfall is generally modest, especially in late July and August, and periods of drought are not uncommon. Autumn daytime temperatures remain mild until late October. First snowfalls usually do not occur until late November and consistent snow cover on the ground does not happen until late December. It can occasionally experiences the effects of post-tropical storms. The stormiest weather of the year, with the greatest precipitation and the strongest winds, usually occurs during November to mid-January.

By car
From the US:
 * I-95 through Maine to the Route 2 (Trans-Canada Highway), through Fredericton to Moncton.
 * Route 9 (through Maine) to Route 1 (Canada) through St. Stephen, Saint John and up to Moncton.

From Quebec: From Nova Scotia
 * Autoroute 85 to Edmundston, and then down the Route 2 (Trans-Canada Highway) to Moncton.


 * Take highway NS 104 in Nova Scotia, which becomes Route 2 (Trans-Canada Highway) to Moncton

Destinations
Direct flights to Moncton within Canada include from Montreal (1.5 hours), Toronto (2-2.5 hours) and Ottawa (1.5 hours). Airlines serving Greater Moncton:

Airlines

 * Operates to the Moncton seasonally.
 * Operates to the Moncton seasonally.
 * Operates to the Moncton seasonally.
 * Operates to the Moncton seasonally.
 * Operates to the Moncton seasonally.

Larger airport in region:
Halifax Stanfield International Airport is located 2 hours away in Nova Scotia with many more direct and non-stop flights to other cities in Canada, the United States, and Europe.

By train

 * Operates The Ocean route with 3 round trips per week, operating between Halifax and Montreal including stop in Moncton and Sainte-Foy (where there is a shuttle to and from Quebec City, advance reservation required). Travel time to Moncton from Montreal is 17.5 hours, from Sainte-Foy is 13.75 hours, and from Halifax is 4.25 hours.
 * Operates The Ocean route with 3 round trips per week, operating between Halifax and Montreal including stop in Moncton and Sainte-Foy (where there is a shuttle to and from Quebec City, advance reservation required). Travel time to Moncton from Montreal is 17.5 hours, from Sainte-Foy is 13.75 hours, and from Halifax is 4.25 hours.

By bus

 * Operates the following routes to Moncton:
 * Between Campbellton and Moncton including stops in Dalhousie, Bathurst, Miramichi, and Moncton Airport. Travel time to Moncton from Campbellton is 4 hours, from Bathurst is 2.75 hours, from Miramichi is 2 hours.
 * Between Edmundston and Moncton including stops in Grand Falls, Perth-Andover, Florenceville, Woodstock, Fredericton, and Fredericton Airport. Travel time to Moncton from Edmundston is 6 hours, from Fredericton is 2 hr 15 min.
 * Between Halifax and Moncton including stops in Dartmouth, Halifax Airport, Truro, Amherst, Sackville, Moncton Airport. Travel time to Moncton from Halifax is 3 hours, from Truro is 2.25 hours, from Amherst is 55 minutes.
 * Between Saint John and Moncton including a stop in Sussex. Travel time to Moncton from Saint John is 2 hr 15 min.
 * Travel to Moncton from the following destinations involving same day transfers is as follows:
 * From Charlottetown (2 hr 45 min) with a transfer in Amherst
 * From Antigonish (4.5 hours), North Sydney (7.25 hours), Sydney (8 hours) with a transfer in Truro
 * From Lunenburg (7 hr 15 min) with a transfer in Halifax.
 * Connections from Quebec City, Rimouski, and Gaspé can be made on Orléans Express. The stop at Pointe-à-la-Croix, Quebec is a 2-km taxi ride from Campbellton.
 * Connections from Quebec City, Rimouski, and Gaspé can be made on Orléans Express. The stop at Pointe-à-la-Croix, Quebec is a 2-km taxi ride from Campbellton.

Get around
Moncton is pretty easy to get around. There are two main streets into the city: the Trans-Canada and Wheeler Boulevard, connecting both ends of town. Main Street and downtown Moncton are equally easy to navigate; signs are posted to all the main attractions.

By taxi

 * Super Cab Taxi Moncton, +1 506-989-0800.(Updated April 10 2023)

See












Do



 * Magic Mountain. Water park located in the Magnetic Hill Attraction Park.


 * Magnetic Hill Golf Club, on Mountain Road across from McDonald's.
 * Capitol Theatre, Main St. Catch a show at the oldest theatre in New Brunswick.
 * Empress Theatre, Main St.
 * MacSweeny's Dinner Theatre, Main Street above Club Cosmo.
 * Irishtown Nature Park. Largest urban nature park . Drive north on Elmwood Drive.
 * TreeGO Moncton is open daily during the summer months, and is located in Centennial Park
 * Canada Day, every July 1st.
 * Canada Day, every July 1st.


 * Parlee Beach, Shediac. A beautiful beach on the Northumberland Strait. Be alert as swimming warnings for fecal bacteria are common and updated weekly.
 * Plage Aboiteau Beach, Cap-Pele. A much less crowded alternative to Parlee Beach. Parking is $5 during summer months.
 * Poley Mountain. Biking in the summer, skiing and snowboarding in the winter in Sussex, a 50-minute drive from Moncton.
 * Lakeside Golf Club, Shediac Road.

Buy

 * Trinity Power Centre, off Wheeler Blvd at Mountain Road. Has the usual big box stores.
 * Champlain Mall. Largest single-storey mall in Eastern Canada. Located in Dieppe on Paul Street. Wal-Mart, Cineplex, Chapters Books.
 * North West Centre, Mountain Road. Formerly Moncton Mall.
 * Downtown Moncton. Main Street and Saint George Urban Quarters has many boutiques and shops.

Eat
Moncton claims to have some of the finest cuisine in Atlantic Canada:
 * Graffiti, Main St. Greek cuisine.
 * Little Louis: fine cuisine at its best, this may be city's best hidden secret.
 * Vitos, an inexpensive but excellent pizzeria.
 * Zen Gardens, Mountain Rd. Unique Asian vegetarian restaurant.
 * Little Louis: fine cuisine at its best, this may be city's best hidden secret.
 * Vitos, an inexpensive but excellent pizzeria.
 * Zen Gardens, Mountain Rd. Unique Asian vegetarian restaurant.
 * Vitos, an inexpensive but excellent pizzeria.
 * Zen Gardens, Mountain Rd. Unique Asian vegetarian restaurant.
 * Zen Gardens, Mountain Rd. Unique Asian vegetarian restaurant.

Budget

 * Super 8, located in Dieppe and within walking distance from the Airport.
 * Super 8, located in Dieppe and within walking distance from the Airport.

Mid-range

 * Rodd Moncton, Main St. $90-$168. Rooftop pool during summer months.
 * Holiday Inn, Mountain Rd.
 * Best Western, located on Lewisville Road.

Splurge

 * Delta Beausejour, Main Street. In the heart of downtown, close to restaurants and pubs. Some rooms have views of the Petitcodiac. Indoor pool with the largest waterslide in the Maritimes. Even has a room that Queen Elizabeth (UK) stayed in. $151-272 per night.
 * Crowne Plaza Hotel, Main St. across from Highfield.
 * Chateau Moncton, independent hotel modeled after a chateau, located on the Petitcodiac River on Main Street. Many rooms have excellent views of the river, which is away.
 * Marriott Residence Inn, Main St. $166-255 per night.

Connect

 * Moncton Public Library, 644 Main St, hours: 10AM-5/9PM, Wifi+shared computer
 * Starbuck on Main st/Church st (wifi & plug)
 * Moncton has blanket Wi-Fi in many areas (including Main St, City Hall Plaza, Assomption Plaza, Riverfront Park)

Nearby

 *  Riverview, across the river, has a nice waterfront walking park, and a commercial section with restaurants.

Go next
Moncton is often described as the Hub of the Maritime Provinces. It is within 2 hours drive of:


 * Fredericton - historic capital of New Brunswick.
 * Bay of Fundy - Fundy National Park offers great hiking and camping.
 * Saint John - Oldest incorporated city in Canada with various attractions such as Reversing Falls.
 * Prince Edward Island
 * Many sites in Nova Scotia. Halifax is 2½ hours drive east of Moncton.