St. Mary's First Nation facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
St. Mary's Band
Sitansisk Wolastoqiyik
|
|
|---|---|
 St. Mary's First Nation
Location in New Brunswick
|
|
| Country | Canada |
| Province | New Brunswick |
| County | York County |
| Established | 1867 |
| Area | |
| • Total | 3.08 km2 (1.19 sq mi) |
| Lowest elevation | 4 m (13 ft) |
| Population
(2014)
|
|
| • Total | 1,822 |
| Time zone | UTC-4 (Atlantic (AST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-3 (ADT) |
| NTS Map | 021G15 |
| Website | https://www.stmarysfirstnation.com/ |
| Postal code span: E3A 2V1,E3A 2T9,E3A 5V9,E3A 5R7,E3A 2V2, E3A 0A1 | |
St. Mary's Band, also known as St. Mary's First Nation or Sitansisk Wolastoqiyik (pronounced Wuh-LAH-stuh-kwee-yik), is a community of Indigenous people in Canada. They are one of six Wolastoqiyik or Maliseet Nations located along the Saint John River in New Brunswick.
Contents
About St. Mary's First Nation
St. Mary's First Nation is a self-governing Indigenous community. They are part of the larger Wolastoqiyik (Maliseet) people. This group has lived along the Saint John River for a very long time.
The Land of the Community
The St. Mary's Band has two main land areas, called reserves. These are Saint Mary's #24 and Devon #30. The Saint Mary's reserve was set up in 1867. It is on the northeast side of the Saint John River, right across from downtown Fredericton.
A second, bigger reserve was bought in 1929. It is about 3 kilometers (almost 2 miles) north of the first reserve. Over the years, the community has added more land. This helps their community grow and develop. About half of the members of St. Mary's First Nation live on these reserve lands.
Who Started the Reserve?
The creation of the 1867 reserve is linked to a man named Gabriel Acquin. He was a Maliseet hunter, guide, and interpreter. He played an important role in the early days of the community.
Community Life and Economy
The St. Mary's First Nation works hard to create opportunities for its people. They have several businesses that help their community thrive. These businesses also provide jobs for many people.
Local Businesses
The community runs different businesses. These include St. Mary's Retail Sales and the St. Mary's Entertainment Centre. These businesses are a big source of jobs in the Fredericton North area. They help the local economy.
In May 2024, St. Mary's Retail Sales announced that St. Mary's Supermarket would close. This decision was made because of changes in how tax money was shared. Also, bigger stores made it hard for the supermarket to compete.
