Oromocto

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title: "Oromocto" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["communities-in-sunbury-county,-new-brunswick", "towns-in-new-brunswick", "planned-communities-in-canada", "greater-fredericton"] topic_path: "geography/canada" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oromocto" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::data[format=table title="Infobox settlement"]

Field	Value
name	Oromocto
native_name	Welamooktook (Great River)
blank_emblem_type	Logo
nickname	Canada's Model town
settlement_type	Town
motto
"Effort Brings Success"
image_skyline	Still_Waters_Run_Deep._(8103767811).jpg
image_caption	The Oromocto River in 2012
image_flag	Oromotco NB flag.png
image_shield	Oromocto NB coat of arms.jpg
image_blank_emblem	Oromocto, NB logo.png
pushpin_map	New Brunswick
pushpin_label_position
subdivision_type	Country
subdivision_name	Canada
subdivision_type1	Province
subdivision_name1	New Brunswick
subdivision_type2	County
subdivision_name2	Sunbury County
subdivision_type3	Parish
subdivision_name3	Burton Parish
seat_type	Electoral districts
Federal
seat
Fredericton—Oromocto
parts_type	Provincial
parts	Oromocto
government_footnotes
government_type	Town council
leader_title	Mayor
leader_name	Robert Powell
leader_title1	Deputy Mayor
leader_name1	Jeff Kirkbride
leader_title2	Councillors
leader_name2	Lorraine Dawe, Jeff Kirkbride, Sheridan Mawhinney, Kelly Murdock, Alex Zaporzan
established_title	Founded
established_date	March 16, 1943
established_title2	Incorporated
established_date2	1956
unit_pref
area_footnotes
area_land_km2	22.36
population_as_of	2021
population_footnotes
population_total	9,045
population_density_km2	404.5
population_blank1_title	Change (2016–21)
population_blank1	1.9%
population_blank2_title	Dwellings
population_blank2	3,897
timezone	AST
utc_offset	−4
timezone_DST	ADT
utc_offset_DST	−3
coordinates
elevation_footnotes	tags--
elevation_min_m	0
elevation_max_m	51
postal_code_type	Postal code(s)
postal_code	E2V 2V3
area_code	506
blank_name	Access routes
Route 2 (TCH)

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Oromocto is a Canadian town in Sunbury County, New Brunswick.

The town is located on the west bank of the Saint John River at the mouth of the Oromocto River, approximately 20 km southeast of Fredericton. The town's name is derived from the name of the Oromocto River; "oromocto" is thought to have originated from the Maliseet word welamukotuk which means "deep water". It appears on early maps as Ramouctou and La Rivière du Kamouctou (Freneuse seigneurial grant, 1684).

It is the administrative headquarters of the Oromocto First Nation band government and the site of Canadian Forces Base Gagetown, which dominates its economy and modern history.

On 1 January 2023, Oromocto annexed the local service district of the parish of Lincoln, excluding the Fredericton International Airport and a highway strip connecting it to the city. Revised census figures have not been released.

History

The town was initially an Acadian village. During the Expulsion of the Acadians, it was burned in the St. John River Campaign (1758). During the American Revolution, Fort Hughes was built in the community after the rebellion at Maugerville, New Brunswick. (A replica of Fort Hughes was built at Sir Douglas Hazen Park.) In 1783, Oromocto saw a large influx of settlers with the arrival of United Empire Loyalists, with a steady stream of new blood arriving in the area. Many of the Loyalists also moved into surrounding areas, establishing smaller communities such as Lincoln and Geary.

Oromocto was originally a shipbuilding town in the 19th century, but went into decline after the industry closed. During its shipbuilding days, Oromocto produced about 22 ships. This was made possible by an abundance of timber and sawmills, which continued to provide economic stability to Oromocto, even after the shipbuilding business had died out. It remained a small hamlet until it was selected as the headquarters for a large military training area, in the early 1950s. The Gagetown Military Camp (Camp Gagetown) opened in 1955 as the largest military reservation in the Commonwealth of Nations at the time.

Oromocto underwent a transformation during this time as it was designed to be a "model town". It was considered to be at the forefront of such efforts in Canada. Today, Oromocto's entire economy is dominated by CFB Gagetown.

|title=Oromocto, NB Historical populations |percentages=pagr |footnote = |1871|400 |1956|661 |1961|12170 |1971|11427 |1981|9064 |1991|9325 |2001|8843 |2006|8402 |2011|8932 |2016|9223 |2021|9045 The town's location in the Saint John River valley provides lush vegetation and an attractive waterfront on both rivers. A small park and marina occupy an area on the Oromocto River waterfront near the downtown. A business district in the area of Restigouche Road has become moderately successful, and the town features a small hospital, track and field facilities, and churches. The town is home to a distribution centre for Sobeys grocery stores, a funeral home, library and recreation centre. Where the town borders on CFB Gagetown, there is also a Canex with a salon and barbershop, hockey/squash arenas, swimming pool, and a credit union, along with military vehicles and aircraft on outdoor display.

Adjacent to the town on the eastern limits is the Oromocto First Nations reserve, a small Mi'kmaq/Maliseet community.

Canadian National Railway abandoned its railway line, which ran through the town to CFB Gagetown, in March 1996. This railway right-of-way has been developed as a recreational trail and is part of the "Sentier NB Trail" network. The section of the Sentier NB Trail between Fredericton-Oromocto-Burton also hosts the Trans Canada Trail.

Demographics

In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Oromocto had a population of living in of its total private dwellings, a change of from its 2016 population of . With a land area of 22.36 km2, it had a population density of in 2021.

Education

There are two school districts in Oromocto, one providing education in English and one in French, and eight public schools.

Anglophone West School District:
- Assiniboine Avenue Elementary School
- Gesner Street Elementary School
- Hubbard Avenue Elementary School
- Summerhill Street Elementary School
- Harold Peterson Middle School
- Ridgeview Middle School
- Oromocto High School
District scolaire francophone Sud:
- École Arc-En-Ciel serves Francophone students from K- Gr. 8 in Oromocto
- École Sainte-Anne, in Fredericton, serves Francophone high-school students from Oromocto.

Notable people

Main article: List of people from Sunbury County, New Brunswick

References

"Oromocto Town Council". Town of Oromocto.
(6 December 2022). "Census Profile of Oromocto".
Hamilton, William. (1978). "The Macmillan Book of Canadian Place Names". Macmillan.
"Welcome". Oromocto First Nation.
(12 October 2022). "Local Governments Establishment Regulation – Local Governance Act".
"RSC 11 Regional Service Commission 11".
"History". Town of Oromocto.
Cogswell, Dale R.. "Oromocto".
"New Neighbours in New Brunswick". The Canadian Military Engineers Association.
"Census Profile, 2016 Census: Oromocto, New Brunswick". Statistics Canada.
"Schools". Town of Oromocto.

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