Your Street. Your Voice. Your Vote.

I put my name forward for Ward 3 because I care deeply about Saint John and because too many people here feel like City Hall has stopped caring about them.

Saint John is home. I grew up here. I went to school here. I got my first job here. I bought my first home here. After seven years living and working in Melbourne, Australia (one of the most liveable cities in the world), I chose to come back and put down roots again in the city that shaped me, alongside my dog, Brunswick.

Coming home after time away gives you perspective. You see what has improved and what hasn’t.

Yes, our city is on stronger financial footing. Recent councils have delivered on important priorities, and we’re seeing economic momentum. That progress matters. It’s part of how we build stronger communities and brighter futures.

But when you listen to people at the doors, in apartment buildings, at the rink, at the bus stop, another story comes through just as clearly.

People feel ignored.

They feel like the everyday things that matter most in their lives simply don’t matter to City Hall.

They see potholes that never get fixed, crosswalks that don’t feel safe, broken sidewalks that never seem to make it to the top of the list. They see overflowing garbage cans, vacant and poorly maintained properties, and public spaces that don’t feel welcoming or safe. And when they try to raise concerns, they often feel dismissed, bounced around, or left without an answer.

It shouldn’t feel like this in a city we call home.

Cities are built by people, for people. City Council should work for everyone not just those who know who to call, how the system works, or whose voice carries the most weight.

Ward 3 is the heart of Saint John, and Saint John is the heart of New Brunswick’s economy. Yet we’re seeing growing homelessness, deep child poverty, and neighbourhoods where people feel left behind. That’s not just an economic problem; it’s a sign that people don’t feel seen, heard, or valued, especially in communities that have already been carrying more than their fair share.

For too long, City Hall has been willing to pass the buck, point to other levels of government, or delay action while people’s everyday lives get harder. Yes, these challenges are complex and require partnership, but that cannot be an excuse to shrug our shoulders and say, “That’s someone else’s job.”

Local communities are where the gap between “economic growth” and “a life you can afford to live” either gets closed, or ignored. I’m running because I believe City Council needs to do a better job closing that gap.

When I talk about my priorities, I’m not just talking about policies. I’m talking about ‘outcomes’ you can feel in your daily life, the same three priorities I’ve shared from day one:

- Homes people can afford

Everyone deserves a place to call home. This is about more than “housing policy.” It’s about whether you can afford to stay in your community. It means stable rent or mortgage payments, more non-market and supportive housing, and a city that works with partners so people aren’t pushed into homelessness because the system looks the other way.

- Neighbourhoods that feel safe

Every person deserves to feel safe walking to school, catching the bus, or enjoying a park. This is about lighting, sidewalks, traffic calming, derelict properties, and responding to the policing concerns with urgency… the visible, everyday things that signal whether a neighbourhood is cared for. When our streets and public spaces feel safe and welcoming, people come together, and stronger communities grow.

- Opportunities for everyone

We cannot accept a city where child poverty stays alarmingly high while we talk about growth. Outcomes here look like kids having safe places to learn and play, families accessing supports when they need them, and a city that measures success by whether more people can build a good life here, not just by how many projects get announced.

And there’s a fourth outcome that ties all of this together:

- You feel that City Hall listens and responds

You should be able to see a problem in your neighbourhood, raise it, and feel confident someone at City Hall will take it seriously. That doesn’t mean every issue is fixed overnight, but it does mean clear responses, honest timelines, and follow-through. Respect for people’s time and experience is the starting point for a City Council that truly works for everyone.

This campaign has been about listening.

At the doors, people tell me they are tired of feeling brushed off. Tired of sending emails and hearing nothing back. Tired of seeing the same problems sit for years while new city strategies get announced. Tired of feeling like their street, their building, or their part of Ward 3 is invisible.

I hear that. And I agree: the standard we walk past is the standard we accept.

If I have the privilege to serve as your councillor, here’s the kind of leadership I’ve committed to throughout this campaign:

- Listen first: every voice matters, especially those who’ve been ignored.

- Be transparent: honest about what we can achieve, and where we need partners.

- Lead with empathy and evidence: decisions grounded in both heart and data.

- Focus on results: solutions you can see and feel in your neighbourhood.

- Build trust through collaboration: residents, businesses, and community organizations working side by side.

This isn’t politics as usual. It’s about building a City Hall that actually works better for the people it serves.

Saint John isn’t perfect, and neither are any of us, but I believe, to my core, that we can keep moving this city forward in a way that turns economic growth into good lives for people. Stronger communities. Brighter futures.

On election day (11 May), I’m asking for your vote to represent, you, in Ward 3.

Let’s send a clear message that the everyday concerns of local residents are not “small issues.” They are exactly where good government begins.

Let’s build a city that listens, a city that acts, and a city where you can afford to live a good life, right here in Ward 3 and across Saint John.

On May 11, Vote Eric Savoie for Ward 3 Saint John City Council