What is the minimum footing depth in Saint John New Brunswick?

In Saint John, New Brunswick, all footings must extend a minimum of 1.2 metres (4 feet) below finished grade — deep enough to sit below the frost line and prevent heaving during freeze-thaw cycles.

That said, 1.2m is the provincial minimum under the National Building Code of Canada 2020 (NB's adopted standard). In practice, many Saint John contractors go slightly deeper, particularly in the city's older neighbourhoods where soil conditions vary considerably. The South End and Uptown areas sit on a mix of bedrock, fill, and marine clay — your geotechnical conditions on-site may dictate a deeper footing regardless of the code minimum. If you're building near the waterfront or in a low-lying area, expect your engineer or inspector to weigh in on bearing capacity as well.

Saint John's coastal location on the Bay of Fundy means the city experiences significant freeze-thaw cycling throughout the winter — not just deep cold snaps, but repeated thawing and refreezing that can be particularly hard on shallow or improperly seated footings. Getting this right matters more here than in a drier inland climate.

For permits, your project will go through the City of Saint John — Growth & Community Services handles building permits at (506) 658-2835 or through saintjohn.ca. They'll want to see footing depth and dimensions on your submitted drawings before issuing a permit. For any new structure or addition, a permit is required before breaking ground.

If you're working on an older home — Saint John has some of the oldest housing stock in Canada, including Loyalist-era stone and timber-frame structures — it's worth having a structural engineer assess existing foundation conditions before tying new footings into old ones. Mismatched settlement between old and new can cause cracking and structural headaches down the road.

Find a licensed contractor or structural engineer through our directory at New Brunswick Construction Network to get eyes on your specific site before finalizing your footing design.