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Connecting communities, one trail at a time

Momentum is building on a unique regional trail project in Southeast New Brunswick that will link communities and provide an economic and active lifestyle boost to the entire region.

The Regional Trail Network is an initiative of the Southeast RSC. The project was officially approved in 2025 by the Commission’s Board of Directors, which is composed of the mayors of the region’s 12 municipalities and a representative from the Southeast Rural District.

Since then, planning for the 150 km first phase has progressed, along with the development of marketing and fundraising campaigns to support its completion by 2030.

For Marc Leger, trails coordinator for the Southeast RSC, the regional trail network is a long-held dream that he now sees coming together.

“I love trails, but I love trails because of what they can do and who they can serve,” Leger says. “They serve a wide swath of people. Anybody can use them. You don’t need equipment. You can make them accessible. They are low-cost. They promote healthy living. They are all those things and they tie into everything.”

Connecting Communities Across the Region

The regional trail is a great example of infrastructure cost-sharing, one of the mandates of the Regional Service Commissions. The trail network will ultimately deliver 321 km of biking and walking trails, designed to serve residents and visitors of all ages, incomes, and abilities.

Spanning urban and rural areas, the network will link every municipality in the region – from Fundy National Park to Parlee and Aboiteau beaches, from the Confederation Bridge to Three Rivers. It will provide inclusive access to recreation, active transportation, and tourism opportunities.

Phase 1 will connect Fundy National Park through the tri-communities of Moncton, Riverview, and Dieppe to Shediac and Cap-Acadie. It is expected to be completed by 2030 at an estimated cost of $27 million. The priority will be the Dieppe-to-Shediac segment because of its strong potential for both active transportation and tourism. This phase also includes a major piece of infrastructure: a new trail bridge spanning the Scoudouc River. Nearly 40 per cent of Phase 1 is already complete through the connection of new trail segments with existing trails developed by municipalities and other organizations.

Phase 2 will add another 151 km to the trail network to connect all remaining municipalities and existing trails. Final design of each segment will include community consultation to ensure appropriate alignment with local needs and existing assets. Phase 2 is estimated for completion by 2035 at an additional cost of $18 million.

Leger says the regional trail network will have several benefits. It will have universal access with trails open year-round for users of all mobility levels. A key guiding principle is community integration, with existing informal and unsanctioned trails integrated, maximizing efficiency, connectivity, and lowering costs.

More than a Trail

While the trail will be a significant achievement and piece of regional infrastructure, Leger says there is more to the project.

“I always say that the trail is not the product. The trail is the infrastructure. The product is nature; the product is experience; the product is a restaurant; the product is a service. The product is what attaches itself to the trail.”

The entire network will emphasize safety, providing alternatives to road traffic for schools and parks. One example is a section that will connect Maple Hills to Irishtown Nature Park through the Moncton High School corridor.

Leger said the project will focus on equity and inclusion. It will offer recreational infrastructure to underserved populations. Unlike motorized trails, these trails will be accessible to a broader range of users.

Funding the Vision 

The fundraising strategy is still being developed, but the cost-sharing is expected to be one-third federal, one-third provincial, and one-third from the Southeast RSC. The Southeast RSC portion will include some of its own funding and a major corporate/public fundraising campaign that will be launched in the fall of 2026. That’s when a name for the trail network will be unveiled following a series of focus group sessions. The proposed name will also be reviewed by the Southeast RSC Board.

The name will be important from both a marketing and sense-of-place perspective, Leger says. “It will have to be something that encapsulates the experience and our diversity,” he says.

“The nature of our trail is that it is really diverse. The landscape changes constantly – it’s shoreline, it’s interior, it’s urban-rural, it’s coastline to opposite coastline that have very little in common. It’s urban, rural, suburban . . . it’s all those things.”

Annual maintenance costs are estimated at approximately $100,000 per year for the entire network. The annual cost per resident is estimated at just $2 to $3, covering planning, construction, maintenance, and fundraising.

A Regional Investment in the Future 

Leger says the regional trail network matters for several reasons. It will give residents in every community in the Southeast access to a regional trail, reducing the need to drive to other municipalities for trail use.

The trail system will also support the region’s shift toward sustainable transportation, public health, and economic development. Every segment, while locally situated, will become part of a regional asset open to all residents and to visitors.

“The truly exciting part (of the trail) is the destination. It’s the business, it’s the beautiful meal, it’s the nice accommodations,” Leger explains. “That is what you are taking people to. And the exciting part is sometimes the event that takes place on the trail. That’s where all the value really gets added.”

Leger says the trail is also a tie that binds all the other mandates under the Southeast Regional Service Commission. 

“It ties our communities together, but it also ties all our responsibilities together.”

“This project represents a transformative investment in Southeast New Brunswick’s future,” Leger stressed. “It will connect communities, promote healthy lifestyles, boost tourism, and support environmental sustainability.”

With thoughtful planning, broad support, and efficient use of resources, Leger believes the trail network will become a legacy of accessibility, connectivity, and regional pride.