Saint John Coat of Arms
Mounted high upon the wall inside the Saint John City Market is the city’s historic coat of arms. Surrounded by two antlered moose and topped by a crown, the emblem brings together symbols representing the natural resources, maritime industries, and British institutions that shaped Saint John.
The shield is divided into sections containing images associated with the city’s early economy. The sailing ship represents Saint John’s harbor, its connection to international trade, and the shipbuilding industry that became one of the foundations of its nineteenth-century prosperity. The fish refers to the waters of the Bay of Fundy and the importance of fishing, while the trees recall the forests of New Brunswick and the timber trade that supplied both local shipyards and overseas markets.
The two moose supporting the shield represent the wildlife and forests of New Brunswick. Above the shield is a crown, reflecting Saint John’s establishment under British authority. The city was incorporated by royal charter in 1785, uniting the settlements of Parrtown and Carleton on opposite sides of the harbor and making Saint John the first incorporated city in what is now Canada.
Beneath the shield appears the Latin motto “O Fortunati Quorum Jam Moenia Surgunt.” Drawn from Virgil’s Aeneid, it is commonly translated as “O fortunate ones, whose walls are now rising.” In the poem, the words are spoken as Aeneas looks upon the construction of a new city. The motto would have carried particular meaning for the Loyalists who arrived after the American Revolution and began constructing a new community at the mouth of the Saint John River.
Its placement inside the City Market is appropriate. Public markets had been part of Saint John since the city received its charter in 1785, and the present market building has served the community since 1876. The coat of arms overlooks a space where the city’s maritime connections, local products, commerce, and civic traditions continue to come together.
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