Visit Lubec Maine

Lubec... where the sun first rises and adventure awaits!

photo: Pamela Metz

About St. Stephen, N.B.

A Lubec, Maine, neighbor

St. Stephen (2011 population: 4,817)(info from wikipedia) is a Canadian town in Charlotte County, New Brunswick, situated on the east bank of the St. Croix River at 45°11′32″N 67°16′38″W Coordinates: 45°11′32″N 67°16′38″W around the intersection of Route 170 and the southern terminus of Route 3.  Calling itself Canada's Chocolate Town, St. Stephen hosts the annual week-long Chocolate Fest.

The climate is temperate but greatly affected by the size of the Bay of Fundy. The bay is a cool body of water which acts as an air conditioner in the summer and diverts major snow storms in the winter. The bay never freezes. The average summer temperature is 22 °C with the average winter temperature being -3.9 °C.

The St. Croix River marks a section of the international boundary between the United States and Canada, forming a natural border between the towns on either side of the river bank. Calais is connected to St. Stephen by the Ferry Point International Bridge and the Milltown International Bridge.

Residents of St. Stephen and Calais often regard their community as one place, cooperating in their fire departments and other community projects. As evidence of the longtime friendship between the towns, during the War of 1812, the British military provided St. Stephen with a large supply of gunpowder for protection against the enemy Americans in Calais, but the town elders gave the gunpowder to Calais for its Fourth of July celebrations.

Construction began in 2008 on a third bridge connecting the two communities. The new International Avenue Bridge, which was officially opened in January 2010.

Every year, the town co-hosts a week-long International Festival with the neighboring town of Calais, Maine.  And there is the Fundy Discovery Aquarium - a family favorite!