The Saint John, N.B., city council has unanimously approved the expansion of the Spruce Lake Industrial Park.

The city will make hundreds of acres pad-ready for medium and light industry that is clean and non-emitting, CBC reported.

The approval came after city councillors and administrators had put the project on hold to engage in further discussions about it. A public hearing was conducted over a four-day period.

“The city has listened to concerns and made real changes to the plan — and with the focus on future-focused industries, like advanced manufacturing, green energy, and stronger protections for wetlands and strict environmental safeguards,” CBC reported Coun Joanna Killen as saying.

“This won’t erase pain and disagreement. But I promise to keep pushing for transparency, ongoing consultation in the highest standards of environmental protection as this project moves forward, and of course a solid legacy fund for the community that I think it absolutely deserves.”

Coun. Greg Norton and other councillors urged the city to develop a plan to reward the community for being open to development that had received contentious debate, CBC reported.

Photo: City of St. John