Saint John council agrees to sell sugar refinery property

Saint John council will sell the former Lantic Sugar refinery site to Irving Oil Ltd. to facilitate the company's world headquarter project in the port city.

In a 9-1 vote on Monday night, councillors agreed to sell the two-hectare property. The price has not yet been decided.

Coun. Patty Higgins was the only one to vote against the deal.

"I believe that beautiful piece of land is better suited for something more creative than an office building," Higgins said.

Irving Oil signed a memorandum of understanding with the Saint John Port Authority in June for a $10-million deal which would see the company build a $30-million building in the Long Wharf area along the shore.

The deal is contingent on the sale of the former Lantic Sugar refinery site, which Irving committed to buy from the city in order to swap it with the port authority for the land the world headquarters will be built on at Long Wharf.

Mayor Ivan Court, who voted for the deal, said he will be making sure the city doesn't get shortchanged on the sale of the site.

"Now that we've agreed that we're willing to sell it, what are we going to get for that piece of property?" Court asked. "That's where the real negotiations take place."

Council will also have to approve rezoning the area where Irving wants to build its headquarters. Court said part of the process will also be open to public debate.

The International Longshoremen's Association is one of the deal's main opponents.

The labour union opposed the sale of the Lantic Sugar property, arguing that once Long Wharf is leased to Irving Oil, the city will no longer have locations at which to increase port business, for example for cruise ships.

The port authority has been among the project's biggest boosters, arguing that the new headquarters will enhance business opportunities in the area.

The headquarters will house approximately 1,000 workers in the downtown location.