The City of Moncton has been recognized by Site Selection in its 2026 Canada’s Best Locations rankings, placing Moncton among Canada’s 20 most competitive metro regions and municipalities.

Based on qualifying corporate investment projects, the annual rankings recognize communities creating the conditions for business growth, investment, and economic opportunity.

👉 Read Site Selection’s 2026 Canada’s Best Locations Rankings.

A city growing with purpose

As New Brunswick’s largest city and the second-largest city in the Maritimes, Moncton is growing with momentum—and with opportunity.

Population growth is bringing new talent, ideas, and energy to the city. It is also supporting demand for housing, services, and amenities while strengthening Moncton’s role as an economic hub for Southeastern New Brunswick.

Over the past five years, the City of Moncton’s population has grown by more than 25 per cent, adding nearly 21,000 residents.

👉 Discover why businesses are choosing Moncton.

Investment is building

Moncton’s growth is visible across the city. In the first six months of 2026, the City issued $275 million in building permits. This activity reflects continued investment across residential, commercial, institutional and industrial development.

The momentum is regional, too. Southeastern New Brunswick exceeded $1 billion in building permits in 2025 for the first time, with nearly half of that activity taking place in Moncton.

Downtown is a key part of that story. In the first eight months of 2026, downtown permit values reached $93.5 million, already exceeding the previous 10-year annual average of $52 million. 

A competitive place to build

For developers and businesses, Moncton combines growth potential with a practical environment for getting projects underway.

In the Canadian Home Builders’ Association’s most recent Municipal Benchmarking Study, Moncton ranked sixth overall out of 23 municipalities, rising from 11th place in the previous study.

Moncton had the lowest total municipal fees in the study for both low-rise and high-rise development. Development approvals also averaged 2.4 months—the second-fastest timeline among the municipalities assessed.

These advantages help businesses and developers bring projects forward with greater certainty, lower upfront costs, and faster timelines.

Connected to markets

Moncton’s central location in the Maritimes gives businesses direct access to customers, suppliers, talent and transportation networks across Atlantic Canada.

That regional advantage is reflected in investments such as Walmart Canada’s first Atlantic distribution centre in Moncton. The 223,000-square-foot facility represented an investment of more than $56 million, was designed to serve 43 Walmart stores across Atlantic Canada and created more than 200 jobs—strengthening Moncton’s role as a regional supply-chain hub.

Moncton also supports advanced manufacturing. Marshall Canada completed more than $3.4 million in renovations to its facility at 66 English Drive, reinforcing the city’s capacity to support specialized industrial operations with access to industrial land, infrastructure and a skilled workforce.

From modern distribution and logistics to advanced manufacturing, these investments illustrate the practical advantages businesses find in Moncton: strategic access to markets, available industrial land, reliable infrastructure and the talent needed to grow.

Building on the opportunity

Moncton’s recognition in Site Selection’s 2026 Canada’s Best Locations reflects the work of businesses, investors, developers, post-secondary institutions, community organizations, and municipal partners across the region.

The City is focused on building on this momentum through housing, strategic infrastructure, downtown investment, business attraction, employment lands, and opportunities that strengthen the visitor economy.

Ready to explore Moncton?

Whether you are considering a new location, a business expansion, or an investment opportunity, Moncton’s Economic Development team can help connect you with the information, sites, and local contacts you need.

🤝 Connect with our team today.