Great Canadian Summer: St. John’s

Let’s have a toast to the East Coast this summer! Located on the eastern tip of the Avalon Peninsula, on the island of Newfoundland, St. John’s is the province’s capital city.

With a land area of 931.56 square kilometers, St. John’s is the easternmost city in North America. The city’s population density was 228.2 people per square kilometer in 2021, bringing the total population count to 212,579 people.

St. John’s population has risen 2.0% over the past five years, up from 208,418 people in 2016. This compares with the provincial average of -1.8% and the national average of 5.2%.

There were 97,429 private dwellings in St. John’s in 2021, 89,999 of which were occupied by usual residents. More than half of occupied private dwellings in St. John’s were single-detached homes.

There were 208,820 people living in private households in 2021, and the average household size was 2.3 people per household.

St John’s downtown area is a well-known cultural hub, welcoming tourists from within Canada and beyond. Brightly coloured heritage buildings line the streets amidst clothing boutiques, tourist shops and a wide range of dining options.

The accommodation and food services industry in St. John’s employed 7,410 people in 2021. By comparison, the health care and social assistance industry in St. John’s employed 17,335 people in 2021, making the industry the biggest employer, while the arts, entertainment and recreation industry employed 2,135 people.

According to the Labour Force Survey, the most current unemployment rate in St. John’s was 5.0% in May 2023 (three-month average), while in Newfoundland and Labrador, it was 10.2%.

The Nickel Independent Film Festival and the St. John’s International Women’s Film Festival are two independent film festivals held annually in the city. A variety of festivals, such as the George Street Festival in August, make for bustling, vibrant streets nearly every night of the week.

Operating revenue for the motion picture and video production industry in Newfoundland and Labrador reached 35 million dollars in 2021, up from 19 million in 2019.

In addition to the arts and entertainment, St John’s is known for its excellent fishing spots, whale watching, photography tours and much more.

Find everything you need to know to plan your visit here.