Bathurst, New Brunswick, is a city rich in history and culture. With a population of 12,157, it is the 4th largest metropolitan area in New Brunswick, according to Census Canada. The city overlooks Nepisiguit Bay, part of Chaleur Bay, and is situated at the estuary of the Nepisiguit River. On January 1, 2023, Bathurst expanded its boundaries by annexing parts of the local service districts of the parish of Bathurst, Big River, New Bandon-Salmon Beach, and North Tetagouche.
Bathurst is located on Nepisiguit Bay, part of Chaleur Bay, at the mouth of four rivers: the Nepisiguit River, the Middle River, Little River, and the Tetagouche River. The city is enclosed by two spits of land, Carron Point and Alston Point, forming the harbor. The city's refuse facility is located south of the city, in Allardville, and serves municipalities all over north-eastern New Brunswick. The city's water comes from the Middle River, and several of the salt marshes around Bathurst Harbour are home to a Chaleur Bay-specific butterfly: the Maritime Ringlet.
Bathurst offers a variety of attractions for visitors. La Promenade Waterfront is a cluster of shops, art, boutiques, a visitor information centre, and an outdoor pavilion that hosts a variety of activities throughout the year. Youghall Beach Park offers swimming, volleyball, and windsurfing, and the Bathurst Marina is located next to the beach. Bathurst also hosts the Bathurst Hospitality Days, a week-long festival with concerts featuring a mix of classic rock, Acadian, and maritime music. The city is home to the Acadie–Bathurst Titan of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League and the Bathurst Bears of the Eastern Canadian Basketball League.
The Chaleur Regional Hospital, located at 1750 Sunset Drive Bathurst, looks after the needs of the community. In 2013, it was given a rating of 'A+' by the CBC's The Fifth Estate programme in a national survey of 66 hospitals.
In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Bathurst had a population of 12,157 living in 5,824 of its 6,445 total private dwellings. Bathurst is officially bilingual, with English, French, Irish, and Scottish heritage. The city is also home to Míkmaq natives, with the Pabineau First Nations (Kekwapskuk) community located on the outskirts of the city.
Bathurst is home to many community-based organizations, including Synergies Chaleur, Royal Canadian Legion, Branch No. 18, New Brunswick Association for Community Living, and Maison Doucet Hennessy House. The city also has several churches, including St. George's Anglican Church, Holy Family Catholic Church, Bathurst Pastoral Charge First United Church, and Evangel Bathurst Church.
The Bay of Chaleur is known for its phantom ship legend, which dates back more than two centuries. The story claims that a sail ship burned in the waters north of the city, and that the ghost of the vessel and its crew is visible on the water in certain weather and light conditions to this day.
Despite its coastal position, Bathurst experiences a humid continental climate with vast seasonal differences in temperature. Summers are warm and humid, while winters are often cold, windy, and snowy. The highest temperature ever recorded in Bathurst was 37.4 °C (99.3 °F) on 27 June 2003, and the coldest temperature ever recorded was −37.2 °C (−35 °F) on 9 January 1887 and 19 January 1925.
Bathurst has a rich history, dating back to the annual Mi'kmaq summer coastal community of Nepisiguit prior to
