Norton, a former village in Kings County, New Brunswick, Canada, is a place of historical significance and modern charm. Now part of the village of Valley Waters, Norton likely got its name from Norton, Massachusetts.
On 1 January 2023, Norton underwent a significant transformation. It annexed all or part of five local service districts to form the new village of Valley Waters. Despite this change, the community's name, Norton, remains in official use. Revised census figures reflecting this change have not yet been released.
Norton is beautifully situated on the Kennebecasis River, 55 kilometres northeast of Saint John. The European and North American Railway began serving Norton in 1859, marking a significant milestone in its history. Norton is also home to the oldest fossil forest in Canada, adding to its historical and geographical appeal.
Norton used to host an annual village festival known as Family Frolic Days. The village has also produced notable personalities such as country music singer Chris Cummings and rock musician Ian Sherwood, of "Down With The Butterfly" and "Acres and Acres".
Norton Elementary School, located at the intersection of Route 121 and Route 124, serves Norton students from kindergarten to grade five. This small, rural school is closely tied with the local community. While French immersion is not offered at Norton Elementary, students can be bussed to Sussex Elementary for French immersion before Middle School. Students are bussed to Sussex Middle after grade five and continue on to Sussex Regional High School afterward.
Norton is situated within the shale gas exploration area currently licensed to Corridor Resources.
In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Norton had a population of 1,410 living in 547 of its 578 total private dwellings. This represented a change of 2% from its 2016 population of 1,382. With a land area of 75.35 km2 (29.09 sq mi), it had a population density of 18.7/km2 (48.5/sq mi) in 2021.
