Saint John will have a leading role in a pilot project to reduce poverty in Canada.

Saint John is the first of six cities taking part the Tackling Poverty Together Project. The federal project will select various communities for case studies and use the information to develop strategies for reducing poverty.

Minister of Families, Children and Social Development Jean-Yves Duclos made the announcement Friday that Saint John would be the first city to take part and is the only one in Atlantic Canada.