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The Chinese mystery snail, Cipangopaludina [=Bellamya] chinensis, is documented for the first time in the Saint John River, New Brunswick, a watercourse which drains the largest watershed in Atlantic Canada. This is the first non-native mollusc known to be established in the Saint John River system. Although significant ecosystem effects of the species seem unlikely, possible introduction of C. chinensis via boat traffic emphasizes the need for boater education combined with monitoring of the Saint John River system for potentially more troublesome non-native species, including the zebra mussel, Dreissena polymorpha. Review of published records and museum collections for Atlantic Canada show C. chinensis has been reported from 13 freshwater wetlands and waterbodies in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland since 1955. The species remains extant in at least 10 of these sites and is clearly more widespread in the region than the single previously published report would suggest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]