Barrie city council has approved a newly redrawn ward boundary map ahead of the 2026 municipal election.
The updated map reshapes most of the existing boundaries, shifting Barrie from an even split of five wards in the north and five in the south to a new layout featuring four northern wards and six southern ones.
Consulting firm Watson & Associates Economists Ltd. presented five ward boundary options to council in April. Those were later narrowed down to two final choices with preliminary option one ultimately being selected.
The ward boundary review was launched in response to Barrie’s growing population. In 2021, the city’s population was recorded at 153,000 — an increase of 12 per cent since the 2013 ward boundary review — and it is projected to reach 210,000 by 2031.
According to Watson & Associates, with Barrie’s current estimated population of 167,040, the new ward map will effectively accommodate future growth while keeping most neighbourhoods intact and contained within a single ward.
Mayor Alex Nuttall said the goal of the new ward map is to ensure fair representation as the city continues to grow.
“I’m happy with the direction we’re going in – my goal was to achieve representation by population, which is a policy and philosophy I strongly believe in. I think we, as a council, have come very close to achieving that,” he said.
Ward 8 Coun. Jim Harris said he believes the new ward boundaries have been carefully crafted. “I think this map is well-designed for the future,” he said.
“From my perspective, it’s what works best for the city moving forward, and we needed to make sure we made the right changes.”
Ward 2 Coun. Craig Nixon, who represents Barrie’s downtown, said it was the right time to redraw the ward lines.
“It’s all about how the population is growing, and every few years the map needs to be reviewed and adjusted,” he said.
Barrie’s next municipal election is scheduled for October 26, 2026.
