Mayor Alex Nuttall said in a council meeting held yesterday that he is “very confident” that the municipality will soon secure a much-anticipated boundary expansion.
A new report about the expansion of the boundaries will be coming next Thursday.
The need for boundary expansion stems from growing pressure on Barrie’s industrial land supply.
Nuttall said manufacturers in the city face challenges finding suitable space to expand their operations, with some businesses threatening to relocate if more land is not made available.
“These are businesses that are already here in Barrie,” Nuttall said in an interview. “When you’re a large-scale manufacturer, you need to grow your operation, and there’s no land big enough for you to build on. If we don’t get the land, these businesses might leave.”
The city began exploring solutions in January 2023, initially engaging with nearby municipalities before the provincial government stepped in with a facilitator to mediate the current process. The facilitator, working with provincial backing, is expected to guide the final agreement.
The stakes for Barrie’s economy are high, Nuttall said.
“We don’t want people driving down the 400 for two hours every morning and two hours every night. We need a complete community where residents can find financial success, have a job, and create businesses right here.”
Letters from local businesses sent to the province were submitted by the city in a public process. On them, business owners were asking for the expansion, arguing it is necessary to keep their business running.
Richard Schilieker, president of Canplas Industries Ltd., a manufacturer of industrial parts, said the lack of appropriately zoned land has stalled their growth.
“We have been a proud employer in Barrie for years, but the inability to expand due to land constraints puts our future here in jeopardy. Without action, we will be forced to explore opportunities in other municipalities that can meet our needs,” he wrote.
The Barrie Compass reached out to city councillors from the neighbouring municipalities for comment, but couldn’t get a response by deadline.
The boundary expansion report next week will clarify how the province plans to address these challenges.
