Morales said he decided to run again because he wants to build on what he considers to be the most effective council he has served on.

“This is the most collaborative, effective city council I have served on,” he said.

“There are a lot of major projects and policies I want to deliver for Ward 9 and work with my colleagues to deliver for Barrie as a whole.”

Among his priorities are advancing the planned multi-recreation centre and library branch at Huronia Road and McKay Road East, reviewing core municipal services and continuing efforts to address homelessness and drug-related issues.

Reflecting on his 12 years on council, Morales said he is proudest of helping shift the culture at city hall.

“I’m most proud of establishing a mindset of finding ways to get things done instead of finding excuses why it can’t or shouldn’t be done,” he said.

He pointed to bylaw enforcement, traffic-calming initiatives and improvements to Painswick Park as examples of work completed during his tenure.

Weingarten, a Ward 9 resident and local videographer, said rising property taxes and affordability concerns motivated him to enter the race.

“I was motivated by seeing the increases in our property taxes, and knowing that a great city like Barrie can do better for its residents,” he said.

“I also believe we deserve councillors who are easy to reach and will respond.”

If elected, he said he would work with council to keep tax increases to a minimum while ensuring residents have a stronger voice on planning and development decisions.

He said his door-to-door campaign has been a positive experience so far.

“As I’ve gone door to door, introducing myself to the residents of Ward 9, it’s been an amazing experience to meet so many of my neighbours,” he said.

“Nearly everyone has been inviting and open to talking. And it’s been great to share concerns and learn about others.”

Costello, who also lives in Ward 9, is making his second bid for council after an unsuccessful campaign in 2022.

He said his campaign is “in full swing” and that conversations with residents have centred on speeding, homelessness, drug use and what he sees as a lack of communication from city hall.

“There have been a number of concerns from the Ward 9 residents that I have spoken to,” he said.

“The major ones in Ward 9 are lack of communication from current council, speeding vehicles, homelessness and drug use.”

Costello said that if he wins, he will push for improvements to Barrie’s snow removal program.

“I would like to see a much improved snow removal program along with the installation of windrow plows added to our current snow plows,” he said.

“And of course much-improved communication.”

Barrie residents head to the polls on Oct. 26, 2026.

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The city is also considering the use of the remote-controlled mowing equipment for the Barrie-Simcoe Emergency Services Campus and other municipal properties with steep grassy slopes or stormwater ponds.

The post Barrie approves remote-controlled mowing for steep slopes appeared first on CompassNews.

Batalion said the redevelopment was guided by RioCan’s focus on necessity-based retail and community-focused offerings.

“The addition of Longo’s, GYMVMT by GoodLife Fitness and Mark’s reflects a deliberate mix of grocery, fitness and apparel that complements and strengthens the existing tenant mix while enhancing convenience and choice for Barrie residents,” he said.

“Both Longo’s and GYMVMT are new-to-market brands in Barrie, underscoring RioCan’s strong track record of attracting leading retailers and introducing first-to-market concepts that align with community needs.”

He added the redevelopment also reflects RioCan’s confidence in the long-term future of Georgian Mall.

“The redevelopment represents an important evolution of the property and reflects RioCan’s commitment to ensuring Georgian Mall continues to meet the needs of the Barrie community,” he said.

The three retailers are expected to open in mid-to late 2027.

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“Although short, mid, and long-term strategies to improve performance trends are underway through the Five-Year Roadmap, the audit identified several areas where historical decisions have impacted effective bus planning and scheduling processes in support of OC Transpo meeting its service delivery targets,” reads the text. 

The audit notes that current run times, developed as recently as 2023, are now inaccurate due to road congestion. It found that the number of buses operating is a major factor in service delivery.

“A healthy fleet typically has 80% of the total number of buses owned available for use,” the audit reads. “For January and February 2026, the bus fleet assets were 67% available on average.”

After Wednesday’s city council meeting, Mayor Mark Sutcliffe acknowledged some of the issues outlined in the report.

“I understand the frustrations and concerns of residents,” the mayor said. “For many years now they’ve not been getting the transit service that they want and deserve.” 

But Sutcliffe was optimistic. “The team at OC Transpo has been working hard to improve reliability and we’re starting to see the results of that,” he said. “Our new General Manager Rick Leary agreed with the Auditor General’s findings… He’s working very hard to find solutions to exactly the issues that the Auditor General identified.” 

When asked if he would do anything differently regarding transit, Sutcliffe noted that some things were out of his hands. 

“As an elected official it’s not up to me to set the schedules, it’s not up to me to decide on the routes… I’m not a transit engineer,” he said. “We rely on the professional staff at OC Transpo to bring forward plans.” 

Sutcliffe said that there are always lessons to be learned, but that he had confidence in the new OC Transpo General Manager. 

“We’ve got a great General Manager in place who’s sensitive to these concerns, and we’re also starting to see the pieces come together for a much more reliable service going forward.”

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Man carrying imitation gun

On June 18, at approximately 12:27 a.m. ET, officers responded to a report of a man dressed in black and carrying what appeared to be an assault-style rifle. Officers quickly located the man on Seneca Street and made an arrest without incident. An imitation assault-style rifle, a replica handgun with a magazine, and additional magazines were seized. The OPS Central Investigations Section has charged a man in his 20s with two counts of possession of a weapon dangerous to the public peace, one count of carrying a concealed weapon, one count of common nuisance/endangering the lives or safety of the public and one count of mischief.

OPS officer facing charges in Halton

On June 19, the OPS was notified that Staff Sergeant Walt Lushman had been charged by the Halton Regional Police Service following an off-duty incident in Oakville. The incident occurred on Friday, June 12, at approximately 10:20 p.m. ET, following an alleged dispute related to a collision between two vehicles. Staff Sergeant Lushman has been charged with one count of assault and was released on an undertaking with conditions. The matter remains under criminal investigation by the Halton Regional Police Service. Staff Sergeant Lushman will have no public-facing duties while authorities investigate this matter.

Whereabouts unknown after hate-motivated assault

On June 20, at approximately 3:30 p.m. ET in the 100 block of Woodridge Cres., unprovoked, a man approached a woman and uttered a racial slur, forcibly removed her hijab and threw an umbrella at her, before fleeing on foot. Fortunately, the victim sustained no physical injuries. The suspect was unknown to the victim and remains outstanding. If you have information related to this incident, please contact the OPS. 

Months-long investigation concludes

The OPS Break and Enter Unit has concluded a months-long investigation into a series of break and enters affecting businesses in the Vanier and Overbrook areas. The investigation began on Feb. 1, and focused on incidents occurring through June 1. Across 20 incidents, suspects targeted several businesses, including some they victimized more than once. Authorities arrested a 45-year-old man, who remains in custody. The accused faces a total of 61 Criminal Code charges, including multiple counts of break and enter, mischief, possession of break-in instruments, and breaching probation. The man is scheduled to appear in court on June 29.

Last week’s crime coverage.

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“Some of that work has focused on recreation and opening up existing gymnasiums in schools, and in this case, it’s about putting a library smack in the centre of one of our older neighbourhoods – one that I believe has lacked services over the years when it comes to access to a library and, certainly, all of the things that come with the Barrie Public Library.”

Nuttall also credited Thomson with helping to bring the project to fruition.

“Deputy mayor, thank you for pushing this through and making sure that it happened,” he said.

“This is one of two libraries that are in the works right now, but this is the one that really hits home,” Nuttall said. “The deputy mayor and I both grew up in neighbourhoods just like this, and that’s why it’s so important to make sure services are available in communities like this.”

Jessop said the new branch comes at a time when Barrie’s growing population is increasing demand for community gathering spaces.

“As Barrie continues to grow, so does the need for community spaces that bring people together,” she said.

“This new location supports the library’s strategic vision to expand access to services, meet residents where they are and create vibrant, inclusive spaces that respond to the needs of a growing city.”

The Letitia Heights branch is expected to offer literacy support, programs, Wi-Fi, computers and community space.

Another library branch is in the works, which will be in the future southeast recreation complex.

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“We recognize that this has been disruptive and time consuming for residents and all road users,” said an OC Transpo representative. “We know that traffic disruptions have been impactful and frustrating for everyone.”

“My team is focused on doing better for residents,” they said. “We are taking a detailed review of our procedures for planning, coordinating, and communicating traffic impacts.”

Despite delays, work is moving forward on both east and west end extensions. For the west extension, transit staff highlighted that testing, commissions, and Line 1 integration is done.

The next step will be trial running, but this is paused until a sufficient number of carriages can be made ready.

“So, right now we’ve got 33–34 single car trains that are available for service,” said Troy Charter, Associate General Manager of OC Transpo. “We need a minimum of 46 single car trains to go into trial running to assess the service levels outlined in the project agreement.”

On the west end extension, OC Transpo staff was able to provide a more concrete timeline. “Bus loop construction is underway at Algonquin, Bayshore, Moody, Pine Crest, Lincoln Fields, and Westboro Stations, and is expected to be near completion by the end of the year,” a staff member said.

Coun. Wilson Lo (Barrhaven East) wondered about possible synergies between east and west extensions.

“When the east launches – the changes to the bus network in the east – is that going to free up any resources that we can reallocate perhaps to benefit the west?” asked Lo.

OC Transpo representatives explained that it would depend on the city’s needs.

“There will be a small number of buses that will be freed up,” they said. “What we do with them will depend on the observed travel needs at that time, and the state of the bus fleet.”

Exact timelines for various upgrades to the O-Train will be clarified at the next technical briefing. So far, city councillors generally agree that work on the project is progressing.

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Police arrest youth for arson

On June 9, emergency crews, including Ottawa Fire Services (OFS), responded to a fire just before 3:30 p.m. ET. All residents escaped the burning home. One person suffered minor smoke inhalation. Sadly, three dogs perished in the fire. The OFS Fire Investigator and the Office of the Fire Marshal are conducting an investigation in partnership.

Authorities have arrested a youth, who cannot be named under the Youth Criminal Justice Act, in relation to this incident. The youth faces charges of: Arson – disregard for human life, Arson – causing property damage, Possession of incendiary material for arson, Uttering threats to cause death or bodily harm (x2), Killing/injuring animals (x3), and Causing unnecessary suffering to an animal (x3). The youth appeared in court on June 10. 

Residents report shooting

On June 10, at approximately 4:00 a.m. ET, multiple people made 911 calls reporting that they’d heard gunshots in the area of Fine Crescent. One resident reported that a shot hit their house. Officers attended and located evidence of a shooting. There were no reported injuries, and investigators have made no arrests. The OPS believes that this was a targeted shooting. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Guns and Gangs Unit.

Three charged for counterfeiting

On June 13, three individuals were charged following an investigation into the use of counterfeit Canadian currency in fraudulent online marketplace transactions. Since March, the OPS has received multiple reports of individuals using counterfeit banknotes to purchase legitimate items advertised on online platforms, including Facebook Marketplace. Reported items have included electronics, collectible cards, gold jewellery, and computer equipment. Multiple victims have reported losses totaling tens of thousands of dollars.

On June 13, at approximately 6:00 a.m. ET, members of the Ottawa Police Tactical Unit, along with supporting units, executed a search warrant at a residence in the Parkwood Hills area in Ottawa’s west end. Authorities located and arrested three individuals inside the residence. One individual attempted to flee before being taken into custody.

As part of the investigation, officers seized thousands of dollars in counterfeit currency believed to be connected to fraudulent online transactions. Officers also seized legitimate currency they believe are proceeds of crime. During the search, officers allege they recovered; thousands of dollars in counterfeit and legitimate currency, a quantity of stolen property and approximately 1.5 kilograms of cannabis, with additional charges anticipated as the investigation continues.

The accused, all from Ottawa, have been identified as: 29-year-old Ali Qasem, 21-year-old Hudie Ghezel, and 18-year-old Yassir Farah. The OPS asks anyone with information related to this investigation to get in contact. 

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