Barrie city council reviewed five proposed options for redrawing the city’s ward boundaries during a Finance and Responsible Governance Committee meeting on April 30.
The proposals, developed by Watson & Associates Economists Ltd. – a consulting firm specializing in municipal planning and finance – are part of the city’s preparations ahead of the 2026 municipal election.
The review is intended to ensure fair and effective representation by balancing population distribution across wards. Barrie’s population has grown by nearly 12% since the last boundary review in 2013, reaching approximately 153,000 residents in 2021.
Jack Ammendolia, a managing partner at Watson & Associates, emphasized that while multiple factors influence the redrawing of ward boundaries, maintaining the integrity and interests of local communities is vital.
“We try to draw lines around the community, not through it,” he said. “But due to population and concentrated growth, that’s not always possible. When that happens, we try to determine where the most appropriate boundary should be.”
He also stressed the importance of creating wards that are easy to recognize and understand.
“Whether it’s waterways, rivers, highways, or major roads, we try to use something that clearly indicates when you’re moving from one ward to another,” he said.
Deputy Mayor Robert Thomson put forward a motion directing the committee to focus on options 1 and 2-B for the next phase of public consultation. He also requested that when the final ward boundary options are presented to council, the numbering of the wards be arranged to minimize the number of residents who would see their ward number change.
“I think the ones that achieve it — and with the population numbers projected for 2025 and where they’ll be in 2026 — there are a lot of variables to consider,” he said.
“That’s kind of the direction I’ve taken: to eliminate some of the other options and really focus the public on what I believe are the best ones.”
Residents can read the full report by Watson & Associates by visiting the City of Barrie’s official website at barrie.ca.
