Mayor Alex Nuttall is ready for round two.
On May 5 at the Mill Creek Community Centre with supporters gathered, Nuttall officially kicked off his re-election campaign for a second term, positioning himself as a steady, fiscally focused leader.
Nuttall, who grew up in Mill Creek, a social housing complex in Barrie’s south-east end, said returning to the neighbourhood for his campaign launch carried personal significance.
“It’s pretty cool to see us all here today – back in a place I call home,” he said.
Nuttall said the past four years have been about “restoring order,” improving decision-making and rebuilding Barrie’s reputation with other levels of government.
He thanked council for its work during the term, saying differing views have not undermined a shared focus on the city’s priorities.
“While council doesn’t agree 100 per cent of the time, and that’s a good thing, we all know that we’re here to do what’s best for Barrie,” he said.
The mayor highlighted several financial measures, including the cancellation of a four-per-cent stormwater charge, the freezing of operational tax increases and a reduction of roughly 20 per cent in city debt. He said reserves have increased and Barrie has maintained a AAA credit rating.
Nuttall also pointed to more than $135 million in funding from other levels of government, along with investments in infrastructure including roads, a planned mixed-use recreation complex on a 100-acre site, two new library branches and support for a permanent YMCA location in the city’s south end.
Public safety was a key focus. Nuttall emphasized a tougher approach on illegal drugs and crime, including efforts to shut down illegal cannabis dispensaries and opposition to a proposed supervised consumption site.
“Strong action on drugs and criminals today is a brighter future tomorrow,” he said.
He also announced commitments tied to his Mill Creek roots, including plans for new park development in the area and bursaries for students attending Georgian College and Lakehead University.
Nuttall outlined a vision for downtown Barrie that includes a planned performing arts centre, expanded post-secondary programming with Georgian College and upcoming Lakehead University STEM hubs, and additional cultural programming aimed at bringing people back to the core.
He also framed affordability as a dual challenge – housing costs and access to local jobs – saying the city has reduced development charges to spur housing construction and is working to expand industrial lands to attract employers.
“We have too many people working in Toronto and living on a highway,” he said.
“We need jobs here in Barrie.”
Nuttall said future economic growth could also be tied to defence-sector investment and private-sector partnerships.
He acknowledged more work remains and said his campaign will focus on housing, public safety and economic development.
Before being elected mayor in 2022, Nuttall served as the Conservative MP for Barrie–Springwater–Oro-Medonte from 2015 to 2019 and spent two terms as a city councillor.
Deputy Mayor Robert Thomson and councillors Clare Reipma, Craig Nixon, Ann-Marie Kungl, Nigussie Nigussie, Gary Harvey and Sergio Morales were in attendance.
Voters in Barrie head to the polls Oct. 26, 2026.
