Residents of Barrie, and townships Springwater and Oro-Medonte voiced both support and opposition to Barrie’s proposed boundary adjustment during a public meeting Sept. 29 at Barrie City Hall.
Roughly 90 people attended, including Mayor Alex Nuttall and several councillors.
On Sept. 25, the three municipalities released a draft proposal outlining a possible restructuring. The plan would see Barrie assume thousands of acres from neighbouring townships to support future housing and employment growth. Barrie would pay $15,000 per acre. In total, the draft calls for the city to obtain 1,472 acres of land from Springwater and 672 acres of land from Oro Medonte.
The province appointed a facilitator in fall 2024 to help guide discussions among the municipalities. Barrie first proposed a boundary adjustment in 2023 to ensure space for growth.
At the meeting, residents spoke for and against the proposal. Barrie resident Gary Ray expressed concern about higher property taxes and service costs.
“I know how you can make things sound nice when they aren’t,” he said.
“What I heard tonight was a lot of developers saying this is great, but where is the reality of what it’s going to do to us?”
Oro-Medonte resident Jane Voorhees said she and others feel the plan is being rushed.
“This draft annexation agreement is rushed, and it does not represent responsible land-use planning. We believe it’s unjustified,” she said.
Another Oro-Medonte resident, Bryn Pressnail, urged Barrie to look south to Innisfil for growth instead of expanding north.
“We wish to protect the quality of life in Oro-Medonte and the environmental sensitivity of the lake,” he said.
“Do not allow any development next to this because you do not want houses or urban sprawl to occur. It has already occurred south of us in Innisfil. There is lots of land there.”
Others spoke in favour. Paul Markle, CEO of the Barrie Chamber of Commerce, said the city has worked hard to support growth.
“The Barrie Chamber of Commerce has seen firsthand the efforts the city has undertaken to create an environment well suited to allowing businesses to start, grow and thrive,” he said.
Oro-Medonte resident Walter Vaz, who lives in the proposed annexation area, said his family supports the plan.
“We believe this proposal represents an excellent outcome of good-faith negotiations between all the parties to address several regional concerns,” he said.
“We recognize as a community that housing must be a priority and, along with housing, the need for employment lands nearby is critical. I believe Barrie has the resources that Oro-Medonte may not.”
Springwater resident Craig Walwin pointed to past annexations as proof of long-term benefits, citing Barrie’s absorption of Vespra Township in 1984 and the transfer of Innisfil lands in 2010.
“Change is part of growth,” he said.
“The 1984 annexation of Vespra reshaped Barrie. Later, in 2010, Innisfil joined in that change. Both shifts created thousands of jobs, provided housing and pushed Barrie into what it is today.”
Nuttall spoke to Compass News about what he thought about the comments from the individuals who spoke to him and council.
Nuttall told Compass News the feedback reflected the divide in public opinion.
“It was a mixed response. The folks who want jobs and housing are saying this is a good thing for Barrie and the surrounding communities, whereas those who don’t want anything to happen say it’s a bad thing,” he said.
“Everyone was respectful, kind and fair. It’s good to get the information out there and take everyone’s thoughts as we move forward.”
The proposal also outlines a possible cross-border servicing agreement to support development near the Bayfield Street passage. The details — including infrastructure capacity, costs and timelines — would be negotiated later.
In addition, Barrie has offered to pay Springwater $170,000 a year from 2026 to 2030, totalling $850,000. Those funds would be used for economic development projects and help attract investment and create more jobs.
