A prominent symbol of national pride is set to rise in Barrie for Canada Day, thanks to financial support from a prominent developer.
Skyline, a Guelph-based capital management firm, has pledged to fund the installation of a 150-foot Canadian flag along Highway 400, at the city’s Emergency Services Campus on Fairview Road. Originally budgeted at $250,000 from Barrie’s Reinvestment Reserve, the project will now proceed without the use of city funds.
Barrie Mayor Alex Nuttall said he applauded Skyline for its generous donation.
“I was delighted and grateful when Skyline offered to cover the entire cost of the project,” he said.
“This gesture shows Skyline’s commitment to this community, and we are incredibly thankful. We did receive feedback from residents, and while it was wildly in favour of the flag, there were concerns with the cost. Thanks to their ongoing commitment to Barrie, this flag will fly high in time for Canada Day.”
The company is currently leading the development of a multi-residential project on Grove Street West in Barrie’s north end, which will add 541 rental units — including 32 designated as affordable housing — by 2027. Skyline co-founder and CEO Jason Castellan said in a news release that the decision to fund the Canadian flag project was made as a symbol of national unity.
“We recognize this project as a powerful representation of Canadian spirit and identity, and we’re honoured to contribute to a meaningful initiative that will endure for generations,” he said. “Skyline is a proudly all-Canadian company. In each community we serve, we are supporting Canadian families, businesses, jobs, and the economy by providing great places to live, work, and shop.”
Along with covering the full cost of the flag project, Skyline will support Barrie in managing logistics, such as selecting the site and securing all required approvals.
