Barrie is another step closer to expanding its boundary lines after the Township of Springwater approved the municipal restructuring framework.
The decision did not come easily. During the Nov. 5 public council meeting, Mayor Jennifer Coughlin invoked her strong mayor powers to push through the approval after four councillors voted against the plan.
At the start of the discussion, Coun. Anita Moore introduced a surprise motion asking Ontario’s Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing Rob Flack to consider an alternate boundary adjustment map. That map was presented during a recent County of Simcoe meeting on the land plan.
The revised map still showed the Township of Oro-Medonte transferring 274 hectares to Barrie, but reduced Springwater’s contribution to 131.7 hectares — a sizeable cut from the 1,216 hectares proposed in the framework announced in September.
Moore, Deputy Mayor George Cabral and councillors Danielle Alexander and Phil Fisher said they were not given the opportunity to be more active in the negotiation process. Coughlin, along with councillors Matt Garwood and Brad Thompson, disputed those claims, saying the four councillors had declined to be more involved.
“When this framework agreement was brought to this council for input, rather than this council choosing to have input, we chose no thank you and pushed it away, not to receive it,” Coughlin said.
Alexander, Cabral and Fisher supported Moore’s motion, which passed. Immediately afterward, township staff informed council that approving the motion meant members could no longer accept Barrie’s framework plan. Council was left to either reject the plan or take no position on it.
Coughlin warned that rejecting the framework could result in Springwater receiving no compensation if the province ultimately approved the boundary adjustment.
“The facilitated negotiations have come to an end — the province asked us to vote on a framework. That framework has formed an agreement,” she said.
“A boundary adjustment is going to happen one of two ways. It’s going to be an annexation legislated or it’s going to be an agreement. It is the most significant compensation that has been offered in Ontario to date — let the province come and annex it, and we’ll get nothing.”
Cabral, Alexander, Moore and Fisher voted to reject the framework, while Coughlin, Garwood and Thompson voted against the rejection.
Coughlin then invoked her strong mayor powers — granted under Ontario legislation — to ensure Springwater formally approved Barrie’s framework plan.
Fisher immediately challenged the decision by introducing a motion asking the township’s solicitor to contest the validity of the bylaw approving the framework plan.
The motion allows the solicitor to take any necessary legal action, including seeking a court order or an order to overturn the bylaw. It passed with support from Cabral, Alexander and Moore.
After the meeting, Coughlin told Compass News her focus remains on representing Springwater residents.
“As I’ve said before, my priority has always been — and will continue to be — serving the best interests of Springwater residents. Today, and for generations to come,” she said.
Thompson said the Ontario government has been open and fair with Springwater throughout the process but criticized the four councillors who opposed the framework.
“The province has been very fair and open with us during this process,” he said.
“We’ve had lots of time to go through the process, and they keep dragging us through the mud and stalling everything. I believe we are paid to make decisions and it was time for us to make a decision about this, but they still tried to stop it from happening.”
Thompson also supported Coughlin’s use of strong mayor powers.
“It’s unfortunate she had to, but she was given those powers for a reason. I support her in that,” he said.
Of the 1,216 hectares proposed to be annexed from Springwater, 283 hectares would be developed for mixed-use residential and 313 hectares for industrial employment uses.
Barrie approved the framework in early October, while Oro-Medonte and the County of Simcoe have since given it lukewarm support. Resolutions from all councils will be sent to the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing, requesting that the plan move forward through a minister’s order.
If approved by the province, the restructuring would take effect Jan. 1, 2026.
