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Second candidate jumps into Barrie mayoral race

Stephen J. Donkers — Thu, 09 Jul 2026 00:16:12 +0000

Then there were two.

Managing director of Redwood Communities and local realtor Tanya Saari has launched her campaign for mayor of Barrie, becoming the second candidate to enter the race for the city’s top political office.

Saari is seeking to unseat incumbent Mayor Alex Nuttall, who announced in May that he will seek a second term in the 2026 municipal election.

Saari has previous political experience, having twice run for Barrie city council in Ward 3. She was a candidate in the 2018 municipal election and again in the 2020 byelection following the resignation of former Coun. Doug Shipley. Shipley was elected as the Conservative MP for Barrie–Springwater–Oro-Medonte in 2019.

She later ran against Shipley in the 2021 federal election as the Liberal candidate for Barrie–Springwater–Oro-Medonte.

Saari said she entered the mayoral race because she believes residents need options as Barrie continues to grow and faces major decisions in how to run the city.

“The simple answer is that I believe Barrie deserves a choice,” she said.

“Barrie is growing quickly, we’re making significant financial decisions, and we’re facing complex challenges around housing, infrastructure, affordability and community safety.”

Saari said she has seen positive changes in the city, including new investment and development, but also hears residents raising concerns about affordability, traffic, infrastructure and how decisions are made at city hall.

“I believe residents deserve the opportunity to hear different ideas, compare different approaches and decide what kind of leadership they want for the future of Barrie,” she said.

Saari said her background in housing, community development, business, finance, real estate and the non-profit sector has shaped her approach to leadership.

“I don’t believe leadership is about being the best. I believe it’s about bringing the right people together,” she said.

Her campaign priorities include what she calls “honest affordability,” which would provide residents with a focus on taxes, fees, debt, reserves, user rates and future costs.

Saari is also campaigning on improving transparency at city hall, increasing public engagement, addressing community safety concerns, supporting responsible growth and ensuring that core services such as road maintenance, snow clearing, sidewalks and parks remain a priority.

She said one of Barrie’s biggest challenges is making sure the city’s rapid growth is matched with the infrastructure and services needed to support residents.

“We’re growing. We need more housing; we want new investment, new jobs,” she said.

“But we also need the roads, infrastructure, parks and services to keep up.”

On homelessness, mental health and addictions, Saari said solutions must focus on partnerships and proven approaches, including supportive housing.

“My experience in housing has shown me that people are experiencing homelessness for many different reasons,” she said.

“That’s why there isn’t one solution that works for everyone.”

Saari said a future administration under her leadership would focus on bringing the right partners together and supporting solutions that have been shown to work.

Barrie voters will choose their next mayor, councillors and school board trustees on Oct. 26, 2026.

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Game on: Pixel Paradise levels up Bayfield Mall

Stephen J. Donkers — Wed, 08 Jul 2026 23:19:15 +0000

Clinking tokens, flashing lights and a healthy dose of nostalgia have all arrived at the Bayfield Mall.

Pixel Paradise Arcade officially opened this summer, bringing more than 100 arcade, pinball and other games to the shopping centre.

The family-run business is the second location for co-owner Devon Cochrane, who has operated the original Pixel Paradise Arcade in Angus for more than six years.

For Cochrane, opening in Barrie felt like a homecoming.

“I was born and mostly raised in Barrie,” he said.

“As a kid, we were always at the Bayfield Mall. I remember having birthday parties at Bowlerama and watching new releases at the Bayfield 7 Cinemas right up until it was closed. The Bayfield Mall just seemed like the right spot, plus there isn’t much in the way of indoor entertainment in the north end of town.”

The project was nearly a year in the making. Cochrane said paperwork was completed in the spring of 2025, but construction delays and logistical challenges pushed back the opening.

“One day in May we were bringing in the last truckload of games from our Angus location, only to find out that the entire loading dock we had been using was demolished without notice,” he said.

Fortunately, the delays allowed a shipment of arcade machines from overseas to arrive before the doors opened.

Pixel Paradise features everything from vintage arcade video games and pinball machines to modern games that can appeal to players of all ages.

Cochrane said visitors have embraced the nostalgic experience, especially the old-school way they pay.

“The community response has been extremely positive,” he said.

“People seem to love that we use actual tokens and tickets over a more modern card swipe system. Plus, most people seem happy to see something different as we try to blend a mix of new and old games.”

Cochrane said the business remains a true family operation, with his wife, Maeve, helping to oversee daily operations while other family members pitch in behind the scenes.

“We aren’t a large corporate entity – we’re people you can run into at the grocery store and chat with,” he said. “We care about the games and the customers playing them.”

He said the arcade’s mission is simple.

“Whether it’s your first time, or your 10th time, our goal is to make sure everyone who comes to the arcade has fun.”

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Barrie to plant thousands of trees following 2025 ice storm

Stephen J. Donkers — Wed, 17 Jun 2026 21:22:38 +0000

One tree at a time.

The City of Barrie plans to plant roughly 6,200 trees over the next two years following the major ice storm of 2025.

The March 2025 ice storm damaged approximately 46,000 municipal trees and forced the removal of more than 5,000 street and park trees. In response, city council approved a replacement planting program last June aimed at restoring the city’s tree canopy.

Around 1,400 trees have been planted this spring in parks, natural areas and along street boulevards. Planting will continue over the next three weeks, with more work scheduled for the fall and spring of 2027.

Mayor Alex Nuttall and Deputy Mayor Robert Thomson announced the initiative at Leacock Park in the city’s northwest end. Nuttall said the newly planted trees represent an investment in the city’s future.

“Recovery is not just about cleaning up after a storm, it’s about taking meaningful action to leave our community stronger than it was before,” he said.

“As a community we came together, we supported each other, we helped each other remove trees, get out of driveways and restore power.”

The overall cost of the city’s ice storm recovery is estimated at about $30 million, with roughly $2.1 million earmarked for the tree replacement program.

Deputy Mayor Robert Thomson said the storm left a lasting mark on Barrie, but praised the community-wide response that followed.

“While the damage was extensive, so was the response,” he said.

“City crews, contractors, community partners, residents came together immediately following the storm.”

The replanting program is aimed at creating a more resilient urban forest. Barrie plants between 600 and 800 trees each year, making the current initiative one of the largest tree-planting efforts in the city’s history.

Once the program is completed in 2027, the city expects to have more trees than it did before the 2025 ice storm.

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Lakehead STEM hubs move closer to completion in downtown Barrie

Stephen J. Donkers — Wed, 03 Jun 2026 16:50:13 +0000

Progress continues on Lakehead University’s future STEM hubs in downtown Barrie.

The City of Barrie says interior construction at the 24 Maple Ave. site is nearing completion, while work at 5 Ross St. is advancing steadily.

At Maple Avenue, interior construction is reaching completion, with millwork, vestibule framing and window installations in progress. Mechanical and electrical systems are being commissioned, while lab equipment and furniture continue to arrive ahead of the hub’s opening. The city says exterior work should continue through the summer.

Whereas on Ross Street, demolition work is complete and framing for new classroom entrances and interior partitions is nearly finished. Mechanical and electrical rough-ins continue as crews carry out additional installation and coordination work throughout the building.

In April, Mayor Alex Nuttall toured the locations and talked about the progress so far.

“This isn’t just about a university improving the private sector, improving the way the government and education and business work together,” he said. “It’s also about our young people having access to education in an affordable way and one that’s going to put them onto that path of hope and opportunity.”

In late 2024, the City of Barrie and Lakehead University announced plans to establish a STEM hub in the former Barrie Transit Terminal at 24 Maple Ave. This past winter, they officially added a second hub location at 5 Ross St. to their plans.

The Maple Avenue hub will house specialized teaching and research labs focused on robotics, motors, instrumentation, machines and mechatronics. The Ross Street hub will feature flexible classrooms, collaborative learning spaces, student services, social areas and graduate student offices.

The two hubs are slated to open this fall and will accommodate more than 700 students over their first five years.

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