This Week in Barrie: Week of April 20

Thinking about running in the 2026 Municipal Election?

Nominations for Mayor, Councillor, and School Board Trustee open May 1, 2026.

If you’re considering putting your name forward, the City is hosting Candidate & Third Party Advertiser Information Sessions on May 11 and 28. These sessions cover eligibility, nomination requirements, and what to expect during the campaign period.

The nomination period for the 2026 Municipal Election closes at 2 p.m. on August 21. To learn more and for full details visit barrie.ca/election.

Skilled Trades Fair April 23

Barrie residents are invited to explore rewarding careers in the skilled trades at the Simcoe County Skilled Trades Fair, taking place on Thursday, April 23 at Georgian College’s Midland Campus (649 Prospect Blvd.). The fair is designed for students, parents, job seekers, and anyone curious about high-demand trades pathways. Attendees can connect directly with employers and industry professionals through hands-on exhibits, service provider booths, and a job fair. 

•  9 a.m. to1:30 p.m. | Student Hands on Experiences with the Trades (Open to Students in   Grades 9-12) *Students must sign up through their school  
• 3 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. | Community & Job Seekers (Free Admission & Open to the Public)

The event also features panel discussions with career experts, offering insight into training, employment opportunities, and the future of skilled trades.

For full event details, visit https://workinsimcoecounty.ca/skilledtradesfair/.    

Spring street sweeping begins soon

This year’s spring street sweeping is scheduled to begin in late April, weather permitting. The annual spring street sweeping program cleans all City streets of sand deposited during winter road maintenance, and other debris. Sweeping is typically completed within approximately 10 to 14 weeks.

Visit barrie.ca/streetsweeping for progress updates.

Mayor’s Innovation Awards Recognize Barrie’s Top Trailblazers

The winners of the 7th annual Mayor’s Innovation Awards were recently announced at an awards ceremony at the Five Points Theatre. The Awards recognize the most innovative solutions from Barrie businesses, individuals, and community groups. The City received over 80 nominations, which were evaluated by 18 judges from various industries and business backgrounds on criteria like creativity, innovation, and the nominee’s wider contributions to Barrie’s evolution.

Read about the winners and runners-up of the 2025 Mayor’s Innovation Awards, by category, at investbarrie.ca/InnovationAwards and  watch the winners’ videos. 

The Mayor’s Innovation Awards are sponsored by Adams Hamilton, Ain Whithead LLP, Marquee Benefits Inc., Innovative Automation, reIGNITE Conference, and the Sandbox Centre.

Help Shape the Future of Centennial Park

The City is inviting residents to share their input on design proposals for a new Centennial Park Food and Activity Hub, a project intended to celebrate local food culture, improve public access to the waterfront, and create new opportunities for community activity and events in this important park. Two preliminary design concepts have been developed, and each explores different ways to organize the space around three core waterfront experiences: dance, dine, and play. 

Residents are encouraged to visit BuildingBarrie.ca/CentennialParkHub to review both design concepts and complete the online survey by Friday, May 1, 2026, for a chance to win a prize.

City of Barrie presents Game On! World Cup Online Esports Tournament

The City of Barrie is celebrating the FIFA World Cup 2026 with a regional online gaming competition. The Game On! World Cup Esports Tournament will unite top qualifying players aged 14 to 24 from across Simcoe County for a FIFA / EA Sports FC showdown—featuring online play and a live, on-stage final experience.

The event is presented in partnership with Bradford West Gwillimbury, Collingwood, Innisfil, Orillia, Oro-Medonte, Penetanguishene and Tiny Township and is hosted virtually by online interactive gaming entertainment company, We Got Game.

• Online municipal qualifiers May 29 to June 1, 2026
• In-person regional finals June 26, 2026, at Five Points Theatre in Barrie (1 Dunlop St. West)

For more information and to register starting April 23 visit barrie.ca/GameOnWorldCup.

Join the City Nature Challenge Barrie Kick Off! (RSVP)

The City Nature Challenge Barrie Kickoff happens Friday, April 24, 2026 from 10 to 11:30 a.m. at Sunnidale Park. This event invites everyone to step outside, explore nearby green spaces, and start documenting local wildlife. Aimed for families, participants get a quick intro to the Challenge, simple tips for spotting and photographing species, and guidance on using  iNaturalist to upload observations that help our city’s biodiversity count grow. Play a few games along the way while we capture wild species in the park. Open for all ages and abilities.

Pre-registration is required, visit the City Nature Challenge Barrie Kickoff or the barrie.ca/events page for more information. 

Reminder: Yard waste collection is underway!

Yard waste is collected every-other-week, alternating with your garbage week. Place yard waste curbside by 7 a.m. on your scheduled collection day (4:30 a.m. in the downtown BIA). Reminder: your garbage and organics carts need space to be collected! Leave at least 2 ft between carts and your yard waste and recycling boxes. For more information, visit barrie.ca/YardWasteCollection.

Help Us Make Great Compost!

Did you know? Your yard waste is turned into compost for City parks and for sale to residents. To keep it clean: 

• Remove plastic pots, bags, toys 
• No food waste, pet waste, tools, or treated wood 

For more information about how the City turns your yard waste into compost, visit barrie.ca/composting.

Reminder: Property tax installment due April 30

The second installment of the interim 2026 property tax bill is due on April 30. Interim tax bills are issued each January. If your taxes are paid through a mortgage company or a pre-authorized payment plan, you will not receive an interim tax bill. The final bill ​is issued each May and typically arrives in mailboxes by early June. Never miss a due date – enroll in the Pre-Authorized Payment Plan for hassle-free payments.

For details, visit barrie.ca/PropertyTaxes.

Presented by The City of Barrie