Celebrate summer at Barrie’s free Youth Event
Barrie youth under 19 are invited to kick off the summer at a fun-filled community celebration hosted by the Barrie Youth Council. Enjoy an afternoon of free food, live music, games, and opportunities to connect with friends and fellow youth in the community.
Join us on Friday, July 24, 2026, from 3 to 8 p.m. at the General John Hayter Southshore Community Centre (205 Lakeshore Drive).
The event is free to attend and organized by the City of Barrie Youth Council.
Learn more at barrie.ca/YouthCouncil.
Communities in Bloom event happening on July 25
Celebrate 30 years of Barrie’s participation in Communities in Bloom! Join us on Saturday, July 25 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at a drop-in event at City Hall (70 Collier St.) to recognize the residents, volunteers, and community partners who have helped make Barrie an award-winning municipality.
Learn more about Communities in Bloom at barrie.ca/CommunitiesInBloom.
Summer Waste Tips
During warm summer months, how we manage our waste is even more important to protect against odours, pests, and messes. A few simple habits can help keep your space clean and less inviting to pests.
- Clean your carts inside and out to reduce odours
- Keep yards tidy – remove debris, piles, and tall grass
- Store waste properly in carts – don’t leave bags outside overnight
- Use your organics cart’s gravity lock to keep wildlife out
Learn more about proper cart storage and upkeep at barrie.ca/CurbsideCarts. For more tips to protect your property from unwanted wildlife, visit barrie.ca/wildlife.
Tree Watering Bag pick-up days on July 25 and August 1
Residents who received a new boulevard tree in 2025 or 2026 as part of the City’s replanting efforts following the 2025 ice storm can pick up a free tree watering bag to help their tree thrive. The City will distribute watering bags and instruction sheets at Sunnidale Park (265 Sunnidale Road) on Saturday, July 25 and Saturday, August 1, 2026, from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Residents must provide their address to confirm eligibility and supplies will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis, while quantities last.
For more information about Barrie’s street trees and the tree watering bag program, visit barrie.ca/StreetTrees.
Barrie Transit’s MyRide: Real-time detour info during construction season
With MyRideBarrie.ca, you can look up real-time bus times, trip planning tools, route maps, and see transit notices/news. MyRide helps you plan your trip for an easier transit experience! During Barrie’s road construction season, it’s easy to see detours on the live map – a quick way to check if there are travel interruptions on your route.
Learn more at MyRideBarrie.ca.
Enjoy free summer fun in Barrie parks
We’re offering free, family-friendly, drop-in activities in parks across the community throughout the summer, aimed at getting residents engaged in active play and nature! There’s a range of programming offered in different parks throughout July and August.
Visit barrie.ca/SummerFunEvents for the programming details and full schedule.
Local businesses invited to complete the 2025 Business & Employer Data Survey
City of Barrie staff are conducting the annual Business & Employer Data Survey through door-to-door visits in Barrie’s commercial and industrial areas. The survey helps update the City’s online business directory and informs economic development and planning efforts. Businesses can also complete the survey online at buildingbarrie.ca/BusinessDataSurvey by September 30, 2026.
For more information and to view the 2025 summary report, visit investbarrie.ca/BEDS.
Road closure notice: Short-term closure of Yonge Street
A full closure of Yonge Street between St. Paul’s Crescent and Mapleview Drive East will be in place from July 14 to July 17, 2026, to allow for a critical deep sanitary sewer connection. Work will take place continuously, 24 hours a day, to reduce the overall construction timeline and minimize traffic impacts. Through traffic will be detoured via St. Paul’s Crescent, with signed routes in place, while transit service will not be affected. This work is part of planned transportation improvements identified in the City’s Multi-Modal Active Transportation Master Plan to support growth to 2031.
Visit barrie.ca/roadwork for more information and project updates.
Explore Barrie’s beaches this summer!
Lifeguards are on duty daily from 11:30 a.m. until 5:30 p.m. (weather-permitting) at Johnson’s and Centennial beaches for the summer season. When lifeguards are on duty, signs are posted, and buoy lines mark the designated supervised swimming areas. As in previous years, there is no supervision at any other waterfront locations. The Personal Floatation Device (PFD) loan program allows visitors to borrow PFDs for free at Centennial and Johnson’s beaches. The PFD loan service is an effective way to increase usage and promotes public education surrounding the value of properly fitted PFDs. Approximately 90% of drowning victims are found not wearing a lifejacket or PFD.
For more information visit barrie.ca/beaches.
Reminder: No tents or sunshades at the beach
Tents or sunshades are not permitted at waterfront beaches or parks unless they are supported by no more than one pole and have no more than one wall or side. This helps keep sightlines clear and beaches safe for everyone.
For more details, visit barrie.ca/beaches.
Barrie Arts Awards: Call for nominations
Nominations for this year’s Arts Awards are open until Monday, August 10, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. These awards celebrate individuals and organizations for their outstanding contributions to the arts sector. Winners will be honoured at the annual gala on November 10, 2026.
To submit a nomination or learn more about the Barrie Arts Awards, visit barrie.ca/ArtsAwards.
Make sure you’re on the Voters’ List!
With Election Day set for October 26, now is the perfect time to make sure you’re on the 2026 Municipal Election voters’ list. Doing so means you’ll receive your voter information letter ahead of time, helping you cast your ballot with confidence for the offices of Mayor, Councillor, and School Board Trustee(s).
Visit registertovoteon.ca for details.
Do you have your waterfront digital parking permit?
Resident waterfront digital parking permits have been extended to December 31, 2028. A waterfront parking permit, free for Barrie residents, allows you to park for free at select waterfront locations. Each digital permit is tied to a specific licence plate, so you do not need to bring anything with you or display anything when parking in select areas along Barrie’s beautiful waterfront.
If you already have a waterfront digital parking permit, no action is required. Don’t have a permit yet? Visit barrie.ca/Waterfront Parking.
Presented by The City of Barrie
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of The City of Barrie and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of iPolitics.
