This Week in Barrie: Week of June 22

Celebrate Canada’s birthday in Barrie with Canada Day On The Move!

The City of Barrie is hosting Canada Day On the Move featuring pop-ups at Lampman Lane Park (10 a.m. to 1 p.m.) and Painswick Park (3 to 6 p.m.) on Wednesday, July 1, 2026, plus all your favourite festivities and fireworks downtown at Centennial Park. Each three-hour pop-up features free, family-friendly activities including a wildlife show, face painting, buskers, games, inflatables, and more.  Centennial Park programming runs from 12 p.m. (noon) to 10 p.m. with food trucks, entertainment, the Ultimutts Animal Actors Show, and a paid Moonwalk Entertainment Family Zone. Fireworks over Kempenfelt Bay begin at approximately 10 p.m. (Weather date: July 5). Heritage Park will be closed to the public for safety during the show. 

For festivities downtown, Open Air Dunlop (presented by the Downtown Barrie BIA) will take place in Meridian Place, and Dunlop Street will be closed to vehicles (pedestrians only) from Maple Avenue to Mulcaster Street. The event will feature activities, vendors and live entertainment to celebrate Canada Day.   

For full event details and activity times, visit barrie.ca/CanadaDay. 

Barrie planting 5,000 new trees to replace those lost in ice storm

The City is moving forward with efforts to restore its urban tree canopy after last year’s ice storm, which destroyed more than 5,000 trees and damaged approximately 46,000 across parks and streets. Supported by a $2.1 million investment, the City has already planted about 1,400 new trees and plans to reach its 5,000-tree replacement goal through continued planting this spring, as well as this fall and spring 2027. 

For more information on ice storm recovery status, including tree replanting locations, species, and timing, visit barrie.ca/IceStorm.

Have your say: City invites feedback on Minet’s Point Park redevelopment plans 

The City of Barrie is seeking public input on the future redevelopment of Minet’s Point Park. The insights shared by the community will shape the final preferred concept and will support the future detailed design and implementation. Residents can review the preliminary concepts and complete an online survey by July 5, 2026 (deadline recently extended), for a chance to win a prize.

More information and the survey are available at BuildingBarrie.ca/MinetsPointParkEngagement.

City seeking applicants for Municipal Election Compliance Audit Committee

The City is inviting residents to apply for the Municipal Election Compliance Audit Committee, an independent body established under the Municipal Elections Act to investigate and adjudicate matters related to municipal election campaign finances. The committee is composed of three citizen members appointed for a four-year term and is responsible for reviewing compliance audit requests and determining whether further investigation is required. The upcoming term will run from November 2026 to November 14, 2030. To be considered, complete the Municipal Election Compliance Audit Committee Application and submit it with your resume by Tuesday, June 30, 2026, at 4:30 p.m.

Visit barrie.ca/Committees to learn more.

Yard waste collection: If it doesn’t grow, it doesn’t go!

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

• No pots, bags, toys, or garden tools
• No pet waste, garbage, dirt or rocks

Reminder: Please place yard waste at the curb on your scheduled collection day, during your yard waste week. Collection may occur at any time up to the end of the day on Friday of your collection week.

Want to learn more about yard waste collection at the City? Visit barrie.ca/YardWasteCollection.

Mapleview Drive East closure required for Hewitt’s Creek culvert installation

A full closure of Mapleview Drive East between Chef Lane and Royal Jubilee Drive/Lally Terrace will remain in in place until November 20, 2026, to allow for the installation of the Hewitt’s Creek culvert. Through traffic will be detoured via Yonge Street, Big Bay Point Road, and Prince William Way, while emergency access will be maintained. Barrie Transit routes 12A and 12B will follow a detour and not directly service the Barrie South GO Station; however, a free shuttle will operate on both sides of the closure to maintain access to the station and Maple Ridge Secondary School, running daily with service aligned to train and school schedules. This work is part of planned transportation improvements to support growth to 2031.

Visit barrie.ca/roadwork for more details.

Barrie celebrates Pollinator Week

Pollinator Week (June 22-28, 2026) is a global celebration supporting pollinator health. A pollinator is anything that transports pollen grains from one flower to another; this includes bees, birds, bats, butterflies, moths, flies, wasps, and beetles. To celebrate Pollinator Week, Barrie residents are encouraged to get involved by submitting a photo of a pollinator through the ‘Pic-a-Pollinator’ online photo contest and attending free activities during the week. 

Activity and photo contest details are available at barrie.ca/BeeCity.  

Pesticide use for mosquito control

Between June 15 and October 30, 2026, the City is conducting a larviciding program under the authority of the Local Medical Officer of Health to control larval mosquitoes to prevent their development into carriers of West Nile Virus. Larvicide is applied to municipal-owned catch basins by licensed applicators or supervised technicians. Rear lot catch basins on private property will be treated upon homeowner request and signed consent.

For more details, call 705-790-1122 or visit barrie.ca/Environment.

ParticipACTION Challenge during Recreation and Parks Month

June is recognized as Recreation and Parks Month in Ontario, and the City of Barrie is encouraging residents to enjoy free activities and programs in support of the ParticipACTION Community Challenge. The Community Challenge is a national physical activity and sport initiative that will award Canada’s Most Active Community with $100,000 to support local sports and activities.

To learn more and see the schedule of activities, visit barrie.ca/JRPM.

Licence 2 Ride offers Barrie youth free transit and recreation all summer

Applications are open for the City’s Licence 2 Ride (L2R) program, which is available for Barrie youth aged 12 to 17. The program includes free unlimited summer rides on Barrie Transit and free, select drop-in access at Peggy Hill Team Community Centre, Allandale Recreation Centre, and East Bayfield Community Centre.

Find out more and apply at barrie.ca/Licence2Ride.

Free summer concert with Kim Mitchell on July 11

Kick off summer in style with a free outdoor concert featuring multi-platinum, JUNO Award-winning Canadian rock legend Kim Mitchell at Meridian Place on July 11. Make a day of it downtown—start with the Downtown Barrie Butter Tart Festival, then cap off the evening with live music beginning at 7:30 p.m. at Meridian Place.

For event details, visit barrie.ca/events.

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.

Reminder: Property tax bill due dates

Final 2026 tax bill instalment due dates are June 30 and September 29, 2026. Final tax bills are issued each May. All payments must be received by the City on or before the due date to avoid late payment fees of 1.25% per month. Simplify your payments—join the Pre-Authorized Payment Plan and never worry about missing a due date!

Visit barrie.ca/PropertyTaxes for more information.

Presented by The City of Barrie