Celebrate Canada’s birthday in Barrie with Canada Day On The Move!
Join the celebration on Wednesday, July 1, 2026, as Canada Day On The Move brings fun to neighbourhood parks and downtown. Enjoy free, family-friendly pop-ups at Lampman Lane Park from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and Painswick Park from 3 to 6 p.m., featuring a wildlife show, face painting, buskers, games, inflatables, and more.
Head downtown to Centennial Park for a full day of festivities from noon to 10 p.m., including food trucks, live 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).Â
Also downtown, Open Air Dunlop (presented by the Downtown Barrie BIA) will take over Meridian Place, and Dunlop Street will be closed to vehicles from Maple Avenue to Mulcaster Street for pedestrian-only access to activities, vendors, and live entertainment.
For full details and activity times, visit barrie.ca/CanadaDay.Â
Canada Day affected services and service reminders
The following City services will be affected on Canada Day, Wednesday, July 1, 2026:Â
- Barrie Transit will run on a Sunday service schedule, with extended evening service to accommodate the Canada Day fireworks show. The last buses will depart the Downtown Hub (adjacent to 24 Maple Ave.) and the Barrie Allandale Transit Terminal (20 Essa Road) at approximately 10:30 p.m.Â
- Recreation/Community Centres will be closed
- City Hall will be closedÂ
- The landfill will be closedÂ
Service reminders:
Curbside collection: There will be no change to the waste collection schedule on Wednesday, July 1; curbside collection will occur as regularly scheduled. Visit barrie.ca/CurbsideCollection for more information on curbside collection services and to look up your collection schedule.Â
Parking: Downtown parking (on-street and lots) is free on statutory holidays, including July 1. Waterfront parking is enforced 24/7/365. A digital waterfront permit is required for residents to park for free at specific waterfront areas. The Spirit Catcher, Simcoe Street Lot, and North Marina parking lots are “hybrid” lots, with rates consistent with waterfront parking rates (enforced 24/7/365); the waterfront parking permit is not valid in these lots. View the municipal parking map to see parking areas and rates and visit barrie.ca/parking for more parking information.
Fireworks reminder: Residents are permitted to use fireworks on the Canada Day holiday as per the Regulatory Matters By-law (fireworks are only permitted on the holiday). Fireworks are permitted only until 11 p.m., per the Noise By-law. Please review fireworks safety reminders at barrie.ca/FireworksSafety.Â
To find out more about Canada Day activities happening at various locations around the city, and the fireworks show, visit barrie.ca/CanadaDay.
Enjoy Barrie beaches this summer!
Beaches are open and 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 swimming areas supervised. 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.
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.
Celebrate summer at Barrie Youth Event
Calling Barrie youth under 19! Mark your calendar for a summer celebration and join the Barrie Youth Council for free food, music, games, and community connection.  The event is Friday, July 24, 2026, from 3 to 8 p.m. at the General John Hayter Southshore Community Centre at 205 Lakeshore Drive. Organized by the City of Barrie Youth Council.
Visit barrie.ca/YouthCouncil.
Last chance: Share your feedback on Minet’s Point Park redevelopment plansÂ
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 extended from June 28), for a chance to win a prize.
More information and the survey are available at BuildingBarrie.ca/MinetsPointParkEngagement.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
