news | opinion

St. Mary's Church is hosting another Symposium on Homelessness: Responding in our Community with Compassion and Hope on Monday, October 6 at 7pm. Speakers from various organizations in Barrie will be joining this panel discussion. Representatives from BHHJN, CMHA, Habitat for Humanity and others will be there to talk about this important issue and what steps forward look like from a perspective of care and dignity.

finalizing the proposed Municipal Boundary Restructuring a mere two days after the Public Meeting, changing the Use of City Property Bylaw to allow (belatedly) Encampment Evictions, funding Ice Storm clean-up

** proposed Municipal Boundary Restructuring voted on despite lack of available staff report ** Development Charge Waiver for affordable housing projects, Winter Downtown Patio program

Barrie District Stamp Club, 50th Anniversary of Barrie Marina, street sign poppies to commemorate veterans

organizational changes in culture development, Culture Days, Doors Open Barrie, Barrie Arts Awards

moving forward with the Sea Cadets' new facility, zoning amendments for properties in Wards 2 and 8, heritage designations

City to stop funding the Youth Ambassadors Program, open delegation from Barrie Pride, Library Budget Requirements Policy

Georgian College updates, City updates, Work Plan updates

heritage designations, public feedback wanted for Transportation Master Plan update, concerns over size of multi-use sports facility pool

recreation and culture youth events, youth survey, work plan updates

the Sam Cancilla Revitalization Concept Plan, nominations for Barrie Heritage Awards, water quality at Dyments Creek

When it comes to homelessness, politicians and community leaders often toss out quick one-liners. On the surface, they sound like common sense. But look closer and you'll see they're actually logical fallacies - cheap shots that keep us from real solutions. If public debate had referees, here's what they'd be throwing flags on in a few of the housing and homelessness conversations happening in my area just in the last week.

committee budget and Legacy Fund, international partnership website Minutes: https://barrie.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=M&ID=1256235&GUID=155AAEF0-06E2-478F-97CF-7C1F1AB4C89A Agenda: https://barrie.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=A&ID=1256235&GUID=155AAEF0-06E2-478F-97CF-7C1F1AB4C89A City's Legistar Page:    https://barrie.legistar.com/MeetingDetail.aspx?ID=1256235&GUID=155AAEF0-06E2-478F-97CF-7C1F1AB4C89A&Options=info|&Search= Meeting Location: Sir Robert Barrie Room (please

Fall program launch, September events calendar, Seeds to Sow wins economic development award Circulation List: https://barrie.legistar.com/MeetingDetail.aspx?ID=1316194&GUID=91BC0BD9-906F-45FF-ABB0-266039B4B7CC&Options=info|&Search= Agenda: https://barrie.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=A&ID=1316194&GUID=91BC0BD9-906F-45FF-ABB0-266039B4B7CC 📑📊 Staff Memos 🍂🤸 Fall Program Launch Memorandum: https://barrie.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=F&ID=14610922&GUID=E098F431-B162-49B2-8AF

Barrie Travel Information Centre transition from bricks-and-mortar to digital and roaming services, collaboration between Destination...

finalizing all decisions made at the 5:30pm General Committee meeting, red light camera investigation, Development Charge Bylaw amendment Minutes: https://barrie.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=M&ID=1315812&GUID=D2E09F0B-FC03-4851-9C9B-3E15B2EB673E Watch Online:    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rn8TylxV8fw Agenda:   https://barrie.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=A&ID=1315812&GUID=D2E09F0B-FC03-4851-9C9B-3E15B2EB673E City's Legistar: https://barrie.legistar.com/MeetingDetail.aspx?I

Zoning Amendments in Wards 2, 4 & 8, Regional Technology Development Site opportunity, Development Charge policy updates Minutes: https://barrie.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=M&ID=1315811&GUID=03A4D61A-CBFD-4B97-AF8F-922C43464303 Watch Online: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34Y-ix_Vc9k Agenda: https://barrie.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=A&ID=1315811&GUID=03A4D61A-CBFD-4B97-AF8F-922C43464303 City's Legistar: https://barrie.legistar.com/MeetingDetail.aspx?ID=1315811&GUID=03A4D

When we look at the way cities today are treating people living in encampments, it’s easy to think this is a new, complex challenge. But it’s not new. Not really. There’s a long history of governments using criminal laws, bylaws, and public safety narratives to displace people who are seen as politically inconvenient, socially undesirable, or just no longer “welcome” in certain places.  Encampments are just the latest chapter in a longer story. 

Committee Budget update, 2025 Communities in Bloom Program Minutes: https://barrie.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=M&ID=1318179&GUID=B13C0865-...

Northwest Library location update, Political Election Policy and Use of Library Space Policy, Strategic Plan and Workplan Minutes: not...