news | opinion

Strategic Plan updates

St. Mary's Parish has organized a protest of the City's anti-homeless bylaw, to show love and compassion over division and condemnation, in support of our most vulnerable neighbours

Fire Safety Week, Thanksgiving Day city services, updates on encampments and boundary discussions

Ricochet Media has published a scathing piece about the Mayor's anti-homeless "State of Emergency"

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

Rescheduled from September 30, in acknowledgement of the National Day for Truth & Reconciliation Our first Members Meeting since summer...

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.

full fire ban in effect, new waste collection and future recycling, call to artists, boundary review update Circulation List: ...

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. 

*** meeting CANCELLED - no reason made public *** four-way stop at Penville and McIntyre, Strategic Plan updates Minutes: not yet...

Curious what the Province's new Bill 6 "Safer Municipalities Act" might mean for you? Our partners at the Encampment Justice Coalition and Réseau Access Network have helped create this flyer to help understand the legislation and your rights. ***Updated re: Mayor's declaration of State of Emergency

Ontario-wide opposition to Bill 5, keeping public bike racks public, volunteer opportunities, and more! Our next Members Meeting is...

Encampment Justice Coalition holds rallies across Ontario to protest Bill 6, the "Safer Municipalities Act", which would essentially...

County presentation on the HART Hub and homelessness strategy, deputation on the Madelaine Drive road diet, loan forgiveness for Redwood...

Doug Ford’s Bill 6, which treats homeless people like criminals, is in its second reading this afternoon.  Putting homeless people in...

Textile Collection Week, Communities in Bloom Week Circulation List: https://barrie.legistar.com/MeetingDetail.aspx?ID=1256299&GUID=369...

"The approach of the Bill, which is based on failed U.S. policy, punishes encampment residents and deprioritizes housing as a solution in...

Service Partners Budget, licensing of motorized watersports, Empower Simcoe presentation, changes to the Procedural Bylaw and Committee...

Bright Futures grants, Conservation of Built Heritage Community Improvement Plan (CIP), Service Partners budgets Minutes: ...