Barrie: 1)Nominations for municipal elections open in Barrie and throughout province; 2)(Update) Barrie Police call downtown issues ‘complex,’ promise enforcement and compassion amid safety concerns

1)Nominations for municipal elections open in Barrie and throughout province

Courtesy Barrie360.com

By Julius Hern, April 30, 2026

If you’ve ever thought about running for municipal office, now’s your chance.

The nomination period for mayoral, council and school trustee candidates for this fall’s Ontario municipal elections opened Friday at 8:30 a.m.

Candidates have until Aug. 21 to file nomination papers with their municipal clerk, which, in Barrie, will be accepted Monday to Friday between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m to August 20 and between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. on August 21.

To run for a position, candidates must fill out a form, pay a $100 nomination fee and provide a list of at least 25 endorsement signatures, with some exceptions.

That includes a Declaration of Qualification, and a FOI release form authorizing the posting of candidate contact information.

The City of Barrie says nomination papers and endorsement signatures may be inspected by any person at the clerk’s office during regular office hours.

Individuals, corporations and trade unions can also register to be third-party advertisers starting today, with a deadline of Oct. 23.

Eligible Ontarians can vote in a municipality if they live there, own or rent property there or if they are the spouse of someone who owns or rents property in the municipality other than the one where they live.

Municipal candidates don’t necessarily need to live in the ward they aim to represent either. The boundaries for the City’s wards were updated in June ahead of the election, and will be used for the fall election to ensure equitable representation.

Aside from the position of mayor and city councillor, residents can also run for school board trustee positions with the Simcoe County District School Board, Simcoe Muskoka Catholic District School Board, Conseil scolaire Viamonde, and Conseil scolaire catholique MonAvenir.

Barrie is holding two information sessions for those who may be interested in running, or those considering registering as a third-party advertiser on May 11 (hosted by the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing) and May 28 (hosted by the City of Barrie’s election team) at City Hall.

The City says each session will cover different aspects of running for and filling roles in municipal office and help determine if its the right fit for potential candidates.

Similar information sessions are also being held in townships across Simcoe County and in Orillia.

Mayor-elects in any of Simcoe County’s member townships will also serve on Simcoe County council.

Residents will head to the polls on Oct. 26.

The current term of council in Barrie ends on Nov. 14, and the next term with elected officials on Nov. 15. However, those dates vary in other municipalities.

—with files from the Canadian Press

2)(Update) Barrie Police call downtown issues ‘complex,’ promise enforcement and compassion amid safety concerns

Courtesy Barrie360.com

By Staff, April 30, 2026

Barrie police say what is being seen in the downtown is complex.

In response to last night’s city council meeting, police stated on Thursday that they recognize the growing concerns from residents and business owners regarding their sense of safety.

“While homelessness, drug use, addiction, and mental health challenges are not unique to the City of Barrie, our approach has to be unique to our community to ensure everyone feels safe,” according to a news release from the police service.

Police said they are actively responding through increased patrols and a more visible presence downtown, and that officers are focused on maintaining public safety while also recognizing not every situation is a criminal matter.

“What you’re often seeing isn’t always crime; it’s people dealing with addiction, mental health struggles, and homelessness. In these circumstances, policing looks different.  Our approach balances compassion with accountability. We are committed to keeping our city and all of its residents safe,” Chief Rich Johnston was quoted as saying.

Officers on patrol downtown will take a firm and consistent approach to criminal activity, the statement went on to say, which includes illicit drug use in public spaces and drug trafficking.

“Our officers are clear in their role. If we see it, we will seize it, and we will take the necessary steps to stop it. There is no easy solution, but our goal is to ensure people feel safe in their community and confident with what Barrie Police are doing,” according to Deputy Chief Rob Burke.

Police added in the statement that enforcement alone will not solve the issue long-term.

“Many individuals seen in distress require medical, social, and housing supports. Barrie Police officers work closely with community partners to connect people with those services whenever possible.”

In addition to year-round patrols, police said the Downtown Engagement Team and City Guardians will provide an enhanced presence during the busy summer months, focusing on proactive engagement, visibility, and support.

In addition to year-round patrols, the Downtown Engagement Team and City Guardians will provide an enhanced presence during the busy summer months, focusing on proactive engagement, visibility, and support.

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Original story by Julius Hern

If the war on drugs wasn’t already underway, Barrie city council may have just escalated it.

Council approved a wide-ranging motion Wednesday night calling for tougher enforcement on drug use and trafficking, while also targeting illegal dispensaries and urging other levels of government to expand access to rehabilitation.

The motion, introduced by Mayor Alex Nuttall, spans multiple levels of government and municipal policy tools.

At the municipal level, there are steps such as exploring zoning changes to prevent illegal retail operations and adding five permanent staff positions to support the City’s ongoing encampment response.

“Without police, prosecution, judges, federal and provincial governments and taking the situation seriously as we are, we will continue to have citizens living in addictions on our streets,” Nuttall said in prepared remarks.

It directs the City to send formal requests to Barrie Police outlining support for “zero tolerance” enforcement of drug laws for drug users. Correspondence to provincial and federal officials would also ask for measures like stricter sentencing support of closing illegal drug-related businesses.

The request includes stronger enforcement to shut down unlicensed cannabis dispensaries, as well as limits on the number of legal stores allowed based on population and minimum distance requirements between pharmacies and methadone clinics and for oversight of those operations to be transferred to health authorities.

It also signals support for increased enforcement targeting both drug users and dealers, though it does not change police authority on its own.

At the provincial level, the motion aims for changes to the Mental Health Act to allow for mandatory rehabilitation, otherwise known as “compassionate intervention,” along with increased funding for mental health and treatment facilities to support those changes. Similar changes, including adding rehab facilities in prisons, were also requested federally.

The City will also request that the County of Simcoe hand over specialized outreach funding and the outreach responsibility.

“When I look at the list of complaints coming in, there are a few that the City has power to change, Nuttall said. “(For) the ones that we do have the power, through working with legal and zoning experts, I believe we have a path on removing illegal dispensaries.”

When it comes to the abundance of marijuana dispensaries, Coun. Gary Harvey says there are 29 licenced in the city.

“It seems like coffee shops—every corner you go to now, they’re there,” he said during the meeting. “I’m not quite sure how they’re all financially viable with as many as we have.”

Nuttall cited a few examples of illegal dispensaries in the downtown area and alleged there are links between them and organized crime.

“Why are there fire bombings and vehicles being driven through the storefronts? It’s not happening at other stores,” he said.

To shut those illegal retailers down—namely illegal dispensaries like mushroom shops—and discourage similar activities in the future, the City would need to amend the zoning by-law to disqualify illegal acts where retail is permitted. That amendment was requested through the motion.

Eventually, the motion passed 8-2 with Councillors Ann-Marie Kungl and Amy Courser voting against it, though both expressed support for efforts to address illegal storefronts. Coun. Jim Harris was absent.

Multiple councillors described the move toward zero-tolerance as a “bold move,” given that they recognize there could be a case against it regarding human rights.

But the consensus among those in support is that it’s about time.

“I understand the councils that don’t support this because of an ideology, what they believe is right and wrong,” said Deputy Mayor Robert Thomson. “We’ve gone down such a road that normalized this behavior, and we encouraged it in Barrie. And I hate to admit that, but we did everything to make Barrie the best place to be homeless.”

“It’s frustrating and mind-numbing for me that we sometimes spend more time walking on eggshells instead of taking the necessary actions we have to take,” Morales said.

Councillors concerns reflected support for enforcement alongside concerns about treatment approaches.

Kungl raised concerns about the proposal for mandatory rehabilitation for drug users.

“I don’t think we can summarize enforcement into zero tolerance for someone who is using, because an addiction — which is a disease — is something they’re trying to manage to stay alive,” she told Barrie 360 after the meeting.

Courser also questioned the effectiveness of mandatory treatment, asking for evidence the approach would work.

In response, Nuttall pointed to past efforts in Portugal, which he said helped reduce opioid deaths through a focus on treatment and prevention. One statistic he cited from that project outlines a decrease from 30 per cent to eight per cent of people under 30 that have had experience with drugs.

“It doesn’t mean it’s going to work here, but it worked for Portugal,” he said.

Compassionate intervention also exists through legislation in Alberta and Saskatchewan, which allow for the involuntary, court-ordered addiction treatment of individuals who pose a severe risk of harm to themselves or others. It targets those with severe addiction who cannot seek help themselves, and offers stabilization, assessment, and 3-6 months of care.