Crime: 1)Motorist nabbed for stunt driving on Highway 26 in Collingwood; 2)Teen charged after online threat against Midland school; 3)(Update) Two youths charged in Rainbow Bridge Pet Memorial damage also charged in Gravenhurst vehicle vandalism; 4)Ontario judge rules out jail sentence for billionaire businessman Frank Stronach;5)Cop charged in Project South planned illegal dispensaries, massage parlours: docs 6)Alliston man facing nine charges related to child sex material; 7) Driver charged after woman and two children hit in south Barrie collision; 8)Collingwood warns drivers after fraudulent parking QR code found at Sunset Point; 9) Barrie man charged after being clocked travelling 109 km/h in a 60; 10)(Video) Eight parked vehicles damaged in overnight Gravenhurst vandalism spree; 11)Police searching for wanted federal offender known to frequent Barrie, parts of Simcoe County, GTA; 12) Essa Township man charged in drug trafficking investigation
1)Motorist nabbed for stunt driving on Highway 26 in Collingwood
Courtesy Barrie360.com
By Ian MacLennan, September 18, 2026
OPP motorcycle stopped on Highway 26 in Collingwood after being clocked at 207 km/h
An Ottawa resident is without their motorcycle after the Ontario Provincial Police pulled over a motorist for stunt driving while conducting traffic enforcement on Highway 26 in Collingwood.
OPP say the motorcycle was stopped on Thursday after being clocked travelling 207 km/h in a 90 km/h zone.
As a result, the 57-year-old rider’s driver’s licence was suspended for 30 days, and their motorcycle was impounded for 14 days.
Police also laid charges of speeding and stunt driving.
2)Teen charged after online threat against Midland school
Courtesy Barrie360.com
By Ian MacLennan, September 17, 2026
A 17-year-old from Tiny Township has been charged after an online threat was reported against a Midland secondary school on Thursday.
Ontario Provincial Police say the teen is charged with uttering threats for a dangerous purpose and possession of weapons for a dangerous purpose.
Police say the incident is considered isolated, and there are no ongoing concerns for students or public safety.
3)(Update) Two youths charged in Rainbow Bridge Pet Memorial damage also charged in Gravenhurst vehicle vandalism
Courtesy Barrie360.com
By Ian MacLennan, September 17, 2026
PP surveillance image of a dark pickup truck allegedly linked to an overnight vandalism spree in Gravenhurst
Two youths charged in connection with damage to the Rainbow Bridge Pet Memorial in Gravenhurst have also been charged in an alleged vandalism spree to parked vehicles in the community.
Ontario Provincial Police say the two youths, aged 14 and 16, and a 17-year-old, all from Port Sydney, were charged after multiple acts of mischief in Gravenhurst early Wednesday.
Police say rocks were thrown from a moving vehicle, smashing the windows of parked vehicles on First Street South, Winewood Avenue West, Muskoka Road South, Main Street and Oriole Crescent.
The suspects each face 10 charges of mischief.
Police say there maybe more victims who have not come forward, and they want to hear from members of the public.
Area residents are asked to check home surveillance footage.
Police have released video of a dark pickup truck that they allege the suspects were operating between 1 a.m. and 3 a.m.
The younger youths were also charged in connection with damage to the Rainbow Bridge Pet Memorial at the Gravenhurst Wharf.
Shortly after midnight on Aug. 26, police say five people were walking on the boardwalk and caused significant damage to the memorial, including the tearing down of two banner-style signs, a placard affixed to the railing, and another sign, all of which were thrown into the water.
The 14- and 16-year-old youths have been charged with mischief.
Police are asking the public for help in identifying the other three individuals.
They are described as:
male wearing white shoes, dark sweatpants, and a grey long-sleeve shirt, with very short dark hair
female with long dark hair and glasses, dark jeans, white shoes, and a dark shirt
female with long light-brown hair, blue jeans, and a sheer, see-through top
Police say they appear to be between 14 and 19 years old.
4) Ontario judge rules out jail sentence for billionaire businessman Frank Stronach
Courtesy Barrie360.com and Canadian Press
By Paola Loriggio, September 17, 2026
Frank Stronach leaves a Toronto court on June 19, 2026.
Frank Stronach leaves a Toronto court on Friday, June 19, 2026. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young
Canadian auto parts magnate Frank Stronach will not spend time behind bars after being found guilty of indecent assault in an encounter that took place nearly 50 years ago, an Ontario judge said Thursday.
Ontario Superior Court Justice Anne Molloy capped off a day of legal submissions by telling the court that while she has not decided what sentence to impose on the billionaire businessman, she is “very firmly settled” in her mind that it will not be a jail term.
“I’m not going to order custody in the circumstances of this case for a man who’s 94 years old,” she said. “So I just want to remove that level of stress during the duration of my pondering.”
The judge is set to hand down the sentence in December.
Thursday’s hearing began with a statement from the complainant, who relayed the lasting effects of the 1977 encounter.
The woman, who cannot be identified under a standard publication ban, described feeling “ambushed” and “overpowered” by Stronach in his apartment, an experience she said shattered her sense of security and her trust in a man with whom she’d had a friendly relationship.
“My sense of safety in social settings was destroyed. This feeling of apprehension is ongoing,” she said.
“Recovering one’s comfort with people requires time and resilience, and it may never be complete.”
During trial, the woman testified she met Stronach at Rooney’s, the popular restaurant and nighttime complex he owned at the time, and agreed to accompany him to his apartment one evening after they’d had dinner together.
Once they were in the home, Stronach briefly disappeared, she testified. Then, she was pushed over the arm of an armchair and Stronach lifted up her skirt, she said. She told the court she could feel his erect penis against her underwear as if he were trying to penetrate them but she didn’t know if he had taken his clothes off.
The woman said she eventually stood up, grabbed her coat and purse and left without anyone saying a word.
At the time of the encounter, indecent assault still existed as a charge and was an indictable offence that carried a sentence of up to five years in prison, prosecutors said. It was then folded into the offence of sexual assault, which was created in 1983.
The Crown and the defence spent the day arguing what they believed was appropriate sentence for Stronach.
Prosecutors sought a sentence of six months behind bars for Stronach as well as an order to add him to the sex-offender registry for 10 years.
While decades have passed since the offence, “our ultimate submission is that people must be held to account for their conduct or else the court would in their sentencing decisions provide incentives for people to evade responsibility for their conduct for years,” prosecutor Jelena Vlacic said.
The “sudden and disorienting” nature of the indecent assault and the fact that it had an enduring impact on the complainant are aggravating factors in the case, as is the woman’s vulnerability due her 20-year age gap with Stronach, Vlacic said.
Stronach’s lack of criminal record before the offence and his role as a high-profile business leader who for decades represented one of Canada’s biggest success stories are among the mitigating factors, she said.
Vlacic argued, however, that the court should give limited weight to character reference letters from former employees and other supporters who state they never saw Stronach behave inappropriately toward women.
“It’s not mitigating that he did not engage in inappropriate conduct in public view of many witnesses,” she said, noting sexual offences often take place in private.
Stronach’s defence lawyer, Leora Shemesh, argued the Crown’s position was “excessive” and imprisoning her client would do “absolutely nothing for society.”
The defence is asking for an absolute discharge and no registry order, arguing Stronach’s actions amount to the “least serious” offence on the spectrum of sexual assault considering no body parts were exposed and there was no touching of skin or attempt to prevent the complainant from leaving.
Stronach has otherwise led an “unblemished life” with a long record of accomplishments and philanthropy, and has endured a “punitive” prosecution in the final chapters of his life, his lawyer argued.
“His name and reputation has been literally dragged through the mud in media, in television, in print, in social media,” while his name has been removed from parks, hospital wings and other facilities, Shemesh said.
“Whatever punishment the Ministry of the Attorney General is attempting to garner, that punishment has already been meted out,” she argued.
“I’m not detracting from the actual offence or the conviction but that single incident from 50 year ago cannot detract, dismiss, or destroy a full life of service.”
Thursday’s hearing took place even as prosecutors are challenging the judge’s decision to declare a rare post-verdict mistrial on Stronach’s sexual assault conviction.
Stronach was found guilty in June of both indecent assault and sexual assault, which relate to separate allegations brought by two of the women in his Toronto criminal trial.
Weeks later, Molloy granted the mistrial on the sexual assault conviction after emails from the complainant’s lawyer in a separate civil case were presented in court.
Stronach’s lawyer argued those emails told a story that was inconsistent with the woman’s testimony in the criminal trial. At the time, Shemesh told The Canadian Press that the court did not hear from the complainant before the judge made her decision.
The Crown’s appeal argues the guilty verdict on the sexual assault charge should be restored and the case sent back to Superior Court for sentencing.
Stronach initially faced 12 charges related to allegations brought by seven complainants and dating as far back as the late 1970s. The Crown later withdrew one charge and agreed Stronach should be found not guilty on four more.
Soon after, Molloy said she couldn’t convict Stronach on two charges related to one complainant whose evidence she deemed unreliable.
Five charges related to three complainants remained, and Stronach was found guilty of two, until the mistrial was granted.
He is set to stand trial before a jury in Newmarket, Ont., next year in a sexual assault case involving six complainants.
5)Cop charged in Project South planned illegal dispensaries, massage parlours: docs
Courtesy Barrie360.com and Canadian Press
By Paola Loriggio, September 17, 2026
Newly unsealed information shows a police officer accused in a sweeping organized crime and police corruption probe in Ontario allegedly planned to help set up and run illegal cannabis dispensaries and erotic massage parlours in Toronto.
Toronto police Const. Timothy Barnhardt is one of eight active and retired officers who were among the 27 suspects charged earlier this year in Project South, a massive investigation by York Region police that uncovered allegations of bribery, conspiracy to commit murder and drug trafficking, among other offences.
Documents filed by police in order to get warrants in the investigation allege Barnhardt was tasked with finding suitable locations for black market dispensaries and erotic massage parlours, as well as making arrangements to protect them from enforcement.
The officer allegedly agreed to give advance notice of inspections and co-ordinate the payment of cash bribes to police and bylaw officers, as well as facilitate the use of police databases to protect the illegal sites against enforcement.
The plan allegedly involved Barnhardt and Brian Da Costa, both identified by police as key figures in the investigation, as well as several other accused.
Barnhardt’s lawyer declined to comment on the allegations Thursday while Da Costa’s lawyer did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Investigators have alleged that Barnhardt gave confidential information to Da Costa, which was then used in a suspected murder plot against a correctional officer and other crimes.
The latest allegations are contained in newly unsealed portions of the information-to-obtain, or ITO, documents filed by police. The documents lay out what police believe to be true at the time of filing, but the allegations they contain have not been tested in court.
The Canadian Press and other media outlets have been contesting a publication ban on the documents and extensive ITO redactions in court. Ontario Superior Court Justice Laura Bird allowed the publication of more of the documents’ contents in a decision released Wednesday.
The judge wrote that allowing media to publish the majority of the ITO while maintaining a temporary publication ban on some portions struck a balance between court openness and the accused’s right to a fair trial.
“The importance of public scrutiny in this case cannot be overstated,” Bird said in her ruling.
“What is, perhaps, most concerning about the allegations of widespread police corruption in this case is the fact that the York Regional Police only stumbled upon it in the course of their investigation into the conspiracy to murder the correctional officer,” she said.
Investigators looked up who had searched the victim’s address in their database and discovered it allegedly was Barnhardt, she said, adding there is no evidence anyone was suspicious of the constable or his alleged accomplices before then.
“That is something that should be of tremendous concern to the public because it demonstrates that a trusted public official can engage in widespread illegal conduct and go undetected,” she said.
“The public has a right to know what police services across this province are doing to respond to this disturbing scenario. The public can only hold their community police services accountable if they are aware of the full extent of the allegations against the Project South defendants.”
A previous batch of the documents was released in July, shedding light on an alleged link between the Project South investigation and the case of former Canadian Olympian Ryan Wedding, who is accused of running an international drug trafficking ring.
6)Alliston man facing nine charges related to child sex material
Courtesy Barrie360.com
By Julius Hern, September 17, 2026
Provincial police arrested and charged an Alliston man on Sept. 10 following a child sexual exploitation investigation in the town.
The OPP’s Child Sexual Exploitation Unit (CSEU) along with officers from the Nottawasaga detachment the and Digital Forensics Unit executed a search warrant at an Alliston residence, where they seized multiple electronic devices.
A 58-year-old man from Alliston is facing two counts of creating child sexual abuse and exploitation material, three counts of possessing such material, two counts of making it available, and two counts of agreeing to commit a sexual offence against a child.
He remains in custody pending a bail hearing and is set to appear before in a Barrie court on Friday.
In a news release, the OPP reminded parents to “take a proactive approach to help protect their children from online sexual exploitation by educating them on internet safety.”
7) Driver charged after woman and two children hit in south Barrie collision
Courtesy Barrie360.com
By Ian MacLennan, September 17, 2026
A Barrie woman has been charged after a vehicle struck three pedestrians in the city’s south end.
Police say the collision occurred around 7 a.m. on Aug. 21 at Mapleview Drive West and Marsellus Drive.
According to investigators, when the light turned green, police say the motorist made the left turn and struck a 40-year-old woman and two boys, aged nine and six, as they crossed Mapleview Drive West.
The woman and nine-year-old boy suffered minor injuries, and the six-year-old child was airlifted to a Toronto hospital with serious but non-life-threatening injuries.
Police say they have all since been released and are continuing to recover at home.
The driver, who was the vehicle’s lone occupant, was not injured.
On Tuesday, she was charged with two counts of careless driving and one count of careless driving causing bodily harm.
8)Collingwood warns drivers after fraudulent parking QR code found at Sunset Point
Courtesy Barrie360.com and News Release
By Staff, September 16, 2026
The Town of Collingwood is warning residents and visitors to be vigilant when using QR codes to pay for parking after a fraudulent code was discovered at Sunset Point Park.
According to the town, a fake QR code had been placed over an official parking sign, redirecting users to an unauthorized website that requested personal and payment information. The scam mirrors incidents reported in other municipalities.
Town officials were alerted to the issue after receiving a report from a member of the public. In response, By-law staff immediately inspected and tested QR codes on HotSpot parking signs throughout Collingwood’s waterfront areas and downtown core.
The town says those inspections confirmed that official HotSpot QR codes were functioning properly and directing users to the correct parking application. No additional cases of tampering were found.
Officials say routine inspections of parking signs will continue to help ensure QR codes remain secure and operational.
How to protect yourself
The Town of Collingwood is advising anyone using QR codes for parking payments to take a few precautionary steps before entering personal or financial information:
Check QR codes for signs of tampering, damage, or stickers placed over the original code.
Confirm that the code directs you to the official HotSpot Parking website or app.
Report any suspicious-looking parking signs or QR codes to Service Collingwood by phone at 705-445-1030 or by email at service@collingwood.ca.
Drivers can also avoid potential scams by making parking payments through the official HotSpot Parking mobile app for iOS and Android devices, or by using a parking meter where available.
Growing concern over QR code scams
Cybersecurity experts have increasingly warned about so-called “quishing” scams, where criminals replace legitimate QR codes with fraudulent ones designed to steal personal information or payment details.
While Collingwood’s investigation found no evidence of widespread tampering, officials are reminding residents and visitors that a quick visual inspection of a QR code before scanning can help prevent becoming a victim of fraud.
Anyone who believes they may have entered personal or financial information through a suspicious QR code should contact their financial institution immediately and monitor their accounts for unauthorized activity.
9) Barrie man charged after being clocked travelling 109 km/h in a 60
Courtesy Barrie360.com
By Ian MacLennan, September 16, 2026
South Simcoe Police have charged a 69-year-old Barrie man with stunt driving and speeding.
They say a pickup truck was clocked travelling 109 km/h in a 60-zone on Yonge Street near Innisfil Beach Road around 7:40 Wednesday morning.
As a result of the charge, the man’s driver’s licence was suspended for 30 days, and his vehicle was impounded for 14 days.
10) (Video) Eight parked vehicles damaged in overnight Gravenhurst vandalism spree
Courtesy Barrie360.com
By Ian MacLennan, September 16, 2026
Ontario Provincial Police are investigating a vandalism spree in Gravenhurst.
Police say they responded to multiple reports early Wednesday in which eight parked vehicles were damaged after rocks were thrown from a moving vehicle resulting in smashed windows.
The alleged incidents took place on First Street South, Winewood Avenue West, Muskoka Road South, Main Street, and Oriole Crescent.
Police are asking residents in those areas to check any home surveillance footage.
The suspect vehicle is a dark pickup truck that operated between 1:00 and 3:00 a.m.
Anyone with information is asked to call Bracebridge OPP at 1-888-310-1122. If you wish to remain anonymous, you may contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or crimestopperssdm.com. The incident number for reference is E261347571.
11)Police searching for wanted federal offender known to frequent Barrie, parts of Simcoe County, GTA
Courtesy Barrie360.com and News Release
By Ontario Provincial Police, September 14, 2026
Bradley Elliott is wanted by the OPP on a Canada-wide warrant
The Repeat Offender Parole Enforcement (R.O.P.E.) Squad is requesting the public’s assistance in locating a federal offender wanted on a Canada Wide Warrant as a result of a breach of their Statutory Release.
Bradley ELLIOTT is described as a Caucasian male, 42 years old, 5’9″ (175 cm), 165 lbs (75 kg), with brown hair and hazel eyes.
He has several tattoos;
ELLIOTT is serving a 4-year and 1-month sentence for;
The offender is known to frequent Barrie, Wasaga Beach, Alliston, Bradford, Collingwood and the Greater Toronto area.
Anyone having contact with this offender or information in regards to their whereabouts is asked to contact the Provincial R.O.P.E. Squad at 416-808-5900 or toll free at 1-866-870-7673 (ROPE) or Crimestoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) or call 9-1-1.
12) Essa Township man charged in drug trafficking investigation
Courtesy Barrie360.com
By Ian MacLennan, September 14, 2026
Ontario Provincial Police charged a 37-year-old Essa Township man following a drug trafficking investigation.
Nottawasaga OPP display items seized as part of a drug trafficking investigation that resulted in charges against a 37-year-old Essa Township man. (Image supplied – Nottawasaga OPP)
A 37-year-old Essa Township man is facing drug trafficking and other charges following an investigation into a break and enter at an automotive shop during the summer in Alliston.
Police say a suspect was identified who was allegedly trying to sell an item online that was believed to have been stolen during the break-in.
They also received information that this individual was allegedly selling drugs.
Last Thursday, police executed two search warrants at area homes. A suspect was arrested during a traffic stop.
Police say they seized suspected cocaine and methamphetamine, four hydromorphone pills, Canadian cash, drug trafficking paraphernalia, a pellet gun, bear spray, and a knife.
The accused is facing drug-related charges, property crime offences, possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose, and two counts of failing to comply with a release order.