What’s Open and Closed: New Year’s EVE; NEW YEAR’S Day; 2) Overflow waste, Christmas tree collection in Simcoe County
Shopping, public transit, garbage collection
Courtesy Barrie360.com
By Dan Blakeley, December 23, 2025, updated December 29th
NEW YEAR’S EVE
Wednesday, December 31
- many retailers, including grocery stores will be closing earlier than usual
- most beer stores close by 6 p.m.
- most LCBO stores close at 6 p.m.
- Some drug stores will be open late: Click below for which locations are open and hours
- convenience stores
- gas stations
- some coffee shops
- some restaurants
- movie theatres
- Casino Rama – Orillia
- Gateway Casinos – Innisfil
Public Transit
- Barrie – Free transit service starts at 5 p.m. with regular evening service extending until 3 a.m. (excludes Highway 400 Express Route)
- Bradford – regular service
- Clearview – regular service
- Colltrans – regular service
- Midland/Penetanguishene – none
- Orillia – Extended transit hours and free service on Dec. 31 from 4:45 p.m. until 1:45 a.m.
- Simcoe County Linx – regular service
- GO Transit – Regular daytime service. Free service is offered after 7 p.m. until 3:30 a.m.
CELEBRATIONS
- Barrie – New Year’s Eve Celebration cancelled due to weather
- Orillia – click here for details
- Bradford – click here for details
NEW YEAR’S DAY
Thursday, January 1
Closed
- Government offices
- Canada Post
- Banks
- most shopping malls
- most grocery stores
- The Beer Store
- LCBO stores are closed. Where permitted by local municipalities, some LCBO Convenience Outlets might be open with regular hours of business.
Open
- Upper Canada Mall – 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
- Vaughan Mills – 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
- convenience stores
- gas stations
- some coffee shops
- some restaurants
- movie theatres
- Casino Rama – Orillia
- Gateway Casinos – Innisfil
- Some drug stores: Click below for which locations are open and hours
GROCERY STORES
Click on locations below to determine which stores are open, and hours
Farm Boy Barrie
Kennedy’s Lakeside Grocery Barrie
Food Basics
Foodland
- Beeton
- Coldwater
- Craighurst
- Elmvale
- Haliburton
- Midland
- Minden
- Orillia
- Penetang
- Port Carling
- Stayner
- Stroud
- Tottenham
- Victoria Harbour
- Wasaga Beach
FreshCo
Loblaws
Metro
- Barrie – Kozlov
- Barrie – Mapleview
- Collingwood
- Huntsville
- Newmarket – Davis Drive
- Newmarket – Yonge and Mulock
- Orillia
NoFrills
- Barrie – Blake St
- Barrie – Wellington St
- Angus
- Bradford
- Innisfil
- Midland
- Newmarket – Leslie St
- Newmarket – Davis Dr
- Orillia
Real Canadian Superstore
Sobey’s
Public Transit
- Barrie – none
- Bradford – none
- Clearview – none
- Colltrans – regular service
- Midland – none
- Orillia – none
- Simcoe County Linx – Route 4 only, operating on a Sunday schedule
- GO Transit – Saturday schedule
Garbage Collection
- Barrie – no collection today, collection will be a day later for the remainder of the week. Christmas tree collection starts January 5. Make sure trees are not placed on top of or stuck into snowbanks and are visible to collector
- Orillia – no collection today, collection will be a day later for the remainder of the week. Christmas tree collection runs from Jan. 5 through to Jan. 23.
- Simcoe County – No collection today, collection will be a day later for the remainder of the week. REMINDER: Due to the provincial recycling change going into effect on January 1, the County is no longer responsible for recycling as of the New Year. Recycling collection days will remain the same throughout the year, but if your recycling is missed, (inclusive of January 2) please contact Emterra at 1-888-597-1541 or customercareont@emterra.ca. Christmas tree collection runs bi-weekly by zone on your garbage weeks during the month of January.
2) Overflow waste, Christmas tree collection in Simcoe County
Courtesy Barrie360.com and News Release
By County of Simcoe, December 24, 2025
The County of Simcoe reminds residents of the following options for overflow waste and Christmas tree removal during the holiday season.
Overflow waste
If you have extra garbage and recycling than usual during this time, here’s how you can dispose of it:
If your recycling cart is full, simply place the overflow in clear bags or blue boxes – no tags required.
Remember to flatten and bundle any extra cardboard you may have
If your garbage cart is full, attach a garbage tag to each extra garbage bag (limit of five)
For bag tag locations, visit simcoe.ca/waste
Keep all additional bags and materials at least two feet from your cart for easy pickup
REMINDER: The County will no longer be responsible for recycling collection as of January 1, 2026, due to the provincially mandated recycling change. For any issues regarding recycling collection after January 1, please contact Emterra at 1-888-597-1541 or customercareont@emterra.ca.
Residents can also visit one of the County’s Waste Drop Off locations if they wish to dispose of their garbage and recycling, subject to fees. Please note that as of January 1, there will be new tipping fees at County waste drop-off locations. Click here for more information.
Christmas tree collection
Bi-weekly Christmas tree collection will take place throughout January, which gives residents two opportunities to easily dispose of their trees. To ensure your tree is picked up, place it curbside by 7:00 a.m. on the Monday of your garbage collection week. Please note that collection may not occur on your regular garbage day, which is why it is important to place it out Monday morning.
Be sure to remove all decorations, lights and plastic before setting your tree out. Place the tree in a cleared area at the end of your driveway, do not place it in a snowbank, and ensure that the tree is free from snow and ice. Click here for more information.
*Please note that these do not apply to residents of the cities of Barrie and Orillia.
To view details about the County’s holiday services and hours, including the adjustment in waste collection days due to Christmas and New Years, please click here.