Joint Statement by Mayor Nuttall, Mayor Greenlaw, Mayor Coughlin & County Warden Clarke:

Update on Discussions Regarding the City of Barrie’s Boundary Expansion Request

Midhurst/September 13, 2024 – Today, the City of Barrie, the Township of Oro-Medonte, the Township of Springwater, and the County of Simcoe released the following statement:

“The City of Barrie, the Township of Oro-Medonte, the Township of Springwater, and the County of Simcoe (“the municipalities”) continue to be engaged in facilitated discussions, with the intent of developing mutually acceptable approaches to address growth pressures in the broader region. These discussions are being supported by the Office of the Provincial Land and Development Facilitator (OPLDF), a provincial agency.

As a next step in the process, the parties have jointly retained Hemson Consulting to complete a Joint Lands Needs Analysis and Study. This study is intended to determine the need for additional employment and/or residential land within and around the City of Barrie, the Township of Oro-Medonte, and the Township of Springwater.

The study will be completed in a phased manner.  The initial phase will include a review of the City of Barrie’s existing land supply, coupled with a review of the needs of the participating municipalities arising from growth forecasted to 2051. The information gathered will serve as a foundation for further discussions on options moving forward when this phase of the study is completed, later this fall.

More details regarding the outcomes of the study, and continued discussions, will be shared as they become available. The City of Barrie, the Township of Oro-Medonte, the Township of Springwater, and the County of Simcoe remain committed to finding mutually beneficial solutions for managing growth that strengthen our respective communities and provide opportunities for all residents.”