The Ontario government says it “remains committed” to helping municipalities reach a deal on a proposed boundary expansion in Barrie after the deadline set up by a provincially-appointed facilitator for a consensus passed on September 30.
The plan, which would see Barrie annex more than 2,000 acres from neighbouring Springwater and Oro-Medonte townships, cleared a major hurdle last week after Barrie city council approved the framework in an Oct. 1 vote.
If successful, the deal would bring 1,376 acres of residential development land and 773 acres of industrial land into the city.
But as of the end-of-September deadline set by a provincially-appointed facilitator, no formal agreement had been reached between all parties, Barrie, Springwater, and Oro-Medonte.
A spokesperson for Rob Flack, Ontario’s Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, said the province supports local governments working together and is continuing to oversee the negotiation process.
“Mayors know the needs of their communities best. I commend the City of Barrie and Township of Springwater on working together to deliver better results for the people they serve,” Flack’s spokesperson said in a statement. “I look forward to our continued collaboration as our government strengthens local governance and gives municipalities the tools they need to get shovels in the ground for critical infrastructure projects, faster.”
The Office of the Provincial Land and Development Facilitator, which was appointed by the Ford government in 2024 to guide the boundary talks, is still working with all four municipalities “as part of their efforts to develop a mutually acceptable approach to enable growth,” the statement said.
QP Briefing reached out to the office of the Provincial Land and Development facilitator, but didn’t get an answer by deadline.
Barrie says the annexation is necessary to accommodate future housing and employment growth. According to a joint land needs analysis, the city will require more land to support a projected population of 298,000 by 2051.
Under the proposed deal, Barrie would pay $15,000 per developable acre, amounting to nearly $39 million in total. Of that, $33 million would go toward the land purchase itself, $5 million toward regional economic growth initiatives, and $850,000 would be directed to Springwater for local economic development.
Barrie council says it hopes to finalize the boundary change by Jan. 1, 2026, ahead of the next municipal election.
So far, the province has not signaled any intention to impose a decision.