The City of Barrie was awarded federal grant funding by the Building Safer Communities Fund (BSCF) through Public Safety Canada to support the development and implementation of the Bright Futures Barrie strategy. The strategy will focus on supporting sustainable community programs targeted to individuals aged 6–26 years old that strengthen community bonds and employment prospects, support success at school, and promote pro-social activities such as sports, arts and culture. Developing the strategy involves community engagement and program support.
- Community engagement – The City is engaging with community partners and the public to inform the strategy.
- Program support – Funding is being used to support and enhance local projects targeted to youth aged 6–26 that address risk factors associated with gun and gang violence, by addressing the underlying social conditions that give rise to crime and provide opportunities to vulnerable and at-risk youth in Barrie to help keep them away from gun and gang violence. The success of these programs will be measured to inform the strategy, which will focus on long-term, sustainable initiatives.
Community Grants
Bright Futures Barrie grants provide funding to stakeholder organizations offering services within Barrie that provide new or enhanced community-based initiatives. The initiatives support at-risk children, youth, and young adults through prevention/intervention of the root causes of violence, including weapons and participation in gangs.
Community Engagement
The City collected community feedback on the needs of children, young adults and youth in Barrie through a community survey, which closed on Monday, July 31, 2023.
Results of the survey and other forms of community engagement throughout the project will help identify gaps and inform recommendations to support the development of the Bright Futures Barrie Strategy.
Additional opportunities for community involvement and engagement related to Bright Futures Barrie will be available as the City continues to develop the strategy.
Community Resources
Past Workshops
The Bright Futures Barrie project team has hosted a variety of workshops. Leading up to the workshops, details are posted on this webpage and at barrie.ca/events.