The Economic Development department comprises the following branches:
- Business & Tourism Development
- Small Business, Entrepreneurship & Innovation
Did you know? In 2026, the City won two Excellence in Economic Development Awards from the International Economic Development Council (IEDC) for the 2025 Business and Employer Data Survey and Health Venture small business training and mentorship program.
The Economic Development Department provides:
- Information on demographics, funding opportunities, site selection location information, land/space costing information and community business supports.
- Connections for business-to-business and networking, to post-secondary R & D support, to the local ICI real estate community, to other levels of government and employment resources.
- Support with development process facilitation, navigation through City processes, talent recruitment, business innovation resources, and cultural research.
Key Responsibilities
The department has five primary service areas to contribute to the Economic Development Strategy for Invest Barrie:
- Bring stakeholders together on strategic programs
- Attraction and facilitation of new business investment, helping employers access the business opportunities of Central Ontario’s economic engine
- Site selection for new land development opportunities
- Support for the retention, growth and expansion of the City’s existing businesses
- Encourage and promote the creation of new Barrie-based enterprises, including start-ups and small business services