State of Emergency to Address Encampments

Timeline

• September 2025

  • September 9, 2025 – State of Emergency declared: 
    A city-wide State of Emergency was declared to address the increasing number and size of encampments and their impacts on health, safety, municipal infrastructure, and the environment. The Emergency Order applied to property under the City’s care and control and directed staff to prioritize higher-risk sites, enact and refine an encampment protocol, retain additional resources where needed, and establish centralized coordination of the response. 
  • September 10, 2025 – City Hall fountain pond closed: 
    The City closed the fountain pond at City Hall for the remainder of the season after vandalism and the presence of human waste contaminated the water. 
  • September 11, 2025 – Mulcaster encampment addressed: 
    A coordinated approach was completed at the Mulcaster Street encampment, followed by street sweeping, cleanup, and planned boulevard repairs. The County confirmed that of the 44 individuals reported at the site, 39 had transitioned to safe indoor accommodations. (In accordance with legal requirements, offers of appropriate indoor accommodation were confirmed by the County of Simcoe prior to notices and enforcement action.)
  • September 15, 2025 – Encampment tracking and public reporting work initiated: The City’s Encampment Response Task Force formed and began planning an internal and external tracking system for encampments, shelter capacity, locations cleared, individuals transitioned indoors, permanent housing outcomes, funding, affordable housing initiatives, and the respective roles of the City and County. The proposed system included mapping, environmental and infrastructure risk layers, and status indicators for active and cleared locations. 
  • September 18, 2025 – First weekly progress update: 
    The Mulcaster Street encampment was reported fully cleared, with 39 of 44 individuals having secured alternate shelter and storage for their belongings. A tent at Sam Cancilla Park was also cleared, with one individual securing alternate shelter. The City reported that it was assessing other encampments and prioritizing sites based on community safety and public-health risks, subject to the availability of shelter space in coordination with the County of Simcoe. (In accordance with legal requirements, offers of appropriate indoor accommodation were confirmed by the County of Simcoe prior to notices and enforcement action.)
  • September 18, 2025: 
    Mayor Alex Nuttall called on Prime Minister Carney for increased funding for treatment and shelters and for changes to mental health legislation to enable compassionate intervention, including the use of the notwithstanding clause if necessary.
  • September 20, 2025 – Premier Ford visits Barrie during Emergency Order: 
    Premier Doug Ford toured local encampment sites with Mayor Alex Nuttall and expressed support for Barrie’s efforts to address homelessness and public safety concerns. The visit included discussions on municipal enforcement authority, mental health and addiction treatment, affordable housing, and provincial support for communities responding to encampments.
  • September 24 – Bradford Street Encampment addressed: 
    An encampment located on Bradford Street was addressed in coordination with The County of Simcoe, confirming that 10 of 17 individuals successfully transitioned to safe indoor accommodations. (In accordance with legal requirements, offers of appropriate indoor accommodation were confirmed by the County of Simcoe prior to notices and enforcement action.)
• October–December 2025

  • October 1, 2025 – Use of City Property By-law updated: 
    Council enacted By-law 2025-110, prohibiting tents and temporary structures on City property, including boulevards, clarifying enforcement authority, and authorizing fines ranging from $100 to $1,000. Related changes shortened notice periods and streamlined enforcement and cleanup activities.
  • October 16, 2025 – Family reunification programs funded: 
    The City provided additional funding to the Elizabeth Fry Society and John Howard Society in the amount of $10,000 to help individuals experiencing homelessness reconnect with family members or other supports outside the community. Following an initial $20,000 investment made in 2023.
  • October 29, 2025 – Dyment’s Creek cleanup completed: 
    The City reported that cleanup efforts at the Dyment’s Creek/Victoria Street encampment site were complete. The site had been subject to a Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks cleanup order due to hazardous waste concerns. In total, 409 tonnes of waste were removed from the site, with cleanup and remediation costs estimated at more than $1.2 million.
  • November 5, 2025 – Barrie Fire responds to second encampment fire in two weeks at Milligan’s Pond: 
    Barrie Fire responded to an encampment fire at Milligan’s Pond, the second fire in the area over a two-week period. Barrie Fire reported that crews had responded to nearly 30 fires in the area over the previous six months. The fire was brought under control and fully extinguished in approximately 30 minutes, with no injuries reported.
  • November 6, 2025 – Coordinated action at Milligan’s Pond: 
    The City and County took action at Audrey Milligan Park & Pond, transitioning a number of individuals to indoor accommodations and beginning a significant environmental cleanup. The park was closed to the public, with the City advising that cleanup of the natural area would take several weeks. (In accordance with legal requirements, offers of appropriate indoor accommodation were confirmed by the County of Simcoe prior to notices and enforcement action.)
  • November 14, 2025 – Mayoral Direction issued for Audrey Milligan Park & Pond: 
    Mayor Alex Nuttall issued a Mayoral Direction to City staff to include Audrey Milligan Park & Pond within the Conservation Trust, with the intent of supporting the long-term protection, restoration, and stewardship of the natural area following encampment-related impacts.
  • November 2025 – City supports additional winter capacity: 
    The City helped secure and fund 40 additional overnight warming-centre spaces to support the County of Simcoe’s winter response and provide additional indoor options for people living unsheltered. 
  • December 2025 – Resident survey conducted: 
    A telephone survey was undertaken to gather residents’ views on the City’s approach to homelessness and encampments and its investments in community safety. The survey details and results were subsequently provided to Council in a February 4, 2026 memorandum. 
• January–March 2026

  • January 28, 2026 – Increased homelessness data reflects stronger service connection and tracking: 
    The City provides a public update to Executive Committee on current homelessness data and the Emergency Order response. The City shares that despite an increase in active homeless the County advised that the increase reflects more people accessing shelters and resources due to the City’s Emergency Order efforts, resulting in better connection to services and more accurate tracking through the Homeless Individuals and Families Information System (HIFIS), rather than a significant surge in active homelessness.
  • February 6, 2026 – Bridge Housing project launched: 
    A 40-unit Bridge Housing project opened on Tiffin Street in Barrie, providing temporary indoor accommodation and supports for high-acuity individuals transitioning from unsheltered homelessness. The project was supported through $1.7 million in funding received by the County of Simcoe from the federal Homelessness Reduction Innovation Fund (HRIF), administered by the Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness (CAEH).
  • February 25, 2026 – Zero active encampments reported on City-owned property: 
    In a public update to the Executive Committee, the City reported that there were no known encampments on City-owned property.
  • March 5, 2026 –100 encampments addressed: 
    City staff reported that 100 encampments had been cleared since September 9, 2025, and 73 individuals had transitioned to safe indoor accommodations. (In accordance with legal requirements, offers of appropriate indoor accommodation were confirmed by the County of Simcoe prior to notices and enforcement action.)
  • March 9, 2026 – Partnership expands access to housing and support services: 
    The City facilitated a partnership between the County of Simcoe and the Barrie Food Bank to improve access to onsite supports for individuals experiencing homelessness and food insecurity. Beginning in July 2026, a County-funded case worker was deployed to the Food Bank to connect individuals with housing pathways, income supports, and other essential services strengthening front-line coordination and reducing barriers to accessing support.
• April–June 2026

  • April 9, 2026 – Downtown community safety and cleanup program launched: 
    City launches a program at the downtown mini transit hubs and nearby public spaces, including Meridian Place, Heritage Park, and Sam Cancilla Park. The initiative focused on cleanliness and rapid response to public-safety concerns.
  • April 29, 2026 – Formal Emergency Order update delivered to Council: 
    The City provided a public update through Executive Committee that 128 sites had been cleared to date, including City-owned locations and private-property sites addressed through property-standards complaints, and 74 individuals had transitioned to safe indoor spaces through coordinated action with the County of Simcoe. (In accordance with legal requirements, offers of appropriate indoor accommodation were confirmed by the County of Simcoe prior to notices and enforcement action.)
  • April 29, 2026 – Council endorses zero-tolerance drug enforcement motion: 
    Council approved a mayoral motion supporting zero-tolerance enforcement of drug laws in Barrie and advocating for expanded mandatory rehabilitation, stronger penalties for drug-related offences, enhanced prosecution of drug crimes, and the creation of additional rehabilitation facilities. The motion also called for action to address illegal drug dispensaries and other illicit drug-related activity in the community. 
  • April 29, 2026 – Permanent encampment response resources approved: 
    Council approved a permanent Program Manager position responsible for social-service oversight and system coordination, as well as a dedicated Encampment Response Enforcement Services Team to manage proactive enforcement to continue coordinated efforts beyond the Emergency Order.
  • May 11, 2026 – Mayor advances advocacy following zero-tolerance motion: 
    Following Council’s April 29 resolution, Mayor Alex Nuttall sent a series of letters to provincial and federal ministers advocating for mandatory rehabilitation and compassionate intervention, the creation of rehabilitation centres within correctional institutions, stronger action against illegal mushroom and unlicensed cannabis dispensaries, and provincial reforms to support community safety and addiction recovery. The correspondence also called for limits on cannabis store concentrations and additional investments in treatment and mental health supports.
  • June 17, 2026 – Council approves additional funding to support HART Hub housing transitions: 
    Council approved $225,000 in funding to the County of Simcoe to help address a Canada-Ontario Housing Benefit (COHB) funding gap and support rent subsidies for graduates of the HART Hub of Simcoe County. 
  • June 17, 2026 – Barrie Cares completes Phase 1 of Temporary Campus of Care initiative: 
    Barrie Cares announced the completion of Phase 1 at 113 Tiffin Street, where approximately $250,000 in community donations helped transform a former County paramedic building into a support hub connected to the County of Simcoe’s Bridge to Stability Program. Donor-funded upgrades included a commercial kitchen, dining and gathering space, and areas for case conferencing and connections to housing and support services. The project marked an important step toward Barrie Cares’ vision for a permanent Campus of Care model in Barrie.
  • June 24, 2026 – HART Hub marks first year of expanded service delivery: 
    The County reported that all HART Hub services were fully operational, providing coordinated access to addiction treatment, housing, health care, employment supports, and recovery services across Simcoe County. The milestone marked the successful implementation of a region-wide model designed to connect individuals to support when and where they need it. 
  • June 30, 2026 – Cooling centres opened during heat warning: 
    The City opened cooling-centre locations in response to a heat warning, adding a seasonal health and safety measure to the broader response for vulnerable and unsheltered residents. 
• July–September 2026

  • July 16, 2026 – Veterans First program launched to end veteran homelessness: 
    The County of Simcoe and the Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness (CAEH) launched the Veterans First program with $465,000 in federal funding to help veterans experiencing homelessness move into and maintain permanent housing through intensive case management, housing supports, and veteran-specific services.
  • July 28, 2026 - City strengthens measures against illegal drug dispensaries: 
    Council advanced a zero-tolerance approach toward illegal psilocybin and other unlicensed drug dispensaries by supporting stronger enforcement measures, introducing significant penalties for property owners who lease space to illegal storefronts, and advocating to other levels of government for enhanced action to address illegal drug-related activity and improve community safety.
  • Summer 2026 – Coordinated protocol further formalized: 
    The City and County of Simcoe co-developed a shared encampment-response procedure setting out responsibilities for site identification, outreach services, offers of appropriate indoor accommodation, notices, enforcement, cleanup, documentation, and ongoing monitoring. 
  • August 14, 2026 – More than 200 encampments addressed: 
    The City’s public reporting showed that 209 encampments had been addressed while under the Emergency Order through coordinated efforts with the County of Simcoe. (In accordance with legal requirements, offers of appropriate indoor accommodation were confirmed by the County of Simcoe prior to notices and enforcement action.)
  • August 17, 2026 –OBCM calls for mandatory rehabilitation legislation: 
    Mayor Alex Nuttall joined Ontario Big City Mayors (OBCM) in advocating for legislative changes that would enable mandatory rehabilitation, or “compassionate intervention,” for individuals experiencing severe addiction and mental health crises who are unable or unwilling to seek treatment voluntarily. The advocacy formed part of a broader call for provincial action to address the interconnected challenges of homelessness, addiction, mental health, and community safety.
  • August 20, 2026 – County acquires Mulcaster Street properties to expand homelessness services: 
    The County of Simcoe acquired 88 and 90 Mulcaster Street in Barrie, securing the long-term future of services delivered by the Busby Centre while advancing plans for a modernized housing-focused facility. The County indicated the site would be redeveloped to provide housing-based programming and wraparound supports.
  • August 26, 2026 – City acknowledges recurring-site challenges: 
    City staff advised that previously addressed encampment locations could be reoccupied immediately following coordinated action, requiring the encampment response process to begin again. The Mulcaster Street area was highlighted as an example of a recurring hotspot requiring ongoing coordinated outreach, enforcement, and cleanup efforts.
  • September 9, 2026 – One year since the Emergency Order declaration: 
    One year after the Emergency Order was declared, the City continues to coordinate its encampment response in coordination with the County of Simcoe. 
    Reported outcomes included:
    • 221 encampments addressed in the City of Barrie.
    • 64 additional beds secured within the County of Simcoe shelter system.
    • 340 permanent housing outcomes reported by the County of Simcoe.
    • 424 unique individuals engaged through the HART Hub Navigation Team.