Economic Recovery from COVID-19

Barrie is uniquely positioned to leverage talent, partnerships, and local resources to enable businesses to re-think traditional operations and generate new revenues — both during the COVID-19 crisis and throughout recovery.

COVID-19 Business Response Action Plan

The Invest Barrie COVID-19 Business Response Action Plan was published in April 2020. The plan includes Five Key Measures and supporting Action Items aimed at helping protect the local economy and assist businesses with the supports needed to navigate the pandemic.

COVID-19 Business Recovery Action Plan

The City prepared an Economic Recovery Action Plan to assist the local economy in coming back stronger and smarter after COVID-19. The plan guides local investment in the economic recovery after COVID-19 and identifies local initiatives that will help the recovery process.

Related Initiatives

Beginning in 2021, the Economic and Creative Development Department embarked on the City of Barrie’s first ever Business Data Survey to create the Business & Employer Data Directory.
The City continues to collect business information through the survey to inform a comprehensive list of all Barrie businesses. This data allows the City to better understand existing business and industry classifications, business sectors, business longevity, and employment trends.
The Business in the Parks Program provided businesses the opportunity to reserve space for a set time in designated public parks for activities such as classes, workshops and meetings. Initially implemented to help support local economic recovery from COVID-19, the program provided the opportunity for businesses to offer new opportunities to maximize capacity and revenue generation. The pilot program ended in December 2023.
From April 9 to April 25, 2021, Locallicious allowed Barrie's residents to try a diversity of delicious culinary experiences in our city. Locallicious was geared toward promoting the smaller independent restaurants, each with their own unique flavours and style.
The Downtown Business Improvement Association (BIA), City of Barrie and Tourism Barrie provided support to the 2021 event through a matching grant program with the provincial government’s Reconnect Festival and Event Program (PDF). The funding allowed festival organizers to waive restaurant participation fees this year, as well as provide support for takeout and PPE supplies.
This program was in place for anyone receiving a ticket in paid parking areas for any period that restaurants were closed for in-person dining and restricted to take-out only due to COVID-19 mandates in 2022.
Residents who received a parking ticket from the City could have the ticket cancelled if they provided proof of purchase from a Barrie restaurant in an amount equal to or greater than the set fine, within five days after receiving the ticket. The program did not apply to tickets related to safety matters, or overnight on-street parking restrictions.
The Barrie Together Recovery Kit is a set of tools to support businesses with COVID-19 recovery efforts.
The City developed shared media materials with the themes “Barrie Together” and “Shopping Local”. We encourage businesses to use these in marketing efforts, along with “Mandatory Face Covering” and “Curbside Pickup” window decals and physical distancing floor stickers supplied by Invest Barrie as part of the kit.
Visit investbarrie.ca/covid-19-support to learn more.