Adopted Motion
Whereas: Chloride concentrations in the surface waters of the Lake Simcoe watershed are above Canadian Water Quality Guidelines in many places and continue to increase due to the use of winter salt on roads and parking lots; and
Whereas: Decreasing the amount of winter salt use throughout the watershed is critical to the long-term health of Lake Simcoe; and
Whereas: a substantial barrier to the reduction of salt application for parking lots and walkways is concern over liability; and
Whereas: businesses in the winter maintenance sector are seeing insurance and legal costs dramatically escalate to the point where many have failed, and some property owners have been unable to find winter maintenance contractors.
Therefore, be it resolved that the Council for the City of Barrie requests that the Attorney General of Ontario and the Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks establish technical standards and a Provincial regulatory framework that limits liability for contractors following best practices to ensure public safety, business sustainability, and environmental protection. (Item for Discussion 2.1, May 13, 2026)