(Barrie, ON) – The City of Barrie is providing free tree watering bags to residents who have received a new boulevard tree, as part of the City’s efforts to replace trees lost in the 2025 ice storm.
The tree watering bags will be available for pick up at Sunnidale Park (located at 265 Sunnidale Road), in the parking lot area, on the following dates:
- Saturday, July 25, 2026 - 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
- Saturday, August 1, 2026 - 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Residents who received a new boulevard tree in 2025 or 2026 can attend one of the events and provide their address to confirm eligibility. Eligible residents will receive a free tree watering bag and instruction sheet. Please note that quantities are limited and will be provided on a first come, first served basis.
The contractor planting the trees is watering the new boulevard trees once a month, but additional watering by residents is helpful, as young trees require extra care to help their roots establish. The watering bag is easy to use and will help support the health of new trees.
The ice storm caused significant damage in Barrie, resulting in the loss of more than 5,000 street and park trees, and damaging approximately 46,000 municipal trees. The City took immediate action to undertake clean up after the ice storm and is working quickly to replant trees that were lost.
In June 2025, Barrie City Council approved a replacement planting program to support rapid replanting and care of trees lost in the storm to help restore Barrie’s urban canopy.
For more information about street trees and the tree watering bag program, visit barrie.ca/StreetTrees.
