(Barrie, ON) – On September 9, Mayor Alex Nuttall declared a State of Emergency in Barrie to address growing number of encampments across the city.
Since that time, the City of Barrie, in collaboration with the County of Simcoe, has taken coordinated action to address several encampment sites throughout the city. These efforts have focused on providing individuals with alternate shelter and supports, while ensuring public safety and restoring the impacted areas.
Encampments addressed to date include:
- Dyment’s Creek/Victoria Street: Encampment cleared before State of Emergency. Area remains closed for clean-up. South side cleanup is complete; contractor is finalizing efforts on the north side this week.
- Mulcaster Street: Encampment cleared. 39 of 44 individuals secured alternate shelter and storage for belongings.
- Sam Cancilla Park: Tent cleared. 1 individual secured alternate shelter.
- Bradford Street: 11 of 18 individuals were supported with shelter. All individuals have left the site and cleanup is underway.
“The coordinated response between the City and County of Simcoe has made meaningful progress in addressing the immediate needs of individuals living in encampments while balancing the health and safety of the broader community,” said Mayor Alex Nuttall. “We remain committed to supporting vulnerable residents with safe spaces and services, while protecting the wellbeing of the broader community.”
The City and County continue to assess all encampments across Barrie, prioritizing those with community safety concerns and public health risks. Further actions will depend on shelter availability.
According to data from the County of Simcoe’s Homeless Individuals and Families Information System (HIFIS), as of September 1, 2025 there was 632 people experiencing homelessness in Barrie. The City of Barrie tracks the number of encampments throughout the city and considers one or more structures/tents on city property to be an encampment. The latest count by the City shows 26 encampments across Barrie with approximately 111 individuals living in these encampments.