The City introduced an AI-powered chatbot on Barrie.ca on May 28, 2025, as a pilot project. Designed to transform customer support for the City of Barrie, this tool navigates and interprets the City’s website content and provides instant answers to questions. Whether users seek details about City services, upcoming events, or local regulations, the chatbot is available to assist 24/7.
Located in the lower right-hand corner of all Barrie.ca webpages, the chatbot is easy to use. Its intuitive interface lets you quickly find the information you need. Simply type a question, and the chatbot will promptly deliver a clear and concise response. This eliminates the need to navigate through multiple webpages or call/email customer service, making access to information straightforward and efficient.
As a pilot project, the AI-powered chatbot learns and improves with each interaction. This continuous development ensures an enriched user experience by improving the chatbot’s ability to provide more meaningful responses over time.
AI-powered Chatbot Terms, Conditions & Disclaimer
As a component of the Barrie.ca website, users of this AI-powered chatbot should also be aware of the website terms and conditions.
By using the AI-powered chatbot, you acknowledge the below disclaimer:
The City of Barrie does not make any representation or warranty as to the completeness, timeliness or accuracy of the information provided by the AI-powered chatbot or the suitability of said information for any purpose. Responses and information provided by the AI-powered chatbot should not be considered official statements or responses from the City of Barrie for your specific situation. The City of Barrie disclaims all liability for any direct, indirect, special, incidental, exemplary, economic, consequential or other damages arising from the use of the AI-powered chatbot, or the information provided by the AI-powered chatbot, including your reliance upon such information.
The AI-powered chatbot is a pilot project that is continually evolving. It will undergo changes over time, influenced by chat requests, generative artificial intelligence (AI) model updates, Barrie.ca website updates and potential future updates to the chatbot platform. As a result, this disclaimer is subject to change. The City of Barrie may modify or update this disclaimer at any time without prior notice. Your use of the AI-powered chatbot following any such modifications or updates will signify your acknowledgement of the revised disclaimer.
Data Privacy & Security
We prioritize the privacy and security of our users' information. Be aware that logs of chatbot conversations may be retained and may be reviewed by our content team to monitor performance and improve results. We ask that you do not share any sensitive or personal information in your conversations, including but not limited to passwords or financial data. Any information that is provided to the chatbot is handled in accordance with Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act and the City’s Privacy Policy.
Feedback
The City of Barrie’s AI-powered chatbot is currently in the beta phase. This means that, while there is a high degree of confidence in its performance, the solution is not final and continues to be refined. It will evolve over time, driven by customer requests, patterns learned through generative AI, and the incorporation of new data sources—including from interactions with users. User feedback is invaluable to the beta testing process and will help to improve the AI-Powered chatbot solution.