(Barrie, ON) – The City of Barrie is moving forward with a zoning update to support the long‑term growth of the Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre (RVH). Mayor Alex Nuttall issued a Mayoral Direction today to rezone key hospital‑owned lands to allow for expedited hospital projects.
“As Barrie continues to grow, our healthcare infrastructure must grow with it,” said Mayor Alex Nuttall. “The City is committed to doing its part by cutting red tape and streamlining municipal processes to support future expansion at Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre. By removing barriers and working collaboratively with our partners, we are helping lay the groundwork for timely projects that will ensure residents can access the high-quality care they deserve, close to home.”
“RVH is planning for the future with both patients and team members at top of mind, said Gail Hunt, President and CEO. “As our region grows in population and the demand for healthcare services also increases, there are opportunities we must act on to continue meeting the needs of our community and Simcoe Muskoka. Through a strategic partnership, we are exploring options for the construction of a new healthcare services building on existing RVH property. The building will provide dedicated space for complementary health services, such as primary care and specialists. Having this building in close proximity to RVH is an important part of creating healthcare infrastructure for the growing region. Due to this growth, we have also developed a long-term parking strategy after evaluating numerous options. The addition of surface parking down the road from the health centre allows us to address our current capacity challenges for staff, and provides parking for patients and visitors close to the health centre.”
This by-law will be presented at the Council meeting on March 25th, 2026. To see the full Mayoral Direction, visit barrie.ca/MayoralDirections.