Boundary Expansion Discussions

• Stage 2 Joint Land Needs Analysis & Study

  The Stage 2 Joint Land Needs Analysis and Study determined that there is a need for additional land for residential development and for comprehensive community/employment area uses in the City of Barrie. The study provides a range of the amount of land needed for both residential and employment to accommodate the forecasted growth in Barrie to 2051. In particular, there is an identified need for shovel-ready lands and parcels for expansion of existing users and new larger users. Recent and planned growth suggests that achieving Official Plan targets in Barrie will be challenging without additional lands. 

  The Stage 2 Joint Land Needs Analysis and Study were presented and discussed at Council meetings for each municipality on December 11, 2024. At that time, each Council was requested to receive the study and consider re-engaging Hemson to prepare a work plan to complete a more detailed analysis of the options for further consideration by all parties. This work plan serves as a foundation for further discussions.

  ▶️ Presentation & discussion at Barrie City Council meeting | Dec. 11, 2024

• Stage 3 Joint Land Needs Analysis & Study

  On January 29, 2025, Council passed a motion to proceed with Stage 3 of the study. The Stage 3 Study work is complete. Related documents: 

  • Joint Land Needs Assessment - Plenary Session (Planning Analysis) | Sept. 16, 2025
  • Joint Land Needs Analysis & Study - Stage 3 - Plenary Session #2 (Engineering Analysis) | Sept. 16, 2025
     

  As part of the Stage 3 work, North-South Environmental Inc. was retained by Hemson Consulting to conduct a preliminary assessment of natural heritage features and other constraints to support the evaluation of land requirements for participating municipalities to accommodate growth to 2051. Related documents: 

  • Briefing Memo - Preliminary Natural Heritage Constraints Assessment for the Barrie Land Needs Assessment | Sept. 18, 2025
  • Preliminary Natural Heritage Constraints Assessment Plenary Presentation | Sept. 16, 2025

Frequently Asked Questions

• Why does Barrie need more land?

  The City is forecast to experience significant population and employment growth. For the last 18 months, the City, the Townships of Springwater and Oro-Medonte, and the County of Simcoe have been engaged in a facilitated process lead by the Office of the Provincial Land and Development Facilitator to explore mutually acceptable growth solutions. The Stage 2 Joint Land Needs Analysis and Study findings determined that the City needs additional land to accommodate this growth.

• What is the status of the facilitation?

  The facilitation process commenced in the Spring of 2024 and has entailed discussion amongst municipal leadership at the City of Barrie, Springwater, Oro-Medonte and the County. The process has resulted in technical studies conducted by consultant experts including assessment of the need for additional residential and employment lands in areas adjacent to Barrie, Springwater and Oro-Medonte; preliminary findings were presented to all Councils in late 2024. 

  More recent studies include delineation of land to accommodate urban expansion, environmental mapping and constraint analysis, infrastructure servicing requirements and costing. The Stage 3 study work is available as of September 2025.  

• What is the purpose of the facilitated discussions?

  The City of Barrie, is forecast to experience significant population and employment growth to 2051.   To address this growth, the City of Barrie, the Township of Oro-Medonte, the Township of Springwater and the County of Simcoe have agreed to engage in facilitated discussions to identify mutually acceptable solutions to accommodate anticipated growth.   The Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing has tasked the Office of the Provincial Land and Development Facilitator to assist in these discussions.

  Hemson Consulting was retained to evaluate the need for additional residential and employment lands at the boundaries of Barrie/Springwater and Barrie/Oro-Medonte.  Hemson has completed that task, and subsequently is exploring viable options for accommodating growth.

• What are the next steps in the process?

  The Township of Springwater and the Township of Oro-Medonte have scheduled public meetings and Council considerations for October. The City of Barrie will proceed with submitting the restructuring proposal to the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, along with a formal request to issue a Minister’s Order to implement the change.

• Could the public participate in the process?

  Although the continued facilitation discussions are confidential, all parties are committed to providing regular updates to keep their respective communities informed. Barrie held a public meeting on September 29, 2025, and all interested parties were invited to participate. The public notice was issued on September 9, 2025.

• Who is Hemson Consulting?

  Hemson is an experienced consulting firm in the Province that advises on growth management, long-range strategic planning, and adequacy of land supply for municipalities.  Their services were contracted through a competitive procurement process.

• Who is paying the cost of the consultant?

  The cost of the Joint Land Needs Analysis and Study  - Stage 2 was shared by all four municipalities. The City of Barrie is funding the Stage 3 work.

• What lands would be considered for future employment or residential uses?

  The study area includes lands along the Barrie/Springwater border and the Barrie/Oro-Medonte border.   The City of Barrie owns lands in the vicinity of Little Lake, in the Township of Springwater.   Further facilitated discussions could also include options for ensuring the long term environmental preservation and stewardship of those lands.