The Barrie-Collingwood Railway (BCRY) is a short-line railway which extends from its junction with the Canadian Pacific Railway (CP Rail), just west of County Road 56 in Essa Township, through the City of Barrie and south to its terminus at the Innisfil Heights Employment Area in the Town of Innisfil. The City of Barrie has owned and operated the railway, through its contract with Cando Rail and Terminals Ltd., since 2012 after the previous owner, the non-profit Allandale Community Development Corporation (ACDC), was dissolved in 2011.
The BCRY is connected to the major trunk network of the CP Rail, with an interchange located at the BCRY Utopia rail yard. The Utopia rail yard is a site in Essa Township located on County Road 56, 11 km west of Barrie. The rail yard supports transloading and other support services. The City shares ownership of the Utopia rail yard with the County of Simcoe.
Assets that support BCRY include Tracks, Turnouts, Grade Crossings, Bridges, Culverts, Railway Facilities and Ditches.
Overall, the BCRY asset replacement value is approximately $86M and BCRY assets are in fair condition.
Asset Management Plan Key Findings
Full information about the City's management of BCRY assets is contained on pages 181–193 of the 2025 Corporate Asset Management Plan.
The 2025 Corporate Asset Management Plan includes three key findings:
- The aging Lockhart Rd. rail bridge needs to be replaced and upgraded to address existing dimensional restrictions and accommodate future road widening. Engineering studies are proposed to determine the ultimate design and optimal timing for this project.
- The City has made progress improving the railway track infrastructure in recent years. This work is proposed to continue to ensure safe and reliable railway operations.
- Additional investment is required to address aging grade crossing infrastructure as well as culverts crossing the railway tracks.
