City of Barrie Boundary Expansion Request

On November 8, 2023, Mayor Nuttall made a presentation to Oro-Medonte Council that included a proposal to expand the boundaries of the City of Barrie into the Township of Oro-Medonte.

The requested municipal boundary expansion would include lands east of Penetanguishene Road, south of Gore Road, west of Line 1 South and north of the Shanty Bay rural settlement area. The area comprises of approximately 772 hectares (1,907.65 acres) of land and consists of active farmland and environmentally sensitive features.

In addition to the City of Barrie’s boundary request that would impact Oro-Medonte, the City also requested a municipal boundary adjustment that would impact the Township of Springwater.

Township of Oro-Medonte Council does not support the City of Barrie’s proposed municipal boundary expansion as presented, but indicated that it is prepared to work with the City to find an amicable solution to address the City’s employment land needs based on a comprehensive planning process, that is in the best interests of Oro-Medonte, the Township of Springwater, the City of Barrie, the County of Simcoe, and the Province of Ontario.

In response to a request from the City of Barrie for assistance from the office of the Provincial Land Development Facilitator, the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing assigned the Deputy Provincial Land and Development Facilitator to assist with discussions between the Township of Oro-Medonte, Township of Springwater, City of Barrie, and the County of Simcoe. The purpose of these facilitated discussions is to develop mutually acceptable approaches to enable growth in the broader region, while fulfilling local objectives, and implementing Provincial priorities such as the creation of housing and employment in the vicinity of Barrie/Oro-Medonte and Barrie/Springwater.

On June 13, 2024, Mayor Greenlaw, Mayor Coughlin, Mayor Nuttall, and County Warden Clarke issued a statement regarding discussions pertaining to the City of Barrie’s boundary expansion request. 

On September 13, 2024, Mayor Greenlaw, Mayor Coughlin, Mayor Nuttall, and County Warden Clarke issued a statement regarding jointly retaining Hemson Consulting to complete a Joint Land Needs Analysis and Study, intended to determine the need for additional employment and/or residential land within and around the City of Barrie, the Township of Oro-Medonte, and the Township of Springwater.

On December 6, 2024, Hemson Consulting provided the Township with the Joint Land Needs Analysis and Study -  Summary of Stage 2 Findings. Hemson Consulting provided highlights of the study at the December 11, 2024 Oro-Medonte Council meeting. To review the study, please see Hemson Consulting Joint Land Needs Analysis and Study -  Summary of Stage 2 Findings.

As the process moves forward to address the City of Barrie’s boundary expansion request, updates will be included here. To remain informed of additional/new information, please refer back to this dedicated webpage.

View the proposed City of Barrie Expansion Area (November 8, 2023).

On May 13, 2025, City of Barrie Mayor Nuttall provided correspondence and a proposed Agreement to the Township of Oro-Medonte. Oro-Medonte Council discussed the proposal at the May 28, 2025 Council meeting.

To review Mayor Nuttall's correspondence, the proposed Agreement, and the Township of Oro-Medonte Council motion inclusive of principles to guide discussions with the City of Barrie, Township of Springwater, County of Simcoe, and Office of the Provincial Land Development Facilitator, please see:

• Correspondence from Mayor Nuttall and Proposed Agreement
• Township of Oro-Medonte Council Motion - May 28, 2025

To listen to Council's discussion, please see Township of Oro-Medonte Council meeting - May 28, 2025 and scroll to the 58:00 mark in the livestream video.

To listen to an interview Mayor Greenlaw had with CBC Ontario Morning on May 29, 2025, please see CBC Ontario Morning interview with Nav Nanwa.

The Draft Restructuring Proposal pertaining to the City of Barrie’s boundary adjustment request is available for review on the City of Barrie’s website. Please note: the document is located in the “Attachments” section as item #6 titled “Oro-Medonte Boundary Adjustment Agreement & Exhibits ACDFG”. 

• Update from the Office of the Provincial Land and Development Facilitator Regarding Facilitated Process for Joint Land Needs Analysis and Study in and around the City of Barrie - September 24, 2025
• Update from the Office of the Provincial Land and Development Facilitator Regarding Facilitated Process Pertaining to Joint Land Needs Analysis and Study - August 1, 2025

• Joint Land Needs Analysis and Study - Stage 3, Plenary Session 2 (Planning Analysis) - September 16, 2025
• Joint Land Needs Analysis and Study – Stage 3 Initial Findings - July 25, 2025
• Joint Land Needs Analysis and Study - Summary of Stage 2 Findings - December 6, 2024
• Review of Barrie Employment Land Needs - April 17, 2024
• Presentation to Council - December 11, 2023

• Joint Land Needs Analysis and Study - Stage 3, Plenary Session 2 - Engineering Analysis - September 16, 2025

• Briefing Memo - Preliminary Natural Heritage Constraints Assessment for the Barrie Land Needs Assessment
• Preliminary Natural Heritage Constraints Assessment Presentation 

• Presentation Made by Oro-Medonte Mayor Greenlaw and Deputy Mayor Lavoie to Standing Committee on Heritage, Infrastructure & Cultural Policy Regarding the Regional Governance Study - January 16, 2024
• Proposed Servicing Land Options Presented by Mayor Nuttall to Oro-Medonte Council - November 8, 2023
• Presentation by City of Barrie Mayor Nuttall to Standing Committee On Heritage, Infrastructure & Cultural Policy, Regional Governance and Bill 134 - November 6, 2023

• Open Letter Regarding the City of Barrie’s Boundary Expansion Request - February 3, 2025
• Detailed Open Letter To The Community Re Potential Boundary Expansion February 3, 2025

• Joint Statement Update On Discussions Regarding The City Of Barrie's Boundary Expansion Request - December 6, 2024
• Joint Statement Update On Discussions Regarding The City Of Barrie's Boundary Expansion Request - September 13, 2024
• Joint Statement Regarding Discussions Pertaining to the City of Barrie's Boundary Expansion Request – June 13, 2024

• Staff Report - May 14, 2025
• Staff Report - January 22, 2025
• Staff Report - April 17, 2024
• City of Barrie Proposed Boundary Expansion Request Chronology (Schedule 1) – April 17, 2024
• Staff Report - December 11, 2024
• Staff Report - February 14, 2024
• Staff Report - May 8, 2024

• Oro-Medonte Council Motion Passed on February 26, 2025 Regarding Proposed Expedited Facilitation Process

In late 2023, the City of Barrie made a presentation to Oro-Medonte Council that included a proposal to expand its boundaries into OroMedonte to permit additional employment lands.  A similar proposal was made to the Township of Springwater.

In the spring of 2024, the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing engaged the Office of Provincial Land and Development Facilitator to initiate discussion between the City of Barrie, the Township of Oro-Medonte, the Township of Springwater and the County of Simcoe, with the goal of identifying mutually acceptable solutions to accommodate anticipated growth in the area.

As a first step, Hemson Consulting (“Hemson”) was jointly retained to evaluate the need for additional residential and employment lands at the boundaries of Barrie/Springwater and Barrie/Oro-Medonte. Hemson has completed this task.  

Hemson is an experienced consulting firm in the Province of Ontario 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. 

The cost of the Joint Land Needs Analysis and Study has been shared by all four municipalities.  An agreement on the scope of further analysis and cost sharing would be required before any further work is undertaken.

Should Hemson be tasked with further work, recommendations will be provided to develop an appropriate consultation strategy for the parties to consider, including government ministries, agencies, municipal staff and Councils, Indigenous communities, and the general public. 

Oro-Medonte supports maintaining current municipal boundaries and accessing municipal services from the City of Barrie under a Municipal Services Agreement to allow the development of medium density attainable housing for seniors and young people.

The Township understands the importance of the Province’s mandate to build more homes faster and it is prepared to do its part. The Township is actively engaged with the development community in Oro-Medonte to assist with filling the Provincial objective.  

Yes, the Land Needs Study is publicly available on the Township’s website here – Joint Land Needs Analysis and Study. The Township’s Chief Administrative Officer and Manager, Planning Special Projects provided a staff report to Council at the December 11, 2024 Council meeting regarding the Joint Land Needs Analysis and Study. To review the report, please see City of Barrie Proposed Boundary Expansion – Receipt of Hemson Joint Land Needs Analysis and Study staff report. 

Each municipal Council will review the findings from the Land Needs Study. The Study has outlined two options moving forward.  To properly consider the impacts of any decision, further analysis into the availability of water, wastewater and other infrastructure, protection of natural features and ecological functions, compatibility with existing uses, financial impacts on the applicable municipalities, and consistency with Provincial Plan policies, and Conservation Authority plans and policies is required. Each municipal Council will decide if they wish to proceed further.   

Although the continued facilitation discussions are confidential, all parties are committed to providing regular updates to keep their respective communities informed. Details regarding the discussions will continue to be shared publicly. Any potential decisions that may result from the facilitation process will be considered in an open, transparent forum.   

View Joint Land Needs Analysis Study Area Map

Barrie has sufficient employment lands to meet demand to 2051, with sufficient serviced supply to address medium and long-term needs (as indicated on page 21 of study).

Barrie has a short supply of “shovel ready” lands and/or large parcels that are able to accommodate for the expansion of existing businesses, or for new larger businesses. However, “Barrie is implementing a targeted plan to accelerate the extension of linear infrastructure in key areas within South Barrie to bring to market” (as indicated on pages 17-21 of the study). Acquiring additional employment lands outside of Barrie would not address its short-term supply issue (as indicated on page 21 of the study).

Hemson has also indicated that if boundary adjustments are being considered, it is important to take a longer term view (beyond the 2051 planning period), and lands for both employment as well as community lands should be included to provide for complete communities that balance residential, commercial, and employment opportunities (as indicated on page 48 of the study).

Community area lands include residential lands and other land uses that make up a community, such as local commercial plaza sites, school sites, parks, other open spaces, etc. Hemson is indicating that when looking at land for residential purposes, one needs to consider community needs in determining total land area requirements.

Oro-Medonte has sufficient community area land supply to meet its respective growth forecasts to 2051 (as indicated on page 46 of the study). Barrie will likely face shortfalls in its community area land supply to meet residential demand based on current Designated Greenfield Area (DGA) densities (as indicated on page 48 of the study).

As the process moves forward to address the City of Barrie’s boundary expansion request, updates will be provided on the Township’s website. To remain informed of additional/new information, please visit: oro-medonte.ca/cbber.