The Official Plan: Supporting a Resilient City

Explore how the new Official Plan's policy directions support the sub themes of a Resilient City. You can provide your feedback on this theme by using the online comment sheet or by visiting the project page to learn about more feedback options.

Climate Change

Does new development contemplate the impacts of climate change and a growing community?

What you said: This discussion revolved around differentiating between resiliency versus sustainability, adapting to severe weather events, standards for infrastructure that contribute to increased resiliency, food security, and design approaches (e.g., green roofs). The public identified climate change as a key priority for the City. The issues of sprawl, food security, and protecting Barrie’s natural resources were of high concern. The public displayed a desire to see new and strengthened policies in the OP to directly address these issues.

Policy Direction: New development in Barrie will meet environmental standards and include design elements that will help address the impacts of climate change and contribute to community resiliency.

How can the City support green initiatives and promote development that respects the quality of our air and energy efficiencies?

What you said: There are a variety of opportunities to add plants, shrubs, and trees throughout the city. It was acknowledged that there are numerous opportunities on private land, city-owned property, and property owned by other public bodies. Consideration was given to shade, noise attenuation, and privacy. There was a strong belief among citizens that the city could be “greener”, despite the fact that it is already blessed with a great deal of tree canopy.

Policy Direction: Barrie will protect and improve air quality and promote energy efficiency through enhancement of the City’s tree canopy cover and vegetation to provide shade, reduce the urban heat island effect, trap pollution, and control run-off. This will be implemented through green urban design standards.

Vulnerable Populations

How can the City plan for the needs of vulnerable populations?

What you said: This discussion revolved around aging-in-place, accessibility, affordability, enhancing emergency services, job security (through economic prosperity), and spaces for community interaction to build relationships and a sense of community. The public expressed the need for more supports to help vulnerable populations (such as seniors and low-income populations). Ideas put forth by the public included attracting more job opportunities to Barrie, providing seniors housing, and more affordable housing, particularly for large families.

Policy Direction: Buildings and communities in Barrie will be designed or retrofitted to support vulnerable populations by providing spaces, services, and infrastructure needed to meet the needs of residents through all stages of life.

Diverse Workforce and Talent

Should the City do more to encourage and integrate new residents into neighbourhoods that already provide access to basic life needs for all income levels (housing, employment opportunities, social services, transit options and food)? Do new developments provide the resources needed to sustain a neighbourhood?

What you said: The discussion revolved around the importance of affordability across the city to avoid creating segregated enclaves of different groups of people. It was also acknowledged that businesses finding economic prosperity in Barrie can create jobs; this job creation helps families support themselves that thereby leads to people continually investing in the city. Most the community and stakeholders would like to see more affordable housing options in both the rental and homeownership markets. It was indicated that beyond just more affordable housing stock, that more appropriate types of housing itself was needed in order to better match the needs of residents in through different stages in life (students, rental housing for large families, seniors who want to age in place, etc.).

Policy Direction: The planning for and provision of affordable housing will help Barrie ensure that the needs of the city’s diverse residents are being met and all people can call Barrie home throughout their lifecycle.

Public Consultation Quotes

"If we don't sustain our environment, it wont be here tomorrow. Its the foundation to our community building."- Feedback from OP Project Workshop

"Sustainability is a critical underlying consideration to all other planning" - Feedback from OP Project Workshop

"We need to look out for the most vulnerable citizens of our community such as those who are homeless and or/living in poverty. Our community is only as healthy as we can support our most vulnerable to be." - Feedback from OP Workshop

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