90 Day public consultation (archived)

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Consultation has concluded

One City, One Vision, One Plan.
Draft 2 of the Official Plan will be released on May 6

The City is embarking on planning for our future and creating a new Official Plan in Barrie. The updated Official Plan will improve our city by embracing leading practices, forward-thinking approaches and community priorities. This will help us effectively take advantage of the current opportunities we have while adopting new methods to enhance the great quality of life that we all enjoy.

The New Official Plan will provide clarity of the urban structure needed for better planning of a complete community, provide certainty for investment, and introduce a level of policy direction that ensures residents, businesses, and the City share an aligned vision for Barrie's future.

The City of Barrie is undergoing a significant transformation as it matures into a vibrant medium-sized city, and high quality design of streets, public spaces, and buildings will help reinforce the modern, energetic, and prosperous image that the community and Council wish to portray for Barrie. The City of Barrie’s City-Wide Urban Design Guidelines consolidate and build on existing urban design standards and policies, and are intended to set a high standard for urban design applicable throughout Barrie.

The Official Plan and City-Wide Urban Design Guidelines work together to address matters of compatibility as the city intensifies and sets a high standard for urban design of new development and re-development.

Draft 2 of the Official Plan (will be posted here on May 6, 2021)

The City-Wide Urban Design Guidelines will be released in summer 2021 for public feedback.

Official Plan maps, appendices and other related documents can be found in the Official Plan Related Documents section of the project page.

To learn more about the Official Plan, check out the FAQ section.

Draft 2 Consultation open until June 2

Over the 90 days of public consultation for the draft Official Plan that was done in fall 2020, the City received valuable feedback from a variety of stakeholders, including Barrie residents and business owners, developers, landowner groups and community organizations.

Based on the feedback received, the City has completed the second draft of the new Official Plan. This update includes proposed changes to the settlement boundary, as well as phasing in the Secondary Plan Areas to accommodate for both people and job growth into 2051.

Draft 2 is an evolution from Draft 1. This means the language, policies, and mapping should all be familiar, but have evolved to be more concise, clear, and comprehensive.

How to share your feedback on Draft 2

We encourage you to look at Draft 2 of the Official Plan and share your feedback, as we want to ensure we get this right. Look at your neighbourhood, your favourite city spaces, your transportation routes—and see if the policy structure matches your vision for our City. Here are the ways you can learn more about the Official Plan and share your thoughts:

  • Open House (virtual) on May 19, 4 to 8 p.m.
    The purpose of the Open House is to present the draft new Official Plan to the public and give an opportunity to ask questions. The first of two presentations will be given at 4 p.m., followed by a Q & A session with staff. The second presentation will be given at 6 p.m. and will be followed by another Q & A session. The public is welcome to attend either presentation and Q & A session.

  • Public Meeting (virtual) on June 2 at 6 p.m.
    The purpose of the Public Meeting is for staff to present the draft new Official Plan and give the public an opportunity to make comments regarding the draft new Official Plan.

  • By email
    Submit your comments in writing to new.barrieop@barrie.ca by 12 p.m on June 2. Please include your name, contact information and address.

  • By mail
    Submit your comments in writing and mail to Tomasz Wierzba, Policy Planner, City of Barrie, City Hall, 70 Collier Street, P.O. Box 400, Barrie, ON, L4M 4T5. Mail must be postmarked no later than June 2.

Please note: Comments must be submitted in writing by 12 p.m. on June 2, 2021, or can be made verbally at the Public Meeting on June 2.


Share Your Favourite Barrie Pictures

Share pictures of your favourite places in Barrie through the #PictureBarrie Photo Gallery for the opportunity to have your image featured in Barrie's new Official Plan.

Key Themes of Barrie's New Official Plan

In November 2019, City Council approved the land use policy directions proposed by Planning Staff. The land use policy directions are based off the series of discussion papers released in April 2019 and community feedback collected during Phase 1 and Phase 2 of the Official Plan Project. Council directed that the approved land use policy directions serve as the key themes of Barrie’s new Official Plan.



Urban & Complete City: Enhancing Barrie's urban structure with the development of mixed use buildings and providing more affordable housing options. Offering more opportunity for places to live, work, shop, and connect within the City. Learn more how the OP supports an Urban & Complete City.


Attractive City: Striving for design excellence in the built form and public realm to create an attractive community. Offering opportunity for residents to enjoy public spaces year round and encourage active streets. Learn more how the OP supports an Attractive City.
Connected & Mobile City: Making active transportation a priority to move people throughout Barrie. The City's approach to transportation will be adaptable to future trends in technology and be less reliant on automobile travel. Learn more how the OP supports a Connected & Mobile City.

Waterfront & Green City: Continuing to recognize the Waterfront as the focal point of the City and explore ways to interconnect Downtown Barrie to the Waterfront. Protect, enhance, and restore the natural heritage system for future generations. Learn more how the OP supports a Waterfront & Green City.


Resilient City: Making Barrie resilient to the effects of climate change by working with other agencies to understand and respond to future environmental trends. Designing buildings and a community that provides spaces, services, and infrastructure that meets the needs of residents through all stages of life. Learn more how the OP supports a Resilient City.


Prosperous City: Barrie will be a premiere destination for business investment and will support a broad range of diverse careers. The City will continue to focus on economic diversity for the community, so that all residents are able to pursue local employment in an economy that can withstand changes in economic conditions and global competition. Learn more how the OP supports a Prosperous City.
Cultural City: Enhancing civic pride through public art, preservation of historic buildings, and programming public spaces. Developing a strategy to protect and celebrate the history of Barrie. Learn more how the OP supports a Cultural City.

One City, One Vision, One Plan.
Draft 2 of the Official Plan will be released on May 6

The City is embarking on planning for our future and creating a new Official Plan in Barrie. The updated Official Plan will improve our city by embracing leading practices, forward-thinking approaches and community priorities. This will help us effectively take advantage of the current opportunities we have while adopting new methods to enhance the great quality of life that we all enjoy.

The New Official Plan will provide clarity of the urban structure needed for better planning of a complete community, provide certainty for investment, and introduce a level of policy direction that ensures residents, businesses, and the City share an aligned vision for Barrie's future.

The City of Barrie is undergoing a significant transformation as it matures into a vibrant medium-sized city, and high quality design of streets, public spaces, and buildings will help reinforce the modern, energetic, and prosperous image that the community and Council wish to portray for Barrie. The City of Barrie’s City-Wide Urban Design Guidelines consolidate and build on existing urban design standards and policies, and are intended to set a high standard for urban design applicable throughout Barrie.

The Official Plan and City-Wide Urban Design Guidelines work together to address matters of compatibility as the city intensifies and sets a high standard for urban design of new development and re-development.

Draft 2 of the Official Plan (will be posted here on May 6, 2021)

The City-Wide Urban Design Guidelines will be released in summer 2021 for public feedback.

Official Plan maps, appendices and other related documents can be found in the Official Plan Related Documents section of the project page.

To learn more about the Official Plan, check out the FAQ section.

Draft 2 Consultation open until June 2

Over the 90 days of public consultation for the draft Official Plan that was done in fall 2020, the City received valuable feedback from a variety of stakeholders, including Barrie residents and business owners, developers, landowner groups and community organizations.

Based on the feedback received, the City has completed the second draft of the new Official Plan. This update includes proposed changes to the settlement boundary, as well as phasing in the Secondary Plan Areas to accommodate for both people and job growth into 2051.

Draft 2 is an evolution from Draft 1. This means the language, policies, and mapping should all be familiar, but have evolved to be more concise, clear, and comprehensive.

How to share your feedback on Draft 2

We encourage you to look at Draft 2 of the Official Plan and share your feedback, as we want to ensure we get this right. Look at your neighbourhood, your favourite city spaces, your transportation routes—and see if the policy structure matches your vision for our City. Here are the ways you can learn more about the Official Plan and share your thoughts:

  • Open House (virtual) on May 19, 4 to 8 p.m.
    The purpose of the Open House is to present the draft new Official Plan to the public and give an opportunity to ask questions. The first of two presentations will be given at 4 p.m., followed by a Q & A session with staff. The second presentation will be given at 6 p.m. and will be followed by another Q & A session. The public is welcome to attend either presentation and Q & A session.

  • Public Meeting (virtual) on June 2 at 6 p.m.
    The purpose of the Public Meeting is for staff to present the draft new Official Plan and give the public an opportunity to make comments regarding the draft new Official Plan.

  • By email
    Submit your comments in writing to new.barrieop@barrie.ca by 12 p.m on June 2. Please include your name, contact information and address.

  • By mail
    Submit your comments in writing and mail to Tomasz Wierzba, Policy Planner, City of Barrie, City Hall, 70 Collier Street, P.O. Box 400, Barrie, ON, L4M 4T5. Mail must be postmarked no later than June 2.

Please note: Comments must be submitted in writing by 12 p.m. on June 2, 2021, or can be made verbally at the Public Meeting on June 2.


Share Your Favourite Barrie Pictures

Share pictures of your favourite places in Barrie through the #PictureBarrie Photo Gallery for the opportunity to have your image featured in Barrie's new Official Plan.

Key Themes of Barrie's New Official Plan

In November 2019, City Council approved the land use policy directions proposed by Planning Staff. The land use policy directions are based off the series of discussion papers released in April 2019 and community feedback collected during Phase 1 and Phase 2 of the Official Plan Project. Council directed that the approved land use policy directions serve as the key themes of Barrie’s new Official Plan.



Urban & Complete City: Enhancing Barrie's urban structure with the development of mixed use buildings and providing more affordable housing options. Offering more opportunity for places to live, work, shop, and connect within the City. Learn more how the OP supports an Urban & Complete City.


Attractive City: Striving for design excellence in the built form and public realm to create an attractive community. Offering opportunity for residents to enjoy public spaces year round and encourage active streets. Learn more how the OP supports an Attractive City.
Connected & Mobile City: Making active transportation a priority to move people throughout Barrie. The City's approach to transportation will be adaptable to future trends in technology and be less reliant on automobile travel. Learn more how the OP supports a Connected & Mobile City.

Waterfront & Green City: Continuing to recognize the Waterfront as the focal point of the City and explore ways to interconnect Downtown Barrie to the Waterfront. Protect, enhance, and restore the natural heritage system for future generations. Learn more how the OP supports a Waterfront & Green City.


Resilient City: Making Barrie resilient to the effects of climate change by working with other agencies to understand and respond to future environmental trends. Designing buildings and a community that provides spaces, services, and infrastructure that meets the needs of residents through all stages of life. Learn more how the OP supports a Resilient City.


Prosperous City: Barrie will be a premiere destination for business investment and will support a broad range of diverse careers. The City will continue to focus on economic diversity for the community, so that all residents are able to pursue local employment in an economy that can withstand changes in economic conditions and global competition. Learn more how the OP supports a Prosperous City.
Cultural City: Enhancing civic pride through public art, preservation of historic buildings, and programming public spaces. Developing a strategy to protect and celebrate the history of Barrie. Learn more how the OP supports a Cultural City.
  • CLOSED: This survey has concluded.

    Please provide your written comments on the Official Plan's key themes that are of interest to you. 

    Note: Anyone may offer written feedback on the Draft New Official Plan and City-Wide Urban Design Guidelines until December 22, 2020. Comments and opinions submitted, including the originator’s name and address, will become part of the public record and may be viewed by the general public, published in a Council or Committee Report and/or be included in the Council agenda and minutes. 

    Consultation has concluded

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  • CLOSED: This survey has concluded.

    Please provide your written feedback for the Draft Urban Design Guidelines.

    NOTE: Anyone may offer written feedback on the Draft New Official Plan and Draft City-Wide Urban Design Guidelines until December 22, 2020. Comments and opinions submitted, including the originator’s name and address, will become part of the public record and may be viewed by the general public, published in a Council or Committee Report and/or be included in the Council agenda and minutes.

    Consultation has concluded

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