Barrie's new Official Plan

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Official Plan approved by the Province on April 11, 2023

The Ontario Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing approved the City of Barrie's new Official Plan, with 73 modifications, on April 11, 2023. For more information on the approval, visit the Environmental Registry of Ontario.

The 73 modifications to the policies and maps of the Official Plan have been made to address provincial policy direction related to land use compatibility, source water protection, and government priorities related to housing and streamlining development process, among other matters, including site specific changes.

The new Official Plan replaces the existing Official Plan that was adopted in 2010. As the Ministry’s decision repeals and replaces the in-effect Official Plan, all new development applications that are not yet deemed complete will be subject to the new Official Plan.

A final version of the Official Plan is posted on barrie.ca.


New Official Plan approved on February 14, 2022

After four years of extensive public engagement and consultation, the City of Barrie’s new Official Plan was adopted at the February 14, 2022 City Council meeting. The new Official Plan was then sent to the Province of Ontario’s Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing for approval.

The version of the new Official Plan and the accompanying maps that went before Council for consideration are available for download here and in the right-hand menu:

New Official Plan


Next steps

City of Barrie Council will consider enacting a new Official Plan By-law on March 7, 2022. Once the By-law has been enacted, the adopted version of the new Official Plan will be made available on this webpage.

City staff are continuing to develop the draft new Comprehensive Zoning By-law and the City-Wide Urban Design Guidelines, which are both intended to align closely with the new Official Plan. In 2022, there will be public consultation on both topics.

One City, One Vision, One Plan.

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.

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

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.


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.
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.

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.


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.
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.

Official Plan approved by the Province on April 11, 2023

The Ontario Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing approved the City of Barrie's new Official Plan, with 73 modifications, on April 11, 2023. For more information on the approval, visit the Environmental Registry of Ontario.

The 73 modifications to the policies and maps of the Official Plan have been made to address provincial policy direction related to land use compatibility, source water protection, and government priorities related to housing and streamlining development process, among other matters, including site specific changes.

The new Official Plan replaces the existing Official Plan that was adopted in 2010. As the Ministry’s decision repeals and replaces the in-effect Official Plan, all new development applications that are not yet deemed complete will be subject to the new Official Plan.

A final version of the Official Plan is posted on barrie.ca.


New Official Plan approved on February 14, 2022

After four years of extensive public engagement and consultation, the City of Barrie’s new Official Plan was adopted at the February 14, 2022 City Council meeting. The new Official Plan was then sent to the Province of Ontario’s Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing for approval.

The version of the new Official Plan and the accompanying maps that went before Council for consideration are available for download here and in the right-hand menu:

New Official Plan


Next steps

City of Barrie Council will consider enacting a new Official Plan By-law on March 7, 2022. Once the By-law has been enacted, the adopted version of the new Official Plan will be made available on this webpage.

City staff are continuing to develop the draft new Comprehensive Zoning By-law and the City-Wide Urban Design Guidelines, which are both intended to align closely with the new Official Plan. In 2022, there will be public consultation on both topics.

One City, One Vision, One Plan.

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.

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

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.


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.
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.

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.


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.
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.