FAQs

Let’s Look At The Numbers

The numbers behind Barrie

A source-backed working file for stronger FAQ answers on budgets, housing, roads, transit, parks and growth. Every figure is labeled by year and geographic scope.

Ward 6 data is scarce. These figures are city-wide unless noted. The only Ward 6-specific figure found was a 2025 population estimate of 18,682. Budget, housing, road, transit and parks figures are not published by ward.
Eight figures worth knowing

$207.6M

Recommended 2026 capital spending

Excludes $215.9M carried forward from 2025

$41M/year

Transportation and road construction in the 2026 budget

City-wide

5,224

Dwelling units started, Jan. 1, 2023 – Aug. 31, 2026

City definition: footing inspection scheduled

$924.5M

Building-permit value issued, Jan.–Oct. 2025

City of Barrie

$65M

Development charges received in 2024

City Growth Report

4.1M

Transit rides in 2024

Secondary source citing CUTA

$2.1M

Ice-storm tree-replanting program

Approved June 18, 2025

18,682

Ward 6 population estimate for 2025

Ward Boundary Review report

The detail behind the numbers
Budgets & taxes

The city held its operations tax increase at 0% while the dedicated infrastructure levy rose 2% a year ($104 on the typical home in 2026).

Recommended $207.6M in capital spending for 2026, plus $41M a year for transportation and road construction. Barrie Police budget: $78.4M (+8.53%).

Sources: City of Barrie — 2026 budget; City budget page

Housing pledge & starts

Barrie pledged 23,000 homes by 2031. It beat its 2023 target with 1,809 starts, and counts 5,224 units started from January 2023 to August 2026 — with 2026 running at more than four times the recent pace (822 starts January–May).

Building permits issued: $666.9M (2023), $900M (2024), $924.5M (Jan–Oct 2025).

Sources: City of Barrie — Building Progress; October 2025 Building Report (PDF)

Development charges

Council cut residential development charges by 50% (March 2026 – March 2029), saving up to $62,223 per new home — estimated to unlock 23,364 homes, backed by up to $129.2M in federal/provincial funding.

The city collected $65M in development charges in 2024. The 2023 study rate for a single-detached home: $89,499.

Sources: Canada/Ontario announcement, Sept 2026; City of Barrie — Building Progress

Roads

Mapleview East widening (January 2026 – spring 2028) reopened to through traffic October 8, 2026, six-plus weeks early. The Essa Road interchange finished August 15, 2025; the separate City-led Essa Road 5-lane expansion starts construction in 2028.

Sources: Mapleview Drive East project page; Essa Road interchange project page

Transit

About 4.1 million rides in 2024 on a network rebuilt June 2, 2024 (47 conventional + 14 specialized buses). Seniors ride free Tuesdays and Thursdays. Federal baseline capital funding: over $11M across 2026–2036.

Sources: City of Barrie — new transit network; Canada transit investment, Mar 2025

Parks & environment

The city owns 42,000+ trees across 128 parks and 150+ km of trails, and has committed to 1,000 new waterfront trees by 2033.

After the March 2025 ice storm destroyed 5,000+ trees, council approved a $2.1M replanting program to fall 2027, plus a $1.51M federal grant.

Sources: City of Barrie — 1000 Waterfront Trees; Ice Storm Replanting & Recovery

Population

147,829 (2021 Census) → an estimated 167,040 in 2025, with Ward 6 at 18,682. Projected: 298,000 by 2051.

Sources: Ward Boundary Review Preliminary Options Report, April 2025; Canada/Ontario announcement, Sept 2026