BARRIE: Mayor Alex Nuttall has declared the City of Barrie completely free of homeless encampments on municipal property. The milestone is being viewed as the culmination of a series of sustained measures taken after the city declared a state of emergency in response to rising violence, drug use, and illegal encampments in public spaces. The Mayor announced via social media that as of 3:30 p.m. on Thursday, October 1, not a single encampment remains on land owned by the City of Barrie.
Authorities have cleared 221 temporary encampments within municipal limits since the state of emergency was first declared. Currently, only one encampment remains, located on provincial land near Highway 400. Mayor Nuttall stated that the city will continue to work closely with the Ontario provincial government to clear that site and connect the individuals there with shelter, rehabilitation, and mental health supports.
Following the state of emergency declaration, the city council implemented sweeping regulatory changes. Stricter rules were enacted against trespassing on public property and obstructing sidewalks, while a new municipal bylaw (By-law 2025-110) gave police greater authority to regulate conduct on city land. Mayor Nuttall also launched a public petition and pressed both federal and provincial governments for increased funding for shelters and treatment facilities, as well as reforms to mental health legislation.
The crackdown drew high-level attention, leading Ontario Premier Doug Ford to tour Milligan’s Pond—formerly one of Barrie’s largest encampment sites—and pledge additional provincial support. Despite achieving zero encampments on municipal property, the state of emergency originally declared on September 9, 2025, remains officially in effect.
