Barrie no longer just a gateway to cottage country

Barrie may be best known as the “gateway to cottage country,” but that’s purely history. Indeed, the days when this city of 153,356 was little more than a popular getaway destination are long over.

Barrie is a thriving city in its own right. It has long moved on from a bedroom community for Toronto, about 100 kms south, to build its own increasingly diversified economy, with a focus on education, healthcare, information technology and other sectors.

For example, Barrie hosts industry experts, executives, investors and entrepreneurs from across Ontario at the annual Manufacturing Innovation Summit. Presented by the Business Development Bank of Canada, the event strives to help manufacturers maintain competitiveness and maximize productivity.

This October, the City of Barrie, in partnership with the County of Simcoe, the City of Orillia, Georgian College and Lakehead University, hosted the event for the first time in person since COVID.

Creative economy

Further illustrating a focus on economic development, the City has partnered with Sandbox Centre to make regional resources for innovation and entrepreneurship more accessible to local businesses. Opened in 2019, Sandbox Centre is the first private sector-led innovation hub in Ontario.

It is exactly these types of initiatives that make Barrie so appealing for real estate. Economic development means employment, jobs attract residents and residents translate to housing demand.

The city’s ability to attract younger residents is influenced by its growing reputation as a place for families and young, active professionals. Recent GO Transit expansion has made it easier for professionals to live in Barrie, where it’s more affordable, and work in Toronto or somewhere along the way.

All of this makes Barrie one of the hottest housing markets in all of Canada, though, like many areas in Ontario, the city has seen some price pressure recently. At $814,600, the aggregate home price for the third quarter of 2022 is down 8.2 per cent from $887,400 from the second quarter, but is up 4.6 per cent from $778,500 year-over-year, according to Royal LePage.

New mayor in town

Managing such growth – and addressing housing affordability – is a top priority for newly elected mayor Alex Nuttall. Nuttall narrowly won over Barry Ward in the Oct. 23 municipal elections, taking over from three-term mayor Jeff Lehman, who did not seek re-election. Nuttall had previously served as a city councillor for eight years, before serving one term as a member of parliament for the district of Barrie-Springwater-Oro-Medonte.

Nuttall promises to address the growing pains of an expanding city and “unleash Barrie’s potential for a thriving community for its residents.

“You shouldn’t have to work in Toronto to afford a home in Barrie,” he said in is pre-election campaign material. “Housing costs too much in Barrie. Rental rates are too high. We need a mix of homes so there can be something affordable to all individuals who want to live here. Barrie residents are being priced out of the housing and rental market, and as a result are stretching themselves too thin financially. This needs to change.” He says he is committed to creating housing opportunities for Barrie residents, by building more housing in designated high-density areas, with lower project approval wait times.

For new home development, much of the activity is taking place in the south end of the city, where townhomes and condos are the prevalent housing type, to appeal to first-time buyers and downsizers.

Multi-family housing, in fact, is holding its own, according to the Barrie & District Association of Realtors. The benchmark price for single-family homes in October was $833,900, down 5 per cent on a year-over-year basis. By comparison, the benchmark price for townhomes was $564,100, down only 0.5 per cent compared to a year earlier, while condos actually grew 1.3 per cent to $535,700.

Among the developers active in the city is Mason Homes, which is building FOUR10 Yonge, a collection of loft inspired urban townhomes, backing onto Willoughby Park at the corner of Yonge Street and Little Avenue. With three levels of living space up to 2,100 sq. ft., designs include sun-filled interiors showcasing hard-wearing vinyl plank flooring, gourmet-inspired kitchens, private master bedroom retreats, direct access single- and double-car garages, and rooftop terraces up to 500 sq. ft.

Live, work and play

Tourism still plays an important role in the local economy, with the historic downtown and waterfront among the major attractions. The downtown area hosts numerous annual festivals and events, such as The Barrie Waterfront Festival, Barrielicious, Winterfest, Jazz & Blues Festival, Promenade Days, and Ribfest and Craft Beer Show.

Barrie is also home to Kempenfest, one of the largest outdoor arts and crafts celebrations in Ontario.

During the winter months, people still flock to the area’s nearby ski hills – Horseshoe Resort, Mount St. Louis Moonstone, and a little further afoot, Blue Mountain.

Then, of course, there’s the hometown Barrie Colts of the Ontario Hockey League, who play out of the Sadlon Arena downtown.

Location, location, location

Located in Simcoe County in the northern part of the Greater Golden Horseshoe, about 100 kms north of Toronto, 36 km to Orillia; population 153,356.

Key landmarks

• Centennial Park & Beach
• Georgian Theatre
• Heritage Park
• MacLaren Art Centre
• Sadlon Arena
• Waterfront Heritage Trail

Select housing developments

BEA Townhomes
By StateView Homes
stateviewhomes.com

Braestone Horseshoe Valley
By Georgian Communities
georgianinternational.com

Essa Towns
By Centreville Homes
essatowns.com

FOUR10 Yonge
By Mason Homes
masonhomes.ca

Friday Harbour Resort
By Geranium
geranium.com

Midhurst Heights
By Geranium
geranium.com

Professor’s Walk
By Democrat Homes
democrathomes.com