Welcome to Barrie ON, a vibrant waterfront community situated on beautiful Kempenfelt Bay.
The City of Barrie is a friendly, safe and exciting city with a reputation for its high standard of living and social atmosphere. Barrie’s close proximity to the Greater Toronto Area, beautiful properties and many amenities make it an ideal location for your business and place of residence. Barrie is continually expanding to meet the needs of people who have chosen Barrie as the place to raise their family.
As one of a Central Ontario leading cities and has a dynamic waterfront community of approximately 130.000 people. Convenient access to highways 401 and 407 are provided by the 400 and, highways 90, 27 and 11 provide alternate access routes to the rest of Ontario. Our local airport, Lake Simcoe Regional Airport offers customs and cargo handling capability. Also, the newly resumed GO service from Toronto to Barrie is popular with commuters.
The annual Kempenfest festival, held on the August long weekend along the waterfront, is recognized as one of the largest outdoor arts and crafts festivals in North America. This event is fun for the whole family and is always a hit with the locals and visitors.
An attractive city with swimmable beaches and challenging ski opportunities located minutes from your front door. An abundance of parks line beautiful Kempenfelt Bay with extensive biking, roller blading and walking trails. Cultural attractions include the renowned Gryphon Theatre, and international concert and performance venue at the Barrie Molson Centre , a 4,200 seat multi-purpose entertainment facility, the Mady Center and the MacLaren Art Centre .
Barrie also offers the Royal Victoria Hospital , a regional health care facility with a new Cancer Wing; Georgian College , which now offers university programs; a strong and diverse retail and commercial sector; and first class recreation, transportation and municipal services.
At its inception, the city was an establishment of houses and warehouses at the foot of the Nine Mile Portage from Kempenfelt Bay to Fort Willow. The Nine Mile Portage is an aboriginal transportation route that existed centuries before Europeans came to Simcoe County. The portage linked Kempenfelt Bay through Willow Creek, connecting Lake Simcoe to the Nottawasaga River which flows into Georgian Bay off Lake Huron.
Barrie played an integral role in the War of 1812. During the War, the city became a supply depot for British forces, and in addition, the Nine Mile Portage was adopted by the British Military as a key piece of their supply line which provided a strategic path for communication, personnel, and vital supplies and equipment to and from Fort Willow and Georgian Bay / Lake Huron. Today, the Nine Mile Portage is marked by signs along roads in Barrie and in Springwater Township. You can follow the scenic path from Memorial Square all the way to Fort Willow.
The city was named in 1833 after Sir Robert Barrie, who was in charge of the naval forces in Canada and frequently commanded forces through the city and along the Nine Mile Portage.
Barrie was also the final destination for one branch of the Underground Railroad. In the mid-19th century, this network of secret routes allowed many American slaves to enter Barrie and the surrounding area. This contributed to the development (and name) of nearby Shanty Bay.
Barrie Real Estate has always been a good investment for home buyers and investors. Home prices continue to increase and the rental market in Barrie is very strong with a low occupancy rate. Many people from bigger cities, such as Toronto, have chosen to invest in Barrie as a hedge against inflation, to protect their retirement investments.
The City of Barrie is currently in the process of re-vitalizing the downtown area. This includes setting up patios for local bars and pubs for the summer months and adding trees to vacant lots to make the downtown look more attractive. Future developments may include a downtown market which may end up near the bus terminal area close to the waterfront.
The waterfront is also being changed with parks expanded, roads being moved and construction going on everywhere. Barrie’s waterfront is a busy place in the summer with events for every weekend. The City Marina is located along the boardwalk and is an ideal place to launch your watercraft from.