On a brisk October evening, Barrie council delivered a unanimous verdict: public encampments would face stricter regulation as the city wrestled with a persistent homelessness crisis.
The council’s decision updates longstanding bylaws, granting municipal officers greater power to remove tents and shelters from city property. This move arrives as Barrie’s emergency declaration, prompted by mounting homelessness, extends into its second month. Council members argued the rules are a necessary tool to restore order and uphold expectations for shared spaces in the community.
Mayor Alex Nuttall framed the shift as a protective measure. He asserted that the new approach sets clear boundaries for public behaviour, describing a vision of city life where parks and sidewalks are free of hazards. Nuttall told council that stricter enforcement is aligned with residents’ desire for safety, stating that the rules must reflect “what the expectation the rules of this community are.”
Yet, the push for tougher bylaws has provoked debate. Advocates for unhoused individuals warn that increased policing does not resolve core issues of poverty and housing scarcity. They point to the 739 people currently living outdoors in Barrie—including over 100 children—as evidence of systemic gaps that no bylaw alone can close. Some fear that encampment removals simply drive vulnerable people further from needed services without providing meaningful alternatives.
By law, the city must offer suitable accommodation before displacing anyone from public property, and Mayor Nuttall has pledged to honour this obligation. Still, critics argue that shelter resources remain inadequate. Meanwhile, the province’s premier has visited Barrie, urging federal support and highlighting the need for coordinated action. Despite public attention, Ottawa has yet to announce any direct intervention.
Barrie’s experiment with stricter bylaws signals a turning point in the city’s struggle with homelessness. The coming weeks will reveal whether the council’s approach fosters safer streets or deepens the divide between policy and lived reality.
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Barrie council passes stricter bylaws targeting encampments
