Alex Nuttall is currently the 47th mayor of Barrie having won the 2022 municipal election. Before he was mayor Alex Nuttall served as a councillor for Ward 10 for two terms from 2006 to 2014. During that time, he also ran to become a Member of Provincial Parliament in 2010, ultimately losing the conservative nomination for the Barrie riding to Rod Jackson. In 2014, Nuttall announced he would be stepping down from his Ward 10 seat to make a move to federal politics as a Member of Parliament (MP) representing the Barrie-Springwater-Oro-Medonte riding with the Conservative Party of Canada. He won the seat in the riding and served the 2015 to 2019 term. As an MP, he called for a debate in the House of Commons to discuss Barrie’s opioid crisis, a crisis also plaguing communities around the country. At the time in 2018, he publicly supported the possibility of a declared public health emergency in the city to help prevent more deaths. He addressed Barrie’s city council in 2019 calling on council to declare a public health emergency. In 2019, his focus shifted to family and he announced he would not be seeking re-election as a federal Member of Parliament. During a quieter political time, Nuttall focused on charity initiatives. A hockey game, started by now-Mayor of Brampton Patrick Brown, was taken over by Nuttall who is currently the host and chair. Now called, ‘The Boots and Hearts Barn Burner,’ formerly known as Hockey Night in Barrie, is an initiative that brings celebrity hockey players together for a big game to raise money for local charities. Nuttall also founded the PIE Education program that gives school supplies for families in government-subsidized housing. His time as mayor Alex Nuttall and his council did not shy away from taking on challenging topics. Tackling homelessness and illegal encampments became more of a priority. In 2024, along with mayors around the province, Nuttall signed a letter urging the province to invoke the notwithstanding clause, allowing enforcement to increase and keep encampments out of public spaces. During his time as mayor, he used his strong mayor powers for the first time to pause a project that would house a Royal Canadian Sea Cadets parade ground and minor sports team. This came after a report that recommended the space become a park and a new performing arts centre. In a controversial move, Nuttall aggressively pursued to expand city borders by 2,200 hectares, taking it from Oro-Medonte and Springwater Townships. His argument was that it was necessary to accomplish the city’s economic and affordable housing goals. The boundary expansion moved forward as of January. Nuttall currently serves as a board member on the Barrie Police Service Board. He also sat on the board for the Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority. On Sept. 9, 2025, Nuttall declared a state of emergency to address homelessness and encampments in Barrie, after two bodies were discovered in an encampment near Anne Street South. As of April 13, there are three encampments on City-owned land. The state of emergency remains in effect and in an interview with CTV News, he said the declaration won’t be lifted any time soon. Early entrance into politics After immigrating from England to Canada as a child, Nuttall grew up in Barrie, living in subsidized housing with his mother and two older brothers. He has been open about living at Mill Creek Community Centre in Barrie’s south end, the location he made his announcement seeking re-election. Nuttall’s political career began long before his time as a federal or city politician when he was elected student mayor in high school at St. Peter’s Catholic Secondary School. He also majored in political science at Redeemer and Laurentian universities. The Ontario municipal elections will take place on Oct. 26. With files from CTV’s Luke Simard
