Barrie sees significant drop in encampment numbers since state of emergency, mayor says

Barrie’s state of emergency on encampments is showing results, Mayor Alex Nuttall reported Friday, nearly two months after he declared the measure to tackle the city’s growing homelessness crisis.

During a press conference at city hall, Nuttall said the Ontario city, in partnership with the County of Simcoe, has cleared 39 encampment sites and helped 68 people move from tents and makeshift shelters into indoor spaces since Sept. 9.

The number of individuals living in encampments in Barrie has fallen from an estimated 111 to about 45 to 50. Meanwhile, the number of people still unhoused in Barrie has dropped slightly from 635 people to 593, according to the city.

Nuttall described the cleanup efforts as significant.

At the Anne and Victoria Street site, the mayor said crews removed 409 tonnes of non-hazardous waste — enough to fill six days’ worth of residential collection or roughly two per cent of Barrie’s annual landfill.

Nuttall noted cleanup is also underway at Milligan’s Pond, a site expected to require extensive work due to long-term encampment use.

Both locations remain closed to the public.

City officials say they have also boosted outreach efforts. Since the declaration, Nuttall said more than 200 people have connected with the HART of Simcoe County Navigation team, which provides wraparound supports, treatment options, and pathways to permanent housing. He emphasized additional shelter spaces, including 40 winter beds, had been secured to support the county’s winter response.

The mayor touched on the city’s funding programs through the Elizabeth Fry Society and John Howard Society that aim to reconnect people with family supports, and the formation of an Encampment Response Enforcement Team, which will monitor sites and address emerging issues.

According to the city, there are currently eight active encampments remaining on municipal property. Nuttall says the focus now is continuing cleanups, expanding outreach, and monitoring high-risk areas while helping residents find stable housing.

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