Barrie Community Leader Speers Predicted Emergency — Warned Encampment Tragedy Would Be Weaponized

Following a fatal incident at the Flat Rock encampment, Barrie’s Executive Committee convened this week, sparking strong public reaction and renewed criticism of the city’s approach to homelessness.

Community advocate Michael Speers said the meeting felt like “more of the same,” accusing Mayor Alex Nuttall of using the tragedy to “push his political agenda.”

A major point of dispute was the mayor’s claim that unsanitary conditions at the encampment may have contributed to elevated E. coli levels and recent beach closures. Speers dismissed the suggestion as baseless and contradicted by environmental experts.

He also condemned the city’s lack of shelter options, noting that people are being told to leave encampments for facilities that don’t even have beds. “What are they supposed to do—sleep in chairs?” he asked.

City officials pointed to a Superior Court ruling from Waterloo, which restricts encampment evictions unless shelter beds are available, as a limitation on their actions. But Speers argued the city has used the decision “as an excuse to not do anything,” rather than a “call to action.”

On policing, he criticized the growing focus on enforcement, accusing the mayor of pushing a “law and order” narrative while offering no meaningful services. “That's just going to lead to even more problems, even more tragedies,” he warned.

Speers also highlighted what he called a double standard: unhoused people are routinely blamed for unsanitary conditions, garbage, and health risks, while the far greater environmental damage caused by corporations and individuals often goes ignored.

Asked about future solutions, Speers said he remained unconvinced. He argued that no real proposals have been offered, and that the mayor continues to blame others while avoiding responsibility.

For Speers, the crisis demands urgent investment in housing and support services—not increased policing. Despite the mayor’s public acknowledgments of past failures, he questioned the sincerity behind them, calling it an exercise in blame-shifting. If the city was aware of the encampment and failed to act, he said, that represents a clear dereliction of duty.

In closing, Speers called for action rooted in humanity, stressing the importance of listening to those experiencing homelessness and adopting a more compassionate approach.