After only 30 per cent of voters cast their ballots, Barrie elected a new mayor. Alex Nuttall, a former council member and MP, defeated deputy mayor Barrie Ward by less than a thousand votes. Nuttall received just over 13,400 votes while Ward received a little over 12,600. The incumbent mayor Jeff Lehman decided not to run for reelection. 

Nuttall served as councillor of Ward 10 from 2006 to 2014 and as member of parliament of Barrie-Springwater-Oro-Medonte from 2015 to 2019. Nuttall will take charge on December 6.

Ward was the Ward 4 councillor for 22 years and served as acting mayor in Mayor Jeff Lehman’s absence. Ward told Barrie Community Media that the single achievement he is most proud of is banning smoking in public. He is also proud of building two recreational centers, improving waterfront and building more bike lanes. 

In talking to Barrie Community Media, Nuttall said he will discuss with the council to decide the direction for the next four years. However, his immediate priorities are fixing the roads, balancing the roads, and keeping the city safe and clean.

Six incumbents were reelected while two of them, Robert Thomson of Ward 5 and Gary Harvey of Ward 7 reclaimed their seats. Other four are Clare Riepma from Ward 1, Ann-Marie Kungl from Ward 3, Jim Harris from Ward 8, and Sergio Morales from Ward 9, 

Along with Kungl, Natalie Harris of Ward 6 was one of the two women councillors in the outgoing council. Nigussie Nigussie, who came to Canada in 2008 as a refugee, will take Harris’ place. 

The new council will have a total of three women. Two new woman councillor were elected - Amy Courser from Ward 4, which was held by mayoral candidate Barry Ward for 22 years and Bryn Hamilton from Ward 10. Hamilton is a daughter of former Barrie mayor Rob Hamilton. 

Ward 2 will also have a new councillor, Craig Nixon, after the incumbent Keenan Alywin decided not to run.