Amid housing crisis, housing committee chair Nixon suggests developer sell land to City of Barrie

Last week, many Barrie residents gathered at City Hall to voice their displeasure against the proposed development.  

During the Affordability Committee meeting, residents filled the Council Chambers at Barrie City Hall on Wednesday night for a public discussion on a rezoning application required for a 25-storey building at the intersection of Dunlop East and Mulcaster Streets. The project includes 160 residential units, 135 parking spaces, and ground-floor commercial units on 0.38 acres, adjacent to Sam Cancilla Park.  

Barrie resident Bill Hunter told Simcoe Community Media that he was concerned about blocked views, potential disruption to the city skyline, and increased traffic congestion at the already busy intersection of Mulcaster and Dunlop. He noted that the proposed 300-unit building would further worsen traffic and parking problems, especially with parking entrances located near a traffic light. Hunter also raised concerns about the fragility of the soil at the construction site and its potential impact on the environment and nearby buildings.  

Ward 2 Councillor Craig Nixon, Chair of the Committee, addressed the developer's representative, calling the project ambitious but acknowledging the lengthy and uncertain approval process. "It’s a very lengthy process that goes on for years in an unstable market. That being said, our role is to listen to residents, review staff reports, and proceed from there. Should your client decide this process is too challenging and instead chooses to sell the property, you know how to reach us," he said  

In response to resident concerns about parking, a Blackthorn Development Corp representative pointed to a recent Ipsos poll, which found that 43% of young Canadians aged 18 to 34 considered moving to the U.S. due to the lack of affordable housing. "I don’t think we can build a downtown around cars. That model simply doesn’t work. We visit great cities around the world and come back saying, ‘Wow, that was amazing.’ The last thing they’re doing in those cities is driving cars," he said.  

This public meeting was one of the first steps in Barrie’s planning process. The rezoning application will now be reviewed by city planning staff, who will prepare a report for Barrie councillors, who will decide whether to approve, reject, or modify the propo