BarrieOntario

Barrie gets an A+ for hazard risk

Radon topped the guideline in 0.9% of tested homes, lower than both Ontario’s towns (4%) and Canadian towns (6.6%). Seismic risk runs low: $0.015 of expected damage per $1,000 of buildings a year, the typical town $0.030. One flood study covers the town, by Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority. No wildfire is mapped within 25 km of Barrie’s homes since 1986 (0% of the land, 0.001% a year).

Measured against local pay, Barrie costs more to live in than 93% of Canadian towns

Measured across the Barrie metro area: rent as a share of income and monthly rent for a two-bedroom

Owners make up 68% of households, below Ontario’s towns (76%) and Canadian towns (74%) alike. 27% of households spent 30% or more of their income on shelter, above Ontario’s towns (22%) and Canadian towns (18%) alike.

Around Barrie, 54% of adults call their health very good or excellent

Lives here run to 81.5 years on average, lower than Ontario’s towns (82.8) and near Canadian towns (81.5). Closer to home, a hospital sits 3.8 km from the average resident of Barrie, about the norm of 3.7 km. For everyday care, the nearest pharmacy is 1.0 km away on average (5.4 within 3 km).

Barrie has higher household incomes than 79% of Canadian towns

The commute to work averages 30 min. The car took 91% of commuters, near both Ontario’s towns (88%) and Canadian towns (89%).

In Barrie, families choose among 4 boards: English and French, public and Catholic

The largest is Barrie North Collegiate Institute, with 1,475 students. On the tests, 12 of 51 schools land above the middle in Ontario, 24 under it. Also worth knowing: of the 54, 6 teach in French (10% of schools in Ontario). Taken together, Barrie and its 3 km edge hold 43 elementary schools, 10 secondary schools and 1 alternative or adult school for 29,165 students.

Barrie has fewer older residents than Ontario’s towns or Canadian towns: 16% are 65 or over

Children under 15 make up 17%, above Ontario’s towns (15%) and close to Canadian towns (16%). 3.7% of residents have an Indigenous identity, above both Ontario’s towns (1.6%) and Canadian towns (2.8%).

January lows in Barrie: −11.3°C, against −9.1°C in Ontario’s towns and −13.5°C in Canadian towns

December is the snowiest month, with 42 cm on average. Between the last spring frost, 16 May, and the first in autumn, 5 October, lie 141 days. A normal winter brings 174 cm of snow, above Ontario’s towns (146 cm) and Canadian towns (141 cm) alike. Rain and snow peak in June, at 83 mm.

A normal November in Barrie runs from −1°C to 6°C

Over the year, July is warmest at 26°C by day and January coldest at −11°C by night. November normally sees 72 mm of precipitation. Then December: freezing by day, −7°C at night. About 22 cm of snow falls in a normal November.

Council seats in Barrie are spread thin, 15,860 residents each, more than in 94% of Ontario municipalities

The October 2022 vote made Alex Nuttall mayor of Barrie, heading 11 seats.

Barrie has two public libraries, Barrie Public Library - Downtown Branch and Barrie Public Library - Painswick Branch

The 159,521 people Barrie Public Library serves have 2 branches to choose from.

Barrie gets a B− for safety

For violence alone the index was 73, close to Ontario’s towns (76) and below Canadian towns (86). Thefts, break-ins and damage came to 28.9 per 1,000 residents a year, below Ontario’s towns (30.5) and Canadian towns (31.2) alike.

Georgian Bay Islands National Park lies 47 km beyond Barrie’s edge

A provincial park, Springwater Provincial Park, lies 3.6 km away. The 10 km around town hold 9 protected areas. For a swim, Johnson's Beach Park is the nearest of 8 beaches within 5 km.

Barrie: 1 historic place on Canada’s heritage registers

10% of its homes were built before 1961, below Ontario’s towns (22%) and Canadian towns (18%) alike.