Simcoe County
Barrie
A waterfront city with established neighbourhoods, urban services and major growth areas.
Living in Barrie
Simcoe County’s largest urban centre.
Barrie combines a true downtown, Kempenfelt Bay waterfront, established neighbourhoods, large suburban districts and expanding south-end communities within one city.
For buyers, the neighbourhood choice can materially affect walkability, school options, GO access, highway convenience, housing age and proximity to the waterfront or major recreation areas.
City snapshot
Population: Statistics Canada 2021 Census. Trail and transportation context: City of Barrie.
Housing character
From century homes to major new communities.
Barrie offers older homes near the downtown and waterfront, established post-war and suburban neighbourhoods, townhomes and condominiums, and substantial newer housing in the south end and other growth areas.
The city’s Official Plan to 2051 places significant emphasis on intensification, Major Transit Station Areas, complete communities and continued development in designated growth areas.
Search Barrie homes →Schools
A large school network spread across the city.
Barrie is served by Simcoe County District School Board and Simcoe Muskoka Catholic District School Board. Because the city has a large number of schools and attendance areas, the property address should always be checked directly with the board.
Public schools
Barrie North Collegiate InstituteEastview Secondary SchoolBear Creek Secondary SchoolInnisdale Secondary SchoolMaple Ridge Secondary SchoolAlgonquin Ridge Elementary SchoolAllandale Heights Public SchoolAndrew Hunter Elementary SchoolArdagh Bluffs Public SchoolCodrington Public SchoolCundles Heights Public SchoolHewitt’s Creek Public SchoolHolly Meadows Elementary SchoolMapleview Heights Elementary SchoolTrillium Woods Elementary SchoolWillow Landing Elementary SchoolThis is a representative city-wide list rather than every public elementary school in Barrie.
Catholic schools
St. Joan of Arc Catholic High SchoolSt. Peter’s Catholic Secondary SchoolSt. Theresa’s Catholic High SchoolMonsignor Clair Catholic SchoolSaint Gabriel the Archangel Catholic SchoolSister Catherine Donnelly Catholic SchoolSt. Bernadette Catholic SchoolSt. Catherine of Siena Catholic SchoolSt. John Paul II Catholic SchoolSt. Antoine Daniel Catholic SchoolThe Catholic board operates multiple additional elementary schools in Barrie; exact assignment depends on address.
School information checked against current SCDSB trustee school lists and SMCDSB school directory. Boundaries and programs can change; confirm the specific address with the appropriate board.
Parks & recreation
Waterfront, trails and large natural areas inside the city.
Barrie maintains more than 88 kilometres of public trails. The six-kilometre Waterfront Heritage Trail follows Kempenfelt Bay, while the city’s trail system also connects neighbourhoods to natural areas and regional routes.
Ardagh Bluffs alone includes more than 17 kilometres of recreational trails across a 518-acre natural area, adding a very different experience from the waterfront and downtown parks.
Annual events & local traditions
A few dates locals look forward to.
Getting to know a place means experiencing it together. These recurring gatherings offer a glimpse of life in and around Barrie.
February
Winterfest
Barrie waterfront & downtown
Winter activities and community celebrations give residents a reason to get outside and enjoy the season.
Event informationJune
Barrie Airshow
Barrie waterfront
A summer waterfront gathering with aerial displays over Kempenfelt Bay.
Event informationAugust long weekend
Kempenfest
Barrie waterfront
Arts, crafts, antiques and live music turn a walk along the bay into a full summer outing.
Event informationSeasons shown are typical. Dates, venues and programming can change; check the linked event information before planning a visit.
Walkability & transit
Two GO stations, city transit and very different levels of walkability.
Downtown, waterfront and some established neighbourhoods offer the strongest walkable environments, while many suburban areas remain car-oriented.
Barrie has conventional city transit and two GO stations: Allandale Waterfront GO and Barrie South GO. Barrie Transit provides free connections when travelling to or from the GO Train, and the city opened the new Allandale Transit Terminal in 2025.
Growth & development
Barrie is planning around transit and a larger urban population.
Barrie’s Official Plan 2051 emphasizes housing growth, complete communities, a connected parks and trail network, and stronger transit around its two Major Transit Station Areas.
For buyers, the growth story is particularly relevant in the south end and around transportation corridors, where new housing, infrastructure and services are continuing to evolve.
Explore new developments →Barrie or South Simcoe?
More urban services versus a smaller-community setting.
Barrie offers the broadest concentration of urban services, transit, schools and neighbourhood choice in Simcoe County, while communities such as Innisfil and Bradford can offer a smaller-town feel with different commuting and housing trade-offs.
Compare Innisfil →Area opportunity alerts
Hear about opportunities in Barrie.
Register your interest for new listings, exclusive or off-market opportunities, and other relevant properties as they become available.
Community guide compiled from Statistics Canada, City of Barrie, Simcoe County District School Board and Simcoe Muskoka Catholic District School Board.