Alex Nuttall Incumbent
Running for Mayor of Barrie · in office since 2022
Keep growing, build housing and infrastructure, and take a tougher approach to public safety and encampments.
Background
Incumbent mayor; previously Barrie councillor and MP. Seeking a second term.
Where they stand
Each position pairs what they say with what they did.
Environment
Pro-development
What they did:
Conservation + green space; pro-development.
Housing
Missing middle
What they did:
Build more: 23,000-home target, faster approvals, affordable-housing investments. In 2024, Barrie secured $25.68 million from the federal Housing Accelerator Fund, tied to housing-supply reforms including allowing four units as-of-right in certain areas.
Land use
Four units as-of-right
What they did:
The accompanying plan included faster approvals, allowing four units as-of-right in many areas, incentives for affordable housing and planning reforms.
Policing
Zero tolerance
What they did:
Supports housing/services but tougher enforcement: declared a state of emergency over encampments and pushed stronger public-safety measures. In September 2025, he declared a State of Local Emergency, saying the City had "run out of time" and needed to address encampments and reclaim public spaces.
Public funds
$53M+ infrastructure investment
What they did:
Council approved advancing more than $53 million in infrastructure projects, including road widening on Mapleview Drive East and Yonge Street and major sewer infrastructure. The projects were specifically intended to service new housing and employment growth.
Transit
Growth + infrastructure
What they did:
Council approved a new transit network in June 2023, followed by implementation in 2024–25. Changes included a Highway 400 express bus route, expanded Transit ON Demand and additional service to growing neighbourhoods. The new Allandale Transit Terminal opened in 2025, with the project costing $31.4 million, funded by federal, provincial and municipal contributions.
Transparency
Strong-mayor powers, U-turn
What they did:
Initially said Barrie didn't need Ontario's strong-mayor powers, then embraced them after the Ford government granted them, using them since 2023 to restructure council's executive committee. A councillor raised concerns about the lack of published terms of reference; the city said committee meetings and minutes would be public.
CTV News, strong-mayor powers grantedBarrieToday, new executive committee
What they are promising
Their own platform, in their own words. Not checked against their record.
Build more: 23,000-home target, faster approvals, affordable-housing investments.
Growth + infrastructure: expand transit and infrastructure to accommodate population growth.
Supports housing/services but tougher enforcement: declared a state of emergency over encampments and pushed stronger public-safety measures.
Pro-growth, infrastructure, jobs, public safety and controlled spending. His 2026 campaign emphasizes reducing reliance on Toronto and building Barrie's own economy.
OAC flags
OAC opinion · evidence-based, not neutral
- Family developer donation. Accepted a $1,200 donation from his father-in-law, a real-estate/student-housing developer, while campaigning on a pro-development housing platform.
- Homelessness kept rising. People experiencing homelessness grew from 632 (Sept 2025) to 705 (Aug 2026) even after Nuttall declared a State of Emergency over encampments.
- Strong-mayor powers criticized. Originally said Barrie didn't need strong-mayor powers, then used them to restructure council committees; a councillor raised transparency concerns about the process.
Sources
- City of Barrie, Office of the Mayor https://www.barrie.ca/government/council-committees/city-council/mayor
- CTV News Barrie https://www.ctvnews.ca/barrie/article/barrie-mayor-to-formalize-zero-tolerance-promise-with-council-motion/
- Municipal housing pledge https://www.barrie.ca/government-news/adopted-strategies-plans/municipal-housing-pledge
- Housing Accelerator Fund action plan https://www.barrie.ca/government-news/adopted-strategies-plans/housing-accelerator-fund-action-plan
- Addressing homelessness and encampments https://www.barrie.ca/community-recreation-environment/addressing-homelessness-encampments
- 2022 campaign financial statement https://www.barrie.ca/sites/default/files/2023-03/2022-Election_Financial-Statement_Nuttall-Alex.pdf
- BarrieToday campaign spending https://www.barrietoday.com/local-news/nuttall-led-in-campaign-spending-en-route-to-mayors-chair-6838410
- CTV News, Nuttall embraces expanded strong-mayor powers https://barrie.ctvnews.ca/barrie-among-26-municipalities-granted-strong-mayor-powers-1.6444725
- BarrieToday, Nuttall uses strong-mayor powers to strike new executive committee https://www.barrietoday.com/local-news/nuttall-uses-strong-mayor-powers-to-strike-new-executive-committee-10137134
