BarrieVotes.ca 2026 municipal election

Policing, and who actually decides the budget

The Barrie Police Service asked for $78.4 million for 2026, up from $57.3 million in 2021. Council's power over that number is real but narrow, and it is described precisely in provincial law. Most claims made about it in a campaign are too strong in one direction or the other.

What the money has done

The record now covers sixteen budget years, 2011 through 2026: requests rising from $42.0 million to $78.4 million. Read against the City's Service Partners book, the 2026 ask is an increase of $6,163,685, or 8.53%, over the 2025 approved amount of $72,240,720. The service's own board presentation breaks the ask down differently again, into a foundational component, a growth component and a separate line for provincial impacts. The two framings sit on bases the documents do not state, so the site reports both and reconciles neither.

Barrie Police Service budget requests by year, millions of dollars Jeff Lehman · +3.1%/yrAlex Nuttall · +7.4%/yr $0M $20M $40M $60M $80M 42.0 2011 +3.7% 43.6 2012 +3.0% 44.9 2013 +2.5% 46.0 2014 +3.0% 47.4 2015 +3.4% 49.0 2016 +2.8% 50.4 2017 +2.9% 51.8 2018 +2.8% 53.3 2019 +5.3% 56.1 2020 +2.2% 57.3 2021 +2.9% 58.9 2022 +7.3% 63.2 2023 +6.8% 67.5 2024 +5.8% 71.4 2025 +9.8% 78.4 2026
Barrie Police Service budget requests by year, millions of dollars Jeff Lehman · +3.1%/yrAlex Nuttall · +7.4%/yr 2011 42.0 +3.7% 2012 43.6 +3.0% 2013 44.9 +2.5% 2014 46.0 +3.0% 2015 47.4 +3.4% 2016 49.0 +2.8% 2017 50.4 +2.9% 2018 51.8 +2.8% 2019 53.3 +5.3% 2020 56.1 +2.2% 2021 57.3 +2.9% 2022 58.9 +7.3% 2023 63.2 +6.8% 2024 67.5 +5.8% 2025 71.4 +9.8% 2026 78.4
Millions of dollars; bars are requests, not approvals — the per-year notes on the police budget page mark where the two differ. Shaded bands mark who held the mayor's chair (a marker of period, not cause); each band's percentage is the ask's compound annual growth across that mayor's years shown.

The full series, with the per-year notes, is on the police budget page, and the police share of the overall property-tax total is computed from the documents' own amounts on where your property taxes go.

Sources: Barrie Police Service 2026 Budget — Presentation for Board, October 16, 2025, Barrie Police Service, dated October 16, 2025. Original document. Slide deck; thin text layer, transcribed visually 2026-08-09. The 2026 consolidation slide: Foundational Policing 4.43% + Growing and Changing Community 1.45% = base budget 5.88%; Recommended Growth Plan (6 sworn / 4 civilian) 1.34%; "Barrie Police Budget Request 7.22%"; Provincial Impacts 2.65% shown as a separate line. Note the deck's 7.22% differs from the 8.53% the City's Service Partners book records for the same request — the bases are not stated, so do not reconcile them by arithmetic; state each with its source. Also carries sworn strength (250 in 2023–2025, plan to 280 by 2030) and the service's own population projections. Service Partners Budget and Financial Overview 2026, City of Barrie. Original document. Covers the Barrie Police Service, County of Simcoe, library and other partner budgets as presented to the City. All retrieved August 9, 2026.

What a councillor can and cannot do about it

This is the part worth getting right before judging any candidate's promise. The Community Safety and Policing Act, 2019, section 50:

So a candidate promising to cut a particular police program is promising something the office does not carry. A candidate saying council has no say is also wrong: the total is council's, and the arbitration route is a real constraint on how far it can be pushed, not a prohibition on pushing.

Source: Community Safety and Policing Act, 2019, S.O. 2019, c. 1, Sched. 1, Government of Ontario — e-Laws. Original document. Section 50 is the jurisdiction answer for /issues/safety-policing/: council sets the board's OVERALL budget and is not bound to adopt the board's estimates (s. 50(4)), but has no authority to approve or disapprove specific items (s. 50(5)); if the board finds the budget insufficient it can take the municipality to conciliation and binding arbitration (s. 50(6)–(12)). The extraction is s. 50 verbatim; the statute is HTML-only on e-Laws, so it was taken from the rendered page, not fetch-source.sh. Grouped under budget because that is the question it is here to answer. Retrieved August 9, 2026.

What is known, and what is not

Council did approve the service-partner portion of the 2026 budget, on December 10, 2025, and the approvals set the total property tax to be raised — the "levy requirement" — at $338,922,579. That much is on the record in a later staff report, written outside the gap in the City's public meeting record.

What is not established is whether the police line survived at the 8.53% requested. The approving motions carried "as amended", the City has published no approved per-partner breakdown, and the police service's own board reports its 2026 approved budget on a different accounting basis than the City's service-partner ledger. The two bases differ by more than a million dollars in both 2025 and 2026, so subtracting one from the other would manufacture a cut, or hide one. This site will publish an approved police figure when the two ledgers can be reconciled against a document, and not before.

What crime looks like, and the geography trap in "safest city" claims

The claim that Barrie has among the lowest crime severity of any Canadian metro area is real, and it repeats every year: Statistics Canada's 2025 release puts the Barrie CMA's Crime Severity Index at 46.9, down 3% from 2024 and the lowest of any Census Metropolitan Area in the country for a second year running, with an overall crime rate of 3,777 incidents per 100,000 population. That figure is not the same geography as the Barrie Police Service alone — a Census Metropolitan Area includes Innisfil and Springwater, not just the city the Board funds. A "Barrie is Canada's safest city" claim built on the CMA number is comparing a region to other regions, not comparing the police service's own caseload year to year. This site could not verify the City's own "safest city" pages, which now return an error; the underlying StatCan release is the one figure on this point that is directly checkable.

Source: Police-reported crime statistics in Canada, 2025, Statistics Canada, dated July 22, 2026. Original document. CMA-level table: Barrie Crime Severity Index 46.9 (-3% vs 2024), crime rate 3,777 per 100,000 (-4%) -- the lowest CSI of any CMA in Canada for the second year running. This is a Census Metropolitan Area figure (Barrie CMA includes Innisfil and Springwater), NOT the same geography as a Barrie Police Service-only figure; do not conflate the two, and do not compute a delta between a CMA-basis year and a BPS-only-basis year. Retrieved August 18, 2026.

The service's own year-end reporting to its board gives a different, narrower picture: about 80,000 calls for service in 2025, of which only 57% required an officer response; 7,298 charges laid against 2,126 people over the year, most commonly for breach and administrative-justice offences, then theft under $5,000, shoplifting, and assault. The service tracks its own internal "harm" score across community-reported and officer-detected incidents, and that score has moved in different directions across different board updates depending on the period compared — this site is not publishing a single "harm is down X%" figure because the service's own updates do not agree on one. In May 2026 the board made seven "City Guardian" special-constable positions downtown permanent, after being told downtown activity had risen sharply even as the citywide figure fell — though BarrieToday and Barrie 360 covering the same meeting attribute the sharpest number differently: Barrie 360 reported downtown calls for service up 175% (January–April 2026 against the same months of 2025, beside a 25% citywide crime decline), while BarrieToday attributed the same 175% to officer engagement downtown rather than calls for service. This page states the discrepancy rather than resolving it.

Sources: Barrie police seeing less 'total harm,' but more commercial crime, BarrieToday (Nikki Cole), dated February 20, 2025. Original document. The service's 2024 recap to its board, from organizational researcher Madison Charman: about 76,000 calls for service, 13% criminal in nature, total harm down about 8% year over year. "Total harm" and "community-reported harm" are the service's own internal scoring measures, not a StatCan statistic, and its board updates have since given inconsistent percentage figures for overlapping periods -- treat any single harm-score percentage as the service's own framing of that particular update, not a stable series. Only small number of Barrie police calls in 2025 were criminal, BarrieToday (Nikki Cole), dated February 19, 2026. Original document. Year-end 2025 update to the board: about 80,000 calls for service, only 57% requiring an officer; 7,298 charges laid against 2,126 people in 2025; most common charges were breach/administrative justice offences, then theft under $5,000, shoplifting and assault. Barrie Police formalize increased downtown enforcement but say legal limits remain barrier, Barrie 360 (Julius Hern), dated May 22, 2026. Original document. The board converted 7 special constable ("City Guardians") positions to permanent; Jan-Apr 2026 vs. 2025 the board was told downtown calls for service rose 175% against a citywide crime decline of 25%. A same-meeting BarrieToday story attributes the 175% to officer engagement rather than calls for service -- the two outlets describe the same board report differently; this page states the discrepancy rather than picking one. All retrieved August 18, 2026.

Where the argument actually is

Because the line-item power does not exist, the contested questions in this election are the ones council can answer: what total to set, what to fund alongside policing that changes demand on it, and what the City does about the conditions that generate calls. Two of those are covered elsewhere on this site with their own records: encampments and the state of emergency, and the health and addiction services the City part-funds. Speed cameras were a policing-adjacent revenue and safety question until the Province ended them: see speed cameras.

Where a candidate's claim about policing can be checked against a recorded vote, it is on council votes. Most council business carries no recorded vote, so silence there is not evidence of a position.

What the candidates have said

Verbatim, attributed, dated. Every passage below is copied exactly from an archived copy of its source — a campaign website, a news article, or the candidate's own social media post — and links to it. Nothing is paraphrased by this site and no for-or-against label is applied: read the words, follow the link. Passages from news coverage say whether they are the candidate quoted, the reporter's reported speech, or the reporter's characterisation.

Compiled in a research batch dated September 11, 2026, reviewed by hand before publication on September 11, 2026. Passages are capped at 60 words. Campaign pages are undated, so only the retrieval date is shown for them. A candidate with nothing located on an issue is listed as such, with the date their sources were checked; a race is shown only once every candidate in it has been checked. See methodology.

Mayor

Alex Nuttall

  • Nuttall emphasized a tougher approach on illegal drugs and crime, including efforts to shut down illegal cannabis dispensaries and opposition to a proposed supervised consumption site.

    Source: As reported by CompassNews, Nuttall kicks off re-election campaign in Barrie, May 6, 2026 (paragraph 10). Read September 10, 2026. news reported

  • Strong action on drugs and criminals today is a brighter future tomorrow

    Source: As quoted in CompassNews, Nuttall kicks off re-election campaign in Barrie, May 6, 2026 (paragraph 11). Read September 10, 2026. news

Show 4 more passages

Tanya Saari

  • Public safety and compassionate solutions, not one or the other.

    Source: tanyasaari.ca, Home page, Priorities, under 'Safer Communities, Real Solutions'. Page. The page is undated; retrieved and archived September 10, 2026. site

  • Saari says she understands what Nuttall is trying to do with the petition, and agrees that police need the right tools when someone is severely impaired and poses a risk to themselves or others.

    Source: As reported by barrietoday.com, Mayoral candidates divided as Nuttall floats 'compassionate intervention team', September 11, 2026 (paragraph 6). Read September 11, 2026. news reported

  • We cannot police our way out of homelessness and addiction.

    Source: As quoted in barrietoday.com, Mayoral candidates divided as Nuttall floats 'compassionate intervention team', September 11, 2026 (paragraph 7). Read September 11, 2026. news

Kay Sayer

Russell Tighe

Show 2 more passages

Ward 1

Stefano Agostino

Shaughna Ainsworth

  • Ward 1 residents deserve to feel safe on their streets. I will advocate for practical solutions that improve community safety while ensuring that all residents are treated with dignity and respect.

    Source: ainsworth4ward1.ca, Platform page, section '01 Safe and Welcoming Neighbourhoods', intro paragraph. Page. The page is undated; retrieved and archived September 10, 2026. site

  • I am a strong supporter of all emergency services and everything they do to help our residents and keep our community safe.

    Source: ainsworth4ward1.ca, Platform page, section '01 Safe and Welcoming Neighbourhoods', last bullet. Page. The page is undated; retrieved and archived September 10, 2026. site

Show 2 more passages

  • Working with residents and city staff to address traffic safety, lighting, and community security across Ward 1.

    Source: ainsworth4ward1.ca, Home page, 'What I'm Working For', item '01 Safer Neighbourhoods'. Page. The page is undated; retrieved and archived September 10, 2026. site

  • I am a strong supporter of all emergency service providers and everything they do to keep us safe.

    Source: As quoted in barrietoday.com, Ainsworth running on safety, accountability in Ward 1, August 25, 2026 (paragraph 9, first sentence after the 'Safe neighbourhoods:' label). Read September 11, 2026. news

Pauline Stevenson

  • Speed on residential streets and petty crime are legitimate and ongoing safety concerns.

    Source: stevenson4ward1.ca, Home page, priority 03 'Safe Neighbourhoods', first paragraph. Page. The page is undated; retrieved and archived September 11, 2026. site

  • Our police respond when issues occur, but safety isn’t just about policing. It’s also about how we design, light, maintain and manage our neighbourhoods.

    Source: stevenson4ward1.ca, Home page, priority 03 'Safe Neighbourhoods', third paragraph, second and third sentences. Page. The page is undated; retrieved and archived September 11, 2026. site

  • I am committed to working with residents, city staff and police to explore options for neighbourhoods impacted by recurring issues.

    Source: stevenson4ward1.ca, Home page, priority 03 'Safe Neighbourhoods', third paragraph, last sentence. Page. The page is undated; retrieved and archived September 11, 2026. site

No published statement on this issue located for 3 candidates. Campaign website read, nothing located on this issue (September 11, 2026): Brent Bowser. No campaign website on the City's list: Christian Cadera. Campaign website read, nothing located on this issue (September 10, 2026): Hafiz Rahman. Indexed news coverage checked September 11, 2026: none quoting any of them on this issue. Social media posts not yet checked.

Ward 2

Frank Casera

  • That means enforcing the laws already in place and making sure our Police Service has the resources and support it needs to do its job. It also means recognizing where policing isn't the right answer and connecting people struggling with mental health, addiction or other challenges to the services equipped to help them.

    Source: buildbarriebetter.com, Dignity page, paragraph beginning 'Everyone should be able to enjoy'. Page. The page is undated; retrieved and archived September 10, 2026. site

  • Businesses should be able to operate without fear. Residents should be able to walk through their neighbourhoods and downtown without encountering behaviour that makes them feel unsafe.

    Source: buildbarriebetter.com, Dignity page, paragraph beginning 'Families should be able to enjoy parks'. Page. The page is undated; retrieved and archived September 10, 2026. site

Shanicka Edwards

  • I will advocate for faster cleanups and repairs, consistent bylaw enforcement, improved lighting and stronger partnerships with our downtown community.

    Source: www.voteedwards.ca, Stats & Solutions page, under 'Restoring Confidence in Our Core', second paragraph. Page. The page is undated; retrieved and archived September 10, 2026. site

  • Edwards said many residents and business owners feel downtown Barrie has been neglected and that concerns about safety, cleanliness and economic vitality need to be addressed.

    Source: As reported by CompassNews, Ward 2 race heats up, June 24, 2026 (paragraph 12). Read September 10, 2026. news reported

Show 2 more passages

  • If elected, Edwards said her immediate priority would be implementing a downtown action plan focused on safety, beautification, stronger community partnerships and support for local businesses.

    Source: As reported by CompassNews, Ward 2 race heats up, June 24, 2026 (paragraph 15). Read September 10, 2026. news reported

  • Residents should feel comfortable walking downtown. Business owners should feel supported.

    Source: As quoted in CompassNews, Ward 2 race heats up, June 24, 2026 (paragraph 16, quoted words). Read September 10, 2026. news

Craig Nixon

  • I fought for a dedicated downtown patrol program that has grown from just 2 officers to 16, providing a stronger police presence while connecting people in crisis with the support they need.

    Source: nix2026.ca, Ward 2 Priorities page, under 'Safer Neighbourhoods'. Page. The page is undated; retrieved and archived September 10, 2026. site

  • Ending the “prisoner release program” has resulted in hundreds of fewer released inmates being dropped off in Barrie, and the creation of a team of 16 police officers and constables dedicated to walking the beat has reduced the negative perceptions that have stopped many from visiting downtown.

    Source: As quoted in barrietoday.com, 'Incredible' work being done to improve downtown, says Ward 2 incumbent, August 29, 2026 (paragraph 8). Read September 11, 2026. news

Ajmal Noushahi

  • Make downtown safer so businesses grow and visitors feel welcome — while easing the burden on our police services.

    Source: voteforajmal.ca, Platform page, under 'A Safer Downtown'. Page. The page is undated; retrieved and archived September 10, 2026. site

No published statement on this issue located for one candidate. No campaign website on the City's list: Tracy Strohm. Indexed news coverage checked September 11, 2026: none quoting them on this issue. Social media posts not yet checked.

Ward 3

Bryan Jones

  • At the same time, Jones says homelessness, addiction and public safety are among the biggest challenges facing the city. He believes residents and businesses want to see progress and says those issues can be addressed through strong governance and economic growth.

    Source: As reported by CompassNews, Ward 3 candidate Bryan Jones sees a bright future for Barrie, June 15, 2026 (paragraph 16). Read September 10, 2026. news reported

Ryan Rijo

  • I believe residents should feel safe in their homes, neighbourhoods, downtown and throughout our city. I will support our police, fire, paramedics and other first responders while advocating for practical action on crime, theft, vandalism and repeat problem areas.

    Source: As quoted in barrietoday.com, Baseball helps shape Ward 3 candidate's attitude toward teamwork, September 4, 2026 (paragraph 9). Read September 11, 2026. news

No published statement on this issue located for 2 candidates. Campaign website read, nothing located on this issue (September 11, 2026): Amy Courser. Campaign website read, nothing located on this issue (September 10, 2026): Ben Hughes. Indexed news coverage checked September 11, 2026: none quoting any of them on this issue. Social media posts not yet checked.

Ward 4

Iradat Ahmad

  • Police resourcing and visibility that reflects how fast south Barrie has grown.

    Source: ahmad4ward4.ca, Home page, under 'PRIORITY 04 Community safety and infrastructure', first line. Page. The page is undated; retrieved and archived September 10, 2026. site

Lori Galeazza

  • We need to feel safe at home and in our public spaces. When you feel safe, you can relax and truly enjoy the life you've worked so hard for.

    Source: lorigaleazza.ca, Home page, 'What She Stands For', item 01 Community Safety. Page. The page is undated; retrieved and archived September 10, 2026. site

No published statement on this issue located for 3 candidates. No campaign website on the City's list: Matthew Corbett, Patrick Harriott-Stewart. Campaign website read, nothing located on this issue (September 11, 2026): Arif Khan. Indexed news coverage checked September 11, 2026: none quoting any of them on this issue. Social media posts not yet checked.

Ward 5

Duarte Da Silva

  • Driving public safety, investment, and accountability, are the key pillars of my campaign. Barrie is growing, but it needs to work for everyone.

    Source: duarteforward5.ca, Home page, 'The Major 5 in Ward 5', opening paragraph. Page. The page is undated; retrieved and archived September 10, 2026. site

Robert Thomson

  • ✔ Continued collaboration with police, businesses, and community organizations to improve downtown safety and vitality

    Source: thomsonward5.ca, Accomplishments page, 'Downtown Growth and Economic Development', fourth check item. Page. The page is undated; retrieved and archived September 10, 2026. site

Ward 6

Nasar George Nader

  • 'Most residents I talk to are afraid to take their family to the waterfront because of the current situation we’re facing,' says Nasar (George) Nader

    Source: As quoted in barrietoday.com, Ward 6 candidate hopes to 'bring residents together' in Barrie, August 27, 2026 (Feed summary (article page not archived)). Read September 11, 2026. news

  • I spoke to many residents in my ward and other locations. They are saying crime, mental health problems and homelessness is on the rise, along with speeding cars.

    Source: As quoted in barrietoday.com, Ward 6 candidate hopes to 'bring residents together' in Barrie, August 27, 2026 (paragraph 14). Read September 11, 2026. news

No published statement on this issue located for 2 candidates. Campaign website read, nothing located on this issue (September 10, 2026): Nigussie Nigussie, Christel Pena. Indexed news coverage checked September 11, 2026: none quoting any of them on this issue. Social media posts not yet checked.

Ward 7

Gary Harvey

  • 792 downtown diversions through alternative release

    Source: garyharvey.ca, Home page, under 'THE FIVE POINT PLAN', 'COMMUNITY SAFETY', third bullet. Page. The page is undated; retrieved and archived September 11, 2026. site

  • Added 31 officers and 12 special constables

    Source: garyharvey.ca, Home page, under 'THE FIVE POINT PLAN', 'COMMUNITY SAFETY', fifth bullet. Page. The page is undated; retrieved and archived September 11, 2026. site

No published statement on this issue located for one candidate. No campaign website on the City's list: Michael Lewis. Indexed news coverage checked September 11, 2026: none quoting them on this issue. Social media posts not yet checked.

Ward 8

Jim Harris

  • I am proud to have had a long history of working with BPS and assisting their efforts to effectively serve and improve the safety of our community. As your Councillor I look forward to putting my history of collaborating with BPS to work for Ward 8.

    Source: votejimforward8.ca, Blog post 'Community Safety', last two sentences. Page. The page is undated; retrieved and archived September 10, 2026. site

Amanda Fellows

  • Community safety approaches that address immediate concerns while also recognizing the underlying root causes contributing to them.

    Source: amandafellows.ca, Home page, 'My Platform', under 'PEOPLE-FIRST LEADERSHIP', fifth bullet. Page. The page is undated; retrieved and archived September 10, 2026. site

No published statement on this issue located for one candidate. No campaign website on the City's list: Samina Alim. Indexed news coverage checked September 11, 2026: none quoting them on this issue. Social media posts not yet checked.

Ward 9

Norm Costello

  • Community policing would increase our level of trust in our police force. It would consist of smaller, more localized stations or hubs.

    Source: normcostello.ca, Home page, Platform section, under 'Community policing'. Page. The page is undated; retrieved and archived September 10, 2026. site

  • Asked whether he favours police funding over social services and libraries, he declined to choose, saying the answer lies in examining how money is actually spent.

    Source: As reported by Frequency News, Barrie Ward 9: Former New Blue Party Official Costello raises communication gap, police budget in bid to unseat Morales, August 3, 2026 (paragraph 5). Read September 11, 2026. news reported

Sergio Morales

  • Hire more bylaw staff

    Source: vision4ward9.ca, Home page, under 'Strong Vision', first item. Page. The page is undated; retrieved and archived September 11, 2026. searched site

Asmar Naveed

  • I will support practical measures that make our neighbourhoods safer, cleaner and more livable, while working collaboratively on the broader challenges facing Barrie.

    Source: asmarforward9.com, Priorities page, under 'A Safe & Livable Community'. Page. The page is undated; retrieved and archived September 10, 2026. site

No published statement on this issue located for one candidate. Campaign website read, nothing located on this issue (September 11, 2026): Dave Weingarten. Indexed news coverage checked September 11, 2026: none quoting them on this issue. Social media posts not yet checked.

Ward 10

Georgy Kapustin

  • Barrie needs public safety and support services that produce visible results, not endless crisis management. People in crisis need real pathways into shelter, treatment, recovery, employment, and stability, while residents and businesses need streets, parks, and public spaces that are safe and usable.

    Source: georgyk.com, Priorities page, under 'Safe Streets, Real Support', introductory paragraph. Page. The page is undated; retrieved and archived September 10, 2026. site

No published statement on this issue located for 2 candidates. No campaign website on the City's list: William Cadeau. Campaign website read, nothing located on this issue (September 10, 2026): Bryn Hamilton. Indexed news coverage checked September 11, 2026: none quoting any of them on this issue. Social media posts not yet checked.

School board trustees

None of the 19 trustee candidates across 7 races has a located statement on this issue; trustees do not decide it. Their statements are on the education page, and each candidate's own page says what was checked.

Common questions

What is Barrie's police budget?

The Barrie Police Service asked for $78.4 million for 2026 — an increase of $6,163,685, or 8.53%, over the 2025 approved amount of $72,240,720, read against the City's Service Partners book. The full series since 2011 is on the police budget page.

Can Barrie council cut the police budget?

Partly. Under section 50 of the Community Safety and Policing Act, 2019, council sets the board's overall budget and can approve less than the ask, but has no authority to approve or disapprove specific items. If the board believes the amount is insufficient, it can force conciliation and then binding arbitration.

Is Barrie a safe city?

Statistics Canada's 2025 release puts the Barrie CMA's Crime Severity Index at 46.9, the lowest of any Census Metropolitan Area in the country for a second year running — but that geography includes Innisfil and Springwater, not just the city the police board serves.