The City of Barrie was the recipient of multiple honours from Communities in Bloom, a non-profit organization that uses a multi-tiered competitive evaluation process promote continuous improvement of its spaces.
It won the Healthier, Livable Cities category with a rating of 5 Blooms - Gold (82 per cent or higher) during the 2025 National/International Symposium and Awards Ceremonies in Stratford.
Barrie was also given a special mention for the 2025 Ice Storm Recovery - Trees, recognizing the efforts of the City earlier this year after an ice storm affected growth and livelihood across the city.
Over the summer, trained volunteer judges travelled to participating communities nationally and internationally to evaluate contributions with the following criteria:
- Community Appearance
- Environmental Action
- Heritage Conservation
- Tree Management
- Landscape
- Plant & Floral Displays.
“The devastating ice storm of March 30, 2025 caused extensive damage to Barrie’s urban forest, with more than 12,000 street trees affected and 5,000 lost," volunteer judges Susan Ellis and John Lohuis wrote. "In the face of this challenge, the City of Barrie demonstrated remarkable resilience and a deep commitment to its urban canopy. City Council not only funded extensive cleanup efforts but also prioritized a professional arborist assessment of every damaged tree to ensure public safety and guide recovery.
"Importantly, Council committed to replanting every tree lost through an accelerated tree-planting program, reaffirming the city’s dedication to sustainability, climate adaptation, and the long-term health of its green infrastructure. Barrie’s proactive response stands as a model of leadership in urban forestry recovery and renewal.”
Barrie was one of seven cities in the International and National edition to be honoured in 2025. Last year the City won the International Challenge (Large) category with special mention for its waterfront strategic plan.
