Barrie - Oro-Medonte - Springwater Boundary Adjustment Act, 2025

S.o. 2025, chapter 28

Consolidation Period:  From January 1, 2026 to the e-Laws currency date.

Last amendment: 2025, c. 28, s. 11.

Legislative History: 2025, c. 28, s. 11.

CONTENTS

 

Definition

1 (1) In this Act,

“effective date” means the date determined in accordance with subsection (2).

Interpretation

(2) The effective date is the later of January 1, 2026 and the day the Barrie – Oro-Medonte – Springwater Boundary Adjustment Act, 2025 receives Royal Assent.

Reference

(3) A reference in this Act to the County of Simcoe, the City of Barrie, the Township of Oro-Medonte or the Township of Springwater is a reference to the geographic area comprising that municipality or a reference to the municipal corporation bearing that name, as the context requires.

Annexation

2 (1) Any portion of the Township of Oro-Medonte or the Township of Springwater as prescribed by the regulations is annexed to the City of Barrie. 2025, c. 28, s. 11 (1).

Same

(1.1) If a regulation is made for the purposes of subsection (1), the area prescribed by that regulation is deemed to be annexed as of the effective date and the area described in Schedule 1 to this Act, as it read immediately before its repeal, is deemed not to have been annexed. 2025, c. 28, s. 11 (1).

Real property

(2) Except as otherwise prescribed by the regulations, all real property of the Township of Oro-Medonte, the Township of Springwater and the County of Simcoe in the annexed areas vests in the City of Barrie on the effective date including, without limitation,

(a)  any highway, fixture, waterline and sewer in the annexed area; and

(b)  any easement and restrictive covenant running with land in the annexed area.

Other assets and liabilities

(3) All assets and liabilities of the Township of Oro-Medonte, the Township of Springwater or the County of Simcoe that are located in or associated with any of the annexed areas, other than those described in subsection (2), remain the assets and liabilities of the Township of Oro-Medonte, the Township of Springwater or the County of Simcoe, as the case may be.

Materials

(4) As soon as reasonably possible after the effective date, the Township of Oro-Medonte, the Township of Springwater and the County of Simcoe shall transfer to the City of Barrie any studies, plans, records, data, designs or similar materials it has prepared, regardless of whether they were prepared for public access, that relate to any of the annexed areas.

Funds

(5) Any fund or proportionate amount of a fund held by the Township of Oro-Medonte, the Township of Springwater or the County of Simcoe on the effective date, which is held for the sole purpose of maintenance, improvement or operation of any of the real property referenced in subsection (2) shall be transferred to the City of Barrie on the effective date.

Reserve funds under the Development Charges Act, 1997

(6) Subsection (5) does not include reserve funds established under section 33 of the Development Charges Act, 1997.

Proceedings re real property

(7) Any proceeding, including any arbitral, administrative or court proceeding, relating to real property of the Township of Oro-Medonte, the Township of Springwater or the County of Simcoe in the annexed areas that commenced prior to the effective date remains the obligation of the Township of Oro-Medonte, the Township of Springwater or the County of Simcoe, as the case may be.

Section Amendments with date in force (d/m/y)

2025, c. 28, s. 11 (1) – 01/01/2026

By-laws and resolutions

3 (1) On the effective date,

(a)  the by-laws and resolutions of the City of Barrie extend to the annexed areas; and

(b)  subject to subsections (3) and (4), the by-laws and resolutions of the Township of Oro-Medonte, the Township of Springwater and the County of Simcoe cease to apply to the annexed area.

By-laws passed under the Development Charges Act, 1997

(2) For greater certainty, by-laws referred to in clause (1) (a) include by-laws of the City of Barrie passed under the Development Charges Act, 1997.

Exception, subs. (1) (b)

(3) To the extent that they apply to any of the annexed areas, the following by-laws of the Township of Oro-Medonte, the Township of Springwater and the County of Simcoe are deemed to be by-laws of the City of Barrie and remain in force in the annexed area until they expire or are repealed or are amended to provide otherwise:

1.  By-laws passed under section 34 or 41 of the Planning Act, or a predecessor of those sections.

2.  By-laws passed under the Highway Traffic Act or the Municipal Act, 2001, or a predecessor of either of those Acts, to regulate,

i.  the use of highways by vehicles and pedestrians, or

ii.  the encroachment or projection of buildings upon or over highways.

3.  By-laws passed under section 45, 58 or 61 of the Drainage Act, or a predecessor of any of those sections.

4.  By-laws passed under section 10 of the Weed Control Act or a predecessor of that section.

5.  Any other by-laws that may be prescribed by the regulations.

Same

(4) To the extent that they apply to any of the annexed areas, any by-laws and resolutions of the Township of Oro-Medonte, the Township of Springwater and the County of Simcoe that confer rights, privileges, franchises, immunities or exemptions and could not lawfully be repealed by the Township of Oro-Medonte, the Township of Springwater or the County of Simcoe are deemed to be by-laws and resolutions of the City of Barrie.

By-laws in process

(5) If the Township of Oro-Medonte, the Township of Springwater or the County of Simcoe has commenced procedures to enact a by-law under any Act and that by-law applies to the annexed areas and is not in force on the effective date, the City of Barrie may continue the procedures to enact the by-law to the extent that it applies to the annexed area.

Official plan

4 (1) The official plans of the Township of Oro-Medonte, the Township of Springwater and the County of Simcoe in respect of any of the annexed areas are each deemed to be an official plan of the City of Barrie on the effective date, and remain in force until they are revoked or amended to provide otherwise.

Official plan and amendments in process

(2) If the Township of Oro-Medonte, the Township of Springwater or the County of Simcoe has commenced procedures to adopt an official plan or an amendment to its official plan and that official plan or amendment applies to any of the annexed area and is not in force on the effective date, the City of Barrie may continue the procedures to adopt the official plan or amendment to the extent that it applies to the annexed area.

Other matters in process

5 (1) If the Township of Oro-Medonte, the Township of Springwater or the County of Simcoe has commenced procedures with respect to any matter other than those described in subsections 3 (5) and 4 (2), and the matter applies to any of the annexed areas and, on the effective date, has not been completed, the City of Barrie may continue the procedures to complete the matter to the extent that it applies to the annexed area.

Tax sales

(2) For clarity, a reference to procedures in subsection (1) includes tax sales procedures under Part XI of the Municipal Act, 2001.

Property taxes due and unpaid

6 (1) All real property taxes or special rates assessed against the land in the annexed areas that are due and unpaid on the day before the effective date become, on the effective date, taxes that are due and payable to the City of Barrie and may be collected by the City.

Special tax roll

(2) Within two months after the effective date, the clerks of the Township of Oro-Medonte and the Township of Springwater shall prepare and furnish to the clerk of the City of Barrie a special tax roll showing,

(a)  all arrears of real property taxes or special rates assessed against the land in the annexed area up to and including the day before the effective date; and

(b)  the persons assessed for those arrears.

Tax arrears, etc

(3) Within seven months after the effective date, the City of Barrie shall pay to the Township of Oro-Medonte and the Township of Springwater an amount, in respect of each township, equal to the arrears of real property taxes or special rates contained on the special tax roll, together with any accumulated interest or penalty, but excluding any amount that the treasurer of the City of Barrie removes from the roll under section 354 of the Municipal Act, 2001.

Property tax phase-in

(4) Unless the regulations provide otherwise, if the property tax rate in respect of a property located within any of the annexed areas is higher in 2026 than it was in 2025 because the 2026 property tax rate in the City of Barrie is higher than the 2025 property tax rate in the township the property was in before the effective date, the following rules apply with respect to the property tax rate for that property:

1.  In the case of a property in the farm property class or managed forests property class under the Assessment Act, the property tax rate difference for the property shall be phased in over the years 2026 to 2045 in accordance with the regulations, subject to such exceptions as are provided for in the regulations.

2.  In the case of all other classes of property, the property tax rate difference for the property shall be phased in over the years 2026 to 2030 in accordance with the regulations, subject to such exceptions as are provided for in the regulations.

Same

(5) For greater certainty, if in a year a property is subject to the rules in subsection (4) the property tax rate in the City of Barrie for that year is lower than the 2025 property tax rate in the township the property was in before the effective date, the property tax rate for the property in that year will be the property tax rate for the City of Barrie.

Exception

(6) Despite subsection (4), if any of the following events occurs in respect of a property, the phasing in of the increased property tax rate under subsection (4) or in accordance with the regulations, as the case may be, shall cease to apply and, in the years following the event, the property tax rate shall be the property tax rate in the City of Barrie in each year:

1.  There is a change in ownership of the property.

2.  An official plan amendment, that applies to some or all of the property, adopted in response to a request made under section 22 of the Planning Act comes into effect.

3.  An amendment to a zoning by-law, that applies to some or all of the property, passed in response to an application under section 34 of the Planning Act comes into force.

4.  Plans and drawings for development, that apply to some or all of the property, within a designated site plan control area under section 41 of the Planning Act have been approved.

5.  A final plan of subdivision, for some or all of the property, under section 51 of the Planning Act is deposited with the land registrar for registration.

6.  Consent has been given under section 53 of the Planning Act in respect of a transaction related to the property.

7.  There is a change in classification of the property under the Assessment Act.

8.  Such other events as may be prescribed by the regulations.

Same

(7) Paragraph 1 of subsection (6) does not apply if,

(a)  in the case of a property in the farm property class or managed forests property class under the Assessment Act, the change in ownership is between a parent and their child; or

(b)  in the case of all other classes of property, the change in ownership is between spouses.

Assessment roll for 2026 taxation

(8) For the purposes of the City of Barrie’s assessment roll for the 2026 taxation year, the annexed areas are deemed to be part of the City of Barrie for the portion of the year commencing on the effective date and ending on the last day of 2026.

Definitions

(9) In this section,

“child” has the same meaning as in section 1 of the Municipal Conflict of Interest Act; (“enfant”)

“real property taxes” has the same meaning as in subsection 371 (1) of the Municipal Act, 2001. (“impôts fonciers”)

No disqualification

7 Despite subsection 258 (2) of the Municipal Act, 2001, a person who is a member of the council of the Township of Oro-Medonte or the Township of Springwater on the effective date is not, during the term of office ending November 14, 2026, disqualified from holding office because of any disqualification resulting solely from the annexation under this Act.

Compensation

8 (1) The City of Barrie shall make such payment or payments, or provide such other forms of compensation, as required and determined by the regulations, if any, to the Township of Oro-Medonte, the Township of Springwater and the County of Simcoe.

Same

(2) The Township of Oro-Medonte, the Township of Springwater and the County of Simcoe shall make such payment or payments, or provide such other forms of compensation, as required and determined by the regulations, if any, to the City of Barrie.

Regulations

9 (1) The Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing may make regulations providing for any matters which, in the opinion of the Minister, are necessary or advisable for the purposes of this Act, including,

(a)  providing for any of the matters described in Ontario Regulation 204/03 (Powers of the Minister or a Commission in Implementing a Restructuring Proposal) made under the Municipal Act, 2001, with respect to the annexation under this Act;

(a.1)  prescribing the annexed area for the purposes of subsection 2 (1).

(b)  governing property rights of the Township of Oro-Medonte and the Township of Springwater in respect of real property of the township within the annexed areas that would otherwise transfer to the City of Barrie under subsection 2 (2);

(c)  altering the wards of the City of Barrie to address the annexation under this Act and governing the division of the annexed areas into one or more wards of the City of Barrie, including by providing that such division will be in accordance with a designated map or document;

(d)  prescribing by-laws for the purposes of subsection 3 (3);

(e)  governing property tax rates for the purposes of subsection 6 (4), including defining property tax rate difference, governing how to determine the property tax rate difference for a property and how the property tax rate difference for a property will be phased in, prescribing exceptions to the phasing in and prescribing equations, rules or other methods for calculating or determining the property tax rate or amount of property tax owing for a property;

(f)  prescribing events for the purposes of subsection 6 (6);

(g)  requiring and determining payments or other forms of compensation for the purposes of section 8;

(h)  providing for transitional matters which, in the opinion of the Minister, are necessary or desirable to,

(i)  facilitate the implementation of this Act or any provision of this Act, or

(ii)  deal with problems or issues arising as a result of the enactment of this Act. 2025, c. 28, s. 11 (2).

Retroactivity

(2) A regulation made under subsection (1) may be made retroactive to a date not earlier than the effective date.

No effect of s. 30 of O. Reg. 204/03

(3) For greater certainty, section 30 of Ontario Regulation 204/03 (Powers of the Minister or a Commission in Implementing a Restructuring Proposal) made under the Municipal Act, 2001 does not apply to a regulation made under this section.

Section Amendments with date in force (d/m/y)

2025, c. 28, s. 11 (2) – 01/01/2026

Conflict

10 (1) This Act applies despite any general or special Act and despite any regulation made under any other Act and, in the event of a conflict between this Act and another Act or a regulation made under another Act, this Act prevails.

Same

(2) In the event of a conflict between a regulation made under subsection 9 (1) and another provision of this Act, a provision of another Act or a provision of a regulation made under another Act, the regulation made under subsection 9 (1) prevails.

11 Omitted (provides for amendments to this Act).

12 Omitted (provides for coming into force of provisions of this Act).

13 Omitted (enacts short title of this Act).

Schedule 1 Repealed: 2025, c. 28, s. 11 (3).

Section Amendments with date in force (d/m/y)

2025, c. 28, s. 11 (3) – 01/01/2026