Barrie, Ontario

Barrie is a city in Central Ontario, Canada, and is located on the western shore of Lake Simcoe. Barrie is within the northern part of the Greater Golden Horseshoe, which is a densely populated and industrialized region of Ontario.

Barrie's population in 2016 was reported as 141,434. Barrie's historic downtown area and Centenial Beach are situated on the western edge of Kempenfelt Bay (part of Lake Simcoe). Barrie's general terrain is mostly flat near the city's centre however moving up the valley slopes toward the city's north and south ends.

Barrie also does not have any major rivers within its limits, but does have numerous creeks and streams, most of which empty into Kempenfelt Bay. During the winter, the Great Lakes moderates winter temperatures but also result in significant snowfall in the general area because of how close they are. Barrie is on the southern edge of Ontario's snowbelt region.

Tourism plays an important role in the local economy as Barrie's waterfront and historic downtown are at the heart of its tourism industry. Downtown Barrie hosts many older buildings that have been kept up over the years or given new facades that show off their historical importance. Many specialty shops, boutiques, pubs and restaurants are located throughout downtown Barrie, and most notably along Dunlop Street East. Downtown Barrie is becoming well known for its fashion boutiques, local art, live theatre, indie-music and nightlife scenes.