Springwater councillors butt heads over strong mayor powers
By: Wayne Doyle, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Source: BarrieToday.com, May 17, 2025
SPRINGWATER TWP. — The oft-heard argument against strong mayor powers is that they are undemocratic — that they take away the power that was bestowed upon a council by voters and place it squarely in the hands of the mayor and only one-third of council.
For many, that flies in the face of logic. They argue that in a democracy, “majority rule” is the standard and accepted measure. It’s black and white.
“It’s an erosion of democracy,” Springwater Township Coun. Phil Fisher said of strong mayor powers during a recent council meeting. “We are elected to represent the people within our wards, the people who elected us.
“When the premier steps in and awards one person more power than the rest, the voices of the people we represent are then null and void,” he added.
On May 1, Springwater Mayor Jennifer Coughlin and almost 170 other heads of council in Ontario were granted strong mayor powers by the premier.
Initially introduced for Toronto and Ottawa in 2022, strong mayor powers have been gradually rolled out across the province.
Prior to May 1, the province had 47 municipalities with these enhanced powers, which include:
Choosing to appoint the municipality’s chief administrative officer (CAO)
Hiring certain municipal department heads and establishing and re-organizing departments
Creating committees of council, assigning their functions and appointing the chairs and vice-chairs of committees of council
Proposing the municipal budget, which would be subject to council amendments and a separate head of council veto and council override process
Proposing certain municipal bylaws if the mayor is of the opinion that the proposed bylaw could potentially advance a provincial priority identified in regulation. Council can pass these bylaws if more than one-third of all council members vote in favour
Vetoing certain bylaws if the head of council is of the opinion that all or part of the bylaw could potentially interfere with a provincial priority
Bringing forward matters for council consideration if the head of council is of the opinion that considering the matter could potentially advance a provincial priority.
One member of Springwater council welcomed strong mayor powers, arguing the powers actually enable the council to do the people’s work.
Coun. Brad Thompson said Springwater council is divided, with four members — Deputy Mayor Cabral and Couns. Danielle Alexander, Anita Moore and Phil Fisher — voting together on significant initiatives.
While he acknowledges the four votes are the majority on council, Thompson argues those four votes don’t represent the majority of the township’s eligible voters.
“If you add up the total number of votes each member of council got, you’ll discover the combined total of those four is far less than the total of the other three,” he said, referring to Coughlin, Coun. Matt Garwood and himself.
“Strong mayor powers, at least in Springwater, actually put the decision-making process back in the hands of the people the majority of the residents voted for,” he added.
According to the certified summary of election results for the 2022-26 term of council in Springwater, Coughlin received 3,472 votes, Garwood received 788 and Thompson earned 542, for a combined total of 4,802 votes.
Cabral received 2,409 votes, Moore earned 577, Fisher had 744 and Alexander had zero, as she was acclaimed, for a total of 3,730 votes.
Fisher took umbrage with Thompson’s characterization of the situation.
“The tired narrative of the 4-3 split, I’ll say it’s annoying, frankly, to hear it constantly,” he said. “When I vote, I like to think that I’m voting for the people who elected me and the people whose voice I am a conduit for.
“If I happen to vote that way it’s because I’ve been asked to or I feel strongly about or I’ve consulted people in the community,” Fisher added.
Of the more than 20 recorded votes this council has entered into the record, the vast majority of the 4-3 split decisions were decided with votes cast by Cabral, Alexander, Moore and Fisher.
Former deputy reeve offers Springwater some annexation advice
By: Wayne Doyle, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Source: BarrieToday.com, March 21, 2025
Forty years ago, when he was deputy reeve of Vespra, Ken O’Brien had a ringside seat for the City of Barrie’s annexation of township land in 1984.
As a member of Vespra Township’s council for 10 years, from 1978 to 1988, the 82-year-old says Barrie made its annexation intentions clear years before the land was ever annexed.
“I think they (Barrie) made their first move the year I was elected or the year before,” O’Brien recalled during an interview with BarrieToday at his home on the outskirts of Midhurst. “It took quite some time to come together, but it was clear from the beginning that it was going to happen.
“And it’s going to happen again.”
O’Brien says Vespra Township fought hard in those days against Barrie’s annexation plans. They even protested at Queen’s Park in Toronto.
Barrie ended up annexing about 2,200 acres from Vespra, including all of the land north of the city’s then northern limits at Cundles Road, including the Bayfield Street strip, which was home to Georgian Mall, a McDonald’s restaurant, a Kmart store and a variety of other retail operations.
So while the politicians in Vespra didn’t win, they did learn a couple of very important lessons.
“First, you won’t beat government,” O’Brien said. “If there’s a will to make something happen at a higher level, that’s probably what’s going to happen.
“And second, draw your boundary first, before you start talking.”
O’Brien offered the second tip specifically for the present-day Springwater Township council.
Springwater was incorporated on Jan. 1, 1994 when the townships of Flos and Vespra were amalgamated with the Village of Elmvale and the Hillsdale/Orr Lake area from the Township of Medonte.
O’Brien says he’s been keeping an eye on Barrie’s latest boundary expansion talks with Springwater and Oro-Medonte townships. He believes folks in Springwater have been taking the wrong approach.
Rather than ”bickering among themselves” and voting to halt conversations with Barrie or have talks that are focused on cross-border servicing only, he thinks Springwater council should take the lead, come together and control their own fate.
“Look, it’s going to happen whether you want it to or not,” he said. “Decide where you want your boundaries to be and then deal with the other things, like servicing, after that because you may discover, after putting those boundaries on paper, that you don’t need servicing.
“Boundaries first, everything else second.”
O’Brien also advocated for smaller negotiating groups, saying more people at the table only creates more noise.
“You need the mayor, deputy mayor and the CAO of the township, that’s it,” he said. “Anybody else just bogs it down and these are the folks who have the power to get things done.”
The Vespra annexation of 1984 could have been done in an evening instead of dragging on for years, he said.
“The whole thing could have been settled at George Buie’s kitchen table,” O’Brien said, referring to the Vespra reeve at the time. “Barrie Mayor Ross Archer, a real gentleman, and George could have had it done in a night.”
Instead, it went on and on, racking up huge legal fees and creating friction among the participants that took years to dissipate.
At the end of the process, George Taylor, who was the MPP for Simcoe Centre at the time, summed up the experience in a way that may resonate with people today.
“The animosity is primarily between the elected officials,” Taylor said in the June 28, 1984 edition of the Barrie Examiner. “A great many of the public are pleased to see it over with and a decision being made, instead of this ongoing discussion and argument.”
Opinion Piece: A Bold Step Forward
Why the Barrie-Springwater Boundary Deal is the Right Move for the Region
By Ken O’Brien, May 20, 2025
In a time when many municipalities struggle to plan collaboratively for growth, the recent shared principles agreement between the City of Barrie and the Township of Springwater is a model of forward-thinking leadership. While the finer details are still to be finalized, what’s already clear is this: the proposed transfer of 4,373 acres from Springwater to Barrie, in exchange for water and wastewater servicing to 453 township acres, is a win for long-term economic growth, housing supply, and regional collaboration.
This is not merely a bureaucratic shuffle. It’s a bold, necessary pivot toward sustainability and development — one that will benefit residents of both communities for generations.
Let’s start with the facts. Barrie is rapidly running out of employment lands. Without new parcels ready for development, the city’s ability to attract new businesses — and the high-quality jobs that come with them — is at serious risk. This potential land deal directly addresses that challenge, giving Barrie control over thousands of acres suitable for employment and residential uses. Springwater, in turn, receives access to crucial city infrastructure — municipal water and wastewater servicing — for lands that otherwise would remain undeveloped or underutilized.
This agreement didn’t come from pressure or partisanship. It came from necessity — and collaboration. Barrie Mayor Alex Nuttall, backed by a unanimous city council vote, used his strong mayor powers not to override opposition, but to solidify the will of council and formalize negotiations. Springwater Mayor Jennifer Coughlin deserves equal praise for engaging in productive discussions and bringing this proposal forward to her council in the coming weeks. Together, they have set a tone of unity, not division.
This is the kind of leadership residents deserve — proactive, not reactive. And the benefits will be tangible to both communities.
First, there’s the economic upside. As Paul Markle, CEO of the Barrie Chamber of Commerce, rightly pointed out, this is “exactly the kind of practical, forward-thinking approach needed to address the critical shortage of employment lands.” The new lands will allow for planned growth — commercial and industrial — bringing more jobs, more tax revenue, and more opportunity.
Second, the agreement addresses residential growth responsibly. In a time when Ontario faces a housing crisis, Barrie will gain the space it needs to help meet provincial targets and market demand, without overburdening current urban boundaries. Through a careful planning process that includes environmental assessments and engineering studies, the development of these lands will happen deliberately and sustainably.
Third, the deal strengthens regional services and quality of life. Shared principles include collaboration on health care accessibility, joint economic development strategies, and even recreation — with Springwater residents gaining access to Barrie’s recreation facilities and waterfront parking passes. The creation of new employment lands will also generate job opportunities for Springwater residents, supporting local prosperity and reducing commute times. Importantly, there’s also a phased property tax plan to ease any financial transition for affected homeowners. This isn’t just a land swap — it’s a community-building initiative.
Last but not least is the environmental aspect. A key pillar of the deal is a commitment to sustainability, anchored by Springwater’s mayor becoming a member of the Little Lake Conservation Trust. With both municipalities now having a direct stake in the protection and enhancement of the Little Lake area, environmental stewardship remains a central priority.
What makes the Barrie-Springwater shared principles stand out is the spirit of mutual negotiation and shared benefit — a true win-win. This is in stark contrast to recent boundary changes in places like Elgin and Innisfil, where the province imposed one-sided decisions on the municipalities. Here, the mayors of Barrie and Springwater have taken charge, recognizing that if they don’t come to the table together, a deal may be made for them. By acting now, they’re ensuring the best outcome for their communities — on their own terms.
In an era of political gridlock and short-term thinking, Barrie and Springwater have chosen cooperation over conflict, vision over hesitation. This deal represents more than just lines on a map — it’s a commitment to shared prosperity, thoughtful growth, and regional resilience.
Let’s hope Springwater Council sees what their mayor already does: that this is an opportunity too important to pass up — again.
Going with the flow: Century-old culverts being replaced in Minesing Wetlands
By: Wayne Doyle, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Source: BarrieToday.com, May 29, 2025
SPRINGWATER — Few things that reach 100 years old work as well as the day they were made.
Even something as simple and robust as a culvert — a stationary, manmade concrete or metal structure that allows water to flow underneath a road, railway or other obstruction — has a finite existence.
Take the four culverts that are currently being replaced within the Willow Creek sub-watershed under the Nottawasaga Valley Conservation Authority on George Johnston Road (County Road 28), for example.
Referred to as culverts 28078, 28082, 28086 and 28087, they convey a Willow Creek tributary, the Black Creek, the Willow Creek and the Swaley Creek, respectively, in the area between Hindle Lane and Snow Valley Road (County Road 43).
Originally built and installed in the 1920s, they have been extended and/or rehabilitated on multiple occasions, with the latest extension and rehabilitation being completed in 2005.
“As part of the County Road 28 reconstruction in 2005, the culverts were successfully extended to support the widened road platform,” Jae Park, project engineer with Simcoe County’s transportation and engineering group, told BarrieToday in an email.
“Originally built in the 1920s, these culverts have now surpassed a century in age,” he added. “Due to age, the central portion of the structure has experienced considerable wear over time and is now due for replacement.”
In addition to replacing all four culverts, the county will also make other improvements, including road-base structure strengthening using geotextiles to mitigate settlements.
The culverts are located within the ecologically sensitive Minesing Wetlands, which, according to Park, presents unique challenges, such as soft soil conditions and the need to maintain uninterrupted water flow.
“The Minesing Wetland is one of the largest wetlands in the region and plays a critical role as a natural reservoir,” Park said. “During the spring thaw, it absorbs significant volumes of floodwater and gradually releases a steady flow throughout the summer into the Nottawasaga River system.
“Over time, this process has led to the accumulation of deep organic soil layers, which pose challenges in establishing stable ground conditions for supporting infrastructure,” he added.
And while county construction projects like this one always ensure uninterrupted water flow for all water-crossing infrastructure projects, Park said the unique location of this site means the project must manage substantial water volumes year-round.
To keep the project on track, the contractor proactively adjusted the construction schedule and continued work through the 2024-25 winter season.
A similar strategy is planned for the 2025-26 winter, with only a brief potential pause between January and March 2026, depending on weather conditions.
Traffic approaching the construction area from the north and south is controlled by traffic signals and drivers should expect minor delays when travelling this route.
The budget for the project is $16,064,144, covering both construction and engineering costs.
A major portion of this funding — $15,516,944.46 — is being provided through the Canada Community-Building Fund (CCBF).
‘Moving the money into action’: Committee set to dole out dough
By: Wayne Doyle, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Source: BarrieToday.com, May 26, 2025
Currently sitting on more than $280,000 raised through a fundraising drive initiated almost a decade ago, Springwater Township is inching closer to the point where it can start distributing the funds.
At Wednesday night’s meeting, council approved a bylaw that established the terms of reference for the Elmvale District High School (EDHS) donation fund ad hoc committee.
“It’s wonderful that these funds were raised, but they do no good sitting in a bank account,” said Coun. Matt Garwood, who represents the Elmvale community on council. “But at the same time, the funds need to be dispensed appropriately — at the will of the community, those that initially provided said donations.”
According to the bylaw, the mandate of the committee is “to provide enhancements that will benefit both students and the local community, focusing on improvements exceeding those covered by the Simcoe County District School Board.”
To do that, the committee will:
focus on enhancements not normally provided by school board
benefit students and continue to support community use of the school as a centre for public activity
ensure that the EDHS principal and township staff have a strong voice in the use of the funds
and ensure that the community is aware how the money is used.
The committee will provide recommendations to township council, which will make the final decision before any money is released.
According to Dean Collver, Springwater’s director of recreation, parks and facilities, there’s no shortage of potential projects.
“We have had several conversations with the high school, so we do have a prepared list to bring to the ad hoc committee,” he told council. “It doesn’t exhaust the list, but it gets started on moving the money into action.”
At a council meeting on Dec. 6, 2023, Garwood requested staff report back on the history of the Elmvale District High School expansion project and fundraising efforts, specifically what the community dollars were originally raised for, the manner in which the money was collected and records kept.
On March 6, 2024, Briana Dean, the township’s manager of recreation, parks and facilities, provided a report that noted the EDHS expansion project goes back almost 15 years and began as a community initiative to help ensure that the high school, located on Lawson Avenue, remained in Elmvale.
In the fall of 2016, the community fundraising campaign was launched with the goal of raising $200,000.
A fundraising account was set up by the township and all donations were deposited into the account and charitable donation receipts were provided by the township.
Springwater council at the time guaranteed the fundraising commitment of $200,000.
At their March 6 meeting, council voted to resurrect the committee that was responsible for recommending where money from the Elmvale District High School expansion project and fundraising initiative would be directed.
While the initial recommendation was for a four-person committee — one council member, one community member at large, one high school staff and one school board staff — council approved an amendment that saw the committee grow to six people, adding one more council member and one more community member at large.
Former Springwater mayor calls Barrie’s land-deal offer ‘chump change’
By: Wayne Doyle, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Source: BarrieToday.com, May 28, 2025
Springwater Township’s former mayor, and now Barrie resident, Bill French says he’s a big fan of Barrie Mayor Alex Nuttall.
At least three times during an hour-long interview, French noted his appreciation of Nuttall, calling him a “good guy” and saying he was someone he “fundamentally supported” for his vision of what Barrie could become.
So it came as a bit of a surprise when he said he couldn’t support the Barrie mayor when it came to his plan to expand Barrie’s boundaries into territories that are currently part of Springwater and Oro-Medonte townships.
“I voted for him, but this makes no sense,” the former mayor, who just turned 79, said over coffee. “There have been at least two studies — one done in 2018 by Watson and Associates, and the other one done by Hemson, that said Barrie had enough employment land.
“I think the big question, the real question, is what’s behind all of this,” French added.
In November 2023, Nuttall made his pitch to a provincial standing committee on the issue.
“We need to have an appropriate amount of industrial land to support all of the (developing) residential land that’s been taking place,” he said at the time. “That’s been the request to the province.
“What we’ve communicated to the province is, ‘hey, here’s where our services are.’ We have pipes sitting at pretty well every road intersection, as well as down the centre of roads that separate our municipalities,” the mayor added.
The Oct. 26, 2018, report by Watson and Associates, called Long-Term Growth Scenarios Review, indicated Barrie has sufficient vacant employment land to accommodate forecast employment growth through 2041.
The Hemson report, which was presented to the City of Barrie, the townships of Springwater and Oro-Medonte and the County of Simcoe last December, offered the same conclusion and went even further — that Barrie likely has sufficient employment area land to meet long-term demand through 2051.
“I think the research is pretty clear,” French said. “I don’t think there is a legitimate answer to the question ‘why are you doing this now?’”
French speculates that if that is indeed the answer — there is no answer why, it’s just a land grab — then Springwater Township shouldn’t consider anything less than $100 million to make the deal work.
He said the $13.5-million offer that is on the table from Barrie wouldn’t get a return phone call.
“It’s chump change,” French said of Barrie’s offer. “The value of an acre of agricultural land in this area is $25,000. Once that becomes part of the City of Barrie, it goes up to hundreds of thousands.
“Add to that the tax base it contributes and the offer is severely short,” he added.
According to the proposal Barrie made to Springwater at last week’s township council meeting, Barrie is looking at absorbing about 1,800 acres of developable Springwater land.
French said using the St. Thomas/Central Elgin agreement as a guide to what the value is in Barrie is like comparing “apples to oranges.”
In that agreement, an acre of land was ‘valued’ at $7,500. How that figure was arrived at was not explained in the April 19, 2024 news release the Municipality of Central Elgin distributed to announce the agreement.
“The value of a piece of land in southern Ontario in the middle of nowhere is not the same as Barrie, where land values aren’t that far off of Toronto values,” French said. “If you want to see what the after price is, look at Innisfil.”
According to a number of local real estate companies that advertise online, an acre of land in Innisfil starts around $125,000.
French also questioned who was going to buy this land and set it up for manufacturing. He said the days of companies needing massive manufacturing facilities is over.
“Who are these companies that need 50 acres or more to set up manufacturing?” he asked rhetorically. “I don’t see them. I see smaller companies, robotic companies, niche enterprises moving in, not big plant manufacturing.”
While he advocates for Springwater council to hold the line and get the most it can from the City of Barrie, French admits he’s not fully confident in council’s ability to get the job done.
He said of the four parties involved in the boundary expansion proposal — Barrie, Springwater, Oro-Medonte and Simcoe County — Springwater was the only one that was publicly divided.
“Nuttall has the full support of his council, Oro-Medonte is likewise aligned,” French said. “The only folks who aren’t on the same page are the councillors in Springwater.”
Residents of the township, he said, aren’t that far behind.
“For the majority of folks who have moved to Springwater over the past few years, they’re not engaged in the issues,” French said. “With the exception of maybe 200 homeowners who might be affected by the annexation of land by Barrie, most seem to be more concerned with other issues.”