Barrie is one of the best cities in the province of Ontario to live in. With a population of 147,829 in 2021, this haven resides 85 kilometers north of Toronto. Surrounded by beautiful Simcoe County, there are endless opportunities for adventure outside. Or, residents can spend a sunny afternoon walking along the waterfront of Kempenfelt Bay in downtown Barrie. Whether you are already here, or looking for a new environment, we have created this guide on the current state of the Barrie economy in 2025.
Barrie Industries
Since the city is so close to Toronto and conveniently located on highway 400, it has become known as a commuter city. In reality, almost two-thirds of Barrie’s residents also work in Barrie. Additionally, over twenty-thousand residents commute to Barrie for work. These residents are employed in a variety of industries and sectors.
Based on the 2021 census, the largest occupation has 26.3% of residents working in sales and service occupations. The second largest, 20.7% of residents are in trades, transport and equipment operators occupations. Next up is the business, finance and administration occupations which have 15.2% of residents employed. The occupations in education, law and social, community and government services are fourth with 11.6% of residents working in these jobs. Taking the fifth spot is the health occupations with 8.1% of residents employed.
Source: Statistics Canada
Top 5 Industries
- Sales and Services
- Trades, Transport and Equipment Operators
- Business, Finance, and Administration Occupations
- Education, Law, and Social, Community, and Government Services
- Health Occupations
Biggest Employers in Barrie
A key to understanding the economic layout of Barrie is to know the largest employers in the region. Just to the north of the city is the Simcoe County District School Board headquarters which has about 6,600 employees. As the organization responsible for the education of school-aged children throughout the county, the organization has positions available across the region.
Part of the tourism environment, the Casino Rama Resort has just over 2,700 on staff. The facility includes slot machines and table games, plus several bars and restaurants. Owned by the Rama First Nations, the hotel, spa, and some of the biggest stage acts in the world all draw visitors. Linked with the University of Toronto medical school, the Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre provides 319 medical beds for the Barrie community. With more than 2,500 employees, they render acute and long-term care through more than 380 doctors.
Georgian College gets the next slot on the list, with 2,250 on staff providing higher education for students. The school has seven campuses in total, but the Barrie facilities are the largest. With 1,750 public servants, the County of Simcoe government secures the last spot on this list. The organization provides a wide range of services, including emergency paramedics, waste management, workforce development, and senior services.
Top 5 Employers
- Simcoe County District School Board
- Casino Rama Resort
- Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre
- Georgian College
- County of Simcoe
Barrie Economy Quick Facts
Like many cities in Ontario, Barrie is growing fast and has many plans to accommodate the new residents in the city. In 2023 alone, the city has over $667 million in building permit values.
Barrie is on Lake Simcoe which is the largest lake outside the Great Lakes system in Southern Ontario. In 2019 alone, over 2 million domestic visitors contributed $300 million to the local economy.
The unemployment rate in Barrie was 6.8% as of March 2024, down 0.6% from the previous month. The unemployment rate stood 6.6% below the peak from January 2021 and is below the long-run average. Source: CREA
Move to Barrie’s Thriving Economy!
Economic data is important, but truthfully it’s just one piece of the analysis. Several factors outside of jobs and industry profiles may determine whether a community is a good fit.
If you’d like to make your home in Barrie or the surrounding area, contact The Peggy Hill Team at (705) 739-4455 to get in touch with a local real estate agent and discover your dream home today.
