A beautiful waterfront, a wide selection good places to eat and an award-winning public square are some of many reasons why Barrie, Ont., ranked one of the top 25 best small cities in Canada.
Barrie has been ranked 17 out of 25 for Resonance Consultancy’s list of Canada’s Best Small Cities.
“There’s a reason more than 150,000 people choose to call Barrie home, and it appears the secret is out,” said Mayor Alex Nuttall.
Some reasons highlighted in the company’s ranking include the city’s close proximity to both Toronto and Muskoka, parks and green spaces, and Lake Simcoe.
The list also ranked Barrie’s restaurant scene as the second best in the country among all small cities.
The company also credits the high ranking to Barrie’s Meridian Place, which has become a popular gathering place for community events in the downtown core along the waterfront.
The ranking evaluates each qualifying city across the six pillars based on place, product, programming, people, prosperity, and promotion.
“We live in a beautiful place, and our proximity to Toronto and Muskoka provides us with amazing advantages. Barrie is primed for success, and I look forward to seeing us climb even higher on this list in the years to come,” Nuttall said.