Today the Province of Ontario announced a significant investment in our new downtown Barrie YMCA project

Our YMCA has received funding from the Province of Ontario’s new Strategic Priorities Infrastructure Fund in the amount of $29.9 million to support the new YMCA Community Hub in Barrie.

Learn more about this exciting announcement in this video with our capital campaign co-chairs, Anna Cheaney and Brian Tamblyn and CEO Jill Tettmann.

News Release

https://news.ontario.ca/en/release/1000415/ontario-investing-over-29-million-in-new-community-hub-in-downtown-barrie

Ontario Investing Over $29 Million in New Community Hub in Downtown Barrie

Ontario delivers on its commitment to support local community infrastructure

June 28, 2021

Ministry of Infrastructure

BARRIE – The Ontario government is investing over $29 million to support the construction of a $40 million community hub in downtown Barrie.

The new community hub, that will be operated by the YMCA of Simcoe Muskoka, will include licensed childcare spaces, a youth centre with transitional housing and outreach support, a rehabilitation space for cardiac and cancer post care patients, and various recreation areas for fitness programs. The Ontario government is investing in this multi-purpose infrastructure project that will help to strengthen and protect communities, like Barrie, create jobs, and contribute to the province's long-term economic recovery.

"Our government is leading the way in building a new place for residents to come together in Downtown Barrie," said the Honourable Kinga Surma, Minister of Infrastructure. "This project will enhance the lives of local residents by providing access to health care services, childcare and employment supports. It will continue the YMCA's proud tradition of empowering youth and serve as a recreational hub and centre of community."

"The importance of this facility in our downtown cannot be understated," said the Honourable Doug Downey, Attorney General and Member of Provincial Parliament for Barrie-Springwater-Oro-Medonte. "This new YMCA Hub will help reclaim the downtown core as a space dedicated to families and children. It also features an innovative partnership with Youth Haven, allowing for deserving teens to access transitional housing, which will have lasting, positive impacts on their lives. Being involved in this project receiving the recognition and funding support that so many of us have advocated for is an incredible experience. I'm very thankful to be a small part of this pivotal development in our community."

"Ontario's investment of over $29 million to support the construction of a $40 million community hub in downtown Barrie, will provide a solution to many of the challenges that our community is facing" said Andrea Khanjin, Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks and Member of Provincial Parliament for Barrie-Innisfil. "This new hub will not only accelerate our region's post COVID economic recovery through the creation of many jobs for the people of Barrie; it will also provide support for our youth through outreach and transitional housing, secure more childcare spaces for working parents, and strengthen our community by promoting healthy active lifestyles through fitness programs."

"We are so grateful to the Provincial Government for investing in our vision for a new downtown Barrie YMCA — a project that will benefit the entire Simcoe—Muskoka region. As we recover from the effects of the pandemic, this project will be integral to building health and strength for generations to come," said Jill Tettmann, Chief Executive Officer of the YMCA of Simcoe-Muskoka. "In addition to this support from the Province, we are very grateful for all of our generous donors and funders who have pledged over $7 million to the project to date."

Healthy people are essential for a healthy economy. With vaccines being distributed, hope is on the horizon. Ontario's Action Plan: Protecting People's Health and Our Economy provides the resources necessary to finish the battle with COVID-19, building on the government's record investments to protect health and jobs during the global pandemic.

Quick Facts

• In total, the construction of the community hub in downtown Barrie will cost approximately $40 million.
• Over the next decade, we are investing over $145 billion in Ontario’s infrastructure, including strategic investments in transit and highways, schools and hospitals.
• Ontario is investing over $10.2 billion under the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program (ICIP) to support public transit; community, culture and recreation; green; rural and northern and other priority infrastructure projects.
• Across the province and over the next 10 years, Ontario is investing approximately $320 million and Canada is investing approximately $407 million under the Community, Culture and Recreation infrastructure stream of the ICIP. This stream supports the construction of new facilities and upgrades to existing facilities that improve community infrastructure (community centres, libraries), recreational venues (arenas, recreational spaces) and cultural spaces (theatres, museums).
• Ontario’s Action Plan: Protecting People’s Health and Our Economy brings total investments to $16.3 billion to protect people’s health and $23.3 billion to protect our economy. Ontario’s COVID-19 action plan support now totals $51 billion.

Additional Resources

• 2021 Budget - Ontario’s Action Plan: Protecting People’s Health and Our Economy
• Ontario Builds map

Media Contacts

Christine Bujold
Press Secretary
Office of the Honourable Kinga Surma, Minister of Infrastructure
christine.bujold@ontario.ca
416-454-1782

Sofia Sousa-Dias
Communications Branch
Ministry of Infrastructure
sofia.sousa-dias@ontario.ca
437-991-3391

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