Bill 76 explained in plain English
Barrie – Oro-Medonte – Springwater Boundary Adjustment Act, 2025
Ontario legislature bill summary, status, timeline, sponsor, votes, and official sources.
At a glance
Official Legislative Assembly of Ontario snapshot for 44th Parliament, 1st Session. Representative vote breakdowns appear when the Assembly publishes an Ayes and Nays page for the bill.
Our plain-language take, written for civic education.
Source: By PoliticalData.ca
The Barrie – Oro-Medonte – Springwater Boundary Adjustment Act, 2025, annexes parts of Oro-Medonte and Springwater to Barrie and sets out related municipal and financial adjustments.
This Act adjusts the boundaries between the City of Barrie and the Townships of Oro-Medonte and Springwater. It annexes portions of Oro-Medonte and Springwater to Barrie. The Act addresses how existing by-laws, official plans, and ongoing procedures will be handled in the annexed areas. It also outlines provisions for property taxes, compensation between municipalities, and makes amendments to the Act itself. The specific areas to be annexed are described in Schedule 1, but the Minister can prescribe different areas through regulations.
- Annexes portions of the Township of Oro-Medonte and the Township of Springwater to the City of Barrie on the effective date.
- Vests real property, including highways, waterlines, sewers, and fixtures, located in the annexed areas in the City of Barrie, unless prescribed otherwise by regulation.
- States that other assets and liabilities of Oro-Medonte, Springwater, or the County of Simcoe located in or associated with the annexed areas remain with those municipalities.
- Requires Oro-Medonte, Springwater, and the County of Simcoe to transfer relevant studies, plans, records, data, and designs related to the annexed areas to Barrie.
- Requires the transfer of funds held by Oro-Medonte, Springwater, or the County of Simcoe for the maintenance, improvement, or operation of real property in the annexed areas to Barrie.
- Specifies that by-laws and resolutions of Barrie extend to the annexed areas, while those of Oro-Medonte, Springwater, and the County of Simcoe cease to apply, with specific exceptions for certain by-laws (e.g., under the Planning Act, Highway Traffic Act, Municipal Act, Drainage Act, Weed Control Act).
- States that official plans of Oro-Medonte, Springwater, and the County of Simcoe in respect of the annexed areas are deemed to be official plans of Barrie and remain in force until revoked or amended.
- Allows Barrie to continue procedures for by-laws, official plans, and other matters initiated by Oro-Medonte, Springwater, or the County of Simcoe that apply to the annexed areas and were not completed before the effective date.
- Makes unpaid property taxes and special rates assessed against land in the annexed areas before the effective date payable to Barrie.
- Establishes a process for preparing and furnishing a special tax roll for arrears of property taxes and special rates to Barrie.
- Requires Barrie to pay Oro-Medonte and Springwater an amount equal to the tax arrears shown on the special tax roll, plus interest or penalties, with certain exclusions.
- Introduces a property tax phase-in mechanism for properties in the annexed areas where the tax rate in Barrie for 2026 is higher than in 2025 in the former townships, with different phase-in periods for farm/managed forest properties and other properties.
- Specifies events, such as changes in ownership or official plan/zoning by-law amendments, that can cause the property tax phase-in to cease.
- Deems the annexed areas part of Barrie for the purposes of Barrie's assessment roll for the 2026 taxation year from the effective date to the end of 2026.
- Prevents members of the councils of Oro-Medonte or Springwater from being disqualified from holding office due to annexation-related issues before November 14, 2026.
- Authorizes the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing to make regulations on various matters, including altering Barrie's wards, prescribing annexed areas, governing property tax rates and phase-ins, and determining compensation payments between municipalities.
- Amends the Act to allow the Minister to prescribe the annexed area by regulation, which would supersede the description in Schedule 1.
- Repeals Schedule 1 of the Act.
- Specifies commencement dates for different parts of the Act.
- The City of Barrie
- The Township of Oro-Medonte
- The Township of Springwater
- The County of Simcoe
- Owners of property within the annexed areas
- Residents within the annexed areas
- Members of the councils of the Township of Oro-Medonte and the Township of Springwater
- The Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing
- The City of Barrie has the right to annex portions of Oro-Medonte and Springwater.
- Oro-Medonte, Springwater, and the County of Simcoe are obligated to transfer real property, materials, funds, and assets/liabilities related to the annexed areas.
- Barrie is obligated to extend its by-laws and resolutions to the annexed areas.
- Barrie has the right to continue certain procedures initiated by the former townships.
- Barrie has the right to collect arrears of property taxes and special rates from the annexed areas.
- Barrie has an obligation to pay Oro-Medonte and Springwater for certain tax arrears.
- The Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing has the authority to make regulations concerning the annexation and related matters.
- The 'effective date' is the later of January 1, 2026, or the day the Act receives Royal Assent (December 11, 2025).
- Except as otherwise provided, the Act comes into force on the day it receives Royal Assent (December 11, 2025).
- Section 11 of the Act comes into force on a day to be named by order of the Lieutenant Governor in Council.
- The property tax phase-in for certain properties applies over the years 2026 to 2045 or 2026 to 2030, depending on the property class.
- The City of Barrie's assessment roll for the 2026 taxation year will include the annexed areas from the effective date to the end of 2026.
- Council members of Oro-Medonte and Springwater are protected from disqualification due to annexation until November 14, 2026.
- Arrears of property taxes and special rates become due and payable to the City of Barrie.
- The City of Barrie must pay Oro-Medonte and Springwater for collected tax arrears, plus interest or penalties, excluding amounts removed from the roll.
- A property tax phase-in is implemented for properties in the annexed areas where Barrie's tax rate for 2026 is higher than the 2025 township rate.
- The phase-in period varies: up to 2045 for farm/managed forest properties, and up to 2030 for other property classes.
- Specific events can cause the cessation of the property tax phase-in.
- The Minister can make regulations to require and determine payments or other forms of compensation between municipalities.
- The Act prevails in cases of conflict with other Acts or regulations, meaning its provisions take precedence.
- Regulations made under section 9 of this Act prevail over other Acts and regulations in case of conflict.
- The specific annexed area can be prescribed by regulations made by the Minister, potentially superseding the description in Schedule 1. If a regulation does this, the area described in the regulation is deemed to be annexed, and the area described in Schedule 1 is deemed not to have been annexed.
- The Minister is authorized to make regulations on various matters, including defining specific property rights, altering wards, prescribing by-laws, governing property tax rates and phase-ins, and determining compensation payments. The details of these regulations are not fully specified in the Act itself.
- The exact timing for the commencement of Section 11 of the Act is dependent on an order of the Lieutenant Governor in Council.
- The application of certain by-laws and resolutions of Oro-Medonte, Springwater, and the County of Simcoe to the annexed areas is subject to prescription by regulations.
- The details of the property tax phase-in, including specific calculations, exceptions, and rules, are to be provided in regulations.
Changes are made to clarify the process of annexation and the role of regulations in defining the annexed area, and to repeal Schedule 1 which initially described the annexed areas.
Source: Section 11
Repeals subsection 2(1) which initially stated that specific portions of Oro-Medonte and Springwater described in Schedule 1 were annexed to Barrie.
Source: Section 11 (1)
Repeals Schedule 1, which contained the initial description of the lands annexed from Oro-Medonte and Springwater to Barrie.
Source: Section 11 (3)
Adds a clause allowing regulations to prescribe the annexed area for the purposes of subsection 2(1).
Source: Section 11 (2)
By-laws passed under sections 34 or 41 of the Planning Act, or their predecessors, that apply to the annexed areas are deemed to be by-laws of the City of Barrie and remain in force until they expire, are repealed, or are amended.
Source: Section 3 (3) 1
By-laws passed under the Highway Traffic Act or its predecessors, regulating vehicle and pedestrian use of highways or building encroachments on highways, that apply to the annexed areas are deemed to be by-laws of the City of Barrie and remain in force.
Source: Section 3 (3) 2
By-laws passed under the Municipal Act, 2001 or its predecessors, regulating vehicle and pedestrian use of highways or building encroachments on highways, that apply to the annexed areas are deemed to be by-laws of the City of Barrie and remain in force.
Source: Section 3 (3) 2
By-laws passed under sections 45, 58, or 61 of the Drainage Act, or their predecessors, that apply to the annexed areas are deemed to be by-laws of the City of Barrie and remain in force.
Source: Section 3 (3) 3
By-laws passed under section 10 of the Weed Control Act or its predecessor that apply to the annexed areas are deemed to be by-laws of the City of Barrie and remain in force.
Source: Section 3 (3) 4
By-laws of the City of Barrie passed under the Development Charges Act, 1997 are explicitly included as by-laws that extend to the annexed areas.
Source: Section 3 (2)
Reserve funds established under section 33 of the Development Charges Act, 1997, are excluded from the general transfer of funds related to real property maintenance, improvement, or operation in the annexed areas.
Source: Section 2 (6)
The City of Barrie may collect arrears of real property taxes and special rates from the annexed areas using powers under section 354 of the Municipal Act, 2001.
Source: Section 6 (3)
Section 258(2) of the Municipal Act, 2001, which deals with disqualification of council members, is overridden to prevent disqualification for reasons solely due to the annexation under this Act.
Source: Section 7
The Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing may make regulations providing for matters described in Ontario Regulation 204/03 (Powers of the Minister or a Commission in Implementing a Restructuring Proposal) made under the Municipal Act, 2001, concerning the annexation.
Source: Section 9 (1) (a)
The property tax phase-in provisions apply to properties classified as farm property class or managed forest property class under the Assessment Act.
Source: Section 6 (4) 1, Section 6 (7) (a)
Defines 'child' for the purpose of exceptions to property tax phase-in cessation upon change of ownership.
Source: Section 6 (9)
Generated using AI from official bill text. Not legal advice. It is written by PoliticalData.ca for civic education, automatically checked and spot-reviewed before publishing.
Official textProcess Snapshot
Vote Summary
Representative Voting Breakdown
Vote badges include text labels so the table stays readable for everyone, even without color cues alone.
| Representative | Role | Riding | Party | Vote | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MPP | Brampton West | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | Yes | Recorded without an additional note. | |
MPP | MPP | Windsor—Tecumseh | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | Yes | Recorded without an additional note. |
| MPP | Essex | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | Yes | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Scarborough—Agincourt | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | Yes | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Algoma—Manitoulin | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | Yes | Recorded without an additional note. | |
MPP | MPP | Markham—Unionville | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | Yes | Recorded without an additional note. |
| MPP | Cambridge | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | Yes | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Simcoe—Grey | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | Yes | Recorded without an additional note. | |
MPP | MPP | Richmond Hill | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | Yes | Recorded without an additional note. |
MPP | MPP | Peterborough—Kawartha | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | Yes | Recorded without an additional note. |
MPP | MPP | Scarborough Centre | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | Yes | Recorded without an additional note. |
| MPP | Newmarket—Aurora | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | Yes | Recorded without an additional note. | |
MPP | MPP | Mississauga—Malton | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | Yes | Recorded without an additional note. |
| MPP | Oakville North—Burlington | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | Yes | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Carleton | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | Yes | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Brampton East | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | Yes | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Barrie—Innisfil | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | Yes | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | York—Simcoe | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | Yes | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Brampton Centre | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | Yes | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Northumberland—Peterborough South | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | Yes | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Barrie—Springwater—Oro-Medonte | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | Yes | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Etobicoke North | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | Yes | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Timmins | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | Yes | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Brampton North | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | Yes | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Parry Sound—Muskoka | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | Yes | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Simcoe North | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | Yes | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Haliburton—Kawartha Lakes—Brock | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | Yes | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Huron—Bruce | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | Yes | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Aurora—Oak Ridges—Richmond Hill | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | Yes | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | York Centre | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | Yes | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Kitchener—Conestoga | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | Yes | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Mississauga Centre | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | Yes | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Hamilton East—Stoney Creek | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | Yes | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Mississauga—Streetsville | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | Yes | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Stormont—Dundas—South Glengarry | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | Yes | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Markham—Stouffville | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | Yes | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Brampton South | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | Yes | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Scarborough North | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | Yes | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Elgin—Middlesex—London | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | Yes | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Niagara West | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | Yes | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Willowdale | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | Yes | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Oakville | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | Yes | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | King—Vaughan | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | Yes | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | Yes | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Dufferin—Caledon | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | Yes | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Durham | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | Yes | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Chatham-Kent—Leamington | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | Yes | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Nipissing | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | Yes | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Scarborough—Rouge Park | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | Yes | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Milton | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | Yes | Recorded without an additional note. | |
MPP | MPP | Kitchener South—Hespeler | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | Yes | Recorded without an additional note. |
MPP | MPP | Lanark—Frontenac—Kingston | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | Yes | Recorded without an additional note. |
| MPP | Wellington—Halton Hills | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | Yes | Recorded without an additional note. | |
MPP | MPP | Thornhill | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | Yes | Recorded without an additional note. |
| MPP | Markham—Thornhill | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | Yes | Recorded without an additional note. | |
MPP | MPP | Perth—Wellington | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | Yes | Recorded without an additional note. |
| MPP | Eglinton—Lawrence | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | Yes | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | York South—Weston | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | Yes | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Hamilton Mountain | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | Yes | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Burlington | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | Yes | Recorded without an additional note. | |
MPP | MPP | Bruce—Grey—Owen Sound | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | Yes | Recorded without an additional note. |
MPP | MPP | Hastings—Lennox and Addington | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | Yes | Recorded without an additional note. |
| MPP | Sarnia—Lambton | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | Yes | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Mississauga—Lakeshore | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | Yes | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Mississauga—Erin Mills | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | Yes | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Mississauga East—Cooksville | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | Yes | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Glengarry—Prescott—Russell | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | Yes | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Lambton—Kent—Middlesex | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | Yes | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Bay of Quinte | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | Yes | Recorded without an additional note. | |
MPP | MPP | Brantford—Brant | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | Yes | Recorded without an additional note. |
MPP | MPP | Don Valley East | Ontario Liberal Party | No | Recorded without an additional note. |
| MPP | Kitchener Centre | Green Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Parkdale—High Park | New Democratic Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Waterloo | New Democratic Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Ottawa Centre | New Democratic Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Ottawa West—Nepean | New Democratic Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. | |
MPP | MPP | Spadina—Fort York | New Democratic Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. |
| MPP | Nickel Belt | New Democratic Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Mushkegowuk—James Bay | New Democratic Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | St. Catharines | New Democratic Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Oshawa | New Democratic Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. | |
MPP | MPP | University—Rosedale | New Democratic Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. |
MPP | MPP | Ottawa South | Ontario Liberal Party | No | Recorded without an additional note. |
MPP | MPP | Timiskaming—Cochrane | New Democratic Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. |
| MPP | Kanata—Carleton | Ontario Liberal Party | No | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Toronto Centre | New Democratic Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Etobicoke—Lakeshore | Ontario Liberal Party | No | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Thunder Bay—Superior North | New Democratic Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Ottawa—Vanier | Ontario Liberal Party | No | Recorded without an additional note. | |
MPP | MPP | Davenport | New Democratic Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. |
| MPP | Beaches—East York | Ontario Liberal Party | No | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Guelph | Green Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | London West | New Democratic Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. | |
MPP | MPP | Toronto—Danforth | New Democratic Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. |
MPP | MPP | Ajax | Ontario Liberal Party | No | Recorded without an additional note. |
| MPP | Don Valley West | Ontario Liberal Party | No | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Toronto—St. Paul's | Ontario Liberal Party | No | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Orléans | Ontario Liberal Party | No | Recorded without an additional note. | |
MPP | MPP | Kingston and the Islands | Ontario Liberal Party | No | Recorded without an additional note. |
| MPP | London North Centre | New Democratic Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | London—Fanshawe | New Democratic Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Humber River—Black Creek | New Democratic Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. | |
MPP | MPP | Nepean | Ontario Liberal Party | No | Recorded without an additional note. |
MPP | MPP | Niagara Falls | New Democratic Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. |
Official sources
Status, sponsor, votes, and timeline on this page are drawn from these official legislative sources and public records. Each summary above is attributed to its own source.
How this data is sourced