Barrie, ON apartments for rent
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Renter’s City Guide to Barrie
CITY GUIDE
BARRIE, ONTARIO
Barrie is located in the southeastern portion of the province, along the shore of Lake Simcoe. The city spans over 99 square kilometres near the communities of Midhurst, Grenfel, Innisfil, and Thornton, and has a population of over 141,000 people. Barrie offers its residents plenty to do, particularly for those who are interested in sports and recreation (skiing, golfing, and hiking). Public transportation connecting the city to Toronto and other major urban centres provides access to additional employment, education, and entertainment options.
Real Estate Market Overview
With mid-range average house prices between $390,000 and $550,000, Barrie is a fairly affordable place to live. The northern section of Barrie is predominantly single-family housing on larger lots, with a mix of retail commercial space also available. Single-family homes in the central section tend to be more expensive than those in the northern section, and condo options, vacant land, and small commercial spaces can also be found in this section. The southern section features a mix of single-family homes at varying price points, condo options, office space, and industrial commercial properties.
Rental Market
Vacancy rates in Barrie have decreased in the past several years, and now hover around 2% or lower. The increase of demand for rental units can be attributed to higher employment among young people and fewer people moving into homeownership. Based on Barrie’s population, the primary rental market in the city is the smallest in the province. This means that any small changes in demand can affect the vacancy rate significantly. Because of the high demand for units, rent costs have been increasing slightly over the past few years, particularly for one-bedroom and two-bedroom units. Rental semi-detached houses, row houses, and duplexes make up a greater proportion of rental units than traditional apartment buildings do. The average rent costs for Barrie range from $750 for a bachelor apartment to $1,300 for a three-bedroom (or more) apartment.
Employment
Manufacturing, data and warehousing, food processing, entrepreneurship, technology, financial services, tourism, government, and healthcare are all major industries in Barrie. Some of the largest employers in the city include the Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre, the City of Barrie, Coca-Cola Bottling Company, BMO Data Centre, the County of Simcoe, Scotiabank Regional Centre, The Source Distribution Centre, and Georgian College. While many of Barrie’s residents commute to Toronto for employment, many people from surrounding areas also commute into Barrie for jobs at many of the larger companies with operationsin the city. Barrie’s unemployment rate has been falling over the past couple of years, and sits now at around 7%, which is slightly higher than the national rate.
Transportation
Public transit bus services in Barrie are operated by Barrie Transit and service 11 routes throughout the city (and one routeto the neighbouring communities of Angus and Borden). The city has five transit hubs, including Barrie Transit Terminal, Georgian College, Park Place, Allandale GO, and Barrie South GO. Barrie’s residents can also travel via GO Transit (bus or train), Greyhound (long-distance bus), and Ontario Northland (long-distance bus). These options provide access to Toronto and other nearby
Schools
Barrie has four public school boards (two English, two French), which include the Simcoe County District School Board, the Simcoe Muskoka Catholic District School Board, Le Conseil scolaire de district catholique Centre-Sud, and Le Conseil scolaire Viamonde. Schools in the city include Portage View, Terry Fox, Maple Grove, Willow Landing, St. Bernadette, Frere André, Allandale Heights, École élémentaire La Source, St. Joseph’s High School, Barrie North Collegiate Institute, and École secondaire Roméo Dallaire. Private school options are also available. Post-secondary institutions in Barrie include Georgian College, which offers programs in trades, arts, communications, healthcare, culinary arts, business, technology, tourism, engineering, and social work; andCollege Boréal, with courses in language, general interest, corporate training, and transportation/heavy equipment.
Family Life
In the winter months, Snow Valley is a fun place to spend the day, with skiing, snowboarding, snow tubing, and snowshoeing options. The resort offers lessons for those who are new to a sport or who need a refresher, and racing events for those who are confident in their skills. Accommodations are available for those who choose to spend more time at the resort, and the venue is also a popular spot for weddings and other events. The MacLaren Art Centre is a public art gallery featuring a permanent collection of close to 30,000 pieces, as well as travelling exhibitions. The gallery focuses mostly on contemporary art, from local to international, but also has occasional exhibits on historical art. People of all ages can also attend art classes and workshops at the centre.