Barrie mayor uses strong mayor powers for second time

Barrie Mayor Alex Nuttall is acting unilaterally for one of the only times of his tenure thus far to help ensure a renovation project of a youth shelter gets completed.

On Monday the mayor issued a memo to staff, which he shared on social media, saying he was exercising his 'strong mayor powers' to provide funding for Youth Haven's emergency shelter renovation project.

In the memo Nuttall directs staff to provide Youth Haven a grant for $4212.64, which is what the costs of water tapping fees collected by the City would be.

"Youth Haven is an incredible organization, and with this action, we're taking concrete steps to help make vital resources available to those who need them most," Nuttall wrote on social media Monday.

The strong mayor powers give mayors of large municipalities the ability to propose and pass bylaws with just one-third of councillors supporting them, veto bylaws altogether, and hire and fire department heads.

The mayor has also asked staff to provide grants to the organization to cover any City construction fees or development fees that may not have already gotten council's approval.

Nuttall said that the project qualifies for these grants given that the project is being led by a not-for-profit organization to bring affordable housing units to market.

The site in question, located at 22 Wellington Street East, is where the organization's emergency shelter was located before its recent demolition. The project will see a larger facility built allowing the organization, which supports underprivileged youth, to assist more individuals in need.

In October leadership with Youth Haven told CTV News that there is a one million dollar fundraising goal for the facility, with about $650,000 raised.

Staff are aiming to have the project complete by the Spring.

With files from CTV's Rob Cooper.