Barrie residents asked to be good neighbours

A woman smokes on a street, in London, Tuesday, April 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

Be a good neighbour, or pay up.

Barrie would like to remind its residents of the importance of complying with the city's bylaws and the consequences of non-compliance.

"We really just want to encourage people to be good neighbours so we can ensure a high standard of living for all residents," said Tammy Banting, manager of enforcement services.

"It's important that all residents are aware of our bylaws and understand their obligations to comply with them—ignorance of bylaws is not an excuse for breaking the law."

Bylaws are rules and regulations that are enforced by the city to maintain safety, order, and quality of life for residents.

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Bylaws cover a wide range of areas such as, animal control, property maintenance, parking regulations, waste management, nuisance and sign enforcement.

Barrie has an enforcement team that monitors compliance with bylaws and takes action when necessary. This may include issuing warnings, fines, and even court proceedings in some cases.

The team handles almost 60,000 enforcement matters annually.

Fines range from $30 to $1,000 and services fees range from $60 to $1,000, depending on the violation. Fines may be higher if the matter is brought before the courts.

Some of the common bylaw infractions that Barrie Enforcement staff respond to are:

• Animal control - dogs off leash or running at large.
• Yard maintenance - garbage and debris on property, lack of lawn cutting, inoperable vehicles outside the property. 
• Parking - parking on or over the sidewalk or curb, parking on boulevards, parking within 1.5 m of a driveway, parking in posted school zones.
• Smoking - smoking in or around parks or sports fields, rec centres or other city facilities.
• Nuisance/waste management - illegal dumping or public property, improper disposal of waste.

To learn more about the city's bylaws, residents are encouraged to contact enforcement services at [phone].