County launches support service review after Barrie mayor calls out separate city agreement as unfair

Sparks flew at the County of Simcoe Tuesday morning during budget deliberations, with Barrie Mayor Alex Nuttall making an impromptu address in council chambers.

Speaking before council, Nuttall had County staff state how the current separate city's capital funding agreement is currently structured, prompting councillors to "pay special attention."

"What you just heard was that the City of Orillia and City of Barrie pay for these projects over 10 years, but the rest of you pay for them over the life of the debenture," Nuttall said. "Meaning that when a project happens, the City of Barrie and the City of Orillia are overcompensating the bills of the capital projects for the areas in which we are responsible, are demanded to pay."

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Nutall called the current structure "unfair" and warned County Council that a review of the current funding agreement will be undertaken by Barrie.

"We're about to go into our budget, it's a strong mayor budget, meaning it is my budget," he said. "An item that I've identified is the way this agreement stands today."

Nutall's remarks were challenged by Wasaga Beach Mayor Brian Smith, suggesting the current structure works counter to Nuttall's claim.

"It's high time that we do a fulsome look into the separated cities and how our services work with respect to the separated cities, because I would argue that the County on the whole subsidizes, in my opinion, the separated cities," Smith said. "We receive no development charges, no taxes unless it's something that the separated cities are wanting services for."

The County of Simcoe's shared services agreement with Barrie and Orillia expired last year and is currently being renegotiated.

The County's general manager of corporate performance, Trevor Wilcox, referred to Nuttall's statement as "inappropriate" for suggesting the County is taking advantage of the cities, prompting Nuttall to admonish Wilcox.

Mayor Smith eventually put forward his own motion, directing staff to report on the asset and service mix between the County and the separated cities.

"All of those services that are in the City of Barrie versus the rest of the municipalities are greater in my opinion," Smith told CTV News. "So, be careful what you ask for."

Nuttall warned that a shakeup of the agreement is on the horizon and that any budget passed by the County would be directly impacted by that agreement.

"It's about having value for money and having a fair agreement," Nuttall added.

CTV News asked Nuttall if a review of the agreement laid the groundwork for Barrie to separate from the County of Simcoe entirely.

The Barrie mayor would not disclose his personal opinion and stated clearly that the decision is up to the province, but added that he was open to exploring all options.

"It's not off the table to say that the City of Barrie may have to go it alone," he stated.

An audit of the service value's being provided was completed at the request of Barrie and will be brought back to City Council on Wednesday.