BARRIE, ONT. -- Barrie city councillors made several decisions at Monday night's virtual meeting, from a ban on single-use plastics, to how puppies are sold, to a big sign.

Big Barrie Sign

"This is definitely not an original idea," said Councillor Mike McCann.

The City of Barrie is one step closer to having a large Barrie sign, similar to the Toronto sign in front of Nathan Phillips Square.

"It's bold, and it's simplistic," McCann said.

The initial pitch was for the sign to be located at Meridian Place and funded through tourism dollars in donations. Instead, council voted to have McCann raise the roughly $200,000 himself.

"I've already raised $50,000," McCann said.

While the location hasn't been decided, city staff are researching possibilities.

Single-Use Plastics

After a vote, single-use plastics are on the way out.

Councillors decided to implement a voluntary ban on single-use plastics at city facilities and events.

The ban is voluntary but could become mandatory in the future.

Selling Puppies in Pet Shops

There could soon be tightened restrictions on selling dogs in Barrie pet shops.

Councillor Ann-Marie Kungl wants to see only puppies from reputable sources, like animal shelters, the Humane Society, or a licensed breeder, be sold within the city.

Kungl said the move would help protect the welfare of animals in Barrie.

Vaccine Rollout

Councillors voted to allow the health unit to use community centres as mass immunization clinics when it starts vaccinating residents.

The health unit is in the early phase of its vaccination plan but hopes to start a vaccination program in the coming weeks that would see thousands of residents receive doses daily.