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Trudeau chats with locals in surprise stop at Barrie area farm

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Prime Minister Justin Trudeau met with guests and workers at a Barrie area farm in one of several stops in cities across the province.

On Wednesday, Trudeau visited Barrie Hill Farms to purchase local produce and speak with people about the issues that are important to them.

"I think he's paid a lot of attention to what he's heard about our area and what he's heard about Barrie," said Barrie Mayor Jeff Lehman. "I think as we try to recover from COVID and go forward, that's going to be important."

Lehman said housing affordability and the overall impact of inflation were some of the critical points discussed with Trudeau during their informal meeting.

Statistics Canada reported last month that the annual pace of inflation for May rose to 7.7 per cent, its highest level since 1983.

"Who would've thought we would have a pandemic, now hyperinflation," Lehman added. "But we want to work together going forward on issues like housing, and I think that's obviously the most critical one I think in our community."

The owner of Barrie Hill Farms said he's less concerned about inflation but is feeling some of the pain of the war in Ukraine.

"There's been a tariff placed on fertilizer coming out of Russia that's been really, really difficult on farmers," said Morris Gervais. "So we were talking about ways to support sanctions against Russia but without adversely affecting the farming community."

Before visiting the region, the Prime Minister stopped in Vaughan and finished his day in North Bay at a barbecue with Canadian Armed Forces members.

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