Barrie candidates' debates and all-candidates meetings, 2026
Every public meeting, debate or forum where 2026 candidates appear as candidates, with the host's own announcement as the source. Where there are none yet, this page says so, with the date we checked and where we looked.
As of October 7, 2026: one candidates' forum held — a mayoral debate hosted by CARP Barrie (Chapter 36) on October 6, 2026 — and no further debate, forum or all-candidates meeting announced for any Barrie race. Ward and school-board races have had none.
Re-checked by hand against the sources listed at the foot of this page. An event is listed only with a primary source — the host's own page — or, failing that, a news report that names the date, host and venue, and the row says which.
Past events this year
| Date | Event | Host and venue | Recording |
|---|---|---|---|
| October 6, 2026 7–9 p.m. |
Mayoral debate Debate: five questions from community organizations, then audience questions if time allowed |
CARP Barrie (Chapter 36); moderated by Al Jones Grace United Church, 350 Grove St. E., Barrie |
none found |
A news report, not the host's page: CARP Barrie's site did not respond. Barrie 360 reports Alex Nuttall, Tanya Saari and Russell Tighe took part and that Kay Sayer was invited and did not attend. The format and the free admission are from CARP's community notice in CompassNews (September 25), which also said Rogers TV would film the debate; no recording had been found as of October 7. | |||
| October 5, 2026 4–8 p.m. |
Meet the Candidates Meet-and-greet for council and mayoral candidates; no formal debate or question period |
Traditions Banquet Hall Traditions Banquet Hall, 142 John St., Barrie |
none found |
Listed in September from the Barrie Public Library's community listing (date, time and venue only). Simcoe.com's October 3 notice names the banquet hall as organizer and says there is no formal debate or question period; its October 6 report says three of the four mayoral candidates attended (Nuttall, Saari, Tighe; Sayer did not). No recording: it was not a staged event. | |||
| April 30, 2026 6:30–7:30 p.m. |
Women in Politics: From Advocacy to Action Panel discussion — not a candidates' forum |
Barrie Public Library Downtown Branch, Gathering Place, 60 Worsley St. |
none found |
A pre-nomination civic panel with two sitting councillors (Ann-Marie Kungl and Amy Courser) and Jennifer Armstrong of Politics for Women, moderated by the library's CEO. Courser later filed for Ward 3. Listed because it is the only election-related public panel held in Barrie this year with a primary source; no candidate appeared as a candidate and no recording was found. | |||
Source: Barrie 360, report from the debate (October 7, 2026), retrieved October 7, 2026; Simcoe.com, report from the event (October 6, 2026), retrieved October 7, 2026; Barrie Public Library event page, retrieved September 10, 2026.
What happened in 2022
Engage Barrie and CARP Barrie co-hosted a mayoral forum on October 1, 2022 at the Salvation Army Barrie Citadel, and ward-by-ward online meetings between October 2 and 13, 2022 — roughly two to four weeks before voting day. Source: Engage Barrie, all-candidates meetings page (still showing 2022 content), retrieved September 10, 2026.
Where we looked
Checked October 7, 2026. If you know of a public candidates' event that is not here, tell us and include the host's announcement.
- Engage Barrie — co-hosted the 2022 mayoral forum and ward meetings with CARP Barrie; no 2026 candidates' event posted as of October 7.
- CARP Barrie (Chapter 36) — site did not respond on September 11 or October 7; its October 6 mayoral debate is listed from a community notice and news coverage.
- Barrie Public Library election page — lists the October 5 event at Traditions Banquet Hall as an all-candidates meeting; nothing else.
- Barrie Public Library community information site — listed the October 5 event in September; election links only as of October 7.
- Greater Barrie Chamber of Commerce election page — plans recorded video interviews with the mayoral candidates, none posted as of October 7; not a public event.
- Simcoe.com "where to meet the candidates" list — eight meetings in September, all in other Simcoe County municipalities; its October coverage reports the two Barrie events listed here.
- BarrieToday, Barrie 360, CompassNews, CTV Barrie, Simcoe.com — election coverage September 11 to October 7 read for events; one candidate's own meet-and-greet (Ward 9) is a campaign event, not a forum; candidate Q&A series are not events.
- School boards (SCDSB, SMCDSB) election pages — no trustee candidates' meetings listed.
Candidates answer the press separately: the media index lists every 2026 election story, and each candidate page carries what they have said in their own words, verbatim and sourced.
Common questions
Is there a mayoral debate in Barrie for the 2026 election?
Yes: a mayoral debate hosted by CARP Barrie (Chapter 36) on October 6, 2026. 1 race-specific event is listed on this page with a source for each.
When are the Barrie all-candidates meetings?
Two candidates' events have been held: Mayoral debate, October 6, 2026, Grace United Church, 350 Grove St. E., Barrie; Meet the Candidates, October 5, 2026, Traditions Banquet Hall, 142 John St., Barrie. No further meeting for any Barrie race had a public date as of October 7, 2026. In 2022, Engage Barrie and CARP Barrie ran ward meetings between October 2 and 13; the same window is the one to watch in 2026. Internet and telephone voting opens October 16.
Where will Barrie candidates' debates be announced?
Historically by the hosts themselves — Engage Barrie and CARP Barrie in 2022 — and in the Simcoe.com and BarrieToday meetings round-ups. Every source this page checks is listed below, with links, so you can check them too.
Was there a mayoral debate in Barrie in 2022?
Yes. Engage Barrie and CARP Barrie co-hosted a mayoral forum on October 1, 2022 at the Salvation Army Barrie Citadel, and ward-by-ward online meetings between October 2 and 13, 2022 — roughly two to four weeks before voting day.