Barrie is a city that is growing beyond a population of 160,000 and is quickly becoming an extended part of the Greater Toronto Area.
The Jewish community in the city is relatively small: about 1,000 people. The community maintains the Am Shalom Congregation on Huronia Road, which was founded in 2004. More recently, the Chabad Centre of Barrie has opened, also on Huronia Road.
On June 29, 2020, Barrie City Council approved a motion, sponsored by Barrie Police, to establish an Anti-Racism Task Force. Seven volunteers were chosen to work actively with police services, school boards, community groups, municipal organizations, social services and government agencies to facilitate a stronger understanding of the needs of the city’s diverse population. The Task Force’s mandate includes combatting antisemitism.
We thank Mayor Alex Nutall for proclaiming May 2023 as Jewish Heritage Month in Barrie.