The City of Barrie is providing self-serve sand and sandbags to residents in the Minet’s Point area starting at 9 a.m. on Friday, April 17, 2026, to help protect properties from rising water levels and recent heavy rainfall.
The supplies are available at the Minet’s Point parking lot, located at 10 Lismer Blvd. Residents who need to fill sandbags must bring their own shovels, as the city is not providing them. The city noted that while the materials are set out for those facing flood risks, these supplies are available to any Barrie resident who needs them.
The need for sandbags follows recent heavy precipitation and a rise in Lake Simcoe water levels. According to data from Parks Canada, which manages the lake as part of the Trent-Severn Waterway, water levels were measured at 219.28 metres on April 15, 2026. This is approximately 8 centimetres above the average high-water mark for this time of year, and levels are expected to continue rising.
For long-term relief, the city has a $13.2 million project underway to improve the Whiskey Creek culvert and channel, which has historically contributed to local flooding. While this work is active, the city indicates that construction is not expected to be finished until 2028 or 2029, leaving residents to rely on temporary measures like sandbags in the meantime.
This local effort comes as a broader provincial flood watch, issued on April 13, 2026, by the Ministry of Natural Resources, remains in effect for much of southern and northeast Ontario due to similar weather conditions.
