Barrie’s Homelessness Emergency, Fall Forecast & A Night for Gamers

Welcome back to What Barrie’s Talking About — the podcast that digs into the stories shaping our community. This week, host Dan Blakeley and the Barrie 360 team tackle everything from Barrie’s homelessness response, to local hockey and gaming culture, to a colourful campaign lighting up the city. Here’s what you’ll hear in this episode: The Chamber of Commerce Takes on Homelessness Following Mayor Alex Nuttall’s state of emergency declaration around Barrie’s homeless encampments, the Barrie Chamber of Commerce is stepping up. CEO Paul Markle says social issues are also business issues, and the Chamber is reaching out to the business community with a new survey. The goal? To better understand both the social and economic costs of homelessness and explore how businesses can be part of the solution. Looking Back at Summer, Ahead to Fall As the first day of fall arrives on Monday, we take stock of the summer that was — and get a sense of what the season ahead has in store for Barrie and beyond. Turning the Town Teal with Big Brothers Big Sisters Big Brothers Big Sisters is asking the community to Turn the Town Teal this month. The new campaign is all about raising awareness and support for the important mentoring work they do here in Barrie. Bre LeFeuvre from BBBS joins Barrie 360’s Julius Hern to share the details. The Barrie Junior Sharks Hit the Ice Strong The Barrie Junior Sharks women’s hockey team is off to a great start this season. We meet the coach and a couple of players to hear how the season is shaping up and what fans can expect from the team this year. Game On: After Dark Gamers, this one’s for you. Game On: After Dark is back at Five Points Theatre this weekend — a chance to connect with local gamers, meet special guests, and enjoy an evening dedicated to gaming culture. Barrie 360’s Ian Maclennan chats with co-hosts Louise Jackson and Canadian rapper Infinite about what’s planned. Listen to the full episode now to hear these conversations and more. Subscribe to What Barrie’s Talking About on your favourite podcast platform, or stream it anytime at Barrie360.com. For more local stories, follow us on Bluesky and X at @Barrie360. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices