It was such a great feeling to hear on the radio just the other day that Barrie has been ranked #4 in the province for the top investment cities, with Orillia not far behind at #7.  I found an article in the Barrie Examiner that went into great detail about what was involved in the selection process and what other cities made up the top 10.

We all know how great it is to live in Simcoe County, and I think that our current group of city councilors and Mayor Jeff Lehman have done a fantastic job making positive improvements to Barrie in the past few years.  I think we should all stand a little taller when we tell people where we live.  We should be proud of the community that we are a part of.

The ranking from the Real Estate Investment Network indicates or predicts which areas they believe will outperform all others during the next three to five years.

The Examiner article said the following: ‘Hany Kirolos, Barrie’s director of economic development, says he’s not surprised by the city’s position.

“We’ve been continually ranked in the top five cities for investment for the last five years,” he said, “and any solid reinforcement of our investment opportunity in Barrie makes our job easier.”

REIN’s report says Barrie is an attractive community for people seeking the nearness and vitality of a big city, but who want a more laid-back lifestyle. It’s no longer just a recreational area – with its golf courses, ski hills and trails – but has a year-round, diverse economy.

Barrie isn’t just part of cottage country, REIN says; there’s job growth, economic diversification, major transportation improvements and a very aggressive economic development team.’

We moved our family here in the mid 90’s because we fell in love with the green space, the waterfront, the distance from Toronto combined with the ease of access to it and to northern retreats.  I’m not surprised by our ranking and I’m looking forward to many more years of prosperity and growth.

Good job Barrie!

For more information about the Real Estate Investment Network, visit reincanada.com