The City of Barrie says it has been forced to use a landfill property as a temporary snow storage site, following weeks of record snowfall.
City officials told Global News that the decision to use its Ferndale Drive North property was necessary as snow removal continues under what has become the longest continuous “Significant Weather Event declaration” in Barrie’s history.
The decision to use the land comes after running out of room at its operations centre, due to reports of the city receiving about 300 centimetres, or more than 9.5 feet of snow, since Nov. 1.
City officials said the temporary site would be used for the foreseeable future, with no end date set yet.
“It is dependent on additional snow accumulations and our requirements to do snow lifts to remove excess snow from areas throughout the city,” said Dave Friary, the city’s director of operations.
Friary said the snow is not being dumped with household waste. Instead, it is being placed on a vacant portion of land at the landfill property, a practice the city says has been used in previous years.
Residents living near the site may notice increased overnight activity as snow hauling continues.
Friary said mitigation measures are in place, including the construction of a berm to reduce noise and light impacts during overnight operations.
Barrie has been under a Significant Weather Event since Dec. 28, 2025, a designation that remains in effect as crews continue to clear narrowed roads and snowbanks.
The city added that this year’s winter cleanup has far exceeded previous events, both in scale and cost.
“This winter’s snow removal effort represents the largest volume of snow we have had to remove,” Friary said. “Previous Significant Weather Events typically lasted one to three days, causing only short delays and little to no additional cost.
“In contrast, the unprecedented snowfall over a compressed time period and the extended duration of this event resulted in significantly higher costs and increased co-ordination and oversight.”
The city says the weather alert will not be lifted until roads, cycling lanes and other impacted areas are fully restored, and updates will be provided as conditions change.
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