BARRIE, ON | October 15, 2026 – The Greater Barrie Chamber of Commerce has launched its 2026 Municipal Election Information, featuring video interviews with Barrie’s mayoral candidates addressing key issues affecting local businesses, economic development and the future of the community.
The Chamber invited all certified mayoral candidates to participate in interviews addressing key economic priorities. Each candidate was offered the same opportunity to share their perspectives and help Chamber members, business owners and residents make informed voting decisions.
The process was the same for each participating candidate:
- Candidates were interviewed individually and asked the same questions.
- Each candidate had five minutes to review the questions before recording.
- The interviews were filmed by Joe Montesano of Fedora Films, a professional videographer with a journalistic background.
“Municipal decisions directly impact our businesses, workforce and local economy,” said Paul Markle, President and CEO of the Greater Barrie Chamber of Commerce. “We want to give voters the opportunity to hear directly from candidates on the issues that matter to Barrie’s business community and make informed decisions at the polls.”
The interviews explore four key priorities:
- Economic Resilience and Trade
- Fiscal Responsibility and Value for Taxes
- Business Partnerships and Municipal Competitiveness
- Strategic Employment Lands and Competitive Development
Video responses from participating mayoral candidates Alex Nuttall, Tanya Saari and Russell Tighe are available on the Chamber’s election information page. All certified mayoral candidates were invited to participate, although not all provided responses.
The Chamber is a non-partisan organization and does not endorse political candidates or parties. The interview initiative is intended to provide an accessible platform for candidates to share their perspectives while helping voters better understand how municipal leadership decisions may affect Barrie’s economic future.
Watch the candidate interviews and explore the Chamber’s economic priorities:
https://www.barriechamber.com/
The 2026 Ontario municipal election takes place on Monday, October 26, 2026.
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For more information, please contact:
Paul Markle
President & CEO
Paul@BarrieChamber.com
121 Commerce Park Drive, Unit A
Barrie, Ontario L4N 8X1
(O) 705 - 721 - 5000 ext. 5
(C) 249-288-3540
About the Barrie Chamber of Commerce
Celebrating 100 years, 1926 ~ 2026
The Barrie Chamber of Commerce is a dynamic organization dedicated to fostering a vibrant, thriving business community in Barrie and the surrounding areas. As a voice for local businesses, we advocate on behalf of our members at all levels of government, championing policies that drive economic growth and contribute to our region's overall prosperity. Through meaningful events, networking opportunities, educational resources, and support for business development, we empower our members to succeed and grow. With a proud history of serving the community, the Barrie Chamber of Commerce remains committed to making Barrie a great place to live, work, and do business.