By Laurie Watt, Leigh Blenkhorn, Frank Matys, Brad Pritchard, Bruce Hain and Nicole Million Barrie Advance Feb 14, 2012  SIMCOE COUNTY – From 1851 to 2011, population in rural areas has been on the decline. According to Statistics Canada there has been a massive influx of people moving away fro...

Barrie Advance Feb 10, 2012  SIMCOE COUNTY – Statistics Canada has released new data showing the County of Simcoe has seen a 5.7 per cent population increase since 2006.  The county’s population is now tallied at 446,063, compared to 422,204 in 2006. Read more ...

Blue Mountain Courier Herald editorial Feb 09, 2012  BARRIE – Like Toronto, Simcoe County should consider freeing itself from the oppression of the Ontario Municipal Board – a group the Toronto Star calls “an unelected, widely despised, quasi-judicial provincial agency that has overruled many c...

Counties and municipalities left to police themselves Letter to Innisfil Scope February 1 2011 Another blow to democracy and the citizens of Ontario was made in Alliston recently, at the Ministry of Infrastructure’s Place to Grow announcement. It was announced that the province was handing over even ...

Open Letter to Minister Christopher Bentley Orillia Packet and Times January 31 2012 Municipal solid waste (MSW) is comprised of materials that are compostable (40-60%), reuseable, recyclable and items which should not be manufactured in the first place. A large portion of waste can be eliminated wit...

Ontario’s Growth Plan Amendment for Simcoe County? #Fail by Claire Malcolmson and David Donnelly Huffington Post January 31 2012 There are new rules for growth in Simcoe County. On January 19 the Ontario Ministry of Infrastructure enacted Amendment #1 to the Growth Plan for the Greater Golden H...

The end of bigger, the start of better  AWARE Simcoe January 30 2012 This website has been recently drawn to our attention. It’s called postgrowth.org and offers ideas for creating global prosperity without economic growth.  Check it out....

Local councils need to hear from citizens if sprawl's to be stoppedBy Kate Harries AWARE Simcoe January 23 2012ANGUS – We face a challenge.We have reached the limits of what our planet and our environment can support if we continue with our old wasteful ways.But with imagination and good planning, Si...

By DOUGLAS GLYNN Midland Free Press January 26 2012 The long-awaited amendment to the Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe has received favourable reviews in North Simcoe. Read more ...

Duffy touts 'made in Simcoe' energy from waste plantBy Kate Harries AWARE Simcoe January 26 2012Ramara Mayor Bill Duffy is pushing for Simcoe County to have its very own incinerator. That's what Duffy says the waste sub-committee he chairs recommended after hearing presentations from Barrie, Orillia,...