Jim Harris

• 3 times on the record
• 2 times elected

Campaign contact

• Campaign website
• votejimforward8@gmail.com
• 705-715-3008
• Facebook: Votejimforward8

In their own words

Jobs

• Attracting businesses and creating jobs closer to home is another priority.

  Source: As reported by CompassNews, Ward 8 candidates focus on growth, safety and a changing city, September 25, 2026 (paragraph 14). Read October 7, 2026. Media coverage context

• Having a diverse economy that supports a wide range of skilled and high paying jobs is important for any community.   In this competitive environment Council must ensure Barrie is ready to support entrepreneurs and businesses that represent the new economy.

  Source: votejimforward8.ca, Key Issues page, under 'Stronger Local Economy', sentences 1-2. Page. Undated; archived September 10, 2026. Official site

• This includes having industrial land available to support the growth of both existing and new business.

  Source: votejimforward8.ca, Key Issues page, under 'Stronger Local Economy', last sentence. Page. Undated; archived September 10, 2026. Official site

Transportation

• It is important that Council works proactively to  maintain our roads, utilize traffic calming tools in school zones and residential neighborhoods, provides adequate side walk access for pedestrians, bike lanes, and public transit.   I will work to ensure our streets are safer and traffic moves effectively.

  Source: votejimforward8.ca, Key Issues page, under 'Safe and Effective Traffic Management'. Page. Undated; archived September 10, 2026. Official site

• It will be important this station is integrated into the area to become an asset that makes both city-wide transit and travel to the GTA more convenient.

  Source: votejimforward8.ca, Key Issues page, under 'Allandale Transit Mobility Hub'. Page. Undated; archived September 10, 2026. Official site

Taxes

• I will make sure that our money is spent efficiently and properly, with plenty of public feedback .

  Source: votejimforward8.ca, Key Issues page, under 'Efficient Services & Quality Facilities (Your Taxes)', sentence 3. Page. Undated; archived September 10, 2026. Official site

• Everyone should expect value for their tax dollar.  One way of demonstrating this is ensuring the City provides it citizens quality facilities and efficient public services.

  Source: votejimforward8.ca, Key Issues page, under 'Efficient Services & Quality Facilities (Your Taxes)', last two sentences. Page. Undated; archived September 10, 2026. Official site

Safety & policing

• I am proud to have had a long history of working with BPS and assisting their efforts to effectively serve and improve the safety of our community. As your Councillor I look forward to putting my history of collaborating with BPS to work for Ward 8.

  Source: votejimforward8.ca, Blog post 'Community Safety', last two sentences. Page. Undated; archived September 10, 2026. Official site

Housing

• “If there is one issue that deserves continued attention from the next council, it is attainable and affordable housing,”

  Source: As quoted in CompassNews, Ward 8 candidates focus on growth, safety and a changing city, September 25, 2026 (paragraph 11). Read October 7, 2026. Media coverage

• “Not housing in the abstract, but homes that a young family starting out, a senior on a fixed income, or a worker trying to get a foothold in Barrie can afford.”

  Source: As quoted in CompassNews, Ward 8 candidates focus on growth, safety and a changing city, September 25, 2026 (paragraph 12). Read October 7, 2026. Media coverage

Infrastructure

• My goal is to match infrastructure planning and growth to that population increase in the most efficient way possible, and in a way that matches the goals of the community.

  Source: votejimforward8.ca, Key Issues page, under 'Efficient Services & Quality Facilities (Your Taxes)', sentence 5. Page. Undated; archived September 10, 2026. Official site

Speed cameras

• Traffic and road safety are also prominent concerns, including speeding, cut-through traffic and other neighbourhood safety issues.

  Source: As reported by CompassNews, Ward 8 candidates focus on growth, safety and a changing city, September 25, 2026 (paragraph 13, first sentence). Read October 7, 2026. Media coverage context

• I would advocate that Ward 8 be the first area in Barrie to pilot Speed Camera Enforcement.

  Source: votejimforward8.ca, Blog post 'Speeding in Our Neighborhoods', paragraph 2, last sentence. Page. Undated; archived September 10, 2026. Official site

  The record shows: Barrie's speed-camera program ended November 14, 2025 after a 9–2 council vote to wind it down, and the Province then banned municipal speed cameras outright. What happened to the cameras.

• I agree we can certainly benefit from more traffic calming methods - particularly speed bumps, and would support residents request for such.

  Source: votejimforward8.ca, Blog post 'Speeding in Our Neighborhoods', paragraph 2, sentence 2. Page. Undated; archived September 10, 2026. Official site

General

• “We are growing, we are building, and the decisions we make now will shape this Ward for a generation.”

  Source: As quoted in CompassNews, Ward 8 candidates focus on growth, safety and a changing city, September 25, 2026 (paragraph 5). Read October 7, 2026. Media coverage

• Priorities for the next term include increasing attainable and affordable housing, ensuring safe and effective traffic management, managing growth and infill projects, providing efficient and fiscally responsible public services and facilities, enhancing community safety and providing the conditions that attract businesses to strengthen our local job market and economy.

  Source: As quoted in BarrieToday, Ward 8 incumbent running on 'proven track record', September 12, 2026 (paragraph 9). Read October 7, 2026. Media coverage

Not yet checked for this race: social media posts.

On the City's list of council members

The terms the City of Barrie's own list of council members, 1837 to 2022, shows Jim Harris serving, with the office and any note as the City prints them, and the milestones of each council: events from the City's history and notes, dated. The full list is on Barrie's mayors and councils.

• 2018–2022 Councillor, Ward 8, as “Jim Harris” October 2019: Doug Shipley resigns from council after being elected a member of Parliament.
• 2022–2026 Councillor, Ward 8, as “Jim Harris”

Source: City of Barrie, Members of Barrie Councils, 1837 to 2022 (updated November 2022).

Boards and committees

• 2026 Affordability Committee Member, 2026; co-chair
  2 sources

  • Co-Chair, councillor seat (shown serving). Source: City of Barrie (barrie.ca committee page), Affordability Committee | City of Barrie, January 14, 2025.
  • Member, councillor seat — to November 14, 2026 (shown serving). Source: City of Barrie, Meeting minutes, February 15, 2023.
• 2019 Barrie Drug Awareness Program Committee Council representative, councillor seat — September 30, 2019 (appointment record). Source: City of Barrie, Meeting minutes, September 23, 2019.
• 2019–2022 Board of Directors of Barrie Hydro Holdings Inc. Member, councillor seat — June 17, 2019 to 2022 AGM (appointment record). Source: City of Barrie, Meeting minutes, June 10, 2019.
• 2020–2022 Downtown Barrie Business Association City appointee, 2020–2021; council representative, 2020–2022; member, 2021
  4 sources

  • City appointee, appointed, council member seat — March 9, 2020 (news report). Source: BarrieToday, Second councillor to be added to Downtown BIA board, March 10, 2020.
  • Council representative, councillor seat — March 30, 2020 to November 14, 2022 (appointment record). Source: City of Barrie, Meeting minutes, March 30, 2020.
  • City appointee, council member seat — April 26, 2021 (news report). Source: BarrieToday, Hamilton resigns from Downtown Barrie BIA, April 26, 2021.
  • Member, council member seat — November 1, 2021 (shown serving). Source: Downtown Barrie Business Association (BIA), Downtown Barrie BIA 2020 Annual General Meeting Minutes (draft; meeting held November 1, 2021), November 1, 2021.
• 2026 Executive Committee Member, 2026
  2 sources

  • Member, councillor seat (shown serving). Source: City of Barrie (barrie.ca committee page), Executive Committee | City of Barrie, August 29, 2025.
  • Member, councillor seat — to November 14, 2026 (shown serving). Source: City of Barrie, Meeting minutes, February 26, 2025.
• 2019–2022 Finance and Corporate Services Committee Member, 2019–2022
  3 sources

  • Member, councillor seat — January 2019 to November 15, 2022 (shown serving). Source: City of Barrie (barrie.ca committee page), Finance & Corporate Services Committee, August 20, 2019.
  • Member, councillor seat — to November 15, 2022 (shown serving). Source: City of Barrie, Meeting minutes, February 5, 2019.
  • Member, councillor seat — to November 15, 2022 (shown serving). Source: City of Barrie (barrie.ca committee page), Finance & Corporate Services Committee, September 28, 2022.
• International Relations Committee Co-Chair, councillor seat (shown serving). Source: City of Barrie (barrie.ca committee page), International Relations Committee | City of Barrie, May 17, 2025.
• Order of the Spirit Catcher Committee Council representative, councillor seat (shown serving). Source: City of Barrie (barrie.ca committee page), Order of the Spirit Catcher Committee | City of Barrie, April 16, 2025.
• Performing Arts Centre Chair, councillor seat (shown serving). Source: City of Barrie (barrie.ca committee page), Performing Arts Centre Task Force, September 16, 2021.
• 2024 Youth Council Chair, 2024
  2 sources

  • Chair, councillor seat — June 4, 2024 (appointment record). Source: City of Barrie, Meeting minutes, May 29, 2024.
  • Chair, councillor seat — June 4, 2024 (appointment record). Source: City of Barrie (eScribe minutes), Youth Council 7/8/2024 4:00:00 PM — Minutes, July 8, 2024.

Electoral record

In full

Each contest Jim Harris was part of, with the whole field, because a result only means something next to what it was up against.

2022: Ward 8 councillor

2018: Ward 8 councillor

Expenses

What Jim Harris's disclosed spending went to, from the public record, reclassified into the same spending-type buckets on both sides — see council expenses and campaign finance for how every member and candidate compares.

2016–2018: 2018, $0 in council expenses and $0 in corporate expenses, from the City's remuneration statement, which itemizes nothing (full record).

Coverage

• October 5, 2026 Barrie Election profile Bayshore Broadcasting
• September 25, 2026 Ward 8 candidates focus on growth, safety and a changing city CompassNews · By Stephen J. Donkers
• September 12, 2026 Ward 8 incumbent running on 'proven track record' BarrieToday · Written by the candidate, Jim Harris
• August 21, 2026 Four-person race for Barrie mayor shaping up for October's city election BarrieToday
• August 15, 2026 Fourth candidate for Barrie mayor emerges BarrieToday · By Bob Bruton
• August 11, 2026 Race for Barrie mayor has one more candidate signed up BarrieToday · By Bob Bruton
• August 4, 2026 Municipal Election 2026: Here’s the unofficial list of candidates in Barrie and Simcoe County Simcoe.com · By John Edwards
• July 28, 2026 Multiple Barrie wards remain unchallenged as nomination deadline nears BarrieToday · By Bob Bruton

Recorded council votes

Every recorded vote in the council minutes that names Jim Harris, from the City's own meeting records. Recorded votes are the exception, not the rule — read the note under the table before reading anything into the count.

Meeting attendance

How often the City's minutes list Jim Harris as present, by body and council term. Only meetings whose minutes print an attendance list count, and only those listing Jim Harris as a member: present, absent or excused. A member who arrived late or left early is counted present, as the minutes count them.