Construction is now underway at Sky Towers, a multi-phase, master-planned apartment development which will ultimately bring 928 rental apartment suites to Barrie.

Phase 1 of the project will comprise two high-rise buildings: Tower A at 25 storeys and Tower B at 27 storeys, slated for completion in 2027. This first phase will bring 541 new rental apartment suites to the city, including 32 affordable housing units.

Future phases will see a third tower at 29 storeys built, as well as a nine-storey building. These will provide an additional 387 suites.

Developers SkyDev held a groundbreaking ceremony on November 15 to celebrate the construction kick-off

“Our communities are growing, and having projects like the new Sky Towers project reflects the need for urban density along our growth corridors,” said Barrie-Springwater-Oro-Medonte MPP Doug Downey. “Having strong partnerships between municipal and provincial governments will help us to achieve and exceed the housing targets set to meet the needs of our growing population.”

Barrie Mayor Alex Nuttall spoke to the $6.7 million in government funding allocated to building 32 affordable apartments within the project – a portion of the total $10 million invested across six new developments in the city.

“We are proud to be at the forefront of the cities and communities taking decisive action to get new homes built quickly as demand continues to rise,” he said. “The Sky Towers development is fully aligned with our housing strategy. We look forward to seeing it take shape, enabling more people to enjoy living and working in our city.”

Barrie is experiencing tremendous demand for rental housing. It is the 10th fastest growing city in Canada. Its population is expected to more than double, reaching 298,000 by 2051.

“With Barrie’s vacancy rate of just 2.7% in 2023 and a current total rental market of just over 4,000 suites, this investment is a big step forward in attracting more residents and workers to the area,” said Skyline Co-Founder & CEO Jason Castellan.

In addition to Sky Towers in Barrie, Skyline is developing new rental housing in 10 additional communities, with over 600 apartments completed, 1,100 under construction, and 3,000 more in the pipeline.