Clean Up Barrie

—by Jen Slykhuis

Clean Up Barrie’s success story in 2025 began long before the first green shirts with bright orange letters appeared on sidewalks that spring. The organization, founded in 2020 at the height of community uncertainty and isolation, started as a simple call to action: bring neighbours together to care for the places they share. What began with a handful of volunteers picking up litter in local parks quickly grew into a recognizable movement—one rooted in pride, stewardship, and connection.

By 2023, Clean Up Barrie took a bold step forward with the launch of its employment program. The idea was both practical and deeply human: create paid, flexible work for residents facing barriers to employment, while improving the environmental health of Barrie’s neighbourhoods. Participants receive training in stewardship, waste handling, and community engagement, supported by mentors who understood the importance of dignity and second chances. The program started small, but its potential was clear from the beginning.

That potential fully bloomed in 2025.

As winter melted away, Clean Up Barrie launched small teams in bright green shirts out along trails, parks, and downtown alleyways. They moved with purpose, cleaning up litter, restoring spaces, and showing what community care looks like in action. These were the program’s participants: local residents who brought lived experience, pride, and heart to every shift.

By summer, the impact was unmistakable.

• Hotspots and residents’ concerns were cleaned up quickly
• Waterfront trails were cleaner and safer
• Neighbourhood parks—especially those outside regular municipal maintenance routes—received consistent, thoughtful care from crews who lived nearby and knew every corner personally

Jen Slykhuis, Executive Director of Clean Up Barrie, shared, “We started in 2020 with volunteers and a belief that small actions matter. By 2025, our participants showed the entire city what’s possible when people are given a chance to contribute with dignity. They didn’t just clean Barrie, they helped rebuild community pride.”

The most profound change, though, happened within the participants themselves. Many joined the program after long periods of unemployment, or personal challenges. Through steady work and the visible results of their efforts, confidence grew. One participant shared that they “just started out just trying to make money honestly as it’s been hard for me to find any full-time employment but now I find myself caring more and more about how much garbage is in this city.”

By autumn, the numbers told a compelling story: thousands of pounds of litter removed, dozens of parks revitalized, and a growing list of participants who were provided with an opportunity to gain financial stability, work experience and an opportunity to contribute to their community. Funders took notice, recognizing Clean Up Barrie’s model as a powerful blend of environmental stewardship and inclusive employment.

Clean Up Barrie began in 2020 with a simple mission: pick up litter. By 2025, it had become something much bigger—a community‑powered force for belonging, opportunity, and hope. This year they hope to match and even surpass their previous success. If you want to get involved, you can email cleanupbarrie@gmail.com or follow them on Facebook: @cleanupbarrie.