City of Barrie representative

Councillor Gary Harvey
City of Barrie - Ward 7

Gary Harvey was acclaimed as Ward 7 Councillor in the 2022 Municipal Election. He is currently serving his second term as Ward 7 Councillor. Read Full Bio >

Board of directors

Shakir Barmare
President of the Barrie Indian Association and Managing Director of Beyond Giving

Shakir has a proven record of creating impactful community, cultural, and charity events that elevate Barrie’s tourism profile. A proud Georgian College Business graduate (Class of 2010), Shakir is a passionate community leader dedicated to inclusivity, collaboration, and social harmony. He is the recipient of the Community Champion Award (2018) from Simcoe County and the recent Changemaker Award from Georgian College.  Read Full Bio >

Steve Fontaine
General Manager of Barrie Minor Hockey Association

Steve has served as the General Manager of the Barrie Minor Hockey Association (BMHA) since June 2021, leading one of the city of Barrie’s largest and most active sports organizations. Under his leadership, the BMHA has significantly expanded its role in local sport tourism. In 2024 alone, the association hosted three major hockey tournaments in Barrie, attracting 9,891 attendees and generating an economic impact of over $4.75 million.  Read Full Bio >

Todd Jenereaux
Executive Vice President of Burl's Creek Event Grounds, Republic Live and Boots and Hearts Limited Partnership

Todd is a CPA, CA, who has spent much of his career in management, finance and business development.  Since 2014, Todd has been Executive Vice President of Burl's Creek Event Grounds, Republic Live and Boots and Hearts Limited Partnership, who collectively have produced diverse events, including Boots and Hearts, Big Sky, WayHome, and Canada Rocks with the Rolling Stones, among others. Todd believes in the power of large-scale events for their economic, cultural and experiential benefits to supplement the continued growth of tourism in Barrie and throughout Simcoe County. Read Full Bio >

Mary Lewis
General Manager of the Holiday Inn Express & Suites Barrie

Mary was elected to Tourism Barrie's Board of Directors from 2008 to 2013 and again from 2014 to 2017. During that time, she held the position of Treasurer on the Executive Committee. Mary is a graduate of Conestoga College's Business Management Program.  She brings over 25 years of knowledge and experience in the Hotel & Hospitality Industry to advise Tourism Barrie in furthering tourism and building Barrie into a travel destination. Read Full Bio >

Candice Moreau
Manager of Marketing and Visitor Services, Huronia Historical Parks, Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport

Candice Moreau is an experienced communication, issues management, marketing, and cultural relations executive with over 13 years of experience in the tourism industry. She has led proven project management strategies at the municipal, provincial, and national levels and has expertise in innovative communication strategies, product development, and stakeholder partnership coordination. Candice has an in-depth knowledge of provincial processes and communication guidelines through her current position. Read Full Bio >

Jonathan Palmer
Marketing Director and IT Manager at Snow Valley Ski Resort

With over 16 years in this role, Jonathan has led the development of high-impact marketing campaigns and overseen the resort’s digital infrastructure, helping to grow visitation and community engagement year-round.

Jonathan was first elected to Tourism Barrie’s Board of Directors in 2010, serving through 2016 and contributing as a member of the Executive Committee from 2013 to 2015. He was reappointed to the board in 2023 and currently serves as President, guiding the organization’s strategic direction and stakeholder engagement. Read Full Bio >

Jim Payetta
The HorsePower Sports & Entertainment Group Inc. OHL Barrie Colts, HP Sports Bar & Grill

Jim Payetta is an entrepreneur and business executive with over thirty-five years of experience in the advertising and marketing industry, media industry, entertainment and sports industries, and the investment industry. Jim attended North Texas State University in Denton, Texas studying music and music composition. Jim has won numerous national and international awards for creative excellence in advertising and is the past President of the Canadian Association of Professional Advertising Agencies. Read Full Bio >

Arkady Spivak
Producer and CEO of Talk Is Free Theatre

Arkady Spivak, Producer and CEO of Talk Is Free Theatre. Arkady Spivak was recently cited as a 2020 Canadian Arts Hero by the Globe and Mail. He founded Talk Is Free Theatre in 2003, which tackles the cross-section of repertoire, in traditional and immersive mediums. Since TIFT's founding, Spivak produced 145 works in Barrie, Canada, and toured nationally and internationally. TIFT won the prestigious Dora Awards for its productions of Sweeney Todd and Assassins. Read Full Bio >

Vanessa Stevenson
General Manager of the Hampton Inn and Suites By Hilton Barrie

Bringing over 30 years of experience in the hospitality industry, Vanessa recently relocated from the Waterloo Region, where she served as General Manager of the Homewood Suites by Hilton Cambridge/Waterloo for 15 years.

During her time in Waterloo, Vanessa was an active leader on the board of directors with Explore Waterloo Region (EWR), serving as a member, chair, and past chair over nearly 12 years. She played a key role in transforming EWR from a Destination Marketing Organization (DMO) to a Destination Marketing and Management Organization (DMMO), helped introduce the Municipal Accommodation Tax (MAT), and was instrumental in establishing the Sport Hosting Office (SHO), advancing sport tourism in the region.  Read Full Bio >

Mike Valin
Retired/Owner Happy Paddling

Mike is the retired owner/operator of Happy Paddling.  Mike operated Happy Paddling on Centennial Beach from 2013 until his retirement in the fall of 2022.  As well as his tourism experience, Mike has over 25 years of Facilities Management experience with a Municipal Government.  Mike looks forward to assisting Tourism Barrie in their continued efforts to highlight Barrie as a tourism destination. Read Full Bio >

John Webb
Co-Owner of Creative Café - Barrie's Paint Your Own Pottery & Art Studio

John, his wife, Lynne and four children live and own a business in Barrie and feel that Barrie is truly unique. John is a graduate of Georgian College, and varied work successes, he brings a different view and creative solutions to help Tourism Barrie continue to do the important work they do. "Barrie is at a special time in its history and growth right now; I could not think of a better place to be, a better place to raise my family." Read Full Bio >