The Health & Life Sciences sector in Barrie is an emerging sector at the forefront of innovation, driving advancements that impact lives globally. The vibrant community of researchers, healthcare professionals, and industry leaders in Barrie are dedicated to pushing boundaries and improving healthcare outcomes.
From cutting-edge research institutions to world-class healthcare facilities, Barrie offers a dynamic ecosystem that fosters both collaboration and growth. Our goal is to continue to support the sector as local industry builds and shapes the future of healthcare delivery and life sciences here in Barrie.
Read about Barrie's growing role as a leader in the health & life sciences space in the Perspective article, Barrie's Health & Life Sciences Boom: A Rising Industry Hub.
Quick Facts
Source: OMAFRA Lightcast (2024.3)
Medical equipment and supplies manufacturing in Barrie exported $242M (2022)
Barrie’s medical equipment and supplies manufacturing accounts for 597 jobs (550% above the national average)
Medical equipment and supplies manufacturing jobs in Barrie increased by 22.6% between 2019 and 2024
$56,597 average wages per worker in medical equipment and supplies manufacturing (2023)
Health care and social assistance accounted for 15,655 jobs in 2024
Health care and social assistance increased by 25.4% between 2019 and 2024 (national average +12.8%)
8.6% increase in employment concentration between 2019 and 2024
$52,734 average wages per worker in health care and social assistance (2023)
Health & Life Science Cluster
The City of Barrie and the surrounding region is home to a robust health and life science cluster including global medical device and equipment manufacturers, research and medical laboratories, and digital health solutions. At the core of this cluster are companies that have long specialized in medical manufacturing and technologies, such as Southmedic, Environmental Systems Corporation, MediPharm Labs and Tollos.
Innovation Ecosystem
The local and regional innovation ecosystem includes a well-developed network of healthcare institutions, academic partners, dedicated government stakeholders, and business innovation service providers. These organizations provide crucial support to growing the regional sector and driving innovation to market.
Highly Skilled Talent Pipeline
Barrie hosts leading education programs developed in partnership with industry to fuel growth in this sector. Applied graduate, post-graduate, and professional development programs are offered through Georgian College and Lakehead University, as well as through the Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre’s partnerships with the University of Toronto and York University.
Local Successes
Barrie is seeing growth with technology-enabled innovations in the health and life sciences sector, in addition to innovative approaches to traditional healthcare diagnosis and treatment. Local industry-academic partnerships and innovators from across the region are being recognized.
Key Partners
Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre
Barrie is home to the Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre (RVH); the largest health centre in North Simcoe Muskoka. The state-of-the-art facility serves residents with a full suite of health care services including cancer care, heart, renal, and child and youth programs.
RVH has some the most advanced medical technology and services in the region with the only interventional radiology suites for minimally invasive surgeries, vascular services, advanced stroke care, and dedicated child and youth mental health beds.
RVH’s Family Medicine Residency Program, operated in affiliation with the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Medicine, is an innovate strategy to attract and retain family physicians in our growing region. Statistics show that up to half of residents stay in the community in which they train. By providing valuable practical experience and community-based medical training right here in Barrie, the program aims to encourage participants to establish their practices in the City upon completion of their medical training.
The RVH Research Institute seeks to advance applied health research through a centralized, comprehensive suite of support services. The RVH Research Institute strives to promote a culture of inquiry and innovation by helping local investigators and community partners ask questions and advance knowledge, thereby transforming patient care.
Georgian College Sadlon Centre for Health, Wellness and Sciences
Government funding and the generosity of donors helped in making a nearly $3-million investment in world-class technology possible at Georgian’s Sadlon Centre for Health, Wellness and Sciences, further strengthening the college’s reputation of offering an unrivaled student experience.
Georgian has transformed 15,000 square feet of space to include a brand new, state-of-the-art simulation environment that is the only one of its kind in an Ontario post-secondary education institution. In the simulator, all surfaces in the space respond to touch, and the sounds, smells, and props in the simulation provide a powerful learning experience. The room is equipped with 360-degree cameras to enable the customization of virtual-reality spaces without the use of a headset, thereby placing participants in their exact working environment to help them prepare for the workforce, with all the equipment in the learning spaces matching what is used in local hospitals.
In addition to being home to the world’s most advanced interdisciplinary patient simulator, Georgian offers its Health, Wellness and Sciences students access to more than 10 renovated labs and learning spaces to learn and advance their skills.
