Barrie is mourning the death of Janice Laking, the former mayor whose steady and outspoken leadership helped guide the Ontario city through a period of rapid growth and change.
Laking, who served as Barrie’s mayor from 1988 until 2000, has died at the age of 97, according to local reporting and tributes shared by former colleagues.
Her public life stretched across generations. Before becoming mayor, she worked in education, served on city council and became a familiar voice in local affairs. Even after leaving elected office, she continued supporting organizations and causes that shaped the life of Barrie.
For residents who remember the city’s growth during the late 1980s and 1990s, Laking’s name remains closely tied to major civic decisions, direct political leadership and a determination to make Barrie a stronger place to live.
Janice Laking’s Years as Barrie Mayor
Janice Ruth Laking became mayor in 1988 after serving as a Barrie alderman, the title then used for city councillors.
She remained mayor for 12 years, making her one of the city’s longest-serving leaders. The City of Barrie’s historical council listing confirms that she held the mayor’s office from 1988 through 2000.
Those years brought major population growth, new development and difficult decisions about transportation, public infrastructure and the future direction of the city.
Former colleagues have remembered Laking as a leader who was practical, direct and unafraid to make her position clear.
She was known for asking hard questions, pushing for answers and speaking plainly when she believed Barrie residents needed honesty rather than political reassurance.
That approach could be demanding, but people who worked with her also described a leader who cared deeply about the community and the people within it.
A Career That Began in Education
Before city hall became the centre of her public life, Laking spent many years as an educator.
She taught and coached at Barrie North Collegiate, building connections with young people and families long before she entered the mayor’s office.
Her background in education gave her a practical understanding of how civic decisions affect ordinary residents. Schools, families, neighbourhoods and young people were not abstract topics to her. They were part of the community she had known throughout her life.
That local connection remained important as she moved into politics.
Laking was first elected to Barrie City Council in 1972. Her early service on council gave her experience with municipal government before she successfully sought the mayoralty in 1988.
Leading Barrie Through Rapid Growth
Barrie experienced major growth during Laking’s tenure.
Growth can bring opportunity, but it also creates pressure on roads, housing, services, public spaces and municipal budgets. Laking led the city while those questions were becoming increasingly important.
She was often associated with efforts to protect Barrie’s transportation future, including the preservation of a former Canadian National rail corridor toward Bradford.
The rail line had been at risk of removal. The city’s involvement in preserving the corridor later became significant to GO Transit rail service between Barrie and Toronto.
That decision remains one of the most tangible examples of how municipal planning can shape a city long after an elected official has left office.
Laking also supported projects connected to the redevelopment of the former Royal Victoria Hospital property, the MacLaren Art Centre, public-safety facilities and the downtown Barrie Public Library.
Her work was not limited to one building, road or project. It reflected a broader view that a growing city needed transportation options, cultural institutions, public services and spaces where residents could build a life.
A Leader With Strong Convictions
Tributes following Laking’s death have reflected on both her public record and her personality.
Former councillors described her as strong-minded but compassionate. She could be forceful in a debate while remaining attentive to the people affected by a decision.
That balance is often difficult in public office. Municipal leaders must manage budgets, services and competing interests while remaining accessible to residents.
Laking’s style was not built around avoiding difficult conversations. She was known for saying what she believed, even when it was not the easiest message to deliver.
Former councillor Barry Ward said she would be remembered for guiding Barrie during a time of tremendous growth and for her dedication to making the city better.
Those who served alongside her have also remembered a leader who did not lose sight of the human side of civic work.
Her Service Continued Beyond City Hall
Laking’s involvement in community life did not end when her mayoral term concluded.
She remained connected to local causes, including the MacLaren Art Centre, the YMCA and initiatives that celebrated Barrie’s history.
A gallery at the MacLaren Art Centre carries her name, reflecting her support for arts and culture in the city.
She also supported the Sir Robert Barrie Project, which helped honour the naval officer after whom Barrie is named. Her involvement in that project showed the importance she placed on preserving local history and civic identity.
In later years, she continued encouraging women to take part in public life.
Laking understood that women in politics were often judged differently from men and could face resistance when they spoke with authority. Her own career became an example for women considering municipal leadership, school-board service, advocacy and other public roles.
Janice Laking’s Family Connection to Barrie
Public service was part of Laking’s family history.
Her father, Duncan Fletcher McCuaig, served as Barrie’s mayor before becoming the Member of Parliament for Simcoe North.
Laking built her own path, however, through education, municipal politics and decades of community involvement.
Her legacy is not simply that she held office. It is that she spent much of her life connected to Barrie in different ways: as a teacher, coach, alderman, mayor, advocate and supporter of local institutions.
She saw the city grow from a smaller Ontario community into a major regional centre and helped influence many of the decisions that shaped that transformation.
Funeral and Memorial Information
Funeral, visitation and public memorial details for Janice Laking had not been publicly announced at the time of publication.
Her family, representatives or a funeral home may share arrangements at a later date.
Residents wishing to honour her memory may also choose to support organizations that reflected her lifelong interests, including local arts, education, youth programs and community services.
Until formal arrangements are announced, the many personal stories being shared by former colleagues, residents and community groups offer a powerful picture of the life she lived.
Remembering Janice Laking
Janice Laking’s death marks the passing of a major figure in Barrie’s civic history.
She was a teacher before she was a mayor. She was a public servant before she became a political figure. And she remained connected to the city long after leaving office.
Her years of leadership included moments of disagreement, difficult choices and ambitious planning. Yet they also left a lasting record of commitment to Barrie’s future.
For many residents, Laking will be remembered as the mayor who helped lead the city through a defining era.
For others, she will be remembered as a teacher, mentor, friend or community advocate.
Her public-service legacy will continue in the institutions she supported, the transportation corridor she helped preserve and the generations of Barrie residents who benefited from a city shaped during her years of leadership.
Disclaimer
This article is based on local reporting and public historical records. Janice Laking’s reported age at death is 97. Her cause of death, exact date of death and funeral arrangements had not been publicly disclosed at the time of publication. No medical information or private family details should be assumed without confirmation from her family or an authorised representative.