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Urban Forester
Temporary Full-Time
- Barrie, Ontario
Posting Number: TC-25-40
Job Type: Temporary Full-time, Up to 2 Years, Union
Salary Range: $78,915.20 to $94,577.60 per year
Posted: Monday, November 17, 2025
Application Deadline: Monday, December 1, 2025 at 11:59 pm
The Opportunity
The Operations Department is comprised of three Branches: Administration, Parks and Forestry Operations, and Roads, Fleet and Technical Operations. Key responsibilities include the operation and maintenance of the City’s public works infrastructure and systems including roadways; rail; winter maintenance; parks and green spaces, including forestry; and maintenance of the corporation’s fleet of vehicles and equipment. The Parks and Forestry Branch is responsible for the management, maintenance, and ongoing care of over 3,100 acres of waterfront, parkland and open space including 127 parks and 145 kilometers of trails. Services include horticulture displays and maintenance, turf management, shoreline maintenance, maintenance of parks amenities such as playgrounds, play courts, picnic shelters, and spray pads, waste collection, landscape construction, the City's outdoor rink program, greenhouse operations, trail maintenance, and winter snow removal operations.
Under the general guidance and direction of the Supervisor of Urban Forestry and Natural Areas Stewardship, the Urban Forester position is responsible for providing professional recommendations and guidance on the maintenance, protection, and environmental stewardship of the City of Barrie's trees and urban forests on both private and public land. Specifically, this position is responsible for designing tree planting plans, creating pest and infestation identification strategies, analyzing tree data and recommending management strategies. This position ensures forest management plans comply with municipal by-laws and provincial legislation concerning tree protection and conservation. Lastly, this position responds to the public on tree related complaints and inquiries and leads environmental stewardship programs that encourage public involvement in tree conservation initiatives. Overall, this position plays an integral role in maintaining, preserving, and enhancing the City of Barrie's trees and urban forests to ensure the City of Barrie maintains a safe, clean, and suitable environment for its residents and visitors.
Our Culture and Qualifications of the Job
Corporate Culture: Your workplace values align with our corporate values of Strive, Share and Care and you want to join us in providing exceptional services and programs to build a prosperous, growing and sustainable community.
Equally important to what we do is how we do it - your actions reflect our core accountabilities of Personal Awareness, Teamwork and Collaboration, Respect and Inclusion, Innovation, and Service Excellence, which define how we work together to succeed.
Education (degree/diploma/certifications)
- Four (4) year University Degree or Master's Degree in Forestry, Urban Forestry, Forest Management or a related discipline
- Eligibility for and working towards Registered Professional Forester designation from the Ontario Professional Foresters Association
- Ontario Pesticide Exterminator Land License (landscape and/or forestry), acquired within one (1) year
- Tree Risk Assessment Qualification with the International Society of Arboriculture or equivalent, acquired within one (1) year
Don’t meet the education credentials as outlined above but have years of directly related experience? Please see the City’s Education Equivalency Policy to determine if you may qualify for equivalency. Further information is available at www.barrie.ca/JobOpps.
- Position Equivalency Code: D
Experience
- Two (2) years of experience performing duties related to the major responsibilities of the position
Knowledge/Skill/Ability
- General knowledge of Municipal Government administration, services and programs
- Working knowledge of the following legislation, regulations, or requirements: Ontario Forestry Act, Ontario Municipal Act, Ontario Municipal Tree By-laws, Conservation Authority Regulations, Ontario
Pesticide Act, Occupational Health and Safety Act, Ontario Traffic Manual (Book 7) - Working knowledge of the following principles and standards: urban forestry operations; tree planting design and silvicultural practices; tree inventory update and maintenance procedures; dendrology
principles, including tree identification and classification; field sampling techniques and analysis; plant health care and integrated pest management principles and practices; plant community and
conservation management; natural area/forest restoration design and implementation - Demonstrated ability to:
- enter, transcribe, record, store and/or maintain information in written or electronic form
- exert effort to lift, push, pull, or carry objects for short periods of time
- conduct inspections and tests to assess and evaluate quality or performance
- read and interpret plans, maps, and infrastructure drawings, specifications and details
- analyze problems, generate solutions and create recommendations and reports to support implementation of recommendations
- interact effectively and courteously with all levels of staff and contacts in a political and community/client service environment
- develop, promote and maintain relationships with internal and external stakeholders
- work collaboratively in a group setting to achieve desired objectives, goals, and/or outcomes
- maintain a high standard of public relations at all times
- perform in a manner which is consistent with corporate goals, vision, mission, and values
- Intermediate skills include: Customer Service; Interpersonal; Multitasking; Organizational; Prioritization; Time Management; Verbal Communication
- Basic computer literacy using ArcGIS and GPS data collection systems and software
- Intermediate computer literacy using the following systems and software: Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, Outlook), Tree Inventory and Maintenance Systems, GPS, Cityworks, Parklane, Automatic Vehicle Locator, and forestry related software
- Availability to work outside of scheduled work hours to perform standby, overtime, or emergency response duties
- Availability to work evenings, weekends, or holidays
Conditions of Employment
- Valid Ontario Class “G” Driver’s Licence in good standing
- Eligibility for and working towards obtaining full membership in Ontario Professional Foresters Association within six (6) months of hire
- Satisfactory Criminal Record Check*
*Please note that this is a requirement for any new employees to the City of Barrie in accordance with the Police Record Check Policy. Existing employees who have met this criteria will be exempt from this requirement.
Other Important Information
Location: Operations Centre, 165 Ferndale Drive North, Barrie, Ontario
Hours: The normal hours of work are 40 hours per week in accordance with the Collective Agreement
Wage: This position is within the CUPE Local 2380 Bargaining Unit with the following pay level and 2025 pay range:
- Pay Level: Level 7
- Yearly Salary: $78,915.20 to $94,577.60
- Hourly Pay Rate: $37.94 to $45.47
What We Offer: This position includes extended health and dental benefits, optional enrollment in the OMERS Primary pension plan, prorated paid sick time based on the expected duration of employment, and prorated vacation time based on calendar year and in accordance with the Employment Standards Act, access to the Employee and Family Assistance Program (EFAP), discounted rates for City Fitness Memberships and Transit Passes, and access to the Perkopolis Perks program, which provides exclusive access to discounts on a wide range of products and services available to all City employees.
How to Apply: Click the ‘Apply Now’ button at the top and/or bottom of the job posting to start the application process. Please note that emailed applications will not be considered.
Why Barrie?
The City of Barrie is a vibrant, progressive, and growing community with deep connections to our heritage, to nature and to the opportunities surrounding us.
Our community values quality of life; the ability to play year-round with 300 hectares of park space, our beautiful waterfront, our lively downtown core and the nearby hills, wetlands, and forests. We also value connections; to our neighbours and the community, to our road and rail network, and to the opportunity Barrie provides to enjoy life.
Everything Barrie has to offer, from the water we drink to the roads we travel on, has one thing in common - municipal workers. Joining a municipality is one of the most rewarding, engaging, and exciting careers you could choose. It is a career you can take pride in knowing that every day you make a positive impact on an entire community. We are one team, with one goal and we all work together to continue making our community great.
The City of Barrie is an equal opportunity employer, dedicated to creating a workplace culture of inclusiveness and welcomes applications from qualified individuals of diverse backgrounds. We are committed to providing barrier-free and accessible employment practices and we will accommodate the needs of applicants under the Ontario Human Rights Code and the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) throughout all stages of the recruitment and selection process. If contacted for an employment opportunity, please advise if you require Code-protected accommodation and we will work with you to meet your needs.
The job posting has been designed to indicate the general nature and essential duties and responsibilities of work performed by employees within this position. It may not contain a comprehensive inventory of all duties and responsibilities required of employees to do this job. For full position details, please request a copy of the job description by emailing HR.Recruitment@Barrie.ca.