‘These protests ensure the public’s genuine concerns aren’t just quietly swept under the rug,’ organizer says ahead of events happening Saturday across Ontario
Doug Ford is going to hear a lot this Saturday.
The Ontario premier is facing the Fight Ford Province-Wide Protest, set to occur in many communities throughout the province, including Barrie.
“Peaceful protests help highlight harmful policies,” said Jordan Grimbly, one of the main organizers alongside Roz St. Clair Campbell, a former Barrie resident now living in Niagara.
“Each location acts as a hub for communication among protesters,” Grimbly told Barrie Today. “There’s so much going on and it’s tough for people to keep track, so these protests make sure the public’s real concerns aren’t just quietly ignored.”
In July, for instance, Grimbly mentioned three significant issues: ongoing northern wildfires, reports of an MPP using tax money for hotel bills, and artificial intelligence (AI) data centres.
Other concerns include cuts to funding for post-secondary students, ending supervised injection sites, changes to the Freedom of Information Act, banning speed cameras and insufficient health-care funding.
“As much as we’d like our monthly protests to cover everything, we can’t overlook current events,” he noted. “It seems like every week there’s a new controversy involving Doug Ford and the PC (Progressive Conservative) Party, which naturally shapes our themes.”
Grimbly, 37 years old, shared that this movement started in January 2026 and had its first round of protests last February. So far, they haven’t experienced a provincial election campaign – although he personally supported strategic voting last time (February 2025).
“While it’s a tough conversation and people understandably don’t like being told how to vote, a coordinated approach could have at least limited Doug Ford’s power,” Grimbly explained.
The group’s largest protest turnout so far brought together over 5,000 participants across Ontario, according to him.
“But our strength comes from our partnerships,” said Grimbly who is also pursuing an acting career. “We have around 55 local organizers throughout the province working closely with local unions and environmental organizations.
“People all over are consistently sharing our content on social media which has really fueled our momentum,” he added.
This Saturday’s local protest is set for 11:30 a. m. at the corner of Mulcaster and Collier streets in downtown Barrie. There will also be another protest in Angus at Peackeeepers Park located at 12 Commerce Rd., starting at 1 p. m.
“We see participants of all ages and political beliefs,” Grimbly said. “It really shows how poorly Ford is connecting with the public because everyone has their own valid reason for protesting against the government.
“While some critics say we’re wasting time and that the government won’t listen anyway, these protests actually build community,” he added. “Together we’re much stronger.”
The Fight Ford Province-Wide Protest will also be held in Orillia at noon on Saturday at the corner of West Street and Mississaga Street West.
Barrie-Springwater-Oro-Medonte MPP Doug Downey and Barrie-Innisfil Andrea Khanjin, both part of Ford’s government couldn’t be reached for comment Thursday by Barrie Today.
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