City: Barrie

Country: Canada

Time of becoming sister city of Taizhou: June, 2006

Overview: Barrie, located in Ontario, Canada, has a strategic location, only 90 kilometers away from Toronto, Canada's largest city. With an ares of 77.39 square kilometers, Barrie has a population of 146,000. Barrie's industrial structure is based on information and computer software development, auto parts, machine tools, robotics, retail, new materials and medicine and healthcare. It is a strategic site for information, communication, technology and data security. Barrie's sewage treatment plant is highly modernized, with a daily processing capacity of 50,000 tons. Barrie has 2 industrial parks and more than 130 manufacturing companies. As a fast-growing industrial city, education, culture, health and other fields in Barrie have also maintained an astonishing rate of development. It has 42 elementary schools, 11 high schools and 1 university. George Institute of Applied Technology, with excellent teaching facilities, offers more than 50 majors such as commercial design, visual technology, engineering technology, environment and tourism. It can offer associate's degree, bachelor's degree and graduate programs. Royal Victoria Regional Medical Centre is a state-of-the-art regional hospital with excellent medical facilities in partnership with Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto. As a tourist destination, many major festivals are held every year in Barrie.