January

Barrie girl receives unexpected support after losing wallet

A 12-year-old girl is looking to pay it forward after an outpouring of support from across the country.
Harper Fox had been saving up her birthday and Christmas money with the hope of redesigning her bedroom. But when she checked her pocket on Boxing Day, her wallet containing $300 worth of gift cards was gone.
Harper's mother posted a plea on Facebook, asking people to keep an eye out for the wallet, but what they received in return was unexpected.
Strangers from Barrie, North Bay, and across the country were eager to help.

February

14-year-old charged with first-degree murder

A 14-year-old boy faces criminal charges in the death of a 15-year-old in Barrie.
Police say the accused was arrested 15-minutes after they received the call. Officers found the young victim with critical injuries in the city's southwest end. He was pronounced dead in the hospital.
The suspect and victim were both believed to have lived in foster care; no family appeared in court for either boy.
The teen is scheduled to appear in court in March.

March

Two boys die in snowmobile accident

Two boys, 11 and 15, were laid to rest after a tragic snowmobiling accident on Lake Muskoka after spending the day on their sleds with their families while celebrating a birthday.
Three snowmobiles went into the frigid water when the ice beneath gave way.
Five went into the water, only three escaped.
The family says the two victims were cousins, but bonded so tightly, acted more like brothers.

April

Armed forces in Bracebridge to help battle rising floodwaters

Ongoing flooding raged in Ontario's cottage country for weeks, prompting several towns to declare a state of emergency.
Members of the Canadian Armed Forces arrived to help with the sandbagging efforts.
Bracebridge's mayor said the town was dealing with flooding of historic proportions with both higher water levels and more homes and residents affected than during the devastating flooding in 2013.

May

Cottagers arrive to assess damage from historic flooding

Cottagers arrived in Bracebridge to find their property damaged from weeks of flooding.
Add to the cleanup, the backbreaking job of hauling away hundreds of heavy, water-soaked sandbags.
Residents found docks floating away and homes filled with water.

June

Rolling Stones rock Burl's Creek

Legendary rock band, the Rolling Stones, started things up in Burl's Creek for the only Canadian stop on their No Filter tour.
Thousands of Stones fans packed into the Oro-Medonte event that nearly wasn't. The highly anticipated concert was postponed after a health issue with the band's lead singer, but in the end, it was a go, much to concertgoers delight.

July

Social media outrage over caged cat

Tempers on social media flared when video surfaced of a cat trapped outside in a cage on a hot summer day.
The owner claimed the cat was trapped and driven away, only to be released along Highway 90 in Springwater, a few kilometres away.
Hundreds of people lashed out on Facebook, enraged for the cat and its owner. Several tried to locate the feline.
One month later, the cat was reunited with its relieved family.

August

Rising waters raise concerns in Wasaga Beach

The high water in Wasaga Beach washed out a popular shoreline and caused damage to the storefronts.
The town spent thousands on clean up after Beach Drive flooded, only to have it happen again.
The rising water also raised concerns among residents and business owners who said it was affecting their bottom line.
The town doesn't plan to clean up the popular tourist area until the spring.

September

Jayne says goodbye, for a little while

CTV's long-time personality, Jayne Pritchard, said goodbye to viewers for a second time.
Jayne has taken time off to deal with her breast cancer diagnosis and subsequent surgeries and recovery time.
Jayne is doing very well, and this time off is part of her recovery process.
She will return to our newsroom and your living rooms in the coming months.

October

Bystanders help rescue OPP officer from flipped cruiser after collision

Bystanders rush to help an OPP officer trapped in his cruiser that overturned when it collided with another vehicle in Midland.
The officer and another driver suffered only minor injuries.
The officer was later charged with failing to stop at a red light.

November

$7M award upheld for Barrie girl disabled after jumping from moving bus

Ontario's top court ruled that a bus company would be on the hook for a $7 million award to a Barrie girl who suffered a brain injury after jumping from a moving bus in 2011.
Sarah Little was just 13 when she jumped from the rear exit of the bus in an informal last day of school tradition. She smashed her head on the sidewalk and is not able to care for herself and will likely never live or work independently.
The bus company was accused of failing to stop the dangerous ritual.

December

'I grabbed him and started screaming!' Barrie family's terrifying emergency in Punta Cana

A Barrie family experiences a frightening ordeal when their toddler suffers a medical emergency while on vacation in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic.
The child's mom and dad said the resort they stayed at had a deal with the clinic they were taken to, 30 minutes away, for treatment.
Darren Burley and his wife, Amy, said they were enraged that the resort staff put their child's health second to what Burley called 'a scam' and simply put, "trying to rack up a bill."
The couple set out to warn other families after the experience. Their two-year-old has since been given a clean bill of health.