Barrie Mayor Alex Nuttall has been teasing Thursday afternoon's announcement for a week on his social media channels and today he confirmed a partnership between the City and Lakehead University to deliver a STEM Hub to downtown beginning in fall 2026.
“Partnering with Lakehead University to deliver a STEM Hub in downtown Barrie is another example of Barrie’s downtown attracting both private and public sector investment,” said Mayor Nuttall. “Building on the recent expansion of Georgian College, Barrie’s downtown is primed to become a hub for higher education and innovation, allowing Barrie youth to stay in Barrie for diplomas and degrees. Our downtown is already a centre where residents, businesses, and visitors come together to live, work, shop, and play—and soon, to learn.”
Craig Nixon, councillor for Ward 2 which includes the downtown, welcomed the news.
“This area is quickly turning into a “learning” district and will add greatly to the revitalization of the downtown core.”
The programing will focus on Engineering and Computer science to start, with opportunities for further growth over time.
The hub will be located on the lower level of what is now the Barrie Bus Terminal at 24 Maple Avenue.
“Lakehead University is proud to work with the City of Barrie to establish a STEM Hub to increase access to life-changing, university-level education that will prepare students for in-demand, well-paying jobs,” said Dr. Gillian Siddall, President and Vice-Chancellor of Lakehead University.
Lakehead established a partnership with Georgian College in 2016, and since then, according to the Georgian College website, has expanded direct pathways from diplomas to degrees in academic areas such as computer science, criminology, applied life sciences, kinesiology, and outdoor recreation, parks and tourism.
Lakehead's main base of operations is in Thunder Bay, but has had a campus in Orillia since 2016.
