New Lakehead STEM Hub Will Create Incredible Opportunities
"Young people need hope—the belief that they can stake out a great life for themselves," says City of Barrie Mayor Alex Nuttall.
That's why he and the Barrie City Council are taking action to ensure that young people in the region have fulfilling careers.
They've forged a transformative alliance with Lakehead to open a STEM Hub aimed at strengthening the socioeconomic fabric of the city and its surrounding region.
"This partnership supports our long sought-after goals of offering university degrees in Barrie and making our city an entrepreneurship and innovation powerhouse," Mayor Nuttall says.
"There are many Barrie residents who find it hard, or impossible, to afford an out-of-town university, so we stepped up," he adds.
"Sometimes you have to do things outside of your lane to land you where you want to be. Soon, our citizens will be able to access a university education just by hopping on a city bus."
Mayor Nuttall has been one the strongest advocates of the Lakehead University Barrie STEM Hub.
Barrie Makes a Bold Move
This life-changing initiative has unfolded with lightning speed.
In December 2024, the Barrie City Council unanimously voted to move forward with investing $9.9 million to establish the Lakehead University Barrie STEM Hub.
"Bringing businesses, education, and the city together and moving forward in the same direction is exciting," Mayor Nuttall says. "The people of Barrie want to see Lakehead succeed here."
The construction of labs and classrooms at the STEM Hub's two locations—24 Maple Avenue and 5 Ross Street—has been underway for several months, and the first group of students will begin their studies in September 2026.
The STEM Hub is only 30 minutes away from Lakehead University's Orillia campus and has excellent GO Transit links to communities across the Greater Toronto Area.
The purpose of the STEM Hub is to educate young people in the high-demand fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) and get them job ready by the time they graduate.
Students attending the STEM Hub will be able to earn undergraduate degrees in electrical engineering, mechatronics engineering, software engineering, and computer science.
They'll also have the option of pursuing master's degrees in electrical engineering, computer engineering, and computer science as well as an electrical and computer engineering PhD.
"The wonderful thing about the STEM Hub is that it will train graduates for jobs that are needed now—jobs in engineering, AI, robotics, technology, defense, and mining," Mayor Nuttall explains.
Doing Things Differently
Students will be taught in the STEM Hub's high-tech facilities where small class sizes, one-on-one mentorship, and collaborative spaces will lay the groundwork for an exceptional education.
"We're making sure that our young people can learn and contribute in a way that they never have before," Mayor Nuttall says.
Mayor Nuttall (pictured left) tours the Maple Avenue site of the future Barrie STEM Hub. Lakehead has partnered with Georgian College to give Lakehead STEM Hub students housing options at the Georgian Green Student Rez.
Tackling real-world challenges is the Hub's core mission—a mission that's being incorporated into the facilities where students will begin their career journeys.
The Ross Street site will feature classrooms and active learning spaces, student study areas, computer labs, and collaborative research spaces for interdisciplinary projects.
Statistics Canada named Barrie one of Canada's safest cities in 2023. Photo Credit: City of Barrie
The Maple Avenue building will house the Electronic Motors and Robotics Lab, the Mechatronics Lab, the Machine Lab, and the Instrumentation Lab. It will also share space with the Regional Innovation Centre, which supports entrepreneurs and innovators across the region.
This means that students, faculty, and industry partners can collaborate in one central location.
The links between industry and students will be further enhanced through co-op placements and hands-on learning experiences with local tech employers.
"There's a fervor in the community for the STEM Hub because it will propel the entire region forward economically," Mayor Nuttall says. "It's generational change and positivity."
