Lakehead University’s campuses are located in regions in which the median income is below the provincial and national average. As one of the largest employers, post-secondary institutions and economic hubs in Northwestern Ontario and Simcoe County, Lakehead University has a direct impact on the economic and social resiliency in the regions it serves.

Our societal impact focuses on our research on poverty and support for impoverished students and marginalized members of our local community.

Research and Innovation

Local: Thunder Bay’s Poverty Reduction Strategy

Lakehead University is represented in the Thunder Bay Poverty Reduction Strategy through its participation in the Lakehead Social Planning Council’s collaborative work. The strategy brings community partners together to develop recommendations, advocate effective public policy, and implement initiatives addressing poverty, including housing and homelessness, income security, and health and wellness.

Local: Centre for Rural and Northern Health Research (CRaNHR)

The Centre for Rural and Northern Health Research (CRaNHR) at Lakehead University conducts research on social determinants of health, including food security, health-care access, and inequities affecting rural, northern, and Indigenous communities. Through community partnerships in Thunder Bay, CRaNHR’s research helps inform local policies and practices that address barriers linked to poverty and support improved health equity.

Regional & National: Lakehead University & Area Food Strategy

Dr. Charles Levkoe serves on the Executive Committee of the Thunder Bay & Area Food Strategy, bringing together municipalities, public health, Indigenous organizations, producers, and community partners to influence regional food policy and improve food security across Northwestern Ontario. The research contributed to the Thunder Bay + Area Community Food System Report Card, which tracks 119 indicators across seven pillars, including food access, infrastructure, procurement and production

In 2025, Dr. Charles Z. Levkoe, Professor in Lakehead University’s Department of Health Sciences and Canada Research Chair in Equitable and Sustainable Food Systems, co-authored the publicly available report Understanding Food Systems Governance in a Changing World: The Canadian Food Policy Advisory Council. The report examines the Council’s role in advising the federal Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada on food policy implementation, highlighting opportunities and challenges in participatory governance. The research explores how collaboration among government, researchers, and civil society can strengthen democratic decision-making and contribute to more equitable, inclusive, and sustainable food systems.

Global: International Collaboration on Youth Development and Policy Engagement

In 2025, Lakehead University advanced international collaboration on youth development, skills training, employment and policy engagement through Dr. Gary Pluim’s Educational Transfer Between Small States of the Commonwealth research project. Working with Ministries of Youth and Education in Commonwealth countries and the Commonwealth of Learning, the project supports the development of youth-worker training courses and micro-credentials to strengthen professional capacity and improve support for young people. Lakehead also hosted the Global Citizenship Summit for Youth Voice, Policy, and Action, bringing together participants from 12 countries to exchange perspectives on global challenges, civic engagement and youth participation in decision-making. By strengthening youth workers’ capacity, supporting pathways to employment, promoting socioeconomic inclusion and encouraging youth participation in decision-making, these initiatives address structural factors associated with poverty, including barriers to skills development, youth unemployment and unequal access to economic opportunities.

Teaching and Student Life

Achievement Program

Lakehead University’s Achievement Program creates a pathway to post-secondary education for students from disadvantaged socioeconomic backgrounds. Delivered in partnership with local and regional school boards, the program provides mentorship, academic support, and first-year undergraduate tuition for eligible students who remain in the program through high school, helping to reduce financial barriers and expand access to higher education. In 2024 - 2025, there were 464 active students participating in the Achievement program across 41 schools in five school boards.

Indigenous Student Services Centre

Lakehead University’s Indigenous Student Services Centre supports the success and well-being of First Nations, Inuit and Métis students by providing culturally supportive academic, career, personal and financial services. Students have access to academic assistance, mentorship, cultural programming, Elder support, and guidance with scholarships and bursaries, creating a welcoming environment that recognizes and celebrates Indigenous identities, cultures and communities.

Creating Pathways to Higher Education

Lakehead’s commitment to reducing poverty begins before students arrive on campus. 9% of domestic undergraduate students were enrolled in unique access programs in 2024–25, including Gateway, the Indigenous Nursing Entry Program and the Indigenous Transition Year Program. These programs provide pathways for students who may face academic, geographic or socioeconomic barriers to traditional university admission, helping expand access to post-secondary education and its long-term economic benefits.

Holistic and Equitable Admissions

The Bora Laskin Faculty of Law takes a holistic approach to admissions, recognizing that applicants come from diverse backgrounds and may have experienced different personal, educational, and socioeconomic circumstances. By not imposing minimum GPA or LSAT requirements or assigning fixed weights to individual components of the application, the admissions process considers the applicant as a whole.

Reducing Financial Barriers Through Entrance Scholarships

Lakehead University’s Entrance Scholarship program helps reduce the financial barriers associated with pursuing a university education. In 2024–25, eligible domestic students entering directly from high school were automatically considered for Academic Entrance Scholarships, with awards ranging from $750 to $4,000 per year for up to four years, depending on academic achievement; students with an average of 95% or higher could receive free tuition for up to four years. These renewable awards provide students with financial support throughout their studies and help make post-secondary education more accessible.

Ensuring bottom financial quintile student success

Lakehead University seeks to admit students from the bottom 20% of the household-income distribution, reflecting the socioeconomic characteristics of the communities it serves in Northwestern Ontario and Simcoe County. As an access-focused institution, Lakehead considers financial need, educational background, and regional demographics in its approach to recruitment and admissions.

In 2024–25, 54% of domestic undergraduate students came from rural or northern communities, while 41.3% received OSAP based on financial need. In addition, 9% of domestic students were enrolled through unique access programs, and 4% were admitted with lower entering averages based on potential. These pathways help reduce financial, geographic, and educational barriers to university access for students from under-represented communities.

Lakehead University reduces financial barriers to post-secondary education through its Youth in Care Tuition Waiver. The program provides eligible current and former youth in care from Northwestern Ontario and Simcoe County with tuition and associated fee support for up to four years of undergraduate study. Applicants must meet the program's admission and financial-need requirements. The initiative specifically targets students who may face additional barriers to accessing and completing higher education.

Lakehead also provides targeted financial and academic support through the Lakehead University Work Study Program (LUWSP), which offers eligible undergraduate students paid employment opportunities to help offset educational expenses while gaining professional experience. Eligibility includes demonstrating financial need or receiving provincial student financial aid, alongside academic and enrolment requirements.

In addition, Lakehead’s Student Success Centre provides academic support through peer mentorship, writing assistance, academic skills workshops, individual advising and transition programming. The mySupport program further connects students with academic, career, mental health, financial, cultural and accessibility resources based on their needs. These services help students navigate university life, address barriers to academic progress and access appropriate support throughout their studies.

Direct Financial Assistance for Students

In 2024–25, Lakehead University provided just over $2 million in undergraduate domestic bursaries to help students manage the cost of their education. Bursaries are non-repayable financial awards primarily based on demonstrated financial need, providing direct assistance to students who may otherwise face financial barriers to pursuing or completing their degrees.

Lakehead also provided additional targeted assistance to students experiencing financial hardship, including $4,810 in grocery gift cards and $750 in Bookstore gift cards. Financial Aid further supports students who cannot afford graduation costs by waiving graduation fees, helping ensure that financial circumstances do not prevent students from participating in this important milestone.

Community Impact

Accessible Mental Health Services

Lakehead University Psychology Clinic provides in-person and virtual psychological services across Northwestern Ontario while training graduate clinical psychology students. Services include psychotherapy, psychological assessments, workshops, and free mental health support for health and social service providers.

Advancing Access to Justice

Lakehead University Community Legal Services (LUCLS), operated through the Bora Laskin Faculty of Law, provides free legal services and public legal education to low-income and underserved residents across Northwestern Ontario. Supervised law students assist clients with matters including criminal and provincial offences, tenant rights, employment law, civil disputes, and Small Claims Court, while also providing legal information, advice, and community presentations to improve access to justice.

Supporting Access to Legal Services

Through Pro Bono Students Canada (PBSC), Lakehead law students provide free legal information, research, and support to individuals, community organizations, courts, and tribunals. Under the supervision of lawyers and legal professionals, students contribute to projects that address a range of legal and social issues affecting underserved communities. By providing accessible legal information and practical support at no cost, the program helps reduce financial barriers to legal services and strengthens access to justice across Northwestern Ontario.

Community-Based Health and Wellness

Compass North is a student-led clinic that provides accessible health services, health promotion workshops, and community-based research to support underserved populations in Thunder Bay. In collaboration with Lakehead University, NOSM University, and local community organizations, the clinic provides students with opportunities to gain hands-on experience while helping address local health needs. Its outreach focuses on improving access to health information and services and supporting the well-being of individuals and communities who may face barriers to traditional health-care services.

Supporting Entrepreneurship and Innovation

Lakehead University’s Ingenuity business incubator provides space, resources and educational opportunities to help entrepreneurs develop business ideas and support business growth. Its publicly documented services include workshops, competitions, makerspace equipment, a media room and guest speakers.

Additionally, the Office of Innovation, Partnerships and Economic Development (IPED) provides free and low-cost resources to aspiring entrepreneurs on Lakehead University campuses, including mentorship, business start-up support, legal assistance, makerspaces, workshops, and partnerships with local organizations through the Ingenuity Ascend Accelerator. The program provided up to $5,000 per business idea to support eligible business-development costs. Six student-led start-ups completed the program in 2024–2025.

Global Reach

Lakehead University Student Refugee Program

Lakehead University is an institutional partner of the World University Services of Canada (WUSC) Student Refugee Program, which supports young refugees pursuing higher education in Canada.  This program is unique in its direct link to post-secondary education and involves collaboration with local campus-based committees and student unions to raise funds and awareness for the program on their campus and in their community. Since its inception, there have been over 20 refugee students sponsored from around the world, providing them with the opportunity to start a new life. 

Administration and Operations

Bottom Financial Quintile Admission Target

Lakehead University supports access to higher education through the Academic Support Access Program (ASAP), which provides an entry pathway for eligible applicants whose academic averages fall slightly below the required admission average. The program combines admission access with academic advising, skill development, workshops and peer mentorship to help students transition successfully into university.

Lakehead University is committed to increasing enrolment among students from the bottom 20% of household income earners in Canada. Progress toward this institutional objective is monitored through the Board of Governors, the Common University Data Ontario (CUDO) reporting process and Lakehead's multi-year accountability agreement with the Government of Ontario. In 2024–25, Lakehead reported that its participation-rate target was achieved, with participation rates of 4.70% in Ontario, 3.57% in Simcoe County and 2.12% in Northwestern Ontario.