Celebrate Earth Day!

Explore community vendors, enjoy family-friendly activities and take a tour of the Indigenous Garden any time between 4-6pm.

At 6:00pm settle in for a screening of WorkCabin’s documentary Saving the Night Caller, which follows conservation efforts to protect the elusive and enchanting Eastern Whip-poor-will. The film will be followed by a discussion on local conservation work and community action, led by Mark Bisset.

Date(s): Wednesdays, April 29, May 6, May 13, May 27, June 3 (*NOTE: no lecture on May 20th)
Time: 10:00 am - 12:00 pm
Place:  In-person or Live-streamed at St. Paul's Centre in Orillia
Price:  $80 +HST for the whole 5 lecture series; $20 +HST for a single talk.

Discover the joy of lifelong creativity in this inspiring Spring 2026 lecture series with Third Age Learning Lakehead (TALL).

Why do we engage with the arts? Simply put: because it makes us happy. This series explores how connecting with music, visual art, theatre, literature, and creative expression can deepen life satisfaction at every stage of life. Drawing on research, personal reflection, and real-world examples, we’ll look at how the arts enrich our emotional well-being, strengthen community, and bring meaning to our everyday experiences.

Whether you’re a lifelong arts enthusiast or someone curious about where to begin, these sessions will offer practical, welcoming ways to get involved—no experience required. Learn how to rekindle old passions, discover new creative outlets, and integrate the arts into your life in ways that are accessible, fulfilling, and fun.

Come as you are, and leave inspired to create, connect, and thrive.

Please bring your own mug to enjoy a hot beverage during the intermission. Alternatively, TALL branded travel mugs will be available for purchase for $5 (cash only).
If you are unable to attend the lectures in person, a link will be sent to all registered participants for viewing from the comfort of your own places and spaces! Be sure to invite folks in your network, near and far!

Plus: Enjoy a FREE Lecture on April 27th, celebrating the President’s 60th Anniversary Public Lecture Series from 5:30-7:30pm on the Thunder Bay Campus or via livestream.  Register for this lecture here.

The Ontario Master Naturalist Program (OMNP) is a community program established by Lakehead University Orillia in partnership with Ontario Nature. The first of its kind in Canada, the OMNP provides naturalists and those interested in nature and environmental stewardship the opportunity to broaden their knowledge and expertise of the natural world through formal training and guidance. The Ontario Master Naturalist Certificate Program is aimed at naturalists and those dedicated to environmental stewardship, empowering them to learn and share knowledge of the natural world, and engage as stewards of their local ecosystems and resources.

Since 2015, the Ontario Master Naturalist Program has expanded to include participant workshops and certificate program offerings in Thunder Bay and the Bruce Peninsula.

The Ontario Master Naturalist Certificate Program is aimed at naturalists and those dedicated to environmental stewardship, empowering them to learn and share knowledge of the natural world and engage as stewards of their local ecosystems and resources.

The Spring 2026 program includes eight learning modules taught in a hybrid model, including interactive videos and PowerPoints created for the program, virtual learning resources, a virtual trailhead meeting space, and weekly Zoom webinars with the program's content experts. The eight learning modules are as follows: Geology & Anthropology, Mammals, Plants, Birds, Reptiles & Amphibians, Wetlands, Invasive Species, and Insects.

While this program does include live weekly Zoom webinars, it can also be completed asynchronously. The weekly webinars are recorded and posted to the online course site, allowing for learners to go back and review the recordings on their own time.

Participants will receive a certificate of participation after successfully completing eight modules that combine in-class (virtual) instruction and fieldwork.

The Ontario Benthos Biomonitoring Network (OBBN) is an aquatic macroinvertebrate biomonitoring network for Ontario’s lakes, streams, and wetlands. This course covers biomonitoring theory, sampling methods, benthic-invertebrate identification, and bioassessment calculations. The training is recommended for anyone interested in using benthic macroinvertebrates to monitor streams or lakes using provincially standardized methods. Participants demonstrating proficiency are awarded a certificate of network membership.

In this 7-week online version of the OBBN starting April 29, 2026, you can expect to learn content independently, as well as with an instructor and class group in Zoom meetings. We will meet weekly on Wednesdays at 7 pm via Zoom. This is designed to help make the course more accessible to students outside of Thunder Bay or professionals with busy working schedules. Content on the OBBN protocols and theory will be provided with detailed video tutorials, the OBBN manual, live discussions, and online exercises. Benthic identification will be taught through a combination of independent hands-on projects, video tutorials and exercises that utilise digital vouchers of benthic specimens. There are taxa in the 27 groups that form the minimum taxonomic precision permitted in the OBBN.

The majority of video tutorials were recorded and provided by the OBBN’s former scientific and administrative lead, Dr. Chris Jones. The proficiency of participants is assessed with tests and exercises. Participants who successfully complete the course are recognized as certified OBBN members.

Join the County of Simcoe and Lakehead University on Tuesday, March 31 at Horseshoe Valley Resort, 9:00AM – 12:00PM for an interactive workshop designed to give organizations tools to embed Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (EDIA) principles into everyday work practices.

Through guided discussion, practical exercises, and collaborative breakout sessions, participants will explore how to integrate EDIA into strategic plans, policies, procedures, and workplace culture.

This session is ideal for leaders, contributors, teams, and partners who are committed to strengthening human‑rights‑focused, inclusive organizational growth.

The County of Simcoe and the Office of Community Engagement & Lifelong Learning at Lakehead University are pleased to offer a dedicated lunch‑and‑learn session on Emotional Intelligence for business leaders and professionals across Simcoe County.
Join us on March 25 from 12:00–1:30 p.m. via Zoom for an engaging and practical workshop with Dr. David Richards, designed to strengthen your interpersonal and leadership skills.

This session will explore:
• The core components of emotional intelligence
• Practical tools for emotion regulation
• How to understand and strengthen your own emotional intelligence
• Strategies to support effective leadership and collaboration

Don’t miss your chance to learn how to apply emotional regulation strategies to real workplace scenarios and enhance your effectiveness as a leader and collaborator.

In an era of global uncertainty brought on by escalating tariffs, global trade policy, and geopolitical tensions, economic security and resilience have never been more critical at the local, provincial, and national level.

Join academics, policy makers, business leaders, and community innovators at the Summit on Economic Security and Local Resilience (SESLR) as they share practical solutions and evidence-based research to support local resilience in Canadian municipalities.

Explore key topics including:

• Economic security in Canadian cities
• Urban planning and sustainability
• Sustainable innovation and creative local economy
• Climate resilient development 

Whether you’re driving policy or shaping community development, you’ll gain valuable insights into evidence-based practices from some of Canada’s leading researchers, and walk away with creative, actionable solutions to drive resilience and sustainability locally, as our communities and cities look to succeed in a changing and challenging global economy.

Reserve your seat and be part of the local conversation on resiliency and sustainability.  

Date(s): February 5, 19 and 26, and March 5
Time: 12 to 1 p.m.
Place: Zoom
Price: FREE

#ITSTARTS with dialogue.  Join us for this webinar to hear from representatives of different faiths to explore the role of interfaith dialogue against polarization. 

Mosaics are an art form that long predate our contemporary "pixelated" world. This four-hour session will begin with a short talk about remarkable mosaics from ancient to contemporary times and about the materials, tools and techniques. Then roll up your sleeves to make a stunning geometric or abstracted artwork with guidance from and assistance of the workshop leader. You will leave with a handcrafted memento to adorn your home and newfound skills to create more!

This workshop is suitable for beginner and advanced DIYers. Participants are strongly encouraged to bring one or more decorative designs, patterns, or photographs that inspire them.

For over 25 years, Josh Heuman has developed a wide array of public programs for audiences of all ages. Heuman has planned and led numerous hands-on workshops in addition to public speaking about historical and contemporary art, organizing exhibitions, and serving as juror for art competitions and exhibitions. He works currently as Head of Artistic Engagement at Koffler Arts (Toronto), and previously held positions in education, exhibitions, and administration at The Power Plant Contemporary Art Gallery (Toronto) as well as art museums in the USA. He earned a BA in Visual Art and MA in Art History at York University (Toronto).

This free session, co-hosted by the County of Simcoe Economic Development Office, introduces the agile approach in project management as an alternative to the traditional methods. It explores how agile methodologies enable teams to respond quickly to changing requirements, deliver value incrementally, and foster collaboration for better outcomes in dynamic environments. You'll learn why agile is ideal for projects with uncertainty, with a focus on the Scrum framework, emphasizing adaptability, continuous improvement, and customer feedback to reduce risks and enhance project success. It provides foundational knowledge with a set of tools and techniques for managing agile projects, as well as practical documents and templates. A mini case is used for demonstrations.

Michael S. Dohan, PhD, is an Associate Professor of Information Systems at Lakehead University's Faculty of Business Administration, where he also directs the Centre for Innovation & Entrepreneurship Research (CIER). With a doctorate from McMaster University's DeGroote School of Business, Dr. Dohan has over 10 years teaching Agile Project Management in a business school context. He also has over 10 years developing software and managing software development teams in various projects in industry.