First university campus coming to Barrie

Just weeks after endorsing a plan set to bring a new sports field to the downtown core, there's another major shakeup on the horizon.

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On Thursday Barrie Mayor Alex Nuttall announced a new partnership with Lakehead University for a satellite hub in downtown Barrie. It will be the first university campus for Barrie, something the mayor is calling game changing for the future of the city.

"Thank you so much for taking the time to choose Barrie, to come to Barrie, to explore it and to see how much opportunity exists in this city, not just in this city, but in this downtown," Nuttall said to Dr. Gillian Siddall, the president and vice chancellor of Lakehead University during Thursday's announcement.

The University, which currently has a campus in Orillia and a partnership with Georgian College in Barrie, will build a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) campus at the current Barrie Transit Hub on Maple Avenue, once it relocates to Allandale.

To start, the university will offer programming across engineering and computer science disciplines, ideally setting graduates up for success in careers in Barrie's bustling manufacturing sector.

"The heart of today's announcement is Lakehead University's new STEM in downtown Barrie; a vision to address local workforce needs by offering advanced programs in fields like electrical engineering, computer science and mechatronics," Siddall said. "These are industries where skilled talent is in great demand and opportunities for social and economic impact are significant."

Thursday's news was welcomed by Barrie Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Paul Markle. He says many business leaders in Barrie have been hoping for a university campus for years.

"When you can keep our talent within our region, that's a game changer and that means that bigger companies are going to come," Markle said. "We're going to have that growth that supports, you know, the economic stability and growth of the region."

The university is planning to develop its Barrie location in two phases. The first phase will see it establish a presence in the current Barrie Transit Hub. Pending final council approval, a five-year lease will be signed to take over the downstairs and exterior portions of the property.

A staff report heading to general committee for debate next week says the project will be included in the 2025 Capital budget. Pending council approval, the City will invest $1.25 million in 2025 and another $5.25 million in 2026 for a total investment of $6.5 million to support the opening of the campus.

There will also be a one-time commitment of $1-million for the necessary capital Lakehead will require to get the facility off the ground.

City staff are recommending council approve relocating the Barrie Police satellite office, currently located on the lower floor of the terminal, somewhere else in the downtown core. That will provide approximately 7000 sq. ft. of space, with an additional 15,000 sq. ft. available outside. There are plans to use modular facilities during the first five years as the university establishes itself in the community.

The provincial government is providing the City of Barrie with $1-million in funding for housing, which council can use to incentivize housing options for students near the new campus.

"We all know about the pressures in Barrie about rental and ownership and we're trying to find a way to make sure that the Lakehead campus is successful with the appropriate housing," said Barrie-Springwater-Oro-Medonte MPP and Ontario Attorney General Doug Downey.

Lakehead University expects to attract approximately 700 students over the first five years. At that point it is hoped that a more permanent location can be established and additional programming can be rolled out.

The timeline for construction is paramount in order for the school to reach its goal of being open and teaching its first classes by Fall 2026. This is pending the completion of the new Transit Terminal at Allandale, which is expected to be operational by late 2025.

Nuttall said the project has been a priority behind closed doors throughout his entire tenure. After being elected as Mayor in late 2022, Nuttall quickly tasked a member of his staff with cold calling universities to find which ones were interested in establishing a presence in Barrie.

When Lakehead University made their interest clear Nuttall, says the City was ready to move forward, given its existing presence in Simcoe County.

"The thing I'm most proud of is that our team came in and we functioned as a team," Nuttall said. "So this is a byproduct of a team that's working together and working hard on the vision.