Lakehead University has officially launched a new teacher training program in Ontario, providing a more accessible pathway for students in the Bracebridge area to enter the education profession. The Keewatinase Indigenous Teacher Education Program, announced on March 26, 2026, is now available at the university’s Orillia campus, among other delivery locations, which is approximately a 40-minute drive from Bracebridge.
The program was recently redesigned over a five-year period in collaboration with Indigenous communities to better address a severe teacher shortage, particularly acute in Indigenous communities across the province. By incorporating flexible, mostly online evening courses, the Keewatinase Indigenous Teacher Education Program is intended to accommodate students who are already working in schools or living outside of the immediate university area. Following these changes, annual enrollment has increased from fewer than 10 students to nearly 100.
The program takes its name from an ancestral grandmother spirit helper, following a special ceremony led by Elder Tina Armstrong. The initiative is a direct response to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada Calls to Action, which highlight the urgent need for teacher training that focuses on Indigenous teaching methods and histories. As of 2023, reports indicate that while 13 of the 94 Calls to Action have been fully implemented, none of the completed calls focus on education.
For students attending classes at the Orillia campus, the university offers dedicated support services including the Office of Indigenous Initiatives, an Indigenous student counsellor, and designated smudging spaces. These resources aim to reduce historical barriers to post-secondary education for Indigenous community members, such as a lack of culturally relevant curricula and financial constraints.
