The Lakehead University has developed gradually from Lakehead College of Arts, Science and Technology and Lakehead Technical Institute, Lakehead University diploma. Lakehead Technical University was introduced to fulfil the need for higher education in Ontario. It was founded by an Order-in-Council of the Province of Ontario in the year 1946. Lakehead College of Arts, Science and Technology were established in the year 1956 by an Act of Ontario Legislature. Later this institute came to be known as “Lakehead University” when the Lakehead University Act came into force in the year 1965. Norman McLeod Paterson was the first Chancellor of the university.

The university offers 57 undergraduate and 30 graduate and doctoral programs through nine faculties that include Education, Business Administration, Engineering, Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences, Medicine and Graduate Studies, Science and Environmental Studies, Natural Resources Management and Science and Humanities. The largest department is the Social Science & humanities with over 30% of students getting admissions in the undergraduate program, novelty Canada diploma. With less than 2% enrollment of students, Medicine and Natural Resources Management are the small faculties of the university.

The two campuses of the Lakehead University combine to offers various intellectual programs for students. The Orilla Campus with over 1,400 students is located at Heritage place in the downtown Orillia that offers unique and rare interdisciplinary programs that combine programs such as arts and science and business, social work and education.