Your Student Union worked throughout the summer to build a strong partnership with Barrie Transit and negotiate a temporary pilot program for students at the Lakehead STEM Hub Campus.
Through these successful negotiations and our positive working relationship with Barrie Transit, students can access Barrie Transit at a heavily discounted student rate of $150 per semester for the duration of the pilot program.
- Without a referendum, the LUSU STEM Hub U-Pass cannot be included as a compulsory tuition fee and is available by opt-in only.
- STEM Hub students can secure a LUSU STEM Hub U-Pass by purchasing directly through Barrie Transit.
- The agreement would be a pilot program for the 2026–2027 academic year, starting September 1, 2026.
- A student referendum will be held during the Winter Term to determine whether students support making the LUSU STEM Hub U-Pass a permanent service.
- All Lakehead students can opt in to the Orillia U-Pass, which provides unlimited access to Orillia Transit.
The LUSU STEM Hub U-Pass is not valid for Orillia Transit.
Questions about the LUSU STEM Hub U-Pass can be directed to barrie@lusu.ca
Download the LUSU STEM Hub Transit Guide
- Simcoe County LINX Student LINX cards are available on the LINX bus which you will be able to activate and load yourself to save 15% on LINX transit fares.
- Ontario Northland
- GO Transit (LUSU is an authoriser for Presto student discounts)
- FLIX operates from Orillia to Toronto. The Orillia stop is in a pilot trial until October 31, 2026 with a potential one-year extension.
(LUSU STEM Hub U-Pass is not valid for LINX, NORTHLAND, FLIX or GO)
STEM Hub students can contact the Student Union (LUSU)
Email: barrie@lusu.ca
Phone: 705-330-1040 x2182
The Semester Pass is $150.00 per semester.
- Fall 2026: September 1, 2026 – December 31, 2026
- Winter 2027: January 1, 2027 – April 30, 2027
- Summer 2027: May 1, 2027 – August 31, 2027
Only Students enrolled at the Barrie STEM Hub are eligible to purchase a LUSU STEM Hub U-Pass.
STEM Hub students can opt-in to the LUSU STEM Hub U-Pass through Barrie Transit:
- HotSpot app using their Lakehead University email
- In person at Barrie Allendale Transit Terminal at 20 Essa Rd. Barrie
See ‘How can LUSU STEM Hub Passes be purchased?’ section for step by step instructions.
- Fall 2026: September 1, 2026 – December 31, 2026
- Winter 2027: January 1, 2027 – April 30, 2027
- Summer 2027: May 1, 2027 – August 31, 2027
Passes can be purchased for $150.00 per semester, beginning 15 days before the start of each semester.
The purchase deadline is 30 days before the end of the current semester.
Please note that all pass purchases are final and non-refundable under any circumstances.
Semester start and end dates:
- Fall 2026: September 1, 2026 – December 31, 2026
- Winter 2027: January 1, 2027 – April 30, 2027
- Summer 2027: May 1, 2027 – August 31, 2027
Students can access the LUSU STEM Hub Pass using HotSpot or in person:
HotSpot:
- Download the app:
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- Get HotSpot from Google Play or the App Store.
- Select Canada, Ontario then Barrie as your city.
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- Provide credentials: Enter your Lakehead email address and create a password.
Your Lakehead email must be used to recognise you as a student eligible for the LUSU STEM Hub U-Pass.
- Verify details and add your payment method:
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- Complete the registration prompts to link your profile to your phone number and name.
- Attach a credit card or fund your digital wallet so you can purchase your semester pass.
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- Wait for pass access. It can take up to 2 business days to have your HotSpot account be granted access to the “LUSU STEM Semester Pass” within the HotSpot app.
- Once your pass is ready for purchase, you will receive an email to your Lakehead account inviting you to purchase your LUSU STEM Hub U-Pass (“LUSU STEM Semester Pass” on the app)
- If you do not receive this email after 2 business days, please contact barrie@lusu.ca so we can confirm your program registration is complete and your campus is correct.
If you have recently registered for classes, it may take approximately one week for the Student Union to receive your registration information from Lakehead.
- Buy your pass: Choose and purchase “LUSU STEM Semester Pass” under the transit tab.
- Activate and board: When your bus arrives, tap “Board the bus” in the app to activate your fare, then show the moving colored screen to the driver.
In Person:
If you don’t have access to a credit card and cannot use HotSpot, visit Barrie Allandale Transit Terminal at 20 Essa Rd. Barrie with your Lakehead Student ID card and request to purchase your “LUSU STEM Semester Pass”.
You must have your Lakehead Student ID card to purchase your pass!