Over the last month, Canadians have faced feelings of unease and worry as the United States government threatened tariffs on Canadian goods. These fears are now reality and communities across our province look towards the future wondering how they will handle economic unrest.
Across the eight communities we serve in southwestern Ontario - from Ingersoll to Waterloo Region to Guelph, Brantford and Milton - conversations with students, employees, employer partners and government officials have all had a similar tone: We worry about the future and the rising cost of goods.
These fears feel familiar. Just a few years ago, our communities were thrust into a similar situation with the onset of the pandemic. It was the largest social and economic crisis most of us had dealt with in our lifetime and it required resilience and perseverance.
Conestoga played a critical role throughout the pandemic - delivering much-needed supplies and equipment to local hospitals, ensuring students and employees had the tools and resources to transition to remote delivery, and playing a significant role in rebuilding Ontario’s economy through education and applied research that addressed workforce needs, supported business recovery, and provided opportunities for displaced workers to return to meaningful employment.
Exacerbating the situation we currently face with the U.S. is the state of the post-secondary sector in Ontario. Long-standing tuition freezes and major reforms to international enrolment have had a devastating effect resulting in widespread layoffs, program cancellations and, in some cases, campus closures.
Now, more than ever, the province needs our public colleges.
While we reflect on these challenges facing the province and our sector, I want to assure community members that Conestoga will remain a key partner in the development of workforce needs, ensuring the prosperity of our local communities going forward.
As a critical partner to local businesses and government in providing a talent pipeline for the most in-demand jobs across Ontario, the college has the program diversity, employer network and community connections to support the province. As Canada seeks to strengthen interprovincial trade and diversify our export market, Conestoga will continue to deliver world-class training to re-skill and upskill workers in impacted industries.
Our graduates currently represent about 20 per cent of local employment in southwestern Ontario, and more than 50 per cent of the region’s residents have had some form of training through Conestoga.
The most recent provincial Key Performance Indictor (KPI) results show that 90 per cent of Conestoga graduates attained employment within six months of graduating, with the post-graduate employment rate for international graduates nearly equal.
Conestoga is also transitioning thousands of graduates into vacant roles in critical sectors year-over-year. There are more than 166,000 graduates living in Ontario who contribute $6.2 billion to the provincial economy each year.
Although Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) introduced significant reforms to Canada’s international student work permit program in October 2024, the college remains well-positioned to develop talent in key sectors. Conestoga offers more than 130 Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) eligible programs, including 19 PGWP-eligible degree programs, aligned with priority labour markets as identified by IRCC.
As we look ahead to the new challenges that may face our communities, I encourage all Conestoga community members to reflect on the college’s nearly 60-year history. Together, with the support of our faculty, support staff and administrators, Conestoga has risen to meet every challenge.
Leadership of the college has also been key - and one person has remained committed to the success of Conestoga and the communities it serves for nearly 40 years. Through the dedication of President John Tibbits, Conestoga consistently ranks among Canada’s top research colleges, our Key Performance Indicator (KPI) results often meet or exceed provincial averages, and the quality of our programming has been recognized at both the national and provincial levels:
- Best College in Ontario for 2024 and 2025 (CourseCompare)
- Canada’s top trade school for 2024 and 2025 (CourseCompare)
- Canada’s best Early Childhood Education program for 2025 (CourseCompare)
- Named among Canada’s best culinary schools (third place) by University Magazine
- Named among the Top 20 research colleges in Canada (Research InfoSource)
- Cybersecurity programs ranked second in Canada (CourseCompare)
- Massage Therapy program ranked third in Canada (CourseCompare)
- Also ranked among Canada’s best post-secondary institutions in other categories by CourseCompare: Co-op Programs, Coding Bootcamps, Culinary, Interior Design, and Nursing
- Conestoga was named among Canada’s best engineering technology schools in 2024, ranking number 6 out of 10 institutions that made the list (University Magazine)
- Named one of Canada’s safest employers in 2024
Under President Tibbits, the college has also made extensive investments in the community to ensure students have affordable housing and state-of-the-art facilities where they can develop the skills and knowledge today’s employers demand. When complete, Conestoga’s new trades training facility in Cambridge will be among the largest in Canada.
Key investments have also been made in our biomedical and pharmaceutical labs and facilities, and the college has completed major facilities upgrades in Guelph, Waterloo and Kitchener. Two new campuses opened in Milton last year and Conestoga will welcome students to its new campus in Stratford this September.
In addition to the $500 million the college has invested over the last five years, Conestoga will direct another $150 million this year to projects that include the 22 Frederick Street student residence in Kitchener, student housing in Milton, labs and facilities to support new animal care programming, renovations to our space at the Tollgate Technical Skills Centre in Brantford and the launch of carbon reduction initiatives.
Our investments are making a difference for students seeking cutting-edge skills training. Compared to this time last year, domestic applications are up 50 per cent and offers of admission have risen by 45 per cent.
To ensure the continuity of our success, and to enable the college to respond to the pressing community, workforce and industry needs we believe will be required over the coming months and into the next year, Conestoga’s Board of Governors has extended President Tibbits’ contract to December 31, 2026.
The Board is pleased that President Tibbits has accepted this extension and will continue to provide the strategic direction needed to meet the critical workforce demands the province faces in key sectors like trades and healthcare, and will prioritize resources to ensure Conestoga will be able to help community members and local business respond to the additional economic pressures we now anticipate.
At the same time, it is important the Board of Governors focus on the future leadership of Conestoga to continue to serve all constituents of our community. Accordingly, the Board of Governors will concurrently develop and enact its succession roadmap to ensure a seamless transition in 2026.
Again, thank you to the service areas and academic schools across the college who work directly with our students and employer and community partners. Together, as a team, we will continue to stand strong and united in the days and weeks to come.
Frank Boutzis
Chair, Conestoga College Board of Governors