Almost 200 full-time Conestoga College employees lose their jobs ahead of the holiday break

Almost 200 full-time Conestoga College employees have been laid off just days before Christmas. CTV’s Heather Senoran reports.

Conestoga College has made more job cuts, just days before Christmas.

Layoff notices were issued to 181 full-time employees on Tuesday.

Most were based in Kitchener, but there were also some from the school’s Waterloo, Cambridge, Brantford and Guelph facilities feeling the sting, according to Leopold Koff, the president of Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) Local 237. The union represents faculty, librarians and counsellors at the school.

“They’re colleagues. They’re professionals,” Koff said, visibly emotional as he spoke with CTV News. “They’re dedicated, committed individuals.”

The recent layoffs represent the latest workforce reduction at the college after months of cutbacks.

Koff confirmed the union learned of the impending job cuts in September. At same time, the college offered a voluntary exit incentive program to more than half of its 700 full-time faculty members as part of its downsizing efforts.

“Due to the declining enrolment within our sector and specifically at the college that are the result, in part, of changes to Canada’s international work permit program, the college is in a period of significant restructuring, including intake suspensions, program suspensions, and ongoing staff reductions across all employee groups,” a memo, sent to the 373 full-time employees in September, said.

Eligible employees had until Oct. 20 to decide if they wanted to accept the college’s offer, and anyone who was accepted into the program would officially leave their role on Dec. 19.

In an update in November, the union said 75 faculty members were on the chopping block and could lose their jobs by the end of the year. Eighty programs were also expected to be cut by the next fall.

At the time, Koff said 15 people were being laid off, 37 were taking early retirement, four people had resigned and 19 were taking voluntary exit packages.

Saying goodbye to even more colleagues has taken a heavy toll.

“Shame – just the timing,” Koff explained. “Everything, and the method and approach. No opportunity for the members to have a town hall directly with management, senior management, to explain or talk. We offer those opportunities to our colleagues. The college has not done their part on their side.”

Making ‘cents’ of the change

Representatives for Conestoga College have repeatedly insisted the school is facing financial pressures due to the federal government’s changes to international student visas.

The federal government announced in early 2024 it was slashing study permits for international students and Ontario’s allotment was reduced by almost half. Schools were told applications could not exceed 2023 permit levels, and international permits must be less than 55 per cent of the school’s first-year domestic enrolment.

The province specifically called out Conestoga College, stating it would see the “largest decline.” That was not surprising, since the school had one of the largest international student populations in the province.

In a report sent to students and staff on July 28, Conestoga College said 8,584 international students were enrolled in its 2025 spring semester. That marked a 62 per cent drop from the year before, when it totaled 22,633.

Despite the drop in international enrolment, the school reported a surplus of more than $121 million for the fiscal year ending on March 31. That still represented a significant decrease from the $252 million surplus from the previous year.

Conestoga College said revenue from tuition dropped to $563 million, $119 million less than it reported in 2024, while it spent $436 million on salaries and benefits, an increase of $37 million from the year before.

Koff believed some of those financial pressures were to blame for the layoffs.

“Because it’s simple. It’s cheap. They’re replacing full-time [employees] with a lot of part-time,” he said. “It’s a simple solution, but it’s not the right one.”

Almost 200 now-former employees are facing the prospect of celebrating Christmas with the specter of layoffs hanging over the festivities, while John Tibbits, the president of the college, pulled in a salary of $636,107 in 2024, according to Ontario’s latest Sunshine list.

There will be some support for the former employees as they try to find their feet again.

“They still have benefits for 90 days, which will expire March 16,” Koff explained. “At which point then they’ll be in layoff mode, which means they could be recalled. But if they choose to take the severance package available, then they lose the recall rights for two years.”

In a statement to CTV News on Wednesday, a representative for the school said Ontario’s college sector is facing “unprecedented financial challenges” due to the decline in international enrolment.

“At Conestoga, international enrolment dropped nearly 80 per cent in 2025, compared to 2023. Winter 2026 total enrolment is projected at just over 15,000 students – down from nearly 29,000 in winter 2025 and approximately 43,000 in 2024. The situation remains evolving as the college and the sector navigate the impact of external factors shaping international enrolment beyond our control. Further declines remain possible,” an emailed statement said, in part.

“Without significant reductions in operating costs, the college faces a fiscal deficit. To achieve a balanced budget, we must align our resources with the reality that we have lost thousands of international students. Simply put, we no longer require the same complement of faculty, staff and administrators as in 2024,” the statement continued.

The college said it is fully complying with the layoff procedures set out in the union’s collective agreement.

“These decisions are difficult but necessary and reflect our responsibility to align resources and ensure long-term sustainability. We remain committed to supporting our communities through programming, workforce development and industry-focused research that meets local, regional and international demands,” the college said.

What’s next

On Thursday, OPSEU Local 237 will host a public town hall meeting in Cambridge.

“Remember that you’re not alone. We’re all in this together,” Koff said.

The union will be giving employees affected by the layoff financial advice and guidance for accessing counselling services.