Conestoga College extends John Tibbits’ contract to end of 2026

Conestoga College president John Tibbits speaking at an event on Feb. 13, 2024.

Conestoga College has extended President John Tibbits’ contract to December 31, 2026.

The announcement was made in an email sent to Conestoga College employees Thursday, on behalf of Frank Boutzis, Chair of Conestoga College Board of Governors.

“Tibbits 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,” the email said.

According to the email, the decision helps “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.”

The Board of Governors will focus on future leadership as well, and plan to concurrently develop and enact a succession roadmap to ensure a seamless transition in 2026. The board did not indicate whether it will try to extend Tibbits’ contract after the end of 2026.

Controversy

In 2024, Tibbits was involved in a war of words with Sault College of Applied Arts and Technology President David Orazietti.

It began after Orazietti appeared on a podcast produced by Village Media. During the podcast, Orazietti discussed the federal government’s cap on international students. He criticized Conestoga College’s rising admission rate and the school’s lack of student housing.

Tibbits later appeared at an event meant to promote Conestoga College’s economic impact on the local community. During that event, Tibbits defended the school’s international student admissions and was later asked for reaction to the comments made by the president of Sault College. According to the online news outlet Cambridge Today, Tibbits pointed out that Sault College has an existing partnership with the private college triOS, which is based out of the Greater Toronto Area, and they have students living outside their community.

Cambridge Today quoted Tibbits as saying, “Like Orazietti, why are his goddamn students in Toronto? Why not up there? Talk about a whore, I mean, he’s taking a percentage of the profits of an operation.”

Conestoga College and Tibbits were later named in a defamation lawsuit filed in Sault Ste. Marie on April 11.

The lawsuit listed Sault College and Orazietti as the plaintiffs. Conestoga College and Tibbits are listed as the defendants.

The document claims the plaintiffs are seeking “an order requiring the Defendants to publicly retract and apologize for having defamed the Plaintiffs.”