The Ontario government has officially taken hold of the steering wheel when it comes to Conestoga College.
The province said that it launched an audit surrounding the college, saying it found “evidence of serious financial and governance mismanagement.”
It means that the Board of Directors for the local institution have been let go, effective immediately, with the province appointing a designated administrator for Conestoga College.
“Our government’s record-setting funding for colleges must be used to drive student success; anything less is completely unacceptable,” said Nolan Quinn, Minister of Colleges, Universities, Research Excellence and Security.
“Under the administrator’s oversight, I expect that responsible fiscal decision-making will return to Conestoga College, setting the college on the right path to producing the graduates Ontario needs.”
According to the province, much of the reasoning as to why the audit was launched surrounded the salary of the former president of Conestoga College, John Tibbits.
It stated that members of the board approved a 55 per cent salary increase in 2024, pushing his yearly earnings to $636,000.
Further, once Tibbits retired from the role in 2025, his termination payment totalled 83 times the former president’s monthly salary, while the Broader Public Sector Executive Compensation Act caps that amount to 24 months.
“The audit also uncovered a $23,000 trip to Italy taken by three senior leaders, and other similar trips, where the school paid for business class airfare, luxury accommodations and premium transportation,” read a release from the Ontario government.
“In addition, repeated, ineligible hospitality expenses were approved without proper oversight, including a $1,300 dining expense for internal staff, where 50 per cent of the pre-tax total was alcohol.”
The province stated that the “pattern of irresponsible decision making” led to direct impacts across those campuses, including for students, staff, and the local community.
One such example includes the layoff of more than 500 employees, which still stands as one of the largest layoffs in Ontario’s college sector to date.
Linda Franklin has been appointed as the Administrator who will oversee the college, working alongside Conestoga’s interim president, Norma McDonald Ewing, and leadership staff to bring the college back on the right track.
“Under Ms. Franklin’s oversight, regular operations at Conestoga College will continue. Students, staff and faculty will see no disruption in service and will be able to access all regular programs and services,” the province said.
“Franklin will act in place of Conestoga’s Board of Governors and provide accountable, transparent and effective direction, while also developing and implementing a plan to restore sound fiscal management and strong governance.”
Franklin is described as an experienced leader in the postsecondary sector, previously serving as president and CEO of Colleges Ontario, which helms the province’s 24 public colleges, where she held the role for over 15 years.
The province said, “This action is necessary following an extensive audit, during which the government discovered numerous egregious financial decisions which lacked appropriate oversight by members of the college’s Board.”
Comments