Ontario Construction News staff writer
KITCHENER – The task of steering one of Ontario’s fastest-growing colleges through a turbulent leadership transition has fallen to a titan of the local construction industry.
Martha George, the former long-time president of the Grand Valley Construction Association (GVCA) and current chair of Conestoga College’s Board of Governors, accepted the resignation of president John Tibbits on Jan. 14, signalling the end of a nearly 40-year era defined as much by massive capital expansion as by recent controversy.
Tibbits, 80, retired effective immediately, concluding a tenure that saw Conestoga morph from a mid-sized community college into a polytechnic powerhouse with a physical footprint that has generated hundreds of millions of dollars in construction work across Waterloo Region, Guelph and Milton.
For the region’s builders, the transition at the top is significant. George, who led the GVCA for 16 years before retiring in 2022, is a Gold Seal Certified estimator and an industry advocate. Her presence at the helm of the board places a construction-savvy leader in charge of oversight just as the college navigates a shifting financial landscape that has already impacted planned developments.
“John leaves behind not only an extraordinary professional legacy, but an institution profoundly shaped by his leadership, values and unwavering commitment to students, employees and community,” George said in a statement to the college community.
“John’s most enduring legacy is Conestoga’s strength and stability, and how well positioned we are to remain a vibrant and integral part of our communities.”
A legacy of concrete and steel
While Tibbits’ departure follows a year of public battles over international student enrolment, his impact on the province’s skilled trades infrastructure is undeniable. Under his leadership, the college invested more than $500 million in facility upgrades and new builds over the last few years alone.
The crown jewel of this expansion is the Conestoga Skilled Trades Campus in Cambridge. Once fully realized, it is projected to be the largest trades training facility in Canada—a project George has championed both as a construction association president and a college governor.
However, the leadership change comes as the college taps the brakes on some of its ambitious growth plans. Following federal caps on international student permits—a policy shift that is expected to cost the college hundreds of millions in revenue—Conestoga recently deferred a planned $90-million campus project in downtown Guelph.
Despite these headwinds, the college’s most recent annual report indicates it still plans to invest roughly $145 million in capital projects in the coming year, including the second phase of the Skilled Trades Campus and renovations at the Waterloo and Brantford locations.
Turbulent exit
Tibbits’ retirement was originally planned for August 2024 but had been extended to assist with the college’s transition. That timeline was cut short following a stormy period for the administration.
The college faced intense scrutiny over its exponential growth in international enrolment, which critics linked to local housing shortages. Tensions peaked in February 2024 during a public feud with Sault College president David Orazietti. After Orazietti called Conestoga a “bad actor” in the sector, Tibbits responded by calling him a “whore” during a media interview.
While Tibbits apologized, Sault College and Orazietti filed a $200,000 defamation lawsuit against him and Conestoga in April 2024. In a statement of defence filed in January 2025, the college argued the comments were made without malice and protected by qualified privilege, asking for the case to be dismissed.
The financial fallout of the enrollment caps also hit the college’s workforce late last year. In December 2025, the college issued layoff notices to approximately 400 faculty and support staff as enrollment projections shifted.
Looking ahead
Union leaders, while critical of the recent turmoil, are looking ahead. Leopold Koff, president of OPSEU Local 237 representing faculty, expressed hope for a more collaborative relationship with the administration moving forward.
Norma McDonald Ewing has been appointed interim president while the Board of Governors, led by George, continues its executive search for a permanent successor.
“Serving Conestoga has been the privilege of my professional life,” Tibbits said in his final statement. “While this chapter is closing, I will never be far from the Conestoga family.”
