Conestoga College has “come out swinging” against the latest federal policy changes, reports the Toronto Star. From 2021 to 2023, the Star reports that Conestoga has seen the fastest growth in new study permits received and is “unapologetically touting its growth plan” for the future. Conestoga published a 66-page economic and social impact report that outlines the “demographic challenge” facing Canada, discusses how the college serves the local community and economy, and asserts that “no other local institution has matched the scale of Conestoga’s contribution” to the region. At the report unveiling, Conestoga President John Tibbits stated that the college is not one of the “bad actors” in the system, but rather a long-term supporter of the international student program. “What we’re trying to do is make this a better community, and what we would hope people would understand is that no one in this college is making a ton of money,” said Tibbits.
