Almost 200 full-time Conestoga College employees have been laid off just days before Christmas. CTV\u2019s Heather Senoran reports. <\/p>\n
Conestoga College has made more job cuts, just days before Christmas.<\/p>\n
Layoff notices were issued to 181 full-time employees on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
Most were based in Kitchener, but there were also some from the school\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey\u2019re colleagues. They\u2019re professionals,\u201d Koff said, visibly emotional as he spoke with CTV News. \u201cThey\u2019re dedicated, committed individuals.\u201d<\/p>\n
The recent layoffs represent the latest workforce reduction at the college after months of cutbacks.<\/p>\n
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<\/a> as part of its downsizing efforts.<\/p>\n \u201cDue to the declining enrolment within our sector and specifically at the college that are the result, in part, of changes to Canada\u2019s 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,\u201d a memo, sent to the 373 full-time employees in September, said.<\/p>\n Eligible employees had until Oct. 20 to decide if they wanted to accept the college\u2019s offer, and anyone who was accepted into the program would officially leave their role on Dec. 19.<\/p>\n In an update in November<\/a>, 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.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n Saying goodbye to even more colleagues has taken a heavy toll.<\/p>\n \u201cShame \u2013 just the timing,\u201d Koff explained. \u201cEverything, 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.\u201d<\/p>\n Making \u2018cents\u2019 of the change<\/p>\n Representatives for Conestoga College have repeatedly insisted the school is facing financial pressures due to the federal government\u2019s changes to international student visas.<\/p>\n The federal government announced in early 2024 it was slashing study permits for international students and Ontario\u2019s 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\u2019s first-year domestic enrolment<\/a>.<\/p>\n The province specifically called out Conestoga College, stating it would see the \u201clargest decline.\u201d That was not surprising, since the school had one of the largest international student populations in the province.<\/p>\n 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<\/a>.<\/p>\n