Conestoga College president John Tibbits stopped in Cambridge this morning to speak to members of the local business community about the pending international student cap and the school's economic impact on the community.
In front of a sold-out crowd at the Galt Country Club, Tibbits spoke with Cambridge Chamber of Commerce CEO Greg Durocher about all things Conestoga.
Everyone from politicians to high-level business owners were in attendance at the event, but anyone with a press badge was not permitted entry.
Despite being able to attend previous breakfast events hosted by the chamber, including one in October with regional chair Karen Redman, CambridgeToday was turned away at the door, unable to sit in on today's talk.
This comes just a week after CambridgeToday broke the story of how a war of words erupted between the Conestoga president and Sault College president David Orazeitti.
During an exchange with media following a presentation at the college last week, Tibbits called Orazietti a "whore" and claimed international students are choosing to live packed together in rooming houses because they "don't want to pay more than $400."
Two unions that represent staff and faculty members at the college local OPSEU 237 and 238 have since called for the president's resignation.
Tibbits has not responded to requests that he resign after putting the school in what Local 237 president Leopold Koff called a "bad light."
Cambridge business owners going into this morning's event were supportive of the college and its economic impact on the community and are not concerned if Tibbits steps down.
"To be honest, it's not a high priority," said Pushpinder Singh, regional director for the Entrepreneur Nation and tax advisor at AccoTax. "I think this whole thing with the students will end up evening itself out with a cap for the next two years."
Having come to Canada as an international student himself, Singh knows the struggles new students have when coming to learn in Canada and would have liked to see more support put in place for these students.
"The schools knew this cap was going to come and the housing has been a big issue, but the government has to step up and help too," he added.
Others CambridgeToday spoke with were supportive of the college and recognize its positive impact on the local workforce.
They were, however, unwilling to go on record, citing fears about getting social media "hate" for their business if they voiced their support.
In a recent report put out by the college, it's estimating that as of 2023, 166,673 Conestoga graduates were living in Ontario adding more than $6.2 billion to the province's annual economy.
The report from Conestoga also claims the school has served over half of the entire adult population in the region.
In attendance at the event was Cambridge MPP Brian Riddell who recently worked as a teacher at Conestoga.
Riddell declined to answer any questions about the details of the meeting and the international student cap at this time.
Ontario's Minister of Colleges and University Jill Dunlop said this week the move by the federal government to cap international students will hurt local economies.
"The workers that we need in this province are absolutely incredible and ... are disgusted with the federal government for dropping this on the provinces with no consultation," said Dunlop during Thursday's question period at Queen's Park.
"We have been there, working with our stakeholders, the colleges and universities, to ensure that we have a pathway forward as we deal with the disgrace that the federal government has dropped on us."
She notes that there was no consultation between the feds and the province or institutions on how this cap will work and how it will impact communities like Waterloo region.
"Where are we going to find the skilled trade workers that the minister of labour and the minister of infrastructure are going to need to build the houses, the roads, the schools, the hospitals in this province," asked Dunlop.
"In fact, the premier and the prime minister just signed a historic health-care deal. Where do you think the PSWs and the nurses are going to come from that the minister of long-term care and the minister of health are going to need?"
The federal government has put the responsibility of dividing up a set amount of study permits to each post-secondary institution, but Dunlop's office said in an email to CambridgeToday that work is still in progress and there are no new updates as of yet.
