Doug Ford government sacks entire board at Conestoga College

Move comes after Sun reports on multi-million exit package for past president

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Published May 07, 2026  •  Last updated 17 minutes ago  •  2 minute read

Ontario Premier Doug Ford Photo by David Kawai /Bloomberg

Doug Ford’s government has fired the entire board of Conestoga College citing “evidence of serious financial and governance mismanagement.”

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The news from the province comes after the Toronto Sun broke the news that former president John Tibbits was given an exit package worth at least $3.8 million.

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The province is appointing Linda Franklin to serve as administrator of Conestoga College effective immediately.

“Ms. Franklin will work closely with Conestoga’s interim president, leadership and staff to refocus the college on student success and to restore financial prudence and appropriate governance to the college,” the government said Thursday in a news release.

“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.”

Conestoga College and John Tibbits by the numbers. Photo by Toronto Sun graphic /Postmedia Network files

The province didn’t confirm the $3.8 million payout for Tibbits and in fact hinted it could be higher.

Under the Broader Public Sector Executive Compensation Act departing executives can receive compensation up to an amount equal 24 months pay, but the package given to Tibbits was worth 83 months, or almost seven years, worth of his pay.

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The salary listed for Tibbits in the 2025 Sunshine List was $601,684, which would amount to just over $50,000 per month, meaning a buyout of $4.1 million.

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Provincial audit found other spending irregularities

An audit conducted by the province also found other spending irregularities including a luxury trip to Italy with business class fare and luxury accommodation. There were also plenty of large expenses for hospitality including “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.”

“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,” Minister of Colleges and Universities Nolan Quinn said.

Conestoga recently laid off more than 500 staff – a move the province called the largest layoff in the province’s college sector.

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