Category Archives: Environment

More than 230 residents from the City and Guelph-Eramosa Township attended the community open houses and pop-up information sessions to get more information, ask questions, and share their feedback. Continue reading City completes engagement on proposal to address its concerns with Dolime Quarry operations

Lane reductions in effect, avoid if possible   Guelph, Ont., December 2, 2019— City crews are responding to a water main break on Eramosa Road at Meyer Drive, repairs are expected to be completed by tomorrow morning. There are no health risks as a result of the break. Lane reductions are in effect. One lane is open in both directions, traffic is moving slow and delays are to be expected. Residents are asked to avoid the area if possible. Follow @GuelphTransit for any changes or delays to bus routes in the area. Some noise and light due to construction may be experienced by those living or working in the area where the break has occurred. The City will provide updates at guelph.ca and on Facebook… Continue reading Crews responding to a water main break on Eramosa Road at Meyer Drive

Speedvale Avenue is closed between the Hanlon Expressway and Silvercreek Parkway. Please avoid the area until further notice. Continue reading City crews responding to water main break on Speedvale Avenue

Dr. Dianne Saxe, former Environmental Commissioner for Ontario, to speak at the launch of Guelph’s Solid Waste Management Master Plan update December 9. Continue reading The future of waste management in Guelph

City Council approved the 2020 capital budget and the non-tax supported operating budget, and received the 2021–2029 capital forecast. Continue reading Council approves 2020 capital budget and non-tax supported operating budget

The leaves have shown their true colours and are now dropping in droves across lawns and sidewalks—but how do you get rid of them? Continue reading Five free ways to get rid of your leaves this fall

Drop by the Holiday Inn from 2 to 4 p.m. or 6 to 8 p.m. Guelph, Ont., November 12, 2019—The City of Guelph and the owners of the Dolime Quarry have reached a potential solution to address the City’s concerns about how operations at the quarry could affect Guelph’s drinking water. Whether to pursue the proposed solution is an important City Council decision. City Council and City staff are sharing this proposal with our community before Council makes its decision. The City is hosting the final community open house on November 26, 2019 at the Holiday Inn. What: Our Community, Our Water open house Where: Holiday Inn, 601 Scottsdale Drive, Guelph When: November 26, 2019. Drop-in sessions from 2-4 p.m. and 6-8 p.m. Other ways to get… Continue reading Our Community, Our Water open house November 26

This summer, we’re working to improve ecological health in our parks and natural areas by removing invasive plant species like buckthorn and dog strangling vine. Continue reading Invasive species removals coming to parks and natural areas in 2019

Guelph residents may see smoke coming from maintenance holes Update November 12, 2019: Smoke testing has been delayed due to weather and will begin on Monday, November 18. The City will begin sanitary sewer smoke testing starting November 11 and is expected to take four weeks to complete. Smoke testing will take place between the hours of 8 – 5 p.m. Monday – Friday. The smoke tests will be done to identify if any rainwater is entering our sanitary sewers through cracks or holes. This will allow the City to know where repairs are needed in our sanity sewer system. The smoke used is a harmless coloured vapour that has no odour, isn’t harmful to your health, and will disappear after a few minutes. Residents… Continue reading The City is performing sanitary sewer smoke tests starting November 11

The City is updating the Water Supply Master Plan. Continue reading Notice of study commencement: City of Guelph Municipal Class Environmental Assessment for the Water Supply Master Plan Update

Visit Our Community, Our Water at haveyoursay.guelph.ca by November 30 to share your thoughts on the proposed solution to address the City’s concerns about how operations at the Dolime Quarry could affect Guelph’s drinking water. Continue reading City looking for community feedback on proposed solution to replace Dolime Quarry with residential neighbourhood

City Council to discuss proposed water, wastewater and stormwater rates and the 2020 non-tax supported operating budget. To speak at the meeting please register by October 25 at 10 a.m. Continue reading Let’s talk 2020 non-tax supported operating budget

Simple actions can help reduce waste Key facts Take advantage of free City programs to reduce waste and promote reuse including Goods Exchange weekends, ReCycle bike reuse, and Paint+ Reuse for free paints, cleaning and car care products, and other household repair supplies. Whether dropping off or picking up, using these programs helps reuse items that could otherwise end up in a landfill. Media release Guelph, Ont., October 17, 2019—The City is celebrating Waste Reduction Week in Canada October 21–27. There are many ways Guelphites can reduce their waste, and Waste Reduction Week has outlined seven daily themes to help people get started. The Guelph Tool Library and the University of Guelph are also hosting free, local activities focused on reducing waste, including a repair… Continue reading Waste Reduction Week starts October 21

The City has hired a consultant to install and take samples from soil vapour probes on Menzie, Audrey and Lawrence Avenues, and on the laneway between Lawrence and Victoria Road South. Work will begin in October. Continue reading Environmental testing on Menzie, Audrey, Lawrence and laneway starts in October

City of Guelph Schedule ‘B’ Municipal Class Environmental Assessment for Robertson booster pump station Continue reading Notice of study commencement and public open house

The first Our Community, Our Water open house is happening on October 29 at City Hall from 2 to 4 p.m. and 6 to 8 p.m. Continue reading Our Community, Our Water open house October 29

The City of Guelph and the owners of the Dolime Quarry have reached a potential solution to address the City’s concerns about how operations at the quarry could affect Guelph’s drinking water. Continue reading City and Dolime Quarry owners reach proposal to protect Guelph’s drinking water

Construction Notice: Paving at the City’s public waste drop-off site to begin early October Continue reading Construction Notice: Paving at the City’s public waste drop-off site to begin early October

City upgrading to LED streetlights throughout Guelph starting early October. Continue reading City upgrading to LED streetlights throughout Guelph starting early October

The inspection and maintenance of the Arkell aqueduct, where 60 to 80 per cent of Guelph’s water comes from, is underway. Continue reading Arkell aqueduct maintenance: November 2019 project update

The City of Guelph is making strides toward its goal to achieve 100 per cent of its energy needs through renewable sources by 2050. The goal and approach reflect the community’s and Council’s prioritization of climate change mitigation. Continue reading City shares 100 per cent renewable energy progress report

The City of Guelph is hosting an open house to present plans for road improvements to Gordon Street between Edinburgh Road South and Lowes Road. Continue reading Open house: Gordon Street improvements

Silvercreek Parkway closed between Woodlawn and Campbell for emergency watermain repair. Continue reading Silvercreek Parkway closed between Woodlawn and Campbell for emergency watermain repair

The City is collecting single-use alkaline batteries at the curb from September 30 – October 11 on blue cart collection day. Continue reading Curbside battery collection starts September 30

The City will begin dead-end watermain flushing throughout Guelph starting Monday, September 16 Continue reading City to begin dead-end watermain flushing September 16

The City will be performing repairs to an underground water valve at the Willow Road and Imperial Road North intersection on Thursday, August 29. Continue reading Construction notice: Lane restrictions at Willow Road and Imperial Road North intersection on August 29

The City has reviewed Lafarge’s application and will develop our based on analysis from the groundwater flow modeling currently underway. Continue reading Information about the City’s plans to provide comment on LaFarge Canada’s water-taking application

The City is offering rebates to help property owners decommission private water wells and septic systems. Continue reading City launches private water well and septic decommissioning rebate program

Your lawn only needs 2.5 cm (1 inch) of water a week.  Guelph, Ont., July 30, 2019 – The City is enforcing watering restrictions for level 1 yellow of the outside water use program because a sustained period of no steady rain and little relief is anticipated in the forecast ahead.   At level 1 yellow, lawn watering is restricted to 7-9 a.m. and 7-9 p.m. on odd or even calendar dates by address number—odd-numbered houses can water on odd-numbered dates and even-numbered houses on even dates. “Despite last night’s rain, the hot, dry summer weather has caught up with us,” said Heather Yates, Supervisor of Water Efficiency. “Early morning and late day watering happens to be the best time of day to keep plants… Continue reading Summer is heating up: Level yellow outside watering restrictions now in effect

In compliance with the Ontario Fire Code, the City tests all fire hydrants on a yearly basis to ensure they are in proper working order when needed for fire suppression. Continue reading Fire hydrant testing has started throughout Guelph

City Council has approved a staff recommendation to create a Natural Heritage Advisory Committee (NHAC) with a focus on supporting environmental initiatives as part of Guelph’s Natural Heritage Action Plan. Continue reading City Council approves staff recommendation to create Natural Heritage Advisory Committee

Upgrades will help Sleeman save $266,000 a year Guelph, Ont., June 25, 2019 —Sleeman Breweries is now saving about 298,000 litres or over 5,000 kegs’ worth of water every day thanks to the results of their Water Smart Business audit from the City of Guelph. Those daily water savings add up to about $266,000 in annual savings on Sleeman’s water bill, and enough water to fill 40 Olympic-sized swimming pools every year. “Our community understands the importance of using water wisely,” says Steven Snopkowski, Water Smart Business program coordinator at the City. “It’s great to see local businesses, like Sleeman Breweries, playing their part in being water efficient. Sleeman has shown great leadership that’s a real win-win situation for our whole community.” Through the Water… Continue reading Sleeman Breweries’ Water Smart Business upgrades save over 5,000 kegs’ worth of water a day

Guelph, Ont., June 5, 2019 – City staff and council celebrated the opening of the upgraded Burke well house last week. The City made upgrades to remove iron and manganese from the water, and to improve service delivery and reliability of the 44-year-old well located on the north side of Arkell Road near Summerfield Drive. “Burke well is one of Guelph’s largest wells and provides about eight per cent of our daily water supply—tap water for about 13,000 households each day,” says Emily Stahl, manager of technical services. “It’s an important water source for Guelph and our upgrades ensure it will continue to serve our community well into the future.” As with all of Guelph’s drinking water, water from Burke well has always met Ontario’s… Continue reading Burke well upgrades improve water service to 13,000 homes

Be heard on Bill 108. Submit your comments on the Bill’s regulations. On June 6, 2019, the Provincial Legislature passed Bill 108: More Homes, More Choice Act into law. Most of the concerns and proposed solutions expressed by municipalities and citizens were not reflected in the Act at the time of passing. We still have an opportunity to influence how this law is put into motion. The City will continue to work with ministries to design the rules, policies and related programs under Bill 108 as the regulations are being crafted. You can get involved by voicing your opinions on specific regulations during this consultation period. Background On May 2, 2019, the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing released its More Homes, More Choice: Ontario’s… Continue reading Understanding Bill 108

Council also approves plan for meeting City’s 100 per cent renewable energy target Guelph, Ont., May 28, 2019 — City Council approved $700,000 in funding over five years to support the Community Energy Initiative led by Our Energy Guelph at last night’s Council meeting. Council also approved recommendations for achieving 100 per cent renewable energy sources for all City energy needs. “To tackle climate change, we need all hands on deck,” says Alex Chapman, manager of the City’s Climate Change Office. “This means working closely with our community and leading by example. With Council’s support, we can take a big step forward in reducing Guelph’s environmental footprint while further positioning our community as the leaders in environmental sustainability and delivering significant economic value and jobs.”… Continue reading Council approves funding to support making Guelph a net zero carbon community

The upgrades to Burke well are now complete and the well is currently operative. Burke well upgrades were made to improve overall water quality, service delivery and the reliability of Burke well which was built in 1975. Completion of these upgrades will save the City money and prolong the life of this important City asset. The upgrades completed include: expansion of the existing well house to accommodate additional treatment equipment (newly finished area of 310 square metres from current area of 62 square metres); installation of a filter system to remove manganese and iron; construction of 350 cubic metres of water storage, an amount that would fill more than 2,000 standard bathtubs; well cleaning; replacement of the on-site emergency power generator; and replacement of utility service… Continue reading Construction complete at Burke well house

The City is making security upgrades at the Arkell Spring grounds to enhance the protection of Guelph’s drinking water source and to improve public safety. Continue reading Security upgrades at Arkell Spring grounds begin May 20

Rickson Avenue to Oak Street The City is working with Fer-Pal Construction to reline the water main on Hickory Street between Rickson Avenue and Oak Street. Construction begins May 13   Construction will begin May 13 and continue for about 16 weeks (through to the end of August), weather permitting. Hickory Street will be reduced to one lane Traffic will be reduced to one lane for the duration of construction. Pedestrian access remains open All sidewalks will be maintained during construction. Signage will be posted to direct pedestrians around the construction site.  Property and business access and parking Every effort will be made to maintain access to driveways in the construction area during working hours (7 a.m.–7 p.m.). Construction activities and equipment movement may temporarily… Continue reading Construction notice: Hickory Street lane reduction starts May 13

Guelph, Ont., May 2, 2019—Today the City released an updated preferred community structure for the Clair-Maltby Secondary Plan as part of a report to Council. The update is based on community feedback and additional studies the City has completed. In addition to the updated structure, the report presents the final policy directions document and provides a timeline for the remainder of the project. Putting the environment first The updated work on the Secondary Plan continues to put the protection of the Paris Moraine and the city’s natural heritage and water resources first. Further studies confirmed that planned urban development in the Clair-Maltby area will not interfere with the function of the Paris Moraine, the natural heritage system or water resources. The Paris Moraine is not… Continue reading City releases updated preferred structure for Clair-Maltby

A record number of parks, trails and green spaces were cleared of 3,300 kilograms during Clean and Green this past Saturday. Continue reading Clean and green collects a hippo’s worth of garbage

Watch your mailbox to see if your home is on the replacement list Guelph, Ont,. April 29, 2019 – The City has hired Neptune Technology Group Inc. to complete mandatory replacements of residential water meters in about 8,000 homes. Water meter replacements begin May 6, 2019. If your water meter is due for replacement, Neptune will contact you by mail, door hanger or phone. Neptune staff will not show up at your door without an appointment. If you get a notice, you’ll need to respond to the contact information provided to book your water meter replacement appointment. Appointments are available Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. – 8 p.m. and Saturdays 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. Installation of the new water meter is free. What is… Continue reading Mandatory residential water meter replacements start May 6

Today the City of Guelph welcomes Jennifer Rose as the general manager of Environmental Services. Rose comes to the City with 15 years’ experience in the municipal sector, most recently as director of Environmental Services for the City of Vaughan. Continue reading Things looking rosy with City of Guelph’s new GM of Environmental Services

Open house for York Road Environmental Design Study on May 9, 2019 at Guelph City Hall. Continue reading Open house: York Road Environmental Design Study

The City of Guelph is using iTree to learn more about the state of our urban forest Continue reading Guelph urban forest study

Shortly after 2:40 p.m. on Saturday, April 13, Guelph Fire responded to a fire in the transfer station that houses collected garbage before being transported to the landfill. Continue reading Operations resume at City’s Waste Resource Innovation Centre after Saturday’s fire

Guelph has won an Exemplary Source Water Protection Award from the American Water Works Association Continue reading Guelph wins award for protecting local drinking water sources

Between Rickson Avenue and Gordon Street The City is working with Fer-Pal Construction to reline the watermain on Oak Street between Rickson Avenue and Gordon Street. Construction begins April 23 Construction will begin April 23 and continue for 16 weeks (through to early July), weather permitting. Oak Street will be reduced to one lane Traffic will be reduced to one lane for the duration of construction. Pedestrian access remains open All sidewalks will be maintained during construction. Signage will be posted to direct pedestrians around the construction site. Property and business access and parking Every effort will be made to maintain access to driveways in the construction area during working hours (7 a.m.–7 p.m.). Construction activities and equipment movement may temporarily impact access to private… Continue reading Construction Notice: Oak Street lane reduction starts April 23

Guelph’s updated waste bylaw includes changes for multi-residential collection, grass clippings and medical waste collection Continue reading Guelph City Council approves updated Waste Management Bylaw

Come to an information session to discuss Guelph’s Clair Maltby Secondary Plan March 28, 2019 7-9 p.m. Council Chambers, City Hall 1 Carden Street, Guelph Continue reading Planning for growth while protecting the moraine, water resources and natural heritage resources

Guelph, Ontario, February 21, 2019 – As part of the 2019 non-tax supported budget, City Council approved water, wastewater and stormwater rate increases. These increases ensure the City is able to continue providing essential services that meet the community’s expectations. The following rates come into effect on March 1, 2019. Water Description 2018 2019 Change Water volume (fee per cubic metre) $1.72 $1.72 $0.00 Water basic (fee per day) $0.26 $0.26 $0.00 Wastewater Description 2018 2019 Change Wastewater volume (fee per cubic metre) $1.84 $1.88 $0.04 Water basic (fee per day) $0.32 $0.32 $0.00 Stormwater Description 2018 2019 Change Stormwater service fee (per month) $4.60 $5.20 $0.60 For more information Water and wastewater rates guelph.ca/water 519-837-5627 Stormwater fees guelph.ca/stormwater 519-837-5604 extension 3486 2019 budget guelph.ca/budget.