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The City recognizes the importance of housing, including affordable housing, in meeting the needs of the City’s existing and future residents.The provision of affordable housing is an on-going challenge, which the City plans to address through the creation and implementation of an Affordable Housing Strategy.
The involvement and coordination of all stakeholders, including the federal, provincial and municipal governments, Wellington County, not-for-profit sector, development community, and Guelph residents is needed to ensure that affordable housing is available for all.
Latest updates
Guelph’s Housing Accelerator Fund Action Plan
The City of Guelph received $21.4 million from the federal government to help incent housing supply through the Housing Accelerator Fund. Click the link below to find out more.
Affordable Housing Monitoring Report
Each year, the city releases the Guelph Growth Management and Affordable Housing Monitoring Report. This report includes the benchmark price for affordable ownership and the benchmark rent for rental housing.
Guelph Growth Management and Affordable Housing Monitoring Report 2023
Affordable Housing Strategy
The City has developed an Affordable Housing Strategy. The strategy builds on the work of the City’s Official Plan and the 10-year Housing and Homelessness Plan led by Wellington County as the Service Manager for social housing and homelessness programs. The Affordable Housing Strategy includes strategic actions that support the city-wide 30 per cent annual affordable housing target (25 per cent ownership, 1 per cent affordable primary rental and 4 per cent affordable secondary rental) and address affordable housing issues in the private market.
The affordable housing issues identified for Guelph include:
- There are not enough small units to rent or buy to meet the affordability needs of all smaller households.
- A lack of available primary rental supply makes it difficult for people to find affordable rental housing.
- The secondary rental market provides choice of affordable dwelling types but the supply is not as secure as the primary rental market.
On July 24, 2017 City Council approved section 6.3.3 which specifies modifications to the financial incentives for the Affordable Housing Strategy.
Affordable Housing Financial Incentives Program
On July 24, 2017 City Council approved the Affordable Housing Financial Incentives Program Framework. The framework includes eligibility criteria and funding priorities to guide the development and implementation of a financial incentives program for affordable housing in Guelph. Program details will be developed following Council approval of funding for the Affordable Housing Financial Incentives Program through the 2018 budget process.
Background information
Affordable Housing Strategy: Review of the Affordable Housing Target and Secondary Market
The Affordable Housing Strategy: Review of the Affordable Housing Target and Secondary Market was presented to Council for approval on May 8, 2017. Council approved modifications to the Affordable Housing Strategy (approved on October 11, 2016) to reflect a revised affordable housing target that reflects the secondary rental market
Affordable Housing Strategy final report
The Affordable Housing Strategy:Final Report was presented to Council for approval on October 11, 2016. Council approved the strategy, with two amendments.
Recommended Strategic Actions
The Recommended Strategic Actions Report provides recommendations for a final strategy that will make an impactful difference on the City’s affordable housing needs.
Affordable Housing Strategy: Draft Directions report – 2015
The Draft Directions report presents municipal affordable housing tools, current responses, and potential draft directions to address the City’s affordable housing issues.
Affordable Housing Draft Directions Report (including attachments) – Revised December 7, 2015
Attachment 1: Draft Directions Report (report only) – Revised December 7, 2015
Attachment 2: Summary of Affordable Housing Tools – Revised as of December 7, 2015
Attachment 3: Municipal Tools for Affordable Housing
Affordable Housing Strategy: State of Housing report – 2015
The State of Housing report presents a demographic and statistical analysis of households in Guelph and identifies affordable housing issues affecting residents of our community.
Report (including attachments)
Attachment 1: Staff Report 14-15 Housing Strategy Background Report and Proposed Project Charter
Attachment 2: State of Housing Report
Attachment 3: Registered Accessory Apartment Survey Results
Attachment 4: Affordable Housing Strategy: Focus Group Feedback on Issues
Attachment 5: Affordable Housing Strategy Work Plan and Community Engagement Process
Affordable Housing Strategy: Housing Strategy Background report and proposed project charter – 2014
The Housing Strategy Background report and proposed project charter provide an overview of the current state of housing policy and implementation in Guelph, and identify a recommended focused scope for developing Guelph’s Housing Strategy.
Report (including attachments)
Attachment 1 – Housing Strategy Background Report
Attachment 2 – Housing Strategy Project Charter
Affordable Housing Discussion Paper – 2009
The 2009 Affordable Housing Discussion paper provides a detailed examination of the current and projected need for affordable housing in Guelph.
Affordable Housing Summary Workshop
Feedback on Discussion Paper – Public workshops
Feedback on Discussion Paper – Development Sector workshop
Affordable Housing Discussion Paper
Attachment 1 – Existing Official Plan Policies for Affordable Housing (2006)
Attachment 2 – History of Affordable Housing
Attachment 3 – Guelph’s Housing Statistical Profile
Attachment 4 – Methodology for Determining the Affordable Housing Target
For more information
Planning Services
519-837-5616
[email protected]