News Release

City of Guelph seeks property donations for a temporary structured encampment

Guelph, Ont., March 25, 2024 – In response to a mayoral direction issued on February 28, the City of Guelph is seeking private property donations to (potentially) establish a temporary structured encampment as part of its ongoing efforts to address unsheltered homelessness.

Property owners within Guelph are invited to identify potential sites suitable for conversion into temporary structured encampments. These sites will serve as safe havens for those in need for a minimum period of three years. While properties within one kilometre of the downtown core are preferred, all submissions will be considered.

Property owners interested in contributing to this initiative are encouraged to submit their name, contact information, and potential location address to [email protected] by April 26, 2024. The City emphasizes that this initial outreach aims to gather responses promptly, but submissions will continue to be welcomed beyond this date.

Later this spring, staff will bring a report to City Council in follow-up to the mayoral direction that prompted this outreach.

Media Contact

James Goodram, General Manager of Economic Development and Tourism
Office of the Chief Administrative Officer
City of Guelph
519-822-1260 extension 3567
[email protected]

City of Guelph to receive federal investment for new central library

New library also the first stand-alone library certified under the Zero Carbon Building – Design Standard

Guelph, Ont., March 25, 2024 – Guelph is set to receive a federal investment of $13.5 million to help support construction of the new central library. Announced today by Guelph MP Lloyd Longfield and Mayor Cam Guthrie, this funding will contribute to the creation of a vibrant new community hub in Guelph.

“Libraries are the trademark of educated, equitable and democratic societies. Cities across Canada are turning to these inclusive building types to revitalize their downtowns, boost visitors, and enhance access to information and resources. Guelph’s new central library will help contribute to a thriving community as a hub that will inspire residents to learn and explore for years to come,” says Lloyd Longfield, Member of Parliament for Guelph, on behalf of the Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities.

This investment comes from Infrastructure Canada and is administered through the Green and Inclusive Buildings (GICB) program, which supports green and accessible retrofits, repairs or upgrades of existing public community buildings and the construction of new publicly accessible community buildings with a goal to help Canada towards its net-zero objectives by 2050.

“The Green and Inclusive Community Building program funding will help Guelph in building a new, state-of-the-art, fully accessible main library to replace the current library, which no longer meets the needs of the community,” says Mayor Cam Guthrie. “The funding will help us reduce capital costs while building a facility that meets the Canada Green Building Council’s Zero Carbon Building – Design Standard.”

The new central library is a pivotal part of the Baker District redevelopment, a former municipal parking lot that is being transformed to offer the new library, mixed-use residential and commercial towers, public parking, and public squares.

Zero Carbon Building – Design Standard certification

Guelph’s new central library is anticipated to be the first stand-alone library in Canada to achieve the Canada Green Building Council®’s Zero Carbon Building – Design Standard™ certification, verifying that the new facility is designed to be carbon neutral.

“Achieving this certification is a huge win for Guelph. We are dedicated to leadership in climate action, as outlined in our Future Guelph Strategic Plan, and the innovative design approach to the new library is a shining example of this commitment,” says Scott Stewart, Chief Administrative Officer at the City of Guelph. “We’re going to keep this momentum going forward and continue making significant strides towards becoming a more sustainable city.”

Between this significant certification and conscious energy design considerations to the building (including renewable energy through rooftop solar panels, minimizing fossil fuel use, and a highly efficient building exterior), the new central library will help bring Guelph closer to meeting our Race to Zero commitment targets and becoming a net zero carbon community by 2050.

About the new central library

Set to replace the current central library that opened in 1965, the new library will:

  • Provide a variety of community spaces, such as quiet areas for reading and reflecting, as well as larger areas for performances or events;
  • Reduce barriers for residents to access enhanced technology, including a makerspace studio with 3D printing and audio/video recording and production opportunities;
  • Offer inclusive spaces for members of local Indigenous communities (such as spaces for Indigenous art and sharing circles), and new parents (including a space for nursing and stroller parking);
  • Supporting active transportation with covered bike parking;
  • Have back-up power sources and be able to offer emergency shelter during severe weather events; and
  • Be fully accessible.

For more information, visit guelph.ca/bakerdistrict.

Resources

Media contacts

Stefany Snedden, Strategic Communications Advisor
Strategic Communications and Community Engagement
City of Guelph
519-822-1260 extension 3519
[email protected]

Patricia Halajski, Mayor’s Communications Advisor
Mayor’s Office
City of Guelph
519-822-1260 extension 2558
[email protected]

Doors Open Guelph presents free tours and fascinating experiences

Guelph, Ont., March 20, 2024 – Doors Open Guelph returns Saturday, April 27 with free guided tours of some of Guelph’s most architecturally, historically and culturally significant sites.

Doors Open Guelph – April 27

Tours and interactive experiences run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at:

  • Guelph Little Theatre, 176 Morris Street
  • Artworks Gallery, Azure Photography, Lost Aviator Coffee and Ed Video, 404 York Road
  • Provincial Offences Courthouse, 59 Carden Street
  • Guelph City Hall, 1 Carden Street
  • Guelph Masonic Centre, 21 Chapel Lane
  • Dublin Street United Church, 68 Suffolk Street West
  • Heritage Hall, 83 Essex Street
  • Guelph City Greenhouses, 709 Woolwich Street
  • Woodlawn Memorial Park Mausoleum, 762 Woolwich Street
  • Guelph Research and Development Centre, 93 Stone Road West
  • Trails Open: The Rapids Sidetrail, 45 Speedvale East (rear parking lot)

Doors Open After Dark – April 26

To warm up for the day-long celebration of heritage on April 27, Guelph Museums will present Doors Open After Dark the night before, on Friday, April 26 from 5 p.m. to midnight. Doors Open After Dark will feature performances, interactive experiences and behind-the-scenes tours.

“We are excited to once again open the doors to some fascinating places for thousands of visitors to explore,” says Tammy Adkin, manager of Museums and Culture at the City of Guelph. “In addition to seeing some beautiful art and architectural features and participating in hands-on demonstrations, visitors will hear stories held within the walls, delivered by our team of knowledgeable and enthusiastic volunteers. Whether this is your first Doors Open experience or your twentieth, there will be something new and intriguing to surprise and delight you.”

Want to volunteer?

Doors Open Guelph volunteers bring this event to life. Anyone passionate about preserving history and culture who wants to volunteer can apply at guelph.ca/doors-open-guelph or contact us for more information at [email protected] or 519-836-1221.

About Doors Open Guelph

Doors Open Guelph is a free, annual event that offers a unique opportunity to learn about and explore important buildings and heritage sites across the city. Initiated locally in 2002, and coordinated for 20 years by the Guelph Arts Council, Doors Open Guelph is now presented by the City of Guelph with support from community partners. It is part of the province-wide Doors Open Ontario program coordinated by the Ontario Heritage Trust.

For more information

Tammy Adkin, Manager
Museums and Culture, Culture and Recreation
City of Guelph
519-836-1221 extension 2775
[email protected]

Guelph receives $4.68 million for meeting provincial housing targets

Funding will be invested in housing or community-enabling infrastructure 

Guelph, Ont., March 14, 2024 – Today, Paul Calandra Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, announced that the City of Guelph will receive $4,680,000 in Government of Ontario funding through the Building Faster Fund. In 2023, the City issued 1,320 building permits for new units and the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) reported 1,287 new housing starts, meaning Guelph achieved 98 per cent of its 2023 housing target. 

“I applaud the work being done by Guelph and all the other municipalities that are making substantial progress toward their 2031 housing targets,” said Paul Calandra, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing.  

Representatives from the City of Guelph including Mayor Cam Guthrie and members of City Council as well as City staff attended today’s funding announcement, the proceeds of which will be invested into much-needed housing or community-enabling infrastructure in Guelph. 

“The Provincial Building Faster Fund will help Guelph address the housing crisis in our community,” said Mayor Cam Guthrie, City of Guelph. “Our continued desire to work collaboratively with upper levels of government to ensure policies, programs and tools are available to get shovels in the ground faster and increase housing supply is proving to work well for our city. To meet Guelph’s target to build 18,000 new homes by 2031, the City also needs cooperation from the development community, partner organizations, and the public. My hope is that we’ll continue a positive relationship as funds like this, and others, become available.” 

City building is a key theme in the City’s new 2024-2027 Future Guelph strategic plan and is also reflected by the investments planned in Guelph’s 2024-2027 Multi-Year Budget. City building involves supporting housing growth in Guelph, investing in City infrastructure and programming to enable growth, exploring opportunities for improvement to transportation, celebrating culture, and attracting people to our city parks and recreational services. 

Background 

Announced in August 2023, the Building Faster Fund is a three-year, $1.2 billion program that is designed to encourage municipalities to address the housing supply crisis. The fund rewards municipalities that make significant progress against their targets by providing funding for housing-enabling and community-enabling infrastructure. Funding is provided to municipalities that have reached at least 80 per cent of their provincially assigned housing target for the year with increased funding for municipalities that exceed their target.  

The City of Guelph met its housing target for 2023 of 1,320 building permits, however the CMHC reporting does show a slight gap between permits issued and permits actioned (1,287) by developers. 

Any unspent funding from the Building Faster Fund will be made available for housing-enabling infrastructure to all municipalities, including those that have already received funding as a result of reaching their targets, through an application process. In addition, ten per cent – or $120 million – of the Building Faster Fund is being set aside for small, rural and northern municipalities to help build housing-enabling infrastructure and prioritize projects that speed up the increase of housing supply. 

Media contact 

Patricia Halajski, Mayor’s Communications Advisor
Mayor’s Office
519-822-1260 extension 2558
[email protected]

Krista Walkey, General Manager, Planning and Building Services
Infrastructure, Development and Environment
519-822-1260 extension 2395
[email protected]

Mayor directs staff to reduce 2025 property tax levy and help with housing and homelessness

Guelph, Ont., February 28, 2024 – Today, Mayor Cam Guthrie signed three (3) mayoral orders directing City staff to:

  • Establish the 2025 confirmation budget at a property tax impact of under four (4) per cent. Including information on free transit for high school students.
  • Identify real estate opportunities for underutilized City-owned assets, including City-owned surface parking lots, which can be transformed into housing.
  • Present Council with information about the logistics, costs and processes required to establish a temporary structured encampment site for those currently experiencing homelessness.

“I am using the strong mayor powers to explore creative solutions to create much-needed housing, address homelessness and present a more affordable outlook on property taxes for our residents and businesses,” said Mayor Cam Guthrie. “I look forward to working with staff, Council and the community to move these issues forward in a meaningful and positive manner to ensure that these challenges are addressed.”

Mayor Guthrie first announced his intention to use strong mayor powers to implement these mayoral directions at the 2024 State of the City Address on February 8.

The mayor is required to share any mayoral directions made under the strong mayor powers in writing, to notify the city clerk and councillors when he does so, and to make notifications available to the public, subject to the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act.

All mayoral directions are publicly available on guelph.ca/mayoral-decisions.

Media contact

Patricia Halajski, Mayor’s Communications Advisor
Mayor’s Office
519-822-1260 extension 2558
[email protected]

City of Guelph is revolutionizing road safety with new Vision Zero tools

Unveils new Vision Zero Collision Dashboard, Key Actions and interactive Storymap 

Guelph, Ont., February 22, 2024 – The City of Guelph is taking a leap forward in road safety with the launch of the Vision Zero Collision Dashboard, Key Actions, and Storymap. These comprehensive, interactive and data-driven platforms are designed to enhance transparency, and engagement, and inform on the City’s initiatives to improve road safety across Guelph. 

The Vision Zero Collision Dashboard offers a comparative analysis of traffic collision data within the city over a six-year period. Through intuitive visualizations and detailed maps, residents, policymakers, and researchers can gain a comprehensive understanding of traffic incidents, contributing factors, and hotspots. 

Key features of the Vision Zero Collision Dashboard include: 

  • Collision data summary 
  • Comparative analysis of collision trends over time 
  • Identification of high-risk areas and intersections 
  • Interactive map 
  • User-friendly and accessible interface 

Similarly, the Key Actions platform offers insights into the infrastructure solutions the City is using to prioritize pedestrian and cyclist safety while reducing traffic-related fatalities and severe injuries in Guelph. The platform also offers live locations of these assets across the city. 

In addition to the Collision Dashboard and Key Actions, the City introduces the Vision Zero Storymap—a compelling narrative that introduces the city to Vision Zero by going beyond statistics to tell the stories of the communal impacts of traffic collisions, which in fact amounted $460 million in societal cost in Guelph between 2018-2022. By humanizing the data, the Storymap aims to foster empathy and inspire collective action toward safer streets. Each statistic highlighted tells the story of the human impact of aggressive driving, sparking a feeling that demands drivers’ behaviour change and safer roads to prevent fatal collisions. 

Nico Koenig, the City’s Transportation Safety Specialist, expresses enthusiasm about the City’s new road safety innovations. “We are thrilled to introduce our new Vision Zero tools. We aim to provide a comprehensive understanding of collisions in Guelph, by allowing people an opportunity to understand the data and specific trends”.  

“We are working hard to reduce the number and severity of traffic-related injuries and fatalities in Guelph. Transparency is key to our approach, as we are committed to sharing the data and explaining how evidence-based decisions guide our actions. We are confident we can create a transportation system that prioritizes safety and a livable City through Vision Zero”, finished Koenig. 

Explore these comprehensive platforms by visiting guelph.ca/visionzero 

Media Contact 

Steve Anderson, Manager, Transportation Engineering
Engineering and Transportation Services
City of Guelph
519-822-1260 extension 2037
[email protected]  

Guelph City Council hears delegations and determines next steps for proposed Public Space Use bylaw

Guelph, Ont., February 15, 2024 – At a special meeting of Council held on February 14, City Council heard delegations from members of the community related to the proposed Public Space Use bylaw. As directed by Council in January, City staff prepared the draft bylaw to address safety concerns regarding encampments and related activities on lands owned or operated by the City.  

After hearing more than 25 delegations and, in response to the community’s feedback, Council proposed a series of resolutions to move forward the City’s efforts to help address the housing crisis, mitigate safety concerns for those living in encampments, and establish parameters for the use of public space for shelter. 

Through the resolutions, Council directed City staff to: 

  • Establish a plan to engage members of the community, including those with lived experience in encampment settings and the downtown community, on the use of public space for shelter;  
  • Review insights and outcomes from the Health and Housing Symposium planned for early April, which is hosted by Wellington County (the County); 
  • Work with Wellington County, front-line workers and unhoused community members to enhance the City’s Encampments on City Property and Road Allowances Operating Procedure to include fire prevention education for community members staying in encampments in Guelph; 
  • Continue to advance advocacy efforts to the provincial and federal governments, and the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO), to:
    • address the need for greater municipal funding to deal with housing instability issues, 
    • prompt legislative reform to address public space use by-laws, and  
    • secure greater healthcare funding to address the crisis in our community connected to mental health and substance use issues;  
  •  Defer further amendments or adoption of the proposed Public Space Use bylaw until the appeal of the Corporation of the City of Kingston v. Doe 2023 ONSC 6662 decision is available.  

Council also respectfully requested that the County supply additional resources, tools and data related to daily availability and access to permanent shelter for unhoused community members for staff and Council’s awareness and consideration.  

Next steps 

City staff will develop a plan for public consultation on the Public Space Use bylaw and will also consider outcomes from Wellington County’s Health and Housing Symposium and implications of the forthcoming Kingston ruling before bringing the issue back to Council for further discussion at a future date. 

Meeting dates, details and documents are posted to guelph.ca/council as they are made available. Information on speaking or sending comments to Council is also available on the City’s website.  

Resources 

Guelph City Council directs development of Public Space Use bylaw to address safety concerns (January 17, 2024) 

Media Contact 

Colleen Clack-Bush
Deputy Chief Administrative Officer, Public Services
City of Guelph
519-822-1260 extension 2588
[email protected]  

Mayor’s Awards honour five local volunteers

Guelph, Ont., February 7, 2024 – Mayor Cam Guthrie will present the 2023 Mayor’s Awards to five exceptional local volunteers tomorrow morning as part of the 2024 State of the City Address event.

“I am thrilled to bring back the Mayor’s Awards after a three-year hiatus and honour these citizens’ inspirational contributions to the Guelph community,” said Mayor Cam Guthrie. “The Mayor’s Awards recipients truly make Guelph a better place through their volunteer service.”

The 2023 honourees are:

  • Mike Darmon, who is most well known for his volunteer service with the Guelph Coalition for Active Transportation (GCAT). Through his service with GCAT, Mike is committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by increasing the quantity, quality and safety of active transportation in Guelph. Mike spends countless hours researching active transportation issues, developing proposed infrastructure solutions, building the City’s community of active transportation users, and liaising with City Staff, Council and other stakeholders. Mike also volunteers his time to build the outdoor ice-skating rink in Riverside Park.
  • Narine Dat Sookram, who volunteers his time to mentor Guelph citizens to achieve their career and academic goals, including teaching mathematics. He helps Guelphites craft resumes and cover letters and prepare for job interviews. From 2002 to 2012, Narine also drove community members, who had no personal transportation, to their workplaces. During the pandemic, Narine, who is a registered social worker, volunteered his time to provide mental health counselling for Guelphites and continues to make himself available as needed.
  • Jim Hoare, who spent many years volunteering with Habitat for Humanity Guelph Wellington as crew lead and helping with numerous kitchen salvages. Jim also helped design, plan and build the Cove Valley Bridge as a volunteer with the Guelph Hiking Trail Club in addition to helping with ongoing trail maintenance on the Radial Line Trail for the last 20 years. Jim also volunteers with the Guelph Little Theatre to design and build sets.
  • Shannon Ostetto, who has been volunteering with Hope House and their event, Hope in the Street, for the past five years. She’s been the Chairperson of the event since 2019, successfully pivoting the event to an online format in 2020 and bringing it back to an in-person event following the pandemic. Shannon has helped fundraise tens of thousands of dollars for food programs, community services and health programs.
  • Dhruv Shah, who has been volunteering with various Guelph community and non-profit organizations since 2016. During the pandemic, Dhruv volunteered to raise funds for Guelph General Hospital and Guelph Food Bank. Dhruv also volunteered with the Children’s Foundation of Guelph and Wellington to support the school nutrition program, the Hindu Society of Guelph, Sunday Table, The Guelph & District Multicultural Festival, and Hope House. Dhruv was recently appointed to the Hope House Board of Directors and continues to volunteer at Hope House Food Market.

The Mayor’s Awards have been presented since 1997, when they were established by Mayor Joe Young, with a pause during the COVID-19 pandemic. Honourees have been recognized for volunteer contributions to many different aspects of city life, including arts and culture, health and mental health, community building, athletics, active transportation and the environment.

Learn more about the Mayor’s Awards and past honourees.

Media contact

Patricia Halajski, Mayor’s Communications Advisor
Mayor’s Office
519-822-1260 extension 2558
[email protected]

Call to Artists: Apply for Guelph’s 2024 Artist-in-Residence program

Celebrating artistic creation, inspiration and community connections through the eleventh annual Artist-in-Residence program

Guelph, Ont., February 7, 2024 – The City of Guelph invites artists and art collectives (collaborations by two or more artists) to submit Expressions of Interest for the 2024 Artist-in-Residence program.

This program asks artists to consider how the community might witness, contribute to, engage with or participate in their art. Artists practicing in all mediums and modes of expression are encouraged to apply, including:

  • literary (text-based expressions, spoken word, poetry)
  • media (sound, video, animation, digital)
  • performance (visual, dance, music, theatre)
  • visual (drawing, painting, sculpture, mixed media)

This year’s program will award two projects with a residency and a $7,000 project budget. Artists should note that this is not a live-in residency.

The successful artists will be chosen through a two-phase selection process:

  1. Phase one, Expression of Interest: Artists will be evaluated on their creative integrity and experience, vision for inclusive community involvement, and ability to deliver high-quality work on time and on budget. The application deadline for this phase is March 5 at 11:59 p.m. An information session about the application process and best practices for phase one will be hosted online, on February 15 at 6 p.m. Register for this information session.
  2. Phase two, Request for Proposal: Artists shortlisted during phase one will be invited to develop their concept proposals and participate in a one-on-one information session via video or phone call. Shortlisted artists will receive a $400 honorarium for their second submission.

Interested persons or groups are encouraged to visit guelph.ca/artistinresidence to read the full call to artists and to complete and submit their applications.

About the Artist-in-Residence program

The City of Guelph offers the Artist-in-Residence program to broaden the community’s experience of the arts, inviting artists to engage with the public and showcase their creative practices while animating public spaces. The program aligns with the vision of Guelph’s Culture Plan, fostering innovation through creativity, curiosity and collaborative expression.

Resources

Media Contact

Dawn Owen, Curator
Museums and Culture, Culture and Recreation
City of Guelph
519-826-1221 extension 2774
[email protected]

City’s Chief Administrative Officer announces plan to retire

Scott Stewart will complete his five-year term as CAO in July

Guelph, Ont., January 25, 2024 – The City of Guelph’s Chief Administrative Officer (CAO), Scott Stewart, has announced that he will retire this summer. Stewart was appointed Chief Administrative Officer in July 2019; he will retire at the end of his five-year term in late July.

A dedicated civil servant throughout his 38-year career, Stewart held various senior leadership positions in municipal governments including the Region of Peel and the Cities of Hamilton and Burlington before joining the City of Guelph in December 2015 as Deputy CAO of the Infrastructure, Development and Enterprise service area (now called Infrastructure, Development and Environment).

During his time as CAO, Stewart oversaw the development and implementation of the City’s 2019-2023 Strategic Plan (Guelph. Future Ready) and the 2024-2027 Strategic Plan (Future Guelph), advancing the community’s priorities related to city building and development, environmental stewardship and sustainability, and economic growth. He also led the City’s emergency control group throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, working closely with many local organizations to maintain the delivery of essential City services and enhance support for the community.

As CAO, Stewart worked with Council to set corporate objectives for the City of Guelph founded on responsible fiscal management, excellent service delivery, performance measurement and a commitment to accountability in public service.

“Serving as the CAO has been the pinnacle of my career, and I wouldn’t have wanted it to be in any other place than Guelph,” says Stewart. “I have appreciated and enjoyed working collaboratively with community leaders on some of the complex issues facing our city, and I am grateful to Council for consistently providing great leadership and guidance on behalf of our residents. Of course, none of my professional success would have been possible without the support of our talented and caring City staff; as I settle into my next chapter of life in retirement, I know I will reflect fondly on my time spent working alongside them.”

Stewart’s collaborative leadership style has contributed to a culture of inclusion and appreciation within the City. By instituting employee engagement and development programs like the City of Guelph Leadership Academy and the CAO on the Go program, he has influenced the organization’s ability to attract and retain talent and achieve recognition as an employer of choice in the region.

“I am truly grateful that we had Scott Stewart at the helm as the City of Guelph’s CAO for five years,” says Mayor Cam Guthrie. “Scott’s strategic vision and years of public-sector experience made him a champion for our municipality, and we are fortunate to have had his leadership during the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic. Scott’s experience, professionalism and guidance will be missed. I wish him all the best in his retirement and this new chapter of his life.”

The CAO is the top administrator in a municipality. They are responsible for setting the organization’s direction, managing organizational performance, ensuring reliable, efficient and effective delivery of core City services, driving innovation to improve transparency and accountability in local government and balancing community expectations with financial feasibility.

Mayor Cam Guthrie will work with Stewart, Council and Human Resources to begin the recruitment for the City’s next CAO.

Media Contact

Katherine Galley
Manager, Strategic Communications
City of Guelph
226-332-5696
[email protected]

The City is now implementing its new strategic plan, Future Guelph

Guelph, Ont., January 22, 2024 – The City of Guelph has begun implementing its new strategic plan, Future Guelph. The plan, approved by Council in the summer of 2023, outlines the City’s vision and strategic direction for the next four years and aligns closely with the multi-year budget.

The strategic plan reflects the collective aspirations of the city. Organized around four strategic themes, the plan is summarized as follows:

  • Foundations is the City’s mechanism for effective, sustainable governance. It focuses on the tools, resources and plans the City will need to leverage to provide excellent service, while maintaining fiscal responsibility and accountability to the community.
  • City Building focuses on enabling growth, infrastructure development and all other supporting elements needed to achieve Guelph’s vision for a thriving, vibrant and more livable city.
  • Environment continues the City’s progress towards its environmental stewardship goals and supports community climate change action.
  • People and Economy is how the City continues to support the community’s well-being and help our local economy flourish.

The City’s Chief Administrative Officer, Scott Stewart, says, “This is an exciting time for our community. We are embarking on a new journey for our future with this new strategic plan as our guide. Our vision for Guelph is one centered on innovation, with the community at our core. We are confident this new strategic plan will help us chart the course to a Future Guelph we can all be proud of.”

The strategic plan will be measured to help the City report on its progress and achievements. The City will monitor and evaluate the plan on an ongoing basis, providing annual updates to Council and the public through the City’s progress report.

“We remain dedicated to fostering a culture of open dialogue with our community. We’ll actively plan, budget, monitor, and report on the progress of our strategic plan” said Jodie Sales, General Manager of the City’s Strategic Initiatives and Intergovernmental Services. “By embracing transparency, we uphold the principles of good governance and encourage the active participation of our community in shaping the future of our city.”

While the strategic plan acts as the organization’s north star, the City’s multi-year budget is the affordability tool that sets the pace for the work ahead. Learn more about the City’s approved multi-year budget and Future Guelph’s four-year direction at guelph.ca/strategicplan.

Media Contact

Katherine Galley, Manager, Strategic Communications
City of Guelph
226-332-5696
[email protected]

Guelph City Council directs development of Public Space Use bylaw to address safety concerns

Guelph, Ont., January 17, 2024 – At the Council planning meeting held on January 16, City Council unanimously passed a motion directing City staff to draft a Public Space Use bylaw to address safety concerns regarding encampments and related activities on lands owned or operated by the City. The bylaw is to be brought to Council for consideration by the end of February. 

“By clearly outlining guidelines for public space use with a bylaw like this, we’ll be better equipped to help address safety concerns for those who may be living in encampment settings and everyone who uses our public spaces,” says CAO Scott Stewart. “Safety for everyone, regardless of their situation, is key, and this bylaw will be another tool in our belt as we work to help achieve that.” 

Next steps 

As directed, City staff will present a report and draft bylaw at a special Council meeting on February 14. At this time, Council will also hear delegations. Using feedback provided by Council at this meeting, staff will adjust the draft bylaw and bring it forward for approval at the February 27 Council meeting. 

Meeting dates, details and documents are posted to guelph.ca/council as they are made available. Information on speaking or sending comments to Council is also available on the City’s website. 

Media Contact 

Colleen Clack-Bush
Deputy Chief Administrative Officer, Public Services
City of Guelph
519-822-1260 extension 2588
[email protected] 

Guelph City Council approves new Development Charge bylaws

Guelph’s new bylaws come into effect on March 2, 2024

Guelph, Ont., January 17, 2024 – Last night, at the Council Planning meeting, City Council approved the 2023 Development Charge Background Study with its addendum. Council also approved the new Development Charge bylaws. The new rates will come into effect on March 2, 2024.

New elements of the Development Charge bylaws include changes to align with updates made by the province to the Development Charges Act through Bill 23, More Homes, Built Faster, as well as administrative updates, including:

  • separate bylaws for each service to enable future updates to the rates for one, but not all services, if needed, without triggering the rate phase-in for all services
  • adding the mandated discounts to development charges,
  • removing growth studies as an eligible service,
  • including provisions for upcoming affordable and attainable housing exemptions, and
  • adding and refining definitions to support administrative clarity and efficiency.

“Development charges are critical to funding the capital costs to accommodate growth. Before development can begin, water pipes, sewers, and roads must be built. Once people start living in new developments, we need to provide emergency services, waste collection, new parks and recreation spaces,” says Shanna O’Dwyer, manager, Financial Strategy and Long-Term Planning for the City of Guelph. “The City’s Development Charge bylaw update was well underway before the province passed Bill 23. Those legislative changes are included in this update.”

The calculated residential development charge is $64,813 for a single or semi-detached unit. For non-residential development, it’s $25.78 per square foot. This reflects the rising construction costs to build infrastructure, and the approved rates are competitive with development charge rates in nearby cities.

The Province’s new mandatory rate phase-in requirement reduces the portion of the capital cost to accommodate growth that can be collected through development charges. The calculated rates will be subject to a 20 per cent discount in the first year. The full rates will be phased in over five years. The City expects to collect over $200 million less in revenue than it would have before Bill 23. The new mandatory phase-in, discounts, and exemptions will directly impact the City’s ability to support strategic priorities tied to growth and improving the housing supply in Guelph. The impact of Bill 23 is reflected, in part, in the provincial impact portion of the recently adopted budget increase for 2024.

Appeal period ends on February 25

Any person or organization may appeal the updated Development Charges bylaw to the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal by filing a notice of appeal, including the objection to the bylaw and the reasons supporting the objection, with the City Clerk on or before February 25, 2024. This can be submitted by email at [email protected] or mail to 1 Carden Street, Guelph, ON N1H 3A1.

Resources

Development charges
2023 Development Charges Background Study
Development Charges Background Study Addendum
Government of Ontario: Bill 23 More Homes, Built Faster Act
Guelph’s Growth Management Strategy
Official Plan
Clair-Maltby Secondary Plan
Understanding provincial legislation
Housing in Guelph: an interactive story map
Housing in Guelph: Special Council presentation

Media contact

Shanna O’Dwyer, Manager, Financial Strategy and Long-Term Planning
Finance
City of Guelph
519-822-1260 extension 2300
[email protected]

City of Guelph to receive federal funding to help build more homes, faster

Funding will increase Guelph’s housing supply

Guelph, Ont., January 12, 2024 – Today in Guelph, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that the City of Guelph will receive $21.4 million to help increase housing supply through the Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF). This fund is a $4 billion initiative from the Government of Canada that provides local governments with funding to fast track the creation of new homes.

The funds will help the City incentivize the creation of 739 new housing units above the City average over the next three years. This work will reduce housing barriers and increase housing in Guelph, while supporting the development of affordable, inclusive, equitable and diverse communities.

“Today’s announcement is a big leap forward for Guelph in addressing the housing crisis in our city,” says Mayor Cam Guthrie. “With this much-needed federal funding, we’re removing barriers to allow hundreds of additional housing units to help more Guelphites into the housing they need and deserve. This funding will also transform our policies and processes to accelerate the pace at which we increase the housing supply. Having the federal government at the table allows us to address Guelph’s housing shortage faster and with more affordable solutions. This is a real win-win for our community!”

How the Housing Accelerator Fund will help Guelph

First announced in Guelph in March 2023, the federal government’s HAF will significantly impact housing resources in the city.

The City is committed to undertaking eight initiatives as part of its HAF action plan that will help to enable more housing in the community. Examples of these initiatives include:

  • a new Housing Affordability Strategy to identify actions, advocacy, and partnership approaches to close housing supply gaps;
  • implementing new and enhanced systems and processes to better support and streamline development and construction, including designing a new Community Planning Permit System; and
  • examining the potential of increasing the number of allowable units on each lot to encourage more diverse housing options that support missing middle housing in existing neighbourhoods (e.g., fourplexes, multiplexes, detached secondary suites).

Working together across all levels of government will help to build a better future across the country, the province, and right here in Guelph.

What the City is doing to support housing

The City is strongly committed to improving housing supply in the community. This commitment is reflected in the City’s Strategic Plan, Community Plan, and Official Plan, and prioritizes the development of affordable housing that contributes to the community’s vision of a prosperous, well-connected city.

The City is dedicated to meeting its provincial housing pledge target of 18,000 homes by 2031. However, the City can’t achieve this goal alone; it will take collaborative efforts between all levels of government and the home building community to get there. This federal funding is a significant contributor that will help address the local housing shortage.

View the interactive story map to see what else the City is doing to help build more houses in Guelph.

Resources

Media contact

Katherine Galley, Manager, Strategic Communications
Strategic Communications and Community Engagement
City of Guelph
519-822-1260 extension 3853
[email protected]

Our Food Future and COIL highlight lessons and successes

From greenhouse gas prevention to rescued food finding new purpose, final program report delivers insights and triumphs of building a regional circular food economy

Guelph, Ont., December 13, 2023 — The Guelph Smart Cities Office has released its final report, detailing the considerable accomplishments realized during the Office’s four-year mandate to establish the region’s first modern circular food economy in Guelph and Wellington County.

The Seeding Circularity in Communities report highlights the program’s journey, milestones, and outcomes in 16 key performance areas. It includes essays from 18 community partners involved in the project, including University of Guelph, Guelph-Wellington-Dufferin Public Health, 10C Shared Space, Boundless Accelerator (formerly Innovation Guelph), and The SEED. The partners share their project experiences, lessons learned, and how communities can support ongoing work to sustain the circular economy.

From a seed to fruition

In 2017, Infrastructure Canada launched the Smart Cities Challenge, encouraging local governments to pitch an idea to address a community problem through data, partnership, and innovation. Collaborators from the City of Guelph and County of Wellington explored how the food system could be improved to address climate change and food insecurity. The joint pitch from the City and County proposed that, by adopting the practices of a circular economy, communities can reduce waste, cut greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, foster business and social innovation, and improve access to nutritious food.

In May 2019, Guelph-Wellington’s pitch was awarded $10 million through Infrastructure Canada’s Smart Cities Challenge and the work to build a regional circular food economy began. Our Food Future welcomed circular economy experts and more than 100 local collaborators from various sectors, including government, agriculture, business, academia, and not-for-profits to join workstreams that would define goals and project priorities.

Within a few months of Our Food Future’s launch, its collaborators were analyzing waste hotspots and discovering solutions to fix them, providing food businesses and social enterprises with free courses and coaching to foster new ideas, and sprouting food access projects in neighbourhoods around the city and county.

“The energy and enthusiasm were infectious as word spread across the food sector and community,” says Andrew Telfer, acting executive director for the City of Guelph’s Smart Cities Office. “It became clear that there was a huge interest in adopting circular practices, especially when we demonstrated that they can lead to climate-action, stronger businesses, and improved access to food.”

Pivoting in a pandemic

The program’s momentum had only just started when the COVID-19 pandemic hit. The pandemic heightened community awareness of food inequity and the importance of the work already underway. In response, Our Food Future’s Grow Back Better plan was created; it included emergency food home delivery, food gardening kits for kids during lockdown, and increased support for affected food businesses.

Early successes included accelerating 50 businesses into circular practices ahead of schedule. In 2021, Circular Opportunity Innovation Launchpad (COIL), a sister initiative to Our Food Future, was launched thanks to an additional Government of Canada contribution of nearly $5.5 million through the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario).

In total, the initial $10 million through Infrastructure Canada’s Smart Cities Challenge increased to more than $40 million in funding and community investment, and significantly ramped up support and opportunities for businesses and social enterprises in Guelph-Wellington and beyond.

“Working together proved be the secret recipe. Over the program’s four years, thousands of organizations and community members have played a role in Our Food Future and COIL,” adds Telfer. “From research and data analysis to imagining new ways to use perfectly good food that might otherwise be thrown away, or simply adopting less wasteful food practices at home, everyone saw themselves in this movement.”

GHG reductions equivalent to taking 37,560 cars off the road for a year

From Our Food Future’s launch until October 2023, nearly 84,860 tonnes of food was diverted from landfill (equal to about 565 million apples), 20,500 people saw increased access to affordable and healthy food, 310 businesses adopted more circular practices and product innovation strategies, and 168,788 tonnes of GHG emissions were prevented, equal to driving 37,560 gas-fueled cars for a year. The program has been celebrated by national and international organizations such as the Milan Urban Food Policy Pact.

Municipalities across the country are adopting practices developed through Our Food Future and COIL, meeting one of the Government of Canada’s goals: to ensure the program’s blueprints are transferable. In 2022, the Federation of Canadian Municipalities’ Green Municipal Fund published A guide to catalyzing a circular economy in your community, a comprehensive case study of Our Food Future and COIL, and a circular economy primer for municipal waste management and operations.

While the Guelph Smart Cities Office closes in December, the stage has been set for long-lasting opportunities through ongoing initiatives:

  • The Food System Resiliency Table updated Guelph-Wellington’s Charter for Food Justice which describes the community’s vision and values for a just and sustainable food system.
  • The Arrell Food Institute at University of Guelph has established a Community Food Lead position to increase strategic connection between food access organizations across Guelph and Wellington County, and to lead and support innovative approaches to community food access.
  • COIL published Advancing Circularity: Investment Opportunities in the Circular Economy to support the growth of climate-smart, circular solutions across Canada by connecting over 25 investment-ready Ontario businesses that are leading circular innovation.

Wellington County’s Smart Cities Office will remain in operation, working with County departments to bring circular insight to local policies, and leading initiatives including the Experimental Acres regenerative farming program.

Our Food Future has also published a legacy website containing the project’s research reports, action plans, and a concise 10-point summary of Lessons for a Circular Economy.

“It is with immense pride and gratitude for all that we have been able to accomplish that we wrap up this first phase. We’ve learned that transitioning to a regional circular food system is an important step in combatting climate change, regenerate our natural systems, and take meaningful strides to address food insecurity in communities,” said Telfer.

Background

What is a circular food economy?

In the current “linear” food system, material flows in one direction – from production to disposal. This model has excessive waste and requires unnecessary energy, making it expensive both financially and environmentally.

A circular food system strives to eliminate waste or find new value in by-products that were previously wasted. It creates the conditions for business and social collaboration and innovation, and prioritises access for everyone to affordable, nutritious, and culturally relevant foods that support a healthy, resilient community. It enables the systems change required for a circular regional economy through collective knowledge, governance, and action.

Additional quotes

The Honourable Filomena Tassi, Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario: “COIL is making a big difference for small businesses, local economies and our environment. COIL is driving sustainability and changing things for the better while ensuring that businesses can make green choices. The Government of Canada is dedicated to supporting these important efforts and building a brighter future with innovation.”

The Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities:

“It’s truly amazing what can happen when you take a bold idea and put it into action. Our Food Future has made lasting impacts on Guelph and Wellington County and has paved the way for other communities to adopt a circular food economy. I congratulate the City of Guelph and County of Wellington and the hundreds of collaborators and partners who have made Our Food Future such a success.”

Lloyd Longfield, Member of Parliament for Guelph:

“The Guelph region is home to numerous transformative organizations and businesses that are boosting our economy, creating jobs and supporting environmental sustainability. It is great to see the impact the Government of Canada’s investment in COIL is having across the region.”

Cam Guthrie, Mayor of Guelph: “Guelph’s role in the Smart Cities Office was that of a leader and catalyst. Smart Cities started the spark of circular economic development in Guelph-Wellington and showcased to Canada, and the world, what a successful circular economy model looks like. What Smart Cities staff and its partners have accomplished in the last four years is a true legacy for Guelph! Our Food Future will continue its work as a place-based urban-rural test site with a goal to build and expand the local circular food system.”

Andy Lennox, Warden, County of Wellington: “The dedication, innovation, and expertise that has gone into introducing circular practices into Guelph-Wellington’s food systems over the past four years has been truly inspiring. Wellington County has had great success incorporating new technologies and developing creative urban-rural partnerships throughout our communities, and we look forward to seeing how our circular projects will continue to evolve in the years to come.”

About Our Food Future

Inspired by the planet’s natural cycles, a circular food economy reimagines and regenerates the systems that feed us, eliminating waste, sharing economic prosperity, and nourishing our communities. In Guelph-Wellington, we are working to build a regional tech-enabled circular food economy that will achieve a 50 per cent increase in access to affordable nutritious food, 50 new circular economy businesses and collaborations, and a 50 per cent increase in circular economic benefit by unlocking the value of waste.

About Circular Opportunity Innovation Launchpad (COIL)

COIL is an innovation platform and activation network focused on creating, proving, and scaling transformative solutions across all sectors – starting with food and environment – in southern Ontario that will move Canada toward a more sustainable, circular economy.

Our Food Future and COIL are some of the ways the City of Guelph and County of Wellington are contributing to a sustainable, creative and smart local economy that is connected to regional and global markets and supports shared prosperity for everyone.

About FedDev Ontario

For 14 years, the Government of Canada, through FedDev Ontario, has worked to advance and diversify the southern Ontario economy through funding opportunities and business services that support innovation, growth and job creation in Canada’s most populous region. The Agency has delivered impressive results, which can be seen in southern Ontario businesses that are creating innovative technologies, improving productivity, growing revenues, creating jobs, and in the economic advancement of communities across the region. Learn more about the impacts the Agency is having in southern Ontario by exploring our pivotal projects, our Southern Ontario Spotlight, and FedDev Ontario’s Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.

Resources

Media contacts

Andrew Telfer
Executive Director (Acting), Smart Cities Office
City of Guelph
[email protected]
Mobile: 226-820-3515

Justine Dainard
Smart Cities Project Manager
County of Wellington
[email protected]
519-837-2600 extension 2540

Edward Hutchinson
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario
[email protected]

Council adopts Guelph’s 2024-2027 Multi-Year Budget

Investments focus on maintaining City Services while supporting existing and growth-enabling infrastructure as well as housing and homelessness

Guelph, Ont., November 29, 2023 – On November 29, City Council amended and adopted Guelph’s 2024-2027 Multi-Year Budget with investments that focus on maintaining City services while supporting existing and growth-enabling infrastructure, as well as housing and homelessness. The budget will help advance the Council-approved Future Guelph strategic plan.  

“Today, City Council reduced and adopted Guelph’s 2024-2027 Multi-Year Budget,” says Mayor Cam Guthrie. “Council was able to lower the City’s portion of the budget to 3.96 per cent. With the addition of outside boards and agencies, along with new impacts from provincial legislation, including downloading and underfunding housing, hospital and homelessness initiatives, the total impact is 8.52 per cent. Council had tough conversations and made difficult decisions as we worked with staff and listened to the community to create value for our residents and balance the diverse needs of Guelphites. At the end of the day, the budget maintains current service levels and delivers fiscally responsible enhancements while managing the costs downloaded by the province.” 

Investing in Guelph  

Over the next four years, the capital budget will invest $1.26 billion into the Guelph community. This investment will focus on crucial projects that support the replacement of old pipes and roads and building new ones like the planned Speedvale Bridge replacement and York Road improvements, to mitigate the impacts of provincial downloading related to housing, and a significant investment in paramedic services to improve emergency response times and support community well-being. 

Other priority investments found in both the operating and capital budgets include: 

  • Advancing policy work that supports initiatives across the housing continuum, supporting quicker development application review times and planning housing-enabling infrastructure, and supporting advancements through technology. 
  • Collaborating on unstructured encampment wellness checks to support community health, safety, and well-being. 
  • Increasing bus service frequency, improving bus shelters, and enhancing digital services to provide current route information at stops. 
  • Making it easier to get around by implementing the cycling and downtown parking master plans, improving sidewalk construction and accessibility, and multi-use paths. 
  • Responding to the housing and homelessness crises with increased funding to County of Wellington Social Services  
  • Supporting community well-being through a grant to support physician recruitment for the Guelph-Wellington Ontario Health Team and a much-needed hospital expansion and renovations. 
  • Leading climate action with electrification of the City’s transit fleet, replacing seven diesel buses with electric buses each year (on average) and electrification of the corporate fleet. 
  • Supporting our city’s sustainability by planting 3.6 million more trees by 2070, and stormwater investments to prevent flooding, replacement of storm sewers and more. 
  • Making downtown a vibrant place for everyone by updating old pipes, creating more public spaces, and improving streetscapes. 
  • Growing and caring for community spaces and places through culture and recreation programming, implementation of the Parks and Recreation Master Plan, and support for the opening of two much-needed facilities: the South End Community Centre and new central library. 
  • Improving customer service and digital technology to better serve our diverse community. 

More details on the adopted 2024-2027 operating budget, including local boards and shared services budgets, and the capital budget can be found on the City’s budget dashboard. 

Investments from tax dollars and fee-based services 

Delivering core services for a growing and diverse city during a time of high inflation and a forced decline in development-based revenues requires an increased investment from tax and ratepayers. The average household will pay about $31-$38 more a month into the community through property taxes each year for the next four years. The tax investment breaks down as follows for 2024: 

  • City-tax impact: 3.96 per cent 
  • Local boards and shared services impact: 1.87 per cent  
  • Provincial impacts related to housing, supports for homelessness, and hospital expansion: 2.69 per cent 

Rates for City utilities (water, wastewater, and stormwater) will increase by $6.94-$9.93 per month for the average home each year for the next four years. 

“We don’t take these impacts lightly,” said Scott Stewart, chief administrative officer. “We’re committed to spending tax and rate dollars wisely over the next four years, and to finding any cost-saving opportunities we can. Each year as we update the budget through the confirmation process, we have the flexibility to adapt the proposed budget based on what’s changed.”  

All final budget documents will be available at guelph.ca/budget by December 22. 

Development of 2025-2027 confirmation budgets 

The budget confirmation process acts as a pulse check done each year after a multi-year budget is approved. Staff and Council will work together over the next three years to review tax rates and work in an agile and flexible way to adjust for future environments within the City’s budget policy.  

Media contact 

Tara Baker, Treasurer and General Manager, Finance
City of Guelph
519-822-1260 extension 2084
[email protected] 

City of Guelph releases first four-year budget

Housing, inflation, infrastructure gaps, and provincial legislative changes are key influences on budget

Guelph, Ont., November 3, 2023 – Today, the City of Guelph released the 2024-2027 Multi-Year Budget. The budget was built based on direction from the Council-approved Future Guelph strategic plan.

“Staff has worked diligently, over many months, to prepare a budget that accomplishes four main goals,” says Mayor Cam Guthrie. “Maintaining current service levels while minimizing risk; delivering service in accordance with legislative changes; maintaining service levels to keep pace with growth; and finding opportunities to improve service levels above what’s being delivered to our community today. Now, it’s Council’s turn to have tough conversations and make difficult decisions to ensure this budget creates value and meets the needs of all Guelphites.”

Building community

Following an extensive review of the work ahead over the next four years and per the City’s master plans, staff has prepared a budget that includes new resources for Guelph-Wellington Paramedic Services to improve response times and help reduce offload delays, operating funding needed for the South End Community Centre and Baker District redevelopment to maintain and run these facilities, and funding for transit system improvements including more electric buses and related charging infrastructure.

Staff scrutinized the capital budget to defer projects and reduce costs where possible. The capital budget is heavily impacted by high inflation and, at the same time, the City needs to invest in housing-enabling infrastructure like water and wastewater pipes, roads, and stormwater systems. The focus of planned capital investments over the next four years aligns with goals of the City’s Future Guelph strategic plan. However, the level and timing of investments have been adjusted to better support financial sustainability. Priorities will be re-evaluated through a confirmation process each subsequent year of the multi-year budget.

To support core City services while growing and enhancing the community during a time of high inflation and a forced decline in key development-based revenues for the City, the budget impact for taxpayers would see the average household pay about $32-$38 more a month in property taxes each year of the multi-year budget. The tax impact breaks down for 2024 as follows:

  • City-tax impact: 4.97 per cent
  • Local boards and shared services impact: 1.98 per cent
  • Provincial impacts related to housing, supports for homelessness, and hospital expansion: 3.37 per cent

The City’s utility rates (water, wastewater, and stormwater) will increase by $7.39-$9.48 per month for the average home each year over the next four years.

The benefits of multi-year budgeting

“A multi-year budget strategy is especially valuable in times of volatility as it allows us to see the longer-term impacts and pace work to address constraints,” explains Scott Stewart, chief administrative officer, City of Guelph. “This time around, on top of high inflation, we’re seeing that external pressures like the provincial impacts related to housing, supporting those living with homelessness, and a much-needed hospital expansion and increased needs from local boards and shared services have a larger tax impact than the City’s work and services.”

Council will deliberate and adopt Guelph’s 2024-2027 Multi-Year Budget as one single budget, regardless of the funding source or which City department manages the service. The Multi-Year Budget includes:

  • the non-tax operating budget for fee-based services such as water, wastewater, and stormwater,
  • the tax-supported operating budget for communal services like waste collection, road maintenance, and taking care of trees and parks,
  • the capital budget for replacing old pipes and roads and building new ones, and
  • budgets for local boards and shared services such as County of Wellington Social Services, Grand River Conservation Authority, and Guelph Police Services.

Further details on Guelph’s 2024-2027 Multi-Year Budget can be found at guelph.ca/budget which includes the staff report to Council.

Dates to remember

  • November 7: staff presents the 2024-2027 Multi-Year Budget to Council and the public
  • November 15: public delegations
  • November 29: Council amendment day
  • November 30–December 9: Mayoral veto period
  • December 10–25: Council override period

Council must adopt Guelph’s 2024-2027 Multi-Year Budget on or before December 25, 2023.

Get involved

‘Tough decisions’ online community engagement

The Guelph community is encouraged to try out a simplified budgeting activity that replicates the tough decisions facing Council as community members think about what matters most to them. Results from this activity will be shared with Council and the public and may be considered as Council deliberates and make decisions throughout the budget process. Visit haveyoursay.guelph.ca to participate.

Come delegate

Residents can address Council about the budget through a written submission, remotely by video or phone, or in person at the November 15 public delegation meeting. Please register as a delegate or make a submission by 10 a.m. November 10 using the online delegate request form, or by contacting the City Clerk’s office at 519-837-5603 or emailing [email protected].

Council-led budget town halls

Council members are hosting town halls in each ward between November 9-23. To find out when they are happening, visit haveyoursay.guelph.ca. Residents can use the interactive ward map and list of City Councillors by ward to find their ward information.

Resources

All budget materials, including the 2024-2027 Multi-Year Budget staff report and Mayor Guthrie’s introduction to the 2024-2027 Multi-Year Budget, are available on guelph.ca/budget.

Informational videos

As always, the public can read questions posed by Council and staff’s answers on the online budget board.

Follow the City’s budget updates at guelph.ca/budget, on X (formerly Twitter) (@cityofguelph, #GuelphBudget) and Facebook (@cityofguelph). Residents wanting to know more about the budget can email [email protected].

Watch all Council meetings related to the 2024-2027 Multi-Year Budget (presentation, delegations and deliberation) live at guelph.ca/live.

Media contact

Tara Baker
Treasurer and General Manager, Finance
City of Guelph
519-822-1260 extension 2084
[email protected]

City of Guelph first municipality in Canada to earn corporate-wide energy management certification

Guelph, Ont., November 1, 2023 – The City of Guelph is excited to be the first municipality in Canada to be certified under the globally recognized ISO 50001:2018 Energy Management Systems Standard for its corporate-wide energy management system.

As part of this system, the City has and continues to implement energy efficiency measures across more than 100 facilities including arenas, recreation centres and museums, libraries, fire stations, parks, water and wastewater treatment plants, and waste management facilities, and around 900 vehicles including ambulances, fire trucks, transit buses, snowplows, and rink ice resurfacers.

By implementing an ISO 50001 standard compliant energy management system, the City is:

  • Setting clear energy performance objectives and targets for the whole organization that support climate change mitigation efforts in everyday operations.
  • Continuously monitoring and evaluating the organization’s energy use and greenhouse gas emissions.
  • Using data to understand and make informed decisions to improve energy efficiency.
  • Taking action to improve processes and upgrade equipment to reduce energy use and GHG emission.

The City of Guelph joins several notable organizations with ISO 50001 certification in Canada including:

  • Marys Cement (now part of Votorantim Cimentos)
  • ArcelorMittal Dofasco
  • 3M
  • Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (now part of Stellantis)
  • Bell Canada
  • Hilton
  • MacEwan University

Quick facts

  • The ISO 50001 standard ensures that any organization that adopts the standard, whether a municipality, manufacturer, hospital, or university, follows global best practices to manage and improve how the organization uses energy.
  • The energy efficiency initiatives improve the City’s overall energy performance and reduce energy costs across both facility and fleet operations.

Quotes

“This way, an organization has a robust energy management system that gives it the ability to track how things are going and improve how things are being done. This results in reducing energy consumption and environmental impact and helps save money. The ISO 50001 standard helps us continuously improve on the good work we’ve already done and holds us accountable for reporting our ongoing progress and to keep moving forward.”

– Bryan Ho-Yan, Manager, Corporate Energy and Climate Change, City of Guelph

“Implementing this highest international standard in energy management demonstrates the City’s commitment to reducing energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions and is a foundational step in supporting Guelph’s Race To Zero as the City works toward net zero carbon community status by 2050.”

– Jayne Holmes, Deputy Chief Administrative Officer, Infrastructure, Development and Enterprise Services, City of Guelph

“We’re thrilled the Government of Canada supports our work toward a net-zero-carbon future for Guelph.”

– Cam Guthrie, Mayor of Guelph

“By being certified to ISO 50001, the City of Guelph is showing its commitment to implementing and maintaining international best practices related to smart and sustainable energy management. This accomplishment should be celebrated and serve as an example to other government agencies and organizations that implementing proactive environmental practices will help us all on our critical journey to net zero.”

– Bruno Samuel, Americas Marketing Director, BSI

Additional resources

  • The City is grateful for financial support from Natural Resources Canada through the Energy Efficiency for Buildings program. This program is designed to help improve organizational energy performance while cutting energy costs.
  • The City’s ISO 50001 certification included a comprehensive third-party audit conducted by non-profit organization British Standards Institution, one of the world’s largest certification bodies.

Media contact

Bryan Ho-Yan, Manager, Corporate Energy and Climate Change
Facilities and Energy Management
City of Guelph
519-822-1260 extension 2672
[email protected]

City of Guelph’s Gold Star program recognizes community members for properly sorting waste

The program is supported by the City’s Smart Cities Office

Guelph, Ont., October 31 2023 – This summer, City staff selected different neighborhoods in Guelph to participate in a trial run of the Gold Star program, to proactively recognize people for properly sorting their waste.

People in these neighborhoods who sorted their waste properly received a gold star sticker on their waste carts and were entered into a draw to win prizes. The prizes included:

  • Family memberships to Guelph Museums
  • Guelph On Your Way Transit Cards loaded with 10 rides
  • Recreation passes for 10 adult visits
  • Downtown Dollars gift certificates

More than 500 gold stars were distributed, and 16 prizes were awarded over the course of the two-month trial.

The Gold Star program was developed through the Our Food Future initiative of the Smart Cities office as part of the City’s regular curbside inspection program. As staff inspected waste carts, they provided customized messages to help people:

  • improve their sorting practices
  • reduce unnecessary waste going to landfill
  • and reduce the cost of waste management

“Our Food Future aims to make our food system more sustainable. One important way for people to participate is to make sure food waste gets in the green cart. The Gold Star program was our way of recognizing and rewarding our community members for doing a great job of sorting their waste,” explains Ashlee Cooper, manager of Food Equity and Community Resiliency, in the City’s Smart Cities Office. “We thought it would be a good way to make waste sorting fun and help the City achieve its waste diversion goals.”

Research has shown that public programs that recognize and reward positive behaviour can be motivating for people to take environmental action.

“We wanted to see if adding these extra features would motivate people to improve household waste sorting,” adds Samantha Halloran, the City’s environmental program specialist. “Other municipalities, including the City of Hamilton and Strathcona County in Alberta have observed increased diversion and community engagement using similar programs, so we were keen to try this in Guelph.”

How can you participate?

The City will continue to implement elements of the program into the fall of 2023 to gather more data about its effectiveness and uptake. If your neighborhood is selected, make sure you’re properly sorting your waste, so when the City inspects your carts, they’ll be ready to hand out a Gold Star! Households will be selected for the program based on collection data and routes. To learn more about the Gold Star program, please visit: Garbage and recycling on the City of Guelph’s website.

About Our Food Future

Inspired by the planet’s natural cycles, a circular food economy reimagines and regenerates the systems that feed us, eliminating waste, sharing economic prosperity, and nourishing our communities. In Guelph-Wellington, we are working to build a regional tech-enabled circular food economy that will achieve a 50% increase in access to affordable nutritious food, 50 new circular economy businesses and collaborations, and a 50% increase in circular economic benefit by unlocking the value of waste.

Our Food Future is one of the ways the City of Guelph and County of Wellington are contributing to a sustainable, creative and smart local economy that is connected to regional and global markets and supports shared prosperity for everyone.

 

Media contacts

Ashlee Cooper, Manager of Food Equity and Community Resiliency
Smart Cities Office, Office of the Chief Administrative Officer
City of Guelph
519-822-1260 extension 3544
[email protected]

Samantha Halloran, Environmental Program Specialist
Compliance, Programs, and Performance, Environmental Services
City of Guelph
519-822-1260 extension 2255
[email protected]

Food System Resiliency Table unveils updated food charter

Updated charter to become a north star for future food policy initiatives and programs

Guelph, Ont., October 26, 2023 – The Food System Resiliency Table (the Table) unveiled the Guelph-Wellington Charter for Food Justice on Wednesday, October 25. This charter will guide future decision-makers and contribute to a transformational food movement in the region. Food charters unite communities with a common vision for a better food system. Over 140 people from across Guelph and Wellington contributed to this revitalized vision.

The charter supports actions that align with the following key values and priorities:

  • The land and all our relations
  • Health and wellbeing
  • Shared prosperity
  • Culture
  • Education

“Rising demand at food banks, biodiversity loss, huge amounts of food lost and wasted, and soaring farmland prices are all symptoms of a food system that simply doesn’t serve everyone in our community equally,” says Ashlee Cooper, co-chair of the Table and manager of Food Equity and Resiliency in the City of Guelph’s Smart Cities Office. “To fix these problems, we need to focus on the broader system such as how we grow, distribute, and consume food. We need to learn how the construct of race, and colonialism, patriarchy, and capitalism have shaped our food system so we can craft one that is equitable for everyone” adds Cooper.

The Charter for Food Justice reflects the community’s desire to address the root causes of food insecurity and inequality. This means advocating for policies that guarantee everyone’s right to food, water, and opportunity. By creating the new Food Charter through a food justice lens, we can ensure this concept is central to all future policymaking decisions.

Sign the charter

The Table invites the community, both individuals and organizations, to read, sign, and share the charter with others.

“The charter can be a very powerful and influential tool, but it needs the support of the community,” says Kate Vsetula, Table co-chair and director of community and organizational development, Guelph Community Health Centre. “The more individuals and organizations that commit to it, the greater its value. This puts policymakers in a position to stand up and take notice.”

To learn more about the Guelph-Wellington Charter for Food Justice and to sign it, visit www.charterforfoodjustice.ca. You can also read it in Arabic, Nepali, Spanish, and Tigrinya.

About the Food System Resiliency Table

The Food System Resiliency Table is a working group comprised of diverse stakeholders from food, farming, and the community focused on regional food policy and programming. Launched in 2021 as part of the Our Food Future initiative, the mandate of the working group is to “make a better food system for all of us” by

  • learning lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic and resisting the attempt to return to business as usual;
  • building and supporting a food system transformation that builds resilience at all levels;
  • ensuring that diverse groups of people are leading from their lived experience and active in building a resilient food system for all; and
  • supporting the transition to a circular food economy that is designed with equity, prosperity, and sustainability at the core.

To learn more about the Food System Resiliency Table, or to attend a meeting, visit foodfuture.ca.

Media Contact

Ashlee Cooper
Manager, Food Equity and Community Resiliency
Smart Cities Initiative
519-822-1260 extension 3544
[email protected]

 

Guelph City Council green lights housing recommendations

More than 20 approvals will boost the City’s efforts to increase housing supply and address housing instability and homelessness in Guelph

Guelph, Ont., October 18, 2023 – At yesterday’s special Council meeting, City of Guelph staff presented several recommendations based on information received and shared at the Housing in Guelph Workshop on July 11, the special Council meeting on September 12 and the Building Our City Budget Workshop on October 11.

All staff recommendations, as well as new motions tabled by Council, were approved.

Taking care of each other

The City’s vision for Guelph is an inclusive, connected, prosperous city where we look after each other and our environment. While the responsibility for the delivery of services related to homelessness and housing stability lies with the County of Wellington, there’s increasing pressure on the City to consider how to respond to the critical issues related to homelessness in Guelph.

“We want enough housing, and we want housing that people can afford. We’re trying to balance our housing goals and our vision for Guelph, with our obligations to capital investments like infrastructure renewal, facilities and service enhancements, all in a way that’s fiscally responsible,” says Colleen Clack-Bush, the City’s deputy chief administrative officer for Public Services. “We know what it takes, and what it costs to build community, but we’re not permitted to run a deficit. If we don’t get more funding from other levels of government to make all of this happen, we’ll be forced to raise property taxes or cut programs, which threatens the quality of life in Guelph, and affordability in Guelph.”

Highlights from staff recommendations

Staff’s recommendations covered the entire housing continuum–from emergency, transitional and supportive housing to private market rentals and ownership. In addition to stronger collaboration and advocacy efforts, working with the County to establish clear roles and responsibilities, and supporting the County’s Housing Symposium, Council approved the following:

  • That the City of Guelph adopts a human rights-based approach to housing.
  • That the Mayor request the Government of Ontario consider donating provincial lands for affordable and supportive housing.
  • That Council urge local developers and the Chamber of Commerce to consider donating land to address urgent housing needs in Guelph.
  • That staff seek feedback from the Downtown Guelph Business Association, local downtown social service agencies and the County to consider the best location(s) and delivery method for 12-hour service, seven days a week daytime shelter space.
  • That staff work with Royal City Mission to consider a short-term extension of the current Community Benefit Agreement, until staff has time to undertake community consultation and report back to Council on next steps regarding the possible daytime shelter space.
  • That the City’s Housing Affordability Strategy enable a greater supply and mix of housing and to enhance capacity, awareness and support for affordable housing.
  • That staff immediately prepare a zoning bylaw amendment that would permit, as-of-right, up to four residential units per lot where there is service capacity.
  • That the City use the Housing Accelerator Fund funding, if received, to incentivize around 975 new residential units.
  • That the Mayor follow up with the Province to ensure it follows through on the actions identified in Guelph’s Housing Pledge to help reach our housing targets, including making us whole financially.
  • That Council call on the Province of Ontario and the Government of Canada to reconsider the fiscal framework in a new deal for municipalities.
  • That the City support local post-secondary institutions in requesting funding from other levels of government.
  • That the City’s development advisor work with the Guelph and District Homebuilders Association and Developers Association to advance outstanding sites that have approvals in place but have not been built.

Approved Council motions

In addition to approving staff’s recommendations, Council approved four new motions, including:

  • That the City requests the agenda for the County’s Housing Symposium include a discussion focused on permanent structured encampments.
  • That the County be requested to formalize a program to conduct wellness checks on people living in encampments.
  • That staff work with the Guelph Community Health Centre to consider options to expand the Welcoming Streets program.
  • That the County be requested to develop a winter housing and homelessness strategy.

The full list of recommendations is posted at guelph.ca.

Next steps

The City will advance the work required of these recommendations. The City will also continue working on its housing pledge commitments, collaborating with community partners and developers to increase housing supply, and advocating to other levels of government to provide much-needed funding for critical infrastructure to support our growing population and housing needs.

In November, staff will update Council on the feedback collected regarding the possibility of a daytime shelter space in the downtown secondary plan area.

On November 7, staff will present the 2024-2027 Multi-Year Budget to Council. This will launch Council into tough conversations and difficult decision-making required to balance the budget. The 2024-2027 Multi-Year Budget must be adopted by Council no later than December 25.

In January 2024, staff will provide the next update on housing in Guelph.

Resources

Media contacts

Colleen Clack-Bush
Deputy Chief Administrative Officer, Public Services
City of Guelph
519-822-1260 extension 2588
[email protected]

Jayne Holmes
Deputy Chief Administrative Officer, Infrastructure, Development and Enterprise Services
City of Guelph
519-822-1260 extension 2248
[email protected]

Get ready to dive in! City of Guelph breaks ground at future site of the South End Community Centre on October 17

Groundbreaking an important milestone as we build community

Guelph, Ont., October 17, 2023 – The City of Guelph celebrated the start of construction for the highly-anticipated South End Community Centre with an on-site groundbreaking on October 17.

“This is incredibly exciting. As we break ground on the future site of the South End Community Centre, we’re not just building a community centre, we’re building community, a place where people can meet, connect, and be active,” says Scott Stewart, chief administrative officer for the City of Guelph.

The groundbreaking follows a successful procurement process which was tendered within the approved $115.5 million budget. The project team worked with the construction manager to successfully address inflationary cost pressures by adjusting construction methods and materials while still achieving all the aesthetic and sustainability goals of the project.

“I’m thrilled to officially kick off the start of construction for the South End Community Centre. This long-awaited centre has been a focus of mine and my fellow Council members for many years, and it’s finally becoming a reality,” says Mayor Cam Guthrie. “The centre will provide a much-needed community space and recreation amenities in Guelph’s south end for people of all ages and abilities to connect, play, and explore.”

City and Council representatives gather in front of an excavator at the South End Community Centre site, wearing hard hats and holding shovels. In the photo are Councillor Phil Allt, Councillor Cathy Downer, chief administrative officer Scott Stewart, Mayor Cam Guthrie, Councillor Dominique O’Rourke, Councillor Ken Yee Chew, deputy chief administrative officer Public Services Colleen Clack-Bush, Councillor Leanne Caron, Councillor Linda Busuttil, Councillor Carly Klassen, general manager Culture and Recreation Danna Evans.

City and Council representatives celebrate the South End Community Centre groundbreaking. Pictured left to right: Councillor Phil Allt, Councillor Cathy Downer, chief administrative officer Scott Stewart, Mayor Cam Guthrie, Councillor Dominique O’Rourke, Councillor Ken Yee Chew, deputy chief administrative officer Public Services Colleen Clack-Bush, Councillor Leanne Caron, Councillor Linda Busuttil, Councillor Carly Klassen, general manager Culture and Recreation Danna Evans.

About the South End Community Centre

Although the concept for the centre has been in the works since the early 2000s, the construction was originally approved under report IDE 2020-141 South End Community Centre Project Update in October 2020, but was delayed due to COVID-19 and the recent inflation experienced in the construction sector. The revised schedule and budget were approved in March 2023 under Implementation Strategy report: South End Community Centre, 2023-64 with the opening in 2026 at a construction budget of $115.5 million.

The centre will be built off Clair Road behind Bishop Macdonell Catholic High School, just north of the South End Community Park in the south end of Guelph. Construction of the centre is an integral part of building our future as we work to make Guelph future-ready as our community grows.

For more information and construction updates visit guelph.ca/south-end-community-centre.

Media contact

Ian Scott, Manager of Facility Design and Construction
Infrastructure Development Enterprise Services
City of Guelph
519-822-1260 extension 3496
[email protected]

City of Guelph hires staff dedicated to facilitating housing solutions

Guelph, Ont., October 10, 2023 –The City of Guelph is pleased to announce that two key positions aimed at supporting the City’s efforts and progress in increasing housing supply in Guelph have been filled.

“As an employer of choice, our organization attracts top talent, and the individuals we’ve hired to help expedite housing development in Guelph are no exception,” says Scott Stewart, chief administrative officer. “I’m confident they’ll do great things to support the hard work being done by City staff to build an inclusive, connected city where we look after each other.”

Housing stability advisor

The City’s first-ever housing stability advisor will collaborate and strengthen relationships with Wellington County, community partners, and other levels of government to improve housing equity, security and affordability in Guelph. Their work will support the City’s efforts to adopt a human rights-based approach to housing, help the City implement recommendations from the Collective Results report shared with Council on September 12, and to explore and implement solutions related to housing insecurity and affordability.

Development advisor

The development advisor role is another new position with the City. Priorities here include updating the City’s housing affordability strategy, focusing on the private home ownership and rental market and collaborating with the housing stability advisor to enable the development of more residential units in Guelph, including more units that people can afford.

Helping build more homes faster

These two employees will join a growing complement of staff hired to make it as quick and easy as possible for developers to build homes faster. As committed to in the City’s housing pledge, and to adjust to the Province’s legislation under Bill 23 and Bill 109, the City has filled eight positions, is currently recruiting two, and another four positions will be posted in early 2024. These positions include project managers, engineers and technicians.

These hiring efforts have delivered results, allowing the City to approve 943 new building permits as of August 31 which is about 80 per cent of the total approved in 2022, and a third more than what was approved in 2021. The City has pledged to approve about 2,000 units per year to reach the provincial mandate of 18,000 units by 2031.

Resources

Media Contact

Mark Ellis, General Manager
Human Resources
City of Guelph
519-822-1260 extension
[email protected]

City of Guelph refreshes territorial acknowledgement

A step toward reconciliation

Guelph, Ont., September 27, 2023 – The City of Guelph has refreshed its territorial acknowledgement to better reflect the history and presence of Indigenous Peoples in Guelph. The new statement was adopted by Guelph City Council during the September 26 Council meeting and will be read at the beginning of each Council meeting and other official City events.

Over the past year, the City worked with Indigenous partners and community members to refresh the existing territorial acknowledgement. The process was guided by listening and learning with the goal of eliminating historical inaccuracies and correcting omissions in Guelph’s original acknowledgement.

“We wanted our territorial acknowledgement to really reflect the true Indigenous history of the place that is now known as Guelph. We took the time to listen and learn from local Indigenous Nations and community members and we’re happy to have a new acknowledgement that reflects Guelph’s rich Indigenous history and culture,” says Sara Sayyed, senior advisor for Equity, Anti-Racism and Indigenous Initiatives.

The new territorial acknowledgement recognizes the treaty lands of the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation, and that Guelph is situated on the traditional territory of the Attiwonderonk and the Haudenosaunee. It also references Guelph’s geographic proximity to the Haldimand Tract, and that Guelph is part of the long established traditional hunting grounds of Six Nations of the Grand River. The acknowledgement also celebrates the cultures, contributions, and resilience of all First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Peoples in Guelph.

“The City recognizes that a territorial acknowledgement is only one of many actions needed to advance reconciliation and strengthen our relationship with the Indigenous community,” adds Sayyed.

The adoption of the refreshed territorial acknowledgement comes just in time to mark this year’s National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on September 30. The day honours the survivors of the residential school program and remembers the children who never returned home along with their families and communities.

The City encourages community members to participate in events being held in Guelph and to wear orange to show support for National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.

Guelph’s Market Square will be lit up from 7 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. on September 30 in honour of the day.

For more information about the City of Guelph’s territorial acknowledgement and efforts towards reconciliation, visit guelph.ca.

Media contact

Sara Sayyed, Senior Advisor, Equity, Anti-Racism and Indigenous Initiatives
Strategy, Innovation and Intergovernmental Services
519-822-1260, extension 3509
[email protected]

City of Guelph gets grant to visit Copenhagen to research healthy urban public spaces and equitable mobility

Guelph is one of four Canadian municipalities making the trip thanks to funding from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research

Guelph, Ont., September 21, 2023 – A joint proposal by the City of Guelph, Toronto Metropolitan University, and Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health was successful in securing funding the Canadian Institutes of Health Research’s Healthy Cities Research Initiative to learn how we can put healthy urban policy into action.

“People in our community regularly point to European transportation models when telling us what they want to see in Guelph,” says Jennifer Juste, Manager of Transportation Planning for the City of Guelph. “We know Copenhagen, Denmark is doing amazing things and is a leader in designing for active transportation and public space. I’m excited to learn from experts and figure out how we can use their ideas and best practices to make it easier for people to get around Guelph.”

The five-day workshop, hosted by 8 80 Cities in Copenhagen from September 23-28, is a unique exploration of a place that has positioned itself as a world leader in healthy, active transportation and people-centric public space. City staff will get a first-hand look at Copenhagen’s success with active transportation best practices in hopes of building these practices into the design of public spaces that meet the needs of Guelph’s diverse community.

The research lead for Guelph’s delegation is Dr. Linda Rothman, Assistant Professor at the Toronto Metropolitan University. Dr. Rothman is a researcher on the CapaCITY/É research team who investigates how to bring sustainable transportation to life in Guelph and other cities. “It’s important not only to bring back European ideas and messages, but also to ensure these learnings work in a Canadian environment,” explains Dr. Rothman. “Evaluation of the action plan in Guelph will be done to support future initiatives of promoting safe, sustainable and equitable active transportation in our city.”

In addition to Juste and Dr. Rothman, the Guelph delegates attending the workshop are:

  • Mayor Cam Guthrie, City of Guelph
  • Nicola Mercer, Medical Officer of Health and CEO, Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health
  • Kyle Wilson, Director, Information Systems and Chief Privacy Officer, Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health

“This is an exciting opportunity to learn and collaborate at both a local and international level,” says Mayor Cam Guthrie. “I’m looking forward to working alongside Toronto Metropolitan University and Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health to bring world-class knowledge back to guide our development of safe, equitable, inclusive streets and land use planning for people in Guelph today and into our future.”

The Guelph delegates will round out the workshop with collaborative knowledge sharing and an action plan to bring the lessons from Copenhagen back home. Knowledge gathered from the workshop will support collaboration between City leaders, researchers, and public health to improve how local transportation systems are designed to create healthy urban spaces that promote safe and equitable mobility for everyone.

“We look forward to sharing what we learn with the community when we return, and to having conversations about how we can build more equitable transportation systems in Guelph,” adds Juste.

Media contact

Jennifer Juste, Manager, Transportation Planning
Engineering and Transportation Services
City of Guelph
519-822-1260 extension 2791
[email protected]

Omnia Packaging brings sustainable packaging business to Guelph

Guelph, Ont., September 21, 2023 – Omnia Packaging, the Canadian subsidiary of Italian company Gruppo Sunino, has landed in Guelph, bringing half a century of expertise in injection moulded plastic containers – a production process that incorporates modern, sustainable solutions.

Family owned, Omnia Packaging has two production divisions: paper and plastic. The paper division produces an innovative paper-based and glue-free packaging solution that can replace top-sealed polyethylene terephthalate (PET) trays without changing existing equipment. Mustang Paper Trays packages fresh produce from Canadian greenhouses and growers with expansions in the United States and Mexico. The plastic division provides sustainable plastic packaging to dairy and confectionary producers and co-packers. Omnia’s research and development aims to improve existing packaging and provide innovative packaging solutions for new products.

“We commend Guelph for its well-structured recycling and sustainability programs and appreciate the support from the City and their partners, such as Innovation Guelph, who share our commitment to sustainability and a circular economy,” says Paolo Sunino, owner of Omnia Packaging.

Part of Omnia’s expansion plans include hiring ten employees by next March.

“The City’s commitment to economic growth and prosperity and active work to attract and retain businesses has helped create a vibrant business community,” adds Sunino. “With easy access to several international airports that facilitate global business connections and a steady supply of skilled graduates, particularly in the agri-food and biotechnology sectors, Guelph is the right place to expand our business.”

“Omnia adds to Guelph’s already thriving agri-innovation cluster. We look forward to our continued work together to grow their company in our community and bring modern packaging solutions to the Canadian marketplace,” says Christine Chapman, the City’s manager of Economic Development.

Omnia Packaging received $3.7 million in funding from the Government of Canada through a zero per cent loan granted through the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario.

About Invest in Guelph

Invest in Guelph makes it easy to do business in Guelph. Our expert team is ready to help, whether making business connections, growing your business, choosing a site, or finding new markets. We provide a suite of programs and services to support business expansion and re-location and are your resource for property development, business promotions, and partnerships. In addition, we support people making Guelph their home, their place of business, their resilient community.

Media Contact

Christine Chapman, Manager
Economic Development, Economic Development and Tourism
City of Guelph
519-822-1260 extension 2823
[email protected]

New season brings big shows to Royal City’s best performing arts venue

River Run Centre features crowd-thrilling favourites and award-winning performers

GUELPH, ON September 14, 2023 – Guelph’s River Run Centre sits on the banks of the Speed River in the heart of historic downtown Guelph. Delivering a broad range of live entertainment for all ages and genres, the theatre is the perfect destination for in- and out-of-town visitors. In its 2023-24 RESOUNDING season, sponsored by Richardson Wealth, the City’s premier performing arts centre presents more than 30 shows in eight curated series featuring shows for the family, side-splitting comedy, and some of Canada’s best music.

A favourite venue for local performers, River Run Centre features state-of-the-art sound which delights the most seasoned international artists. “We never tire of hearing from the best performers in the industry how thrilled they are to play in our space,” beams Bill Nuhn, Manager of Theatres and Civic Events. With incredible sound in an intimate theatre presenting ballet, comedy, music, and more, River Run Centre delivers something for everyone.  

The 2023-24 RESOUNDING season features eight artistic series:  

The GuelphToday.com Comedy Series brings welcome laughs to the stage and on October 19, one of Canada’s most beloved comedians returns to kick off the season. Shaun Majumder has kept fans laughing for over 20 years and promises to delight with another show of sharp wit and slice-of-life comedy. On February 3, Girls Nite Out returns with an all-female cast for laugh-out-loud standup and improv featuring the award-winning Elvira Kurt, Jennine Profeta, Diana Frances, and Karen Parker. Not just for girls, this night of improvised hilarity is quickly becoming a fan favourite at River Run Centre. Next in the series are Gary Pearson (Corner Gas and MAD TV Writer) and Geri Hall (This Hour Has 22 Mins, and One More Time) with Middle Raged on February 24, exploring – through their own lens of hilarity – what it means to be middle aged. If you can’t relate yet, you’ll be able to relate soon to this glorious age sandwiched between the youth of innocence and age of wisdom. On April 26, Just For Laughs Road Show returns. With touring acts from the renowned Montreal Just For Laughs Festival, this lineup regularly features the cream of the crop and often sells out before the touring comics are announced. The GuelphToday.com Comedy Series has quickly become one of River Run Centre’s most popular lineups, featuring international fan favourites to thrill local audiences.  

Another returning favourite is The Wooly Family Series, curated to deliver theatrical experiences equally enjoyable for children, grandparents, and everyone in between. On October 22, Frankenstein – A Living Comic Book, delivers an innovative, multimedia spin on the classic novel. On January 3, Chris Funk: Redefining Wonder blends magic, comedy, and music to leave audiences delightfully bewildered. On January 21, JUNO Award-winning children’s performers Splash’N Boots return with heartfelt, catchy songs fostering inclusion and healthy self-expression. A larger-than-life, educational experience comes to the Main Stage on March 16, with two showings of Erth’s DINOSAUR ZOO LIVE™. This up-close-and-personal encounter is a unique experience with life-sized puppetry and stunning visual effects. The Wooly Family Series offers thoughtful entertainment in each production, encouraging creative thinking and learning for children at all ages.  

Borealis Music Series, presented in the Studio Theatre, offers an intimate musical experience for audiences and artists. This season, Canadian folk legend Valdy returns on October 26. With over 40 years and 14 albums of music, Valdy is a musical storytelling master, captivating fans with heartfelt songs and engaging live shows. On February 22, Guy Davis delivers true blues in an artful performance paying homage to the genre’s greats. The very next night, on February 23, Matt Zaddy brings his new blend of award-winning folk-rock, R&B, and vibrant vocal harmony to the stage. Borealis Music Series features artists devoted to the craft of music-making through singing, songwriting, and storytelling.  

The newly minted Sleeman-Spring Mill Music Series features a broad range of some of the most exciting Canadian and international music. On November 2, King of Canadian Country Dean Brody hits the Main Stage for an intimate acoustic event taking audiences on a journey through his incredible musical career. On December 2, Men of the Deeps: Christmas in the Mine, delivers a touching performance of heartfelt holiday tunes from Cape Breton’s coal miners’ chorus, accompanied by internationally renowned fiddler, Colin Grant. On December 7, Canada’s Arctic Rose returns with Susan Aglukark’s ᐅᐱᓐᓇᖅ (Upinnaq) Christmas Tour. With Christmas songs in Inuktitut and English, this magical evening features the music and storytelling of Inuit culture. On February 1, JUNO nominees and Canadian Folk Music Award Winners, Sultans of String, bring Walking Through the Fire to the stage. An inspiring collaboration with award-winning First Nations, Métis, and Inuit artists, this performance honours the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s 94 Calls to Action, bringing together Indigenous and non-Indigenous people. On February 10, these Canadian rockers return to celebrate their iconic, platinum-selling debut album with The Trews – House of Ill Fame 20th Anniversary Tour. Playing the iconic album from top to bottom, including other hits and fan favourites, The Trews – known for their energetic performances – are set to deliver a live show not to be missed. On March 22, another classic Canadian band celebrates the anniversary of an iconic recording: Big Sugar brings a theatrical presentation of their deluxe vinyl, Five Hundred Pounds. Fans of the band can rest assured that even in a theatre setting, frontman Gordie Johnson promises “a Big Sugar rock and roll show!” The very next night, Canada’s Celtic Rock Warriors, the Mudmen take the stage on March 23. With bagpipes, drums, and a raucous spirit, the Mudmen’s live shows have earned a reputation for fun, musical parties. On April 5, the International Roots ’n’ Blues Kitchen Party keeps the celebratory theme going with Charlie A’Court, Lloyd Spiegel, and Suzie Vinnick. With over 60 international awards, these three celebrated soloists bring their personal friendships and expert musicianship to the stage for an unforgettable evening of talent, jaw-dropping guitar chops, hilarious stage banter, and collaborative spirit. The Sleeman-Spring Mill Music Series delivers a broad range of genres and artists with the commonality of uniting people through their music.  

New this year, the Miijidaa Music Series celebrates Canada’s rich cultural mosaic. On November 9 and 10, local activist, singer-songwriter, playwright, and author James Gordon delivers his brand of songwriting wit with meaningful messages woven throughout. Gordon is an active performer and community member, drawing fans of all ages with his relevant reflections. On December 1, spine-tingling vocalist iskwē delivers a myriad of sounds, blurring lines between genres and drawing upon her Cree Métis roots. This JUNO Award winner was recently named “one of the most powerful performers in the country” by CBC and promises an equally powerful performance in the intimate Studio Theatre. On December 17, fan favourites return with Boreal’s Songs for a Snowy Season, filled with beautiful harmonies and heartwarming songs about Canadian wintertime traditions. Award-winning singer-songwriters Tannis Slimmon, Katherine Wheatley, and Angie Nussey come together onstage with cherished classics and original songs. Another holiday classic returns on December 22 with A Very Charlie Brown Concert, featuring the beloved soundtrack from A Charlie Brown Christmas, performed by jazz trio Adam Bowman, Duncan Wilson, and Taylor Wagler, accompanied by children’s choir, The Kingsbury Music Singers. In the new year, on February 9, one of the season’s most locally anticipated artists D’eve Archer delivers a fresh take on classic R&B. A captivating performer with a powerful voice and superb musicianship, Archer expertly plays with harmonies delighting fans of all genres. Miijidaa Music Series features an array of Canadian artists, each with strong roots in their own cultures.  

Park Eatery Kinderconcerts are perfectly kinder sized for children aged five and under to experience live, professional music. Members of Guelph Symphony Orchestra introduce the magical world of music and instruments in these child-friendly, hands-on events featuring storytelling and classical compositions. On November 18, sweets and sugar plum fairies swirl through Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker; on February 3, the fable of The Lion and the Mouse is set to a score inspired by Clara Schumann and Fanny Mendelssohn; and on March 23, The Sword in the Violin Case delights with the music of Saint-Georges de Chevalier. With 30-minute performances on Saturday mornings, Park Eatery Kinderconcerts are perfectly suited to fit toddlers’ schedules of snack time and naps.  

River Run Centre’s Showcase Series presents performance types unique from its other artistic series. This season, the eclectic lineup features ballet, an on-stage interview, and a thrilling urban circus. On January 14, Ballet Jörgen tells the tale of Lucy Maud Montgomery’s literary classic with Anne of Green Gables – The Ballet®. Come for the conversation and music on February 8, as a storyteller of a different sort sits down in the Studio Theatre when Cameron Smillie interviews Canadian rock legend and lead singer of Coney Hatch and The Guess Who during In Conversation with Carl Dixon. On May 8, for those who prefer something with a little more rev, 360 ALLSTARS promises to deliver a satisfying rush of adrenaline with breakdancing, basketball tricks, BMX biking, and more. The Showcase Series offers a wide mix of programming for broad audiences, delivering unexpected theatrical experiences.  

Finally, the newly announced Magic Music Now Series delivers the hottest acts and award winners. On April 7, iconic Canadian duo Tegan and Sara bring the Not Tonight tour to the Main Stage. The evening is a contoured acoustic storytelling showcasing the 2002 album, If It Was You, and featuring a collection of some of their other most beloved songs. Magic Music Now delivers exciting and iconic Canadian pop.  

Single seats are available at various price points, with tickets for adults, patrons over 60, under 30, and for children 14 and under on select shows. Subscribe & Save offers a 20% discount on four or more shows, and new this season, Sliding Scale pricing is available on three select shows. For more information and tickets, visit River Run Centre Box Office at 35 Woolwich Street, Guelph, or call 519-763-3000. Details and tickets are also available at riverrun.ca.  

Richardson Wealth is proud to be the returning 2023-24 Season Sponsor, supporting and advocating for the enrichment of arts and culture in the City of Guelph. River Run Centre also gratefully acknowledges show sponsor Knar Jewellery and series sponsors Sleeman Breweries, Spring Mill Distillery, Borealis Grille & Bar, The Wooly Pub, Miijidaa Café + Bistro, Park Eatery, GuelphToday.com, and Magic 106.1. Thank you to returning program funders, Platters Catering & Events, Linamar, and TD Bank. Delta Hotels Guelph Conference Centre and Red Car Service provide accommodation and transportation support, and several media sponsors help spread the word, including GuelphToday.com, Magic 106.1, 1460 CJOY, Guelph Mercury Tribune, and TOQUE Magazine. River Run Centre is funded in part by the Government of Canada, Ontario Arts Council, and the SOCAN Foundation, and supported by many generous donors.

For Information

Kasia Rusiniak | Program Manager, Development and Marketing River Run Centre | City of Guelph 519-837-5662 extension 2589 [email protected]

City of Guelph planting mini forest with big impact

Community tree planting event on September 23

Guelph, Ont., September 6, 2023 – The City of Guelph is hosting a special community tree planting event on Saturday, September 23 at York Road Park to build Guelph’s first mini forest.

The event is being held between 9 a.m. and 12:30 p.m., rain or shine. Attendees will learn the innovative Japanese Miyawaki tree planting method being used to create Guelph’s first mini forest. A mini forest is a community of native trees and shrubs planted tightly together in an urban or suburban site based on the Miyawaki method.

Guelph is one of only five pilot communities in Canada taking part in this year’s National Mini Forest Pilot project.

“Miyawaki forests have been planted around the world, but the approach isn’t as common in Canada,” says Dave Beaton, program manager of Forestry and Sustainable Landscapes. “Guelph thrives on innovation, and we’re excited to be introducing this innovative technique to help grow our urban canopy cover and breathe more life into the city.”

Lessons learned from this project will be incorporated into the City’s ongoing naturalization program. Working in collaboration with community partners, the City plants close to 20,000 native trees and shrubs each year in parks, public spaces and natural areas.

The Miyawaki method

The Miyawaki method uses higher density and greater species diversity. This results in taller plants in a shorter period than standard techniques.

Where traditional urban tree planting might space trees three metres apart, this technique plants a minimum of three trees per square metre. Trees and shrubs planted at these sites compete for sunlight, so they grow more quickly.

Small forests have big impacts

Mini forests help reduce air pollution, increase biodiversity, and provide much-needed habitat for wildlife.

They can also provide social benefits such as improved mental and physical health and deepened connections to nature.

Native mini forests are small but mighty contributions to the fight against habitat loss and climate change.

Register today

Register today and get ready to get your hands dirty! You can register online until September 22 at guelphminiforest.eventbrite.ca.

Planting today for a greener tomorrow

This event is being held as part of our participation in the National Mini Forest Pilot project, an initiative of the Network of Nature led by Green Communities Canada. The National Mini Forest Pilot contributes to Canada’s goal to plant two billion trees by 2030.

This 500 square metre site will see the installation of 500 canopy trees, as well as a wide variety of shrubs and wildflowers, benefitting Guelph and helping to build local biodiversity and climate resilience.

Media contact

Dave Beaton, Program Manager
Forestry and Sustainable Landscapes, Parks
City of Guelph
519-822-1260 extension 2761
[email protected]

City leaders call for housing, paramedic offload delays and mental health support at AMO conference

London, Ont., August 23, 2023– The City of Guelph joined over 2000 participants from across Ontario at the 2023 Association of Municipalities of Ontario’s (AMO) annual conference from August 20-23. City leaders asked the province for support to improve important services and address local priorities in Guelph. This will help the city grow and be ready for the future.

“The AMO conference is an opportunity for the City to have important conversations with our provincial government counterparts,” said Mayor Cam Guthrie. “I want to thank the Province for listening to our concerns and being open to working with us on solutions to issues such as the housing crisis, homelessness and brownfield redevelopment.”

City leaders return having participated in productive discussions with provincial leaders on:

  • housing and growth
  • paramedic offload delays and the root issue of hospital staffing, capacity and funding
  • community mental health needs and gaps
  • Indigenous relations and advancing reconciliation
  • brownfield remediation, and
  • infrastructure funding.

“We had so many constructive conversations at this year’s conference,” said Scott Stewart, Chief Administrative Officer for the City of Guelph.

“Key challenges like housing and healthcare need all levels of government working together to solve, and I’m confident our provincial partners will support our asks. We were also pleased to showcase our 2024-2027 Strategic Plan, Future Guelph as it defines our priorities for the next four years.”

The City of Guelph, together with community partners and key municipal associations, will continue to advocate, consult and delegate on matters affecting the Guelph community, the City of Guelph, and cities across Ontario.

City representatives and meeting details

Representing the City were Mayor Cam Guthrie alongside

  • Councillor Carly Klassen (ward 2);
  • Councillor Phil Allt (ward 3);
  • Councillor Linda Busuttil (ward 4);
  • Councillors Ken Yee Chew and Dominique O’Rourke (ward 6);
  • MPP Mike Schreiner; and
  • Executive Team members and Intergovernmental Services staff.

City leaders met with

  • Minister of Health, Sylvia Jones;
  • Minister of Environment, Conservation and Parks, David Piccini;
  • Minister of Indigenous Affairs, Greg Rickford;
  • Associate Minister of Mental Health and Addictions, Michael Tibollo;
  • Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Infrastructure, Amarjot Sandhu;
  • Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Tourism, Culture, and Sport, Laura Smith;
  • the leader of Ontario’s Official Opposition, the New Democrat Party, Marit Stiles; and
  • senior staff from the Ministry of Transportation.

 

About the Association of Municipalities Ontario

The Association of Municipalities Ontario is a non-profit organization representing almost all of Ontario’s 444 municipal governments. AMO supports and enhances strong and effective municipal government in Ontario and promotes the value of municipal government as a vital and essential component of Ontario and Canada’s political system.

Media Contact

Kimberly Krawczyk, Manager, Policy and Intergovernmental Relations
Strategy, Innovation and Intergovernmental Services
Office of the Chief Administrative Officer
City of Guelph
519-822-1260 extension 3464
[email protected]

 

 

City of Guelph’s AAA financial credit rating reaffirmed by S&P Global Ratings

Read S&P Global Ratings’ report on Guelph’s 2023 credit rating

Guelph, Ont., August 8, 2023 – S&P Global Ratings continues to affirm the City of Guelph’s financial credit rating as AAA with a stable outlook, the agency’s highest possible rating.

“Earning and maintaining the highest possible credit rating is evidence of the City’s sound financial strategies and decision-making,” says Scott Stewart, Chief Administrative Officer for the City. “Our policies, multi-year budgets aligned with Council’s approved strategic plans, and carefully considered fiscal planning have positioned us well. Our strong standing leaves us prepared for the challenges we know lie ahead, including inflation and balancing the renewal of our existing infrastructure while planning and building new infrastructure to support our housing pledge.”

S&P Global Ratings is an independent company that analyses municipalities and corporations around the world, evaluating their capacity to meet financial obligations. S&P’s consideration of Guelph found the City to have a strong local economy due in part to a broad manufacturing sector and a large public sector, including schools, hospitals, the University of Guelph and municipal administration. S&P also cited strong financial management practices, well-defined financial policies and an exceptional liquidity position in their rating rationale.

“Getting top marks, yet again, from a neutral, third-party credit rating organization is a clear indication that we’re on the right track with our prudent financial management,” says Mayor Cam Guthrie. “Our responsible use of tax dollars is serving our community well and our 2024–2027 multi-year budget will continue to guide responsible spending as we strive to meet the goals of the recently approved Future Guelph strategic plan.”

According to S&P’s report, “Guelph’s credit profile also benefits from strong management, as evidenced by generally good political consensus in passing budgets and effective revenue and expenditure planning practices.”

About S&P Global Ratings
S&P Global Ratings is a leader in independent credit risk research and market intelligence including credit ratings, research, and thought leadership. It has offices in 26 countries and more than 150 years of experience.

Media contact

Shanna O’Dwyer, Manager, Financial Strategy and Long-Term Planning
Finance
City of Guelph
519-822-1260 extension 2300
[email protected]

Future Food Visions project animates local food locations through audio experiences

Our Food Future and University of Guelph theatre students collaborate to tell local food stories

Guelph, Ont., August 8, 2023—The University of Guelph and Guelph-Wellington’s Our Food Future initiative are excited to launch Future Food Visions, a series of nine audio experiences that will be available to download or stream starting Saturday, August 12 on Driftscape or at reimaginefood.ca/visions.

These experiences, developed, written, and recorded by University of Guelph theatre students, tell stories about Guelph’s food history and of food insecurity in the Guelph-Wellington community. The stories highlight the excellent work of local food organizations, community groups, and cultural communities helping residents respond to challenges of food access and equity.

The project is a collaboration between Our Food Future, 10C, CFRU, the Guelph Community Health Centre, The Arrell Food Institute, the Food System Resiliency Table, and the University of Guelph’s School of English and Theatre Studies.

“We’re always looking for ways to connect artistic work at the university to the broader Guelph community,” says Kimberley McLeod, associate professor in the School of English and Theatre Studies. “For this project it was great to collaborate with Our Food Future and have members of the local food community come into class, tell their stories, and help students create this series of audio experiences. The results are extremely creative. I hope these experiences will help community members get a different perspective on the local food system we all share.”

Theatre studies student Meagan Downes remarks, “Being a student on this project has been such a rewarding experience. It introduced a whole new way I could share stories. It’s a mode of performance where I feel I can introduce a listener to a place they already know and look at it from a new perspective. That’s the main reason I was so interested in Future Food Visions. I saw it as an opportunity to learn from and hopefully connect with community members and new spaces. I can’t wait for people to experience it!”

Ashlee Cooper, manager of Food Equity and Community Resiliency in the Guelph-Wellington Smart Cities Office notes, “We’ve been working since 2020 to help members of the community learn about the circular food economy that’s growing in Guelph-Wellington, including through our Reimagine Food campaign. Artistic expressions like these audio experiences are an amazing way to do that.”

Cooper also noted that the project is accessible at no cost to anyone in Guelph or beyond who wants to check it out. “Anyone with a mobile device can easily scan a QR code posted at identified locations listed on the website, or click a link from the comfort of their own home and learn something new about how others in the community think about food. I hope everyone will get a chance to check out these amazing experiences.”

She notes the recordings are best experienced at s including Downtown Guelph or the University of Guelph. Suggested locations for listening are shared at reimaginefood.ca/visions along with links to the recordings, audio transcripts, and additional resources including children’s activities. After listening, users are encouraged to share their reactions to the experiences through social media using the hashtag #futurefoodvisions or by email to [email protected]. Feedback can also be shared in person at either Shelldale Family Gateway (20 Shelldale Crescent) or 10C (42 Carden Street).

The project officially launches on August 12 at the Guelph Farmers’ Market with a special one-day only audio experience from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. University of Guelph students and community collaborators who helped develop the project will be on hand for the launch to talk about the project with the community.

The first 100 people to listen to the audio experience will get a special food item.

This project is supported by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.

Media contacts

Ashlee Cooper, Manager, Food Equity and Community Resiliency
Smart Cities Office, Office of the CAO
City of Guelph
519-822-1260 extension 3544
Cell: 226-821-2136
[email protected]

Kimberley McLeod, Associate Professor
School of English, and Theatre Studies
University of Guelph
[email protected]

About Our Food Future

Inspired by the planet’s natural cycles, a circular food economy reimagines and regenerates the systems that feed us, eliminating waste, sharing economic prosperity, and nourishing our communities. In Guelph-Wellington, we are working to build Canada’s first tech-enabled circular food economy that will achieve a 50 percent increase in access to affordable nutritious food, create 50 new circular economy businesses and collaborations, and a 50 percent increase in circular economic benefit by unlocking the value of waste.

Our Food Future demonstrates one of the ways the City of Guelph and the County of Wellington are contributing to a sustainable, creative, and smart local economy that is connected to regional and global markets and supports shared prosperity for everyone.

Resources

Reimagine Food Logo
www.reimaginefood.ca
www.reimaginefood.ca/visions

City of Guelph moving ahead with Emma Street to Earl Street foot and bike bridge

Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks satisfied with environmental assessment and additional project requirements

Guelph, Ont., July 27, 2023 – A recommendation of the Guelph Trail Master Plan, the Emma Street to Earl Street bridge will provide pedestrians and cyclists with a safe connection over the Speed River, especially as construction on the Speedvale Avenue Bridge looms.

In August 2022, the City submitted an updated and final project file for the Emma to Earl bridge environmental assessment (EA) as requested by the Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP). During the 30-day public review period, an objection to the project was filed and the MECP provided it’s decision on the EA and the objection June 30. The MECP dismissed the objection to the project and its decision document indicates that

  • the City made reasonable efforts to engage and consult with the Haudenosaunee Confederacy Chiefs Council through the Haudenosaunee Development Institute;
  • the City resolved the concerns with the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation and the Six Nations of the Grand River–The Six Nations Elected Council, receiving confirmation that both Nations are comfortable with the project; and
  • the City has demonstrated that the project is planned andwill be developed in accordance with the provisions of the Municipal Class Environmental Assessment.

With the MECP’s decision, City staff can now finalize the design of this important active transportation link which is expected to be built in 2025.

“The Emma to Earl bridge is a critical connection for people travelling by bike and on foot, particularly while the Speedvale Bridge is upgraded in 2026, and without which people would need to detour at least two kilometres to cross the Speed River,” explains Reg Russwurm, the City’s manager of Design and Construction, adding, “Improving active transportation connections in Guelph is an important investment in sustainable transportation, and vital to the City’s commitment to Race To Zero, especially as we prepare to support the Province’s mandated population growth targets.”

Next steps

Later this fall, after wildlife breeding seasons are done and birds have migrated south, workers will be in the Speed River ravine sweeping and cutting vegetation as needed to prepare for geotechnical work scheduled to begin in September. More details about this work will be shared closer to the start date.

Speedvale Avenue improvements

The Emma to Earl active transportation bridge is part of the work the City is doing to prepare for ongoing Speedvale Avenue improvements. As an essential corridor for local residential and commercial traffic, goods movement for local businesses and railway access in Guelph, the City is redesigning and rebuilding Speedvale Avenue in phases over a number of years. One of those improvements is a new bridge where Speedvale crosses the Speed River. A study of the bridge’s structural integrity indicates that load restrictions would likely need to be imposed in about five years. As a result, City staff have been monitoring the bridge’s condition and plan to replace it in 2026. The MECP’s decision is timely, as it allows the Emma to Earl active transportation bridge to be built before the Speedvale Bridge for replacement.

Resources

Speedvale Avenue corridor improvements
Emma to Earl active transportation bridge project

Media Contact

Reg Russwurm, Manager, Design and Construction
Engineering and Transportation Services
City of Guelph
519-822-1260 extension 2765
[email protected]

City of Guelph’s 2024-2027 strategic plan approved

Future Guelph defines City’s priorities for the next four years 

Guelph, Ont., July 25, 2023 – This evening, Guelph City Council approved Future Guelph, the City’s 2024 to 2027 strategic plan. Future Guelph evolved from the 2019 to 2023 strategic plan and carries forward many successes and long-term initiatives of the previous plan.

Future Guelph will serve as the organization’s north star for the next four years ensuring Guelph is prepared for the future while working towards improved community well-being and equity for all. The plan defines the City’s mission, vision, and key priorities from 2024 to 2027.

Future Guelph is designed to ensure collaboration across the organization towards providing responsible, responsive, and professional public service to Guelph’s growing and diverse community. Like most strategic plans, it‘s been developed as a living document. As things change and progress, the City will be flexible and adaptable, ensuring Guelph is prepared for the future.

“Future Guelph builds on the great work already done under our current strategic plan and our community plan,” says Mayor Cam Guthrie. “It’s the product of collaboration between Council and staff and it reflects the community’s vision for our future.”

To help build connections between service areas and departments, the City has moved away from the five strategic priority areas of the previous plan; Future Guelph adopts a new set of strategic themes: Foundations, City Building, Environment, and People and Economy.

“The goal is to tell the whole story of our organization, showing the connections between City businesses, services, and programs,” says the City’s chief administrative officer, Scott Stewart. “We’re all working as one city with one voice to achieve our strategic priorities.”

Strategic plan at a glance

Our vision

An inclusive, connected, prosperous city where we look after each other and our environment.

Our mission

Working together to deliver responsible, responsive, and professional public service to Guelph’s growing and diverse community.

Our themes

Foundations equips us with the supports needed to provide excellent service and good governance. It’s where we’re improving the tools and resources needed to achieve success under the other three themes.

City Building focuses on growth and all the supporting elements needed to make Guelph a more liveable city.

Environment empowers us and the community to help fight and adapt to climate change.

People and Economy supports our community’s well-being and helps our local economy flourish.

Next steps

With Council’s adoption of Future Guelph, staff will incorporate the plan’s initiatives into departmental business plans for action.

While the strategic plan acts as the organization’s north star, the City’s multi-year budget is the affordability tool that sets the pace for the work ahead. The 2024-2027 multi-year budget process will kick off this fall and outline the financial commitments of Future Guelph.

Read the Future Guelph strategic plan, including the objectives and initiatives, at guelph.ca/strategicplan.

Media contact 

Daniel Beemsigne, Manager, Corporate and Community Strategic Initiatives
Strategy Innovation and Intergovernmental Services
City of Guelph
519-822-1260 extension 2225 
[email protected]  

City of Guelph’s Greener Homes program launches July 31

Guelph, Ont., July 24, 2023 – Starting July 31, Guelph homeowners can apply for a zero-interest loan of up to $50,000 to help cover the costs of energy-efficient home retrofits from windows and doors, to heat pumps and solar-powered systems.

The Guelph Greener Homes program is part of the City’s commitment to sustainability as it strives to become a net-zero carbon community by 2050 and win the Race to Zero. The loan program will help homeowners reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and support a future-ready Guelph while making homes more comfortable with money-saving, energy-efficient upgrades.

“We all need to be part of the fight against climate change, and we know people in our community want to play their part,” says Bryan Ho-Yan, the City’s manager of Corporate Energy and Climate Change. “This program will make energy-efficient upgrades more accessible for Guelph homeowners.”

Almost 200 people have already subscribed for updates about the program and will be the first to be notified when the program goes live on July 31.

How to apply

Six steps will get homeowners on their way to accessing loan funds:

  1. Check eligibility
  2. Schedule and complete a home energy assessment
  3. Submit the home assessment with planned upgrades for approval
  4. Once approved, complete upgrades
  5. Schedule and complete a follow-up home energy assessment
  6. Submit invoices and the final assessment report to get the loan

Information packages will be available in alternative languages. Please contact [email protected] or call 519-822-1260 extension 3984 to request information in your preferred language. 

Eligibility requirements

To be eligible for the program you must own a low-rise (detached, semi-detached, townhouse, or rowhouse) residential property in the municipality of the City Guelph that’s at least five years old, and:

  • have a property tax account with the City
  • have consent from all listed property owners to participate in the program
  • have no back taxes, liens, or title disputes on the property
  • have not started improvements for which you plan to use the loan for

What types of upgrades qualify? 

The loan can be used to cover the costs of:

  • building upgrades including insulation, air-sealing, window and door repair or replacement
  • mechanical systems such as air source heat pumps, heat pump water heaters, and heat recovery systems
  • Control systems such as smart or programmable thermostats
  • Renewable energy systems including solar power and solar hot water systems

Low-income applicants may also qualify for a grant for air source heat pumps (up to $15,000). Grants are available to property owners who are primary residents of the property for which the air source heat pump is being installed, with a family income (before taxes) less than or equal to the low income cut-off as defined by the program. A Guelph Greener Homes program advisor will reach out to qualifying applicants to provide more information.

To learn more about the Guelph Greener Homes program, eligibility requirements, the application process, or qualifying home retrofits, visit guelph.ca/greenerhomes

Resources

guelph.ca/greenerhomes
Guelph Greener Homes video
Guelph Greener Homes brochure (PDF 300kB)
Subscribe for a program launch reminder

Media Contact

Bryan Ho-Yan, Manager
Corporate Energy and Climate Change
City of Guelph
519-822-1260, extension 2672
[email protected]

Draft development charge rates presented at Council

Guelph, Ont., July 21, 2023 – On Wednesday, July 19, Guelph City Council participated in a two-part meeting about development charges. The first part of the meeting was a workshop that served as an orientation and education session. The second part was a special council meeting where the preliminary results of the ongoing Development Charges Background Study were presented to gather early feedback from Council.

“Development charges are critical to funding the capital costs to accommodate growth,” says Shanna O’Dwyer, manager, Financial Strategy and Long-Term Planning, City of Guelph. “Before development can begin, water pipes, sewers, and roads must be built. Once people start living in new developments, we need to provide emergency services, waste collection, new parks and recreation spaces.”

For decades in Ontario, governments have operated under the principle that growth in population should pay for growth in infrastructure, but in reality, this has not been the case. With the changes to development charges in 2022 as part of Bill 23, the Province’s More Homes, Built Faster Act, municipalities like Guelph are left with a significant gap in revenues. The City’s 2024-2027 Multi-year Budget will need to consider gaps in funding resulting from exemptions, discounts, and phase-in requirements from Bill 23.

To maximize the City’s ability to support the cost of growth under current development charge legislation, residential development charges would need to increase by 44 per cent to $68,902 for a single/semi-detached unit. Non-residential development charge rates would need to increase by 68 per cent to $27.25 per square foot to maximize the City’s ability to support the growth-related costs of these developments.

These numbers represent the full rate increases available under the legislation, but rates would be subject to new provincial phase-in requirements which provide a 20 per cent discount in the first year of adopted increases. This discount is phased out over five years. The draft rates are competitive with development charge rates in nearby cities.

“Despite the proposed increases to development charge rates, the total amount of revenue collected from these charges is estimated to be $227 million less than it would have been before Bill 23 introduced the new mandatory phase-in, discounts, and exemptions,” says Tara Baker, general manager of Finance and City Treasurer. “More tax dollars and fee-based revenues from the water, wastewater, and stormwater utilities will be needed to fund the gap and will directly impact the City’s ability to support growth.”

The background study, which began in fall 2022, will continue through 2023 with the final proposed development charge rates expected to be released in October. The City’s current Development Charges Bylaw and rates will expire on March 2, 2024. The provincial Development Charges Act requires the City to complete a background study at least every ten years to forecast future residential and non-residential growth and determine related infrastructure needs and costs. Information from the study is used to calculate updated development charge rates. The City’s last background study took place in 2018 and the Development Charges Bylaw was updated in 2021 to align with provincially legislated changes.

To learn more about development charges and the background study visit the Development Charges page linked from guelph.ca/finance.

How Bill 23 More Homes Built Faster Act impacts development charges

The most recent set of changes to the Development Charges Act are the result of the Bill 23 More Homes Built Faster Act, 2022.

Impacts of Bill 23 include:

  • Removal of housing services as a development charge eligible service
  • Removal of certain studies as an eligible cost
  • Removal of land as an eligible cost for some services (not currently in effect as provincial regulations have not yet been released)
  • Extension of the maximum bylaw expiration date from five to 10 years
  • Creation of mandatory phase-in of development charge rates over five years with a rate discount starting a 20 per cent, decreasing by five per cent each remaining year
  • Exemptions for affordable and attainable housing, non-profit housing, and inclusionary zoning residential units (affordable and attainable housing exemptions are not currently in effect as provincial regulations have not yet been released)
  • Percentage-based rate discounts for rental housing development based on the number of bedrooms

Join the City for educational engagement opportunities

Want to learn more about development charges in the City of Guelph and the proposed development charge rate charges?

Have your say

Watch a recording of the special council presentation, review the background study, and ask questions or submit feedback at haveyoursay.guelph.ca until August 13, 2023.

A statutory public meeting is expected to be held in October where people and businesses in Guelph can provide feedback on the proposed development charge rates through delegations.

Resources

Development charges
Draft 2023 Development Charges Background Study
Government of Ontario: Bill 23 More Homes, Built Faster Act
Guelph’s Growth Management Strategy
Official Plan
Clair-Maltby Secondary Plan
Understanding provincial legislation
Housing in Guelph: an interactive storymap
Housing in Guelph: Special Council presentation

Media contact

Shanna O’Dwyer, Manager, Financial Strategy and Long-Term Planning
Finance
City of Guelph
519-822-1260 extension 2300
[email protected]

City of Guelph taking action to get more housing built faster

New ideas on the table following special Council workshop

Guelph, Ont., July 11, 2023 – At tonight’s housing workshop, staff shared a progress update and an interactive story map to help Council and the community gain a better understanding of the range and types of housing in Guelph, and the actions the City is taking to help increase housing supply in Guelph.

During the workshop, staff demonstrated how the City financially supports community partners, invests in infrastructure, makes more land available to support more housing, and advocates to other levels of government on behalf of the community’s needs. Staff also identified funding gaps and opportunities and explained Guelph’s current capacity for housing.

“We appreciated Mayor Guthrie’s call for a special Council meeting because it gave us an opportunity to really get into the details of what we’re doing to get shovels in the ground,” says the City’s chief administrative officer, Scott Stewart. “We’re here, we’re putting in the work, we’re spending thousands of hours and millions of dollars to make it happen. But we can’t do it alone. This is not just the City’s problem. This is a collective problem, and we need other levels of government, community partners, and developers to help us solve it.”

Highlights from staff’s presentation

The City provides about $5.5 million every year in development fee reductions to contribute to new housing supply, primarily related to creating accessory dwelling units (e.g. basement apartments and in-law suites). With provincial changes, it is estimated this could grow to more than $23 million a year to encourage developers to build rental and affordable housing units.

The City financially supports community partners like Wellington County and other non-profit service providers to manage and deliver critical housing services including emergency shelters and transitional housing, for our community.

  • $17 million in annual base funding for Guelph’s share of the provincially legislated social housing services delivered by the County as the City’s designated service manager;
  • $500,000 in annual base funding for the City’s affordable housing incentive program; augmented with other one-time contributions, resulting in over $3.1 million provided toward three supportive housing projects in Guelph in 2021 and 2022;
  • $495,000 in annual base funding to run the Wyndham House Youth Shelter along with providing the property rent-free;
  • about $710,000 of annual funding for other related services like Welcoming Streets and the extension of daytime shelter hours at the Royal City Mission;
  • the contribution of the Delhi Street property for new transitional housing in Guelph—an equivalent value of $1.4 million; and
  • as a long-term care license holder, committing $862,000 in funding and financing of up to $6.2 million for an additional 29 beds at the Elliott Community.

The City invests billions to build infrastructure that supports growth including:

  • Nearly $150 million on 28 growth-related water, sewer, and road construction projects currently underway or completed in the last five years
  • More than $4 million in planning for service delivery to support mandated growth
  • About $3 billion for planned work based on Council-approved master plans
    • Guelph’s current capacity for housing includes land already zoned for residential use that can accommodate nearly 6,000 units for which the City has not received site plan applications, or development requirements have not been met by the developer, and, in some cases, more than 30 years have passed waiting for approved units to be built.
    • To reach the Province’s mandated target of 18,000 units by 2031, the City needs developers to build about 1,974 units every year. This number is about 400 units more than the highest number of permits the City issued in the last 20 years.

Taking it even further

Municipalities, including the City of Guelph, are responsible for making housing development possible but cannot build private housing supply. Following the workshop presentation, Council talked with staff about the City’s role, limitations, and other ideas that might work to get more houses built.

“Too many people, organizations and yes, all of Council, need to know exactly what’s happening with housing in our community. That’s why this workshop was important, it allowed staff to state clearly what work they’ve done to date in trying to create the right conditions and opportunities to get more housing approved as quickly as possible,” says Mayor Cam Guthrie adding, “I was also excited to hear Council’s ideas for innovative housing solutions to explore in Guelph. I want to make sure we’ve exhausted all options within municipal control to help people find the housing they need, whether they live here now, or may choose Guelph as their home in the future.”

In addition to ongoing advocacy and applying for infrastructure grants and funding, Council and staff discussed the potential to:

  • draft policies that enable more housing such as a potential parking and stormwater cash-in-lieu policy
  • link infrastructure investment to housing supply outcomes and prioritize capital investment where the greatest housing supply can be achieved in the short-term
  • increase affordable housing by building and operating affordable housing
  • review City-owned property to see what might be sold to accommodate more housing

Next steps

Staff will continue collaborating with community partners and developers to increase housing supply and advocating to other levels of government to provide much-needed funding for critical infrastructure to support our growing population and housing needs.

In August, staff will publish a Council information report that summarizes the workshop, including the suggestions and ideas put forth for consideration.

On July 19, staff will present the draft 2023 Development Charges Background Study at a special Council meeting. This will be a critical conversation to determine how the City can maximize funding potential from development charges to support housing development while reducing impacts to people and businesses who pay taxes and service rates.

At a special Council meeting on September 12, Council will receive the report from Collective Results on the work they’ve done studying the gaps and opportunities within our community connected to issues of homelessness, mental health, and substance use. In addition, the County will present its housing and homelessness plan.

The following week on September 19, staff will seek Council’s approval on the project framework for the Housing Affordability Strategy update, and then in October, staff will present a report to Council with recommendations for future action.

In January 2024, staff will provide the next update on the housing continuum.

More information will be shared as it becomes available.

Resources

Media contact

Shelly Reed
Strategic Communications Advisor
Strategic Communications and Community Engagement
City of Guelph
519-822-1260 extension 2223
[email protected]

City of Guelph prepares for the expansion of strong mayor powers taking effect July 1

Guelph, Ont., June 30, 2023 – On July 1, the City of Guelph alongside Mayor Cam Guthrie will be ready to navigate the expansion of strong mayor powers to 26 large and fast-growing municipalities including Guelph.

“It’s important to continue the collaborative efforts of all members of council alongside the professional advice and guidance offered by City staff,” says Cam Guthrie, mayor, City of Guelph.

Strong mayor powers that can be delegated to council and CAO
A mayor can choose to delegate strong mayor powers in three areas applicable to Guelph. Mayor Guthrie has indicated that he will delegate the first two powers listed below to council, and the remaining power will be delegated to the CAO:

  • Choosing to appoint or dismiss a chief administrative officer
  • Creating committees of council, assigning their functions and appointing the chairs and vice chairs of committees of council
  • Hiring certain municipal department heads, establishing and re-organizing departments

“We know that our community values transparency, we’ve heard this loud and clear,” says Scott Stewart, chief administrative officer, City of Guelph. “Transparency will be paramount to trust in government while operating with these new powers for the head of council.”

In anticipation of July 1, the City has published a web page that will house all future mayoral decisions and directions related to strong mayor powers. Community members can access this information at guelph.ca/mayoral-decisions.

The mayor is required to exercise these powers in writing, to notify the city clerk and councillors when they do so, and to make the notification available to the public, subject to the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act.

Media contacts

Mayor’s Office
City of Guelph
519-837-5643
[email protected]

Jodie Sales
General Manager
Strategy, Innovation and Intergovernmental Services
City of Guelph
519-822-1260 extension 3617
[email protected]

City and Guelph Professional Firefighters Association ratify collective agreement

Guelph, Ont., June 14, 2023—The City of Guelph and Guelph Professional Firefighters Association (GPFFA) representing Guelph firefighters voted to ratify a new four-year collective agreement.

“We’re pleased to have arrived at a freely negotiated deal with the Guelph Professional Firefighters Association that provides fair and equitable compensation to our Guelph firefighters,” said Colleen Clack-Bush, deputy chief administrative officer, Public Services. “The health, safety, and well-being of our community is of utmost importance, something we must work to achieve while balancing affordability for taxpayers. Thank you to the GPFFA for working together with us to achieve this outcome.”

Guelph firefighters will receive annual wage increases over the four-year contract of 2.95 per cent in 2023, 2.95 per cent in 2024, 2.85 in 2025, and 2.75 per cent in 2026. The City accounted for the in-year financial impact of the new collective agreement within the approved 2022-2023 Multi-Year Budget and has forecasted impacts for the 2024-2027 budget cycle.

“We’re happy we were able to negotiate a fair deal for Guelph firefighters,” said Colin Hunter, president, Guelph Professional Firefighters Association. “We want to thank the City’s bargaining team for working with GPFFA to reach a deal that recognizes the critical role firefighters have in upholding community safety.”

The agreement takes effect immediately.

Media contact

Mark Ellis, General Manager, Human Resources
Corporate Services
City of Guelph
519-822-1260 extension 2848
[email protected]

Colin Hunter
President
Guelph Professional Firefighters Association
[email protected]

Climate change mitigation efforts taking hold but more work needed to keep up the fight

City calls on community to take action toward Race To Zero

Guelph, Ont., June 9, 2023 – The City’s 2022 Environmental Sustainability Report highlights the outcomes, accomplishments, and opportunities for improvement across six key areas as the City makes strides in Guelph’s Race to Zero.

“Our goal as a community is to be net-zero carbon by 2050 and we’re always thinking about energy efficiency and ways to reduce City carbon emissions to fight climate change,” says Jayne Holmes, deputy chief administrative officer, Infrastructure, Development and Enterprise Services. “We have to keep investing in the programs, services, and education that will make the most difference in our community and for our future, and we need the community to join us in the Race To Zero.”

People in Guelph have and continue to take collective and individual action to reduce greenhouse gases and mitigate the impacts of climate change whether it’s saying no to plastic, using water wisely, planting trees, or installing energy retrofits at work and at home. These actions are making a difference and it’s time to do even more to lower Guelph’s emissions faster.

City and community accomplishments in sustainability

2022 sustainability success highlights

  • added four new electric vehicles with quiet, zero-tailpipe emissions
  • launched the Kids Ride Free pilot with over 16,081 rides taken
  • added nine kilometres to the City’s cycling network
  • kept more than half of household waste out of landfills with less waste created per Guelphite than the provincial and national averages
  • naturalized 6.2 hectares of City-owned land, an area larger than the Roger’s Centre/Skydome
  • planted 15,650 native trees and shrubs, 750 large canopy trees, and about 7,500 native wildflowers and grasses
  • captured enough gas from biosolids to power 1,618 homes for a year; this energy was used to partially power the Water Resource Recovery Centre
  • provided 561 residential water rebates saving about 100,400 litres of water

How is Guelph doing on its Race To Zero?

Recent data on greenhouse gas emissions shows an increase compared to 2020 when COVID restrictions were at its peak, however, the numbers are lower than pre-COVID years and demonstrate that overall, the City is making progress on reducing emissions. Only with the whole community’s efforts, will we get to Guelph’s targets of net zero by 2050 and a 63 per cent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and win the Race To Zero.

To learn more about the City’s environmental sustainability work, visit guelph.ca/environment.

Media contact

Jayne Holmes, Deputy Chief Administrative Officer
Infrastructure, Development and Enterprise Services
519-822-1260 extension 2248
[email protected]

 

City of Guelph breaks ground at the Baker District redevelopment site on June 20

The groundbreaking recognizes the on-site work done to date and celebrates the start of construction of the new central library, underground parking garage and public squares

Guelph, Ont., June 7, 2023 – The City of Guelph and the Guelph Public Library Board will celebrate the start of the library’s construction as part of the Baker District redevelopment project with an on-site groundbreaking on June 20.

“The groundbreaking at the Baker District redevelopment site is an exciting milestone for Downtown Guelph,” says Scott Stewart, Chief Administration Officer, City of Guelph.“This project is a critical part of creating a more prosperous, vibrant, and socially connected Downtown; it’s a big moment for all of us.”

The groundbreaking follows the successful conclusion of the procurement process for the new central library, underground parking garage, and public squares. The project is coming in within the approved budget. The project team has been successful in working with our construction manager to address inflationary cost pressures through value engineering including review of construction methods and exploration of alternative materials. Construction of the central library and underground parking is expected to be completed in about three years.

“We’re thrilled to put shovels in the ground for our new central public library,” says Steven Kraft, Chief Executive Officer, Guelph Public Library. “This is a big step forward. The new library is going to bring many social, economic, and environmental benefits to the city. It will also support the needs of our growing population.”

More details about the groundbreaking will be shared as they are confirmed.

About the Baker District redevelopment

The new 8,175 square metre (88,000 square foot) library will be the main feature of the Baker District redevelopment project. It will be a zero-carbon building in alignment with the City’s goal of achieving a 63 per cent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and net zero carbon by 2050 to win Guelph’s Race To Zero.
The underground parking garage will have more than 150 public parking spots. Meanwhile, the public squares will add beauty and create places for people to gather in Downtown Guelph.

The Baker District project is a landmark City-building initiative to transform a former municipal parking lot into a multi-use, compact district in Downtown Guelph. The redevelopment is an important part of the Downtown Renewal program—a massive undertaking to transform how Downtown Guelph looks, feels, and functions, while also preserving its unique cultural heritage.

To learn more about the Baker District redevelopment visit guelph.ca/baker.

Media Contact

Stephen Gazzola, Project Manager
Facilities and Energy Management
City of Guelph
519-822-1260 extension 3886
[email protected]

City of Guelph welcomes new fire chief

Guelph, Ont., June 5, 2023 – The City of Guelph is pleased to welcome Brian Arnold as its new fire chief and general manager of Guelph Fire Services.

“Chief Brian Arnold is a highly experienced and well-respected member of the fire community and we’re pleased to welcome him to the City of Guelph,” says Colleen Clack-Bush, deputy chief administrative officer, Public Services. “As an employer of choice, our organization is able to attract top talent like Chief Arnold who will help us provide excellent services that uphold Guelph community safety and well-being.”

Chief Arnold brings more than 30 years of experience to his role as Chief and general manager of Guelph Fire Services. He began his career in 1993 as a firefighter in Toronto and has since honed his leadership skills with roles in London, Woodstock, and Sarnia, most recently serving as Fire Chief with Cambridge Fire Department.

“I look forward to working with the talented team at Guelph Fire Services,” says Chief Arnold. “I’m eager to apply my steadfast commitment to community safety and equity, diversity and inclusion within the fire service to help advance Guelph’s shared vision of an inclusive, connected, prosperous city where we look after each other and our environment.”

In addition to his fire credentials, Chief Arnold holds a Master of Public Administration from the University of Western Ontario and is an active board member of the Ontario Association of Fire Chiefs.

The City of Guelph and City of Cambridge are working together to develop a responsible transition plan with Chief Arnold set to start with the City of Guelph on July 31, 2023.

Media Contact

Mark Ellis, General Manager
Human Resources
City of Guelph
519-822-1260 extension 2848
[email protected]

City of Guelph shares annual Future Ready progress report

Guelph, Ont., June 5, 2023 – The City will present its annual Guelph. Future Ready progress report to Council and the community at the Committee of the Whole meeting on June 6. The report provides a transparent account of the City’s progress toward achieving its strategic goals.

The report shares statistics, stories, and data from 2022. Among those stories is an update on the City’s efforts towards replacing 44 vehicles in Guelph Transit’s fleet with fully or partially electric drive units, a critical project as the City strives to win the Race To Zero.

“2022 was a pivotal year for the City: we continued our recovery efforts to overcome the unprecedented challenges experienced during the pandemic while navigating the priorities we set for ourselves in the strategic plan,” says Scott Stewart, the City’s chief administrative officer. “I’m proud of the exceptional services we continued to provide to the growing number of people living and working in and visiting Guelph every year.”

The progress report gives community members an inside look at the City’s performance against key metrics set in the current strategic plan. Progress is framed under the five pillars of the plan: Powering our future; Sustaining our future; Navigating our future; Working together for our future; and Building our future.

“Like any good plan we need to track our progress to see what we’ve done well and where we need to improve. Our phenomenal staff continue to deliver on the City’s vision,  laying the foundation for a solid financial future through the adoption of a multi-year budget strategy, a pivotal factor contributing to our AAA credit rating,” continues Stewart, adding, “As we enter the final year of our 2019-2023 strategic plan, maintaining the trust of the people we serve remains our priority; it’s why we’ve stayed steadfast in our commitment to measuring our work, providing accountability, and being open and transparent about how we’re tracking.”

The 2022 Guelph. Future Ready Progress Report represents the third component of the performance and accountability cycle of planning, budgeting, reporting, and repeating.

The Committee of the Whole meeting starts at 2 p.m. on June 6 and can be attended in person at City Hall or viewed online at guelph.ca/live.

Resources

Guelph. Future Ready 2022 Progress Report

Guelph. Future Ready. Strategic Plan (2019–2023)

City of Guelph’s 2022-2023 Multi-year Budget

Media Contact

Daniel Beemsigne, Manager, Corporate and Community Strategic Initiatives,  Strategy, Innovation and Intergovernmental Services
Office of the CAO
519-822-1260 extension 2225
[email protected]

Engineering firm, Crozier, opens fifth Ontario location in Guelph

Guelph, Ont., June 5, 2023 – Recognized as one of Canada’s top small and medium employers in 2023, Crozier, a consulting engineering firm specializing in land development in the private sector, is proud to announce Guelph as the home for their fifth office in Ontario.

“Guelph is a thriving community that many of our current employees are already part of and we want to continue supporting that as best we can,” says Jurgen Koehler, office manager at Crozier. “We’ve got 25 employees currently working in the Guelph office, and we hope to fill our capacity of 55 by 2025.”

The Crozier team includes over 300 professionals across five offices in Ontario. They provide civil, water resources, traffic/transportation, hydrogeological, structural, mechanical, and electrical engineering services, complemented by landscape architecture, environmental, and building science services.

Crozier prides itself on its commitment to providing quality customer service with innovative solutions and has been doing so for over 40 years.

“We’re thrilled to open our doors in Guelph and look forward to continuing relationships with clients here,” adds Koehler. “The team is dedicated to creating long-term partnerships with clients by delivering top-quality results every time.”

The firm has a scholarship fund with the University of Guelph for distinguished students enrolled in the Bachelor of Engineering program, and a first-time home buyers’ program that provides financial help to employees purchasing their first home.

“It’s inspiring to witness the success of businesses directly leading to growth here in our community,” says Christine Chapman, the City’s manager of Economic Development. “Through their innovation, resilience, and hard work, these businesses contribute to the overall economic well-being of our city.”

Crozier looks forward to becoming an integral part of the Guelph community and is excited about the potential this new location offers.

About Crozier

Crozier is a Collingwood-based company with satellite offices in Milton, Toronto, Bradford, and Guelph. They specialize in supporting private land development projects across Ontario’s residential, industrial, commercial, institutional, and First Nations sectors. The company aims to expand its office locations and diversify its services to better support its clients.

For more information visit cfcrozier.ca.

Learn more about how the City of Guelph makes it easy to do business in Guelph at guelph.ca/business.

About Invest in Guelph

Invest in Guelph makes it easy to do business in Guelph. Our expert team is ready to help, whether making business connections, growing your business, choosing a site, or finding new markets. We provide a suite of programs and services to support business expansion and re-location and are your resource for property development, business promotions, and partnerships. In addition, we support people making Guelph their home, their place of business, their resilient community.

For more information

Christine Chapman, Manager
Economic Development, Economic Development and Tourism
City of Guelph
519-822-1260 extension 2823
[email protected]

City of Guelph receives over $2 million from Government of Canada for three climate change-related infrastructure projects

Funds will help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and make it easier for people to navigate local trails, sidewalks and paths

Key facts

  • The City is getting $1.7 million from the Government of Canada’s Green and Inclusive Community Buildings program for upgrades to the heating, ventilation, air conditioning system at the West End Community Centre.
  • The City is getting $420,000 from the Government of Canada’s Zero Emission Infrastructure Program to install 24 Level 2 fleet vehicle charging stations and four fast chargers for electric buses.
  • The City is getting $50,000 from the Government of Canada’s Active Transportation Fund to support its active transportation wayfinding strategy.

Media release

Guelph, Ont., May 25, 2023 – Member of Parliament Lloyd Longfield announced this week that the City of Guelph is getting over $2 million from the Government of Canada to fund three critical infrastructure projects.

“These investments will bring us another step closer to becoming a net-zero carbon community by 2050,” explains Bryan Ho-Yan, the City’s manager of Corporate Energy and Climate Change. “I’m pleased the Federal government values our commitment to Race To Zero and is willing to financially support our collective goals.”

About the projects

Energy-efficient upgrades at West End Community Centre

The City of Guelph is getting $1.7 million from the Government of Canada’s Green and Inclusive Community Buildings program to upgrade the heating, ventilation, air conditioning (HVAC) system at the West End Community Centre.

“This is a smart and practical way for us to reduce carbon emissions from City facilities,” says Ho-Yan. “The new HVAC units use air source heat pumps instead of natural gas burners for heating which is cleaner and more energy efficient.”

The upgraded HVAC equipment at the West End Community Centre includes 20 new units that recover waste heat, are better insulated, and use air source heat pumps to heat and cool the community centre. This will reduce the greenhouse gas emissions of the community centre by almost 55 per cent while keeping it comfortable inside.

The City contributed $478,000 to the project which will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 740 tonnes annually, an amount equal to emissions from 165 gas-powered cars.

Electric vehicle charging stations

The Government of Canada has granted $420,000 from its Zero Emission Vehicle Infrastructure Program (ZEVIP) to install 24 Level 2 electric vehicle charging stations and four fast chargers by the end of 2023. The City is contributing $1.3 million to the project.

The City previously worked with the ZEVIP program to install the existing 24 Level 2 electric vehicle charging stations at City facilities that already support public EV charging. By the end of 2023, City staff will install another 24 new units for fleet vehicle charging at key work locations:

  • City Hall, 1 Carden Street
  • Public Works, 45 Municipal Street
  • Water Resource Recovery Centre, 530 Wellington Road West
  • Waste Resource Innovation Centre, 110 Dunlop Drive
  • M. Woods Pumping Station, 29 Waterworks Place
  • Guelph Transit, 170 Watson Road South

The City’s current inventory of electrified vehicles includes 20 hybrid vehicles, three electric ice-resurfacers and 10 electric passenger vehicles used for Security and Building Standards staff. The City will deploy the first four electric buses this year, which is a big step forward as bus operations account for more than 30 per cent of total greenhouse gas emissions from all City activities. This investment enables the City to purchase additional electric vehicles as it continues its transition to a complete electrified fleet.

Active transportation wayfinding strategy

The Government of Canada is investing $50,000 through the Active Transportation Fund to support the City’s active transportation wayfinding strategy.

“Guelph has an incredible network of off-road trails that are well loved by our community. The wayfinding system will help people use the trails to get to popular destinations by foot and by bike without having to open a map or their phone,” explains Jennifer Juste, the City’s manager of Transportation Planning. “Many destinations can be accessed without having to use any major roads at all, offering peaceful, beautiful and car-free options to get across the city.”

The City is contributing $150,000 to the project, which will help create a consistent system of directional signs to make it easier for people to use Guelph’s trails, sidewalks and paths safely and efficiently. The project is currently in the planning stages with community engagement expected to take place this fall.

Supporting Guelph’s priorities

In addition to supporting net-zero community goals, these investments will help sustain our future by supporting the City’s efforts to mitigate climate change and protect our environment. Learn more about the City’s goal of becoming a net zero carbon community and using 100 per cent renewable energy at guelph.ca/energy.

Resources

Infrastructure Canada

Media Contacts

Bryan Ho-Yan, Manager, Corporate Energy and Climate Change
Facilities and Energy Management
519-822-1260 extension 2672
[email protected]


Jennifer Juste,
Manager, Transportation Planning
Engineering and Transportation Services
519-822-1260 extension 2791
[email protected]

 

Take your golf game to the next level at The Golf House

Guelph, Ont., May 18, 2023 – Golf enthusiasts can now practice their swing rain or shine at The Golf House who recently celebrated their grand opening.

“We believe opportunities to play and practice golf should be available year-round as it promotes wellness and connection,” shares owner Jacob French. “We’re happy to provide a space where people can enjoy the benefits of golf without worrying about anything else, especially the weather.”

The Golf House boasts five indoor virtual golf simulator bays to help perfect that swing or play a round with family, friends, or colleagues. They also provide golf club fittings and lessons for kids, families, couples, and individuals of all experience levels.

With a lounge and kitchen, and a full staff complement ready to serve, The Golf House is perfect for events like company parties, birthday celebrations, meetings, and social gatherings. “Whether you’re an experienced golfer looking to refine your skills or you’re new to the great game of golf, we’ve got tailored programs to create an enjoyable experience that will meet your needs,” adds French.

“A warm welcome and congratulations to The Golf House,” says Christine Chapman, the City’s manager of Economic Development. “The City, along with business support partners, are here to help foster and nurture this newest addition in our community.”

About The Golf House

The Golf House is owned by Jacob French and Mackenzie Roseboom.

Whether people want to continue playing in the off-season, can’t get enough golf during the regular season, or would like to play after dark, The Golf House can help. The Golf House is the solution for community members looking to analyze their swing, understand their weaknesses, and improve their game year-round.

For more information, visit guelphgolfhouse.com.

About Invest in Guelph

Invest in Guelph makes it easy to do business in Guelph. Our expert team is ready to help, whether making business connections, growing your business, choosing a site, or finding new markets. We provide a suite of programs and services to support business expansion and re-location and are your resource for property development, business promotions, and partnerships. In addition, we support people making Guelph their home, their place of business, their resilient community.

For more information

Christine Chapman, Manager, Economic Development
Economic Development and Tourism
City of Guelph
519-822-1260 extension 2823
[email protected]

Ontario Public Works Association recognizes City of Guelph with Project of the Year award

City honoured for emergency repair of damaged sewer at Howitt Creek

Guelph, Ont., May 17, 2022– The City of Guelph has been recognized with an Ontario Public Works Association (OPWA) award for it’s emergency repair of a damaged sewer that threatened a local creek. The awards promote excellence in the management and administration of public works projects in five categories and recognize collaboration between managing agencies or municipalities, consultants, and contractors who work together to complete public works projects.

The City was presented with the Project of the Year award for the Howitt Creek emergency sewer repair in the category of Disaster or Emergency Construction/Repair under $2 million at an event on May 16.

“I congratulate our staff, consultants and contractors who worked together to repair the sewer and ensure the continued protection of the local environment,” says Kyle Gibson, manager, Technical Services. “We’re honoured to be recognized for such a creative solution that protected the nearby trees, park and trails, and Howitt Creek and the Speed River.”

About the winning project

Howitt Creek emergency sewer repair

Howitt Creek is a small waterway that runs through Howitt Park at the end of Inkerman Street in the Junction neighbourhood. The creek crosses below Wellington Street West and connects to the Speed River west of Roland Street in Silvercreek Park.

A sanitary (wastewater) sewer pipe built across Howitt Creek between Wellington Street and the Speed River in 1968 was being slowly eroded by natural creek flow. Catch basins and culverts intended to divert the creek’s flow under the sewer pipe were often blocked by leaf debris and sediment carried by the creek. The retaining wall on the west side of the sewer pipe crossing had also deteriorated and was creating an added risk of the pipe breaking. While the City closely monitored and repaired the structure over the years, the damage became severe enough that, without proper action, would have lead to a catastrophic pipe failure and wastewater from homes spilling into the creek.

The site was identified as an issue in late 2021, and in early 2022, the City worked with Aquafor Beech Limited to prepare an emergency repair design that was shared with the Grand River Conservation Authority and the Department of Fisheries and Oceans to ensure plans wouldn’t affect natural creek flows or harm wildlife in and around the creek.

Before the repair work could begin, the creek was dammed with sand bags and fish were captured and relocated by professionals, then the construction area was drained of water.

Goetz Construction carried out the repair work in February and March 2022, which included going around the sanitary sewer so that sewage did not spill into the creek while the sewer was being encased in concrete. The site was then stabilized with large stone to prevent possible future erosion.

Work was completed in June 2022 after which the temporary dam was removed to restore the creek’s flow.

A creek with a sewer pipe exposed and crumbling sanitary pipes.

Howitt Creek before the repair work was completed – City of Guelph

A creek flowing over rocks and on either side of the creek are large stones forming a retaining wall.

Howitt Creek after the repair work was completed – City of Guelph

Media contact

Kyle Gibson
Manager, Technical Services
Engineering and Transportation Services
City of Guelph
519-822-1260 extension 2433
[email protected]

City unveils measurement framework to track progress on Community Plan

Guelph, Ont., May 16, 2023 – The City is pleased to announce the development of a comprehensive measurement framework that will track the progress and achievements of A United Vision: Guelph’s Community Plan. This framework, guided by the seven strategic focus themes identified in the Community Plan, enables the community and the City to understand where progress has been made and the gaps that can be addressed in making this plan a reality. This measurement framework was developed in collaboration with Toward Common Ground (TCG), a respected community collaborative in Guelph.

Guelph’s Community Plan is a collective vision for the city. This important document was co-created by the community and belongs to the people of Guelph. This is what Guelph has said they care about—and what they want their city to look like over the next 20 years.

Data is displayed in a Story Map

A tremendous amount of effort went into developing this measurement tool. To ensure the accuracy and relevance of the framework, an environmental scan of existing data was conducted, advisory committees were established, and indicators were refined. The City partnered with TCG to develop a Story Map, an innovative visual storytelling tool, focusing on the “We create value” theme of the Community Plan. This Story Map shows how indicators and data can be effectively used to show progress.

Next steps

Throughout 2023, data compilation will take place using the selected indicators for each focus theme. The City of Guelph aims to present this data in various formats, highlighting key stories and insights to engage diverse audiences within the community.

“More than 10,000 people in our community contributed to the creation of Guelph’s Community Plan. This measurement framework marks an important milestone in our ongoing commitment to transparency, accountability, and community-driven progress,” said Jodie Sales, General Manager of Strategy, Innovation, and Intergovernmental Services with the City of Guelph. “By tracking our achievements and identifying areas for improvement, we can work together to shape an inclusive, prosperous and thriving community.”

Media Contact

Daniel Beemsigne, Manager, Corporate and Community Strategic Initiatives
Strategy, Innovation and Intergovernmental Services
City of Guelph
519-822-1260 extension 2225
[email protected]

BOVJEE celebrates their long-awaited grand opening

Guelph, Ont., May 8, 202 – The BOVJEE team, specializing in a variety of aesthetic services, is proud to announce its grand opening at its new location, 460 York Road.

“Guelph is my hometown, and with its diversity and inviting appeal, I couldn’t be happier to call it BOVJEE’s home,” says owner Brittany Megna. “Whether you’re a small business owner, student or retired, this community has a way of making you feel like a valued member, and now, BOVJEE can return that feeling.”

BOVJEE offers aesthetic services ranging from eyelash extensions to alternative wellness therapies and related products. They soon plan to host networking and social events in their lounge space for local entrepreneurs to connect and to digitize their training courses so more people can benefit from their expertise. BOVJEE also supports local artisans by featuring their products in the boutique lounge.

“We believe that providing these opportunities will help our community grow,” adds Megna. “Supporting local artisans will create a sense of community within our space; it’s important for us all to come together and celebrate one another’s successes.”

BOVJEE initially opened its doors in 2018, but restrictions brought on by COVID-19 led to the closure of its downtown Guelph location. With their renewed opening, they have expanded their initial business plan of eyelash and brow services to include body waxing, spray tanning, relaxation massages and alternative wellness therapy and created 12 new positions that support Guelph’s local economy.

“We’re delighted to see businesses in our community thriving and showing plans for growth,” says Christine Chapman, the City’s manager of Economic Development. “We appreciate their passion and contributions to our local economy and community and wish them much success as they grow their business in Guelph.”

The boutique prides itself on its high standards for service quality, and the team of experienced aestheticians are passionate about ensuring each visit is a beautiful experience, helping clients find the perfect balance between looking good and feeling great.

“Our mission is to provide exceptional service while still focusing on the overall well-being of our clients,” says Megna. “BOVJEE is where we find peace and leave feeling our best selves. We believe everyone deserves to feel like we do when they come into our space.”

About BOVJEE

BOVJEE, founded by a Guelph local, includes a team experienced in their aesthetic specialties. The business offers a wide range of services, from eyelash extensions to relaxation massages and product sales, however, BOVJEE is more than just an aesthetics shop; it’s an experience.

For more information, visit bovjee.com

Learn more about how the City of Guelph makes it easy to do business in Guelph at guelph.ca/business.

About Invest in Guelph

Invest in Guelph makes it easy to do business in Guelph. Our expert team is ready to help, whether making business connections, growing your business, choosing a site, or finding new markets. We provide a suite of programs and services to support business expansion and re-location and are your resource for property development, business promotions, and partnerships. In addition, we support people making Guelph their home, their place of business, their resilient community.

For more information

Christine Chapman, Manager, Economic Development
Economic Development and Tourism
City of Guelph
519-822-1260 extension 2823
[email protected]

Collisions will happen. Serious injuries and fatalities are unacceptable.

Keeping our community safe with Vision Zero

 

Guelph, Ont., April 26, 2023 – Vision Zero, a Council-approved outcome of the Transportation Master Plan, guides the City’s plans to design roads and related infrastructure (e.g., traffic calming, signals) to reduce the chance of death or serious injury if a collision happens.

“We’re human and collisions will happen,” says Liraz Fridman, road safety supervisor with the City. “Our goal is to use different tools to encourage drivers to slow down and be aware of their surroundings and of people who are cycling, walking, and wheeling. Every person must do whatever they can to keep our roads safe for themselves and each other.”

Vision Zero in Guelph

The top causes for collisions in Guelph include drivers travelling at high speeds and running red lights. Lower speeds are proven to reduce the seriousness of injuries from a collision and the City is implementing key Vision Zero measures to remind drivers to slow down, including:

Lower speed limits

Speed limits in neighbourhoods and community safety zones across Guelph are being lowered from 50 kilometres per hour (km/hr) to 40 km/hr to ensure drivers slow down and drive safely.

Red light cameras

Drivers who run a red light are more likely to be involved in a collision that results in a severe or fatal injury. Red light cameras encourage drivers to slow down on a yellow signal to give them time to stop on the red signal, which will decrease right-angle collisions and reduce the risk of severe or fatal injuries.

Automated speed enforcement

The provincially regulated automatic speed enforcement program uses a camera and speed measurement device to enforce speed limits in school area community safety zones. If a driver exceeds the speed limit in these areas, the registered owner of the vehicle will be automatically ticketed while cameras are in use.

Beginning August 1, 2023, four automated speed enforcement cameras will rotate around 16 different locations across Guelph every three months starting with:

  • Westwood Road, in front of Westwood Road Public School
  • Colonial Drive, in front of St. Ignatius of Loyola Catholic School
  • Metcalfe Street, in front of King George Public School
  • Ironwood Drive, in front of Fred A. Hamilton Public School

3,580 red light violations in 2022

Tickets for 3,580 red light violations were issued in 2022, resulting in revenues of $264,885. Collected revenues from red light and coming speed enforcement cameras are reinvested into road safety planning and improvements that help keep people in Guelph safe.

Updated road safety data coming in July

The City’s road safety dashboard shares collision data collected over a five-year period along with information about road safety initiatives across Guelph. Staff uses the data to determine what, if any, safety measures can be put in place in areas where collisions happen, to deliver on the City’s commitment to Vision Zero and improve road safety for all. The next collision report will be published in July 2023 and staff anticipates the data to show a reduction in angled collisions, especially at intersections with red light cameras.

Safe streets save lives

Becoming a Vision Zero community is a collective effort—the City, drivers, pedestrians and cyclists must each do their part so everyone feels safe walking, jogging, wheeling and riding their bikes through all corners of our city.

For more information, visit guelph.ca/visionzero.

Media contact

Liraz Fridman, Road Safety Supervisor, Transportation Services
Engineering and Transportation Services
City of Guelph
519-822-1260 extension 3620
[email protected]

Building a future-ready Guelph

At the April 18 planning meeting, Council approved two items slated to support the building of a future-ready Guelph: the Comprehensive Zoning Bylaw and a sustainable development checklist.

“We were clear with Council, the Province, and the development community when we submitted our housing pledge—we have to work together to meet our collective goals. Council’s approval today will have a long-lasting, positive impact,” says Krista Walkey, the City’s general manager, Planning and Building Services. “We’ve modernized our zoning regulations and added additional permission for more housing choices.”

A Zoning Bylaw that works for Guelph

The approved bylaw is user-friendly and designed with the community in mind. It requires less site-specific development approvals from Council while implementing Official Plan objectives, which in turn will help streamline the development approval process.

The approved Zoning Bylaw:

  • pre-zones land to maximum height and density of the Official Plan land use designation
  • uses a hybrid form-based approach with a focus on usability and easy navigation
  • includes the use of tools, such as charts, illustrations, notes to add clarity and assist in interpretation
  • complies with provincial legislation, such as the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA)
  • includes flexible zones that permit multiple building types and updated mixed-use zones
  • removal of exclusionary zoning and the promotion of a range and mix of housing types in residential areas
  • simplifies and consolidates uses
  • zones the City’s Natural Heritage System and restricts development in these areas
  • respects recent development approvals by incorporating site-specific Council approvals

Following Council’s approval is a 20-day appeal period. If no appeals are made, the new Zoning Bylaw will come into effect and staff will roll out the updated bylaw with support and guidance for the community.

For more information about the Comprehensive Zoning Bylaw review, please visit guelph.ca/zoningreview.

Sustainable development expectations

The sustainable development checklist ensures minimum performance measures for sustainable design requirements are included as site plan approval processes are streamlined. It also provides clarity for the development community about the City’s existing sustainable development expectations in five categories:

  • air quality
  • building energy, emissions, and resilience
  • water quality and quantity
  • ecology and biodiversity
  • waste and the circular economy

The sustainable development checklist takes effect May 1 and will be applied to new site plan applications.

Submitting the checklist at the outset will help developers contribute to the City’s efficient and timely completion of site plan application approvals. This is just one of the necessary steps the City is taking in response to Bill 23, More Homes Built Faster Act, to facilitate the construction of 18,000 new homes by 2031.

Coming soon: Guelph Greener Homes

To further the City’s commitment to Race To Zero, residential property owners in Guelph will also be able to support a more sustainable Guelph. The Guelph Greener Homes program will provide zero-interest loans to help homeowners cover the costs of energy efficiency upgrades that help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and make homes more energy efficient, comfortable, and climate friendly. Visit guelph.ca to learn more, or visit City staff at the Earth Day tree planting event Saturday, April 22 at 335 Laird Road, co-hosted with Rotary Club of Guelph.

Resources

Understanding provincial legislation
City of Guelph Housing Pledge: By Guelph, For Guelph
Residential and business water conservation and rebate programs

For more information

Krista Walkey, General Manager, Planning and Building Services
Infrastructure and Development Enterprise Services
City of Guelph
519-822-1260 extension 2395
[email protected]