Guelph, Ont., January 26, 2022 – The City of Guelph is pleased to announce it is receiving $1.75 million under the new Streamline Development Approval Fund announced by Ontario Premier Doug Ford at the Ontario-Municipal Summit on January 19.
“I want to thank Premier Ford and the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing for their willingness to not only listen but also to act when it comes to the housing crisis we’re facing,” says Mayor Cam Guthrie. “I welcome this funding because it will help accelerate our progress in finding efficiencies, streamlining processes, and getting shovels in the ground faster.”
Guelph is among the top 20 fastest growing cities in Ontario with a projected population of 208,000 and 116,000 jobs by 2051—an increase of 71,000 residents from today.
“As our population grows, we need to increase the availability of housing,” adds Jayne Holmes, deputy CAO of Infrastructure, Development and Enterprise Services. “This funding is intended to help the City streamline the development approval process so more housing can be built faster to meet our community’s needs.”
The funds will support key actions to improve planning processes with the aim of increasing housing supply and affordability. Projects may include implementing e-permitting systems, hiring temporary staff to address application backlogs and creating online application portals.
City staff from across several departments are discussing how these funds will be allocated to meet the objectives of the provincial program and the City’s strategic priorities around Building our Future. An interim report outlining how the funds will be used is due back to the Province in April 2022. A final report will be shared with the community by February 2023.
Resources
News release: Ontario-Municipal Summit Seeks Solutions to Build More Homes
Media contact
Krista Walkey, General Manager, Planning and Building Services
Infrastructure, Development and Enterprise Services
City of Guelph
519-822-1260 extension 2395
[email protected]