Guelph, Ont., August 26, 2025 – The City will pilot the use of Municipal Service and Financing Agreements (MSFAs) — also called ”front-ending agreements” — as part of its efforts to help speed up housing development in Guelph.
“We need more housing in Guelph, faster — and we need innovative solutions to make this happen,” said City of Guelph Mayor Cam Guthrie. “This new pilot for Municipal Service and Financing Agreements is a first for our city, and Council has provided strong support for this creative finance tool to help unlock housing in key growth areas. It’s another way we’re working with others — like builders — to move projects forward and help more people find a place to call home in Guelph.”
MSFAs are an innovative tool that could be used to help advance development in key growth areas in the city like the Clair-Maltby area. By using an MSFA, builders can fund and construct critical housing-enabling infrastructure like roads, water and sewers for development projects faster than the City’s fiscal and work planning capacity may otherwise allow. The City then repays the funds for this infrastructure as the housing development progresses. Builders can speed up the delivery of infrastructure for projects that support at least 1,000 housing units, helping bring homes to market more quickly.
As part of this pilot, the City will work through one agreement from initial application to agreement execution. This will provide an opportunity for the City to evaluate the feasibility, more widespread use of MSFAs, and refine its approach should the program be expanded.
Testing the use of MSFAs is one of 30 actions outlined in the City’s Housing Affordability Strategy, which was designed to bring more housing that is affordable to Guelph over the next decade.
To learn more about the City’s MSFA pilot and submit an application, visit the Municipal Service and Financing Agreements page on guelph.ca.
Quick facts:
- Who can apply: Developers and homebuilders
- Eligible projects: Builders must have a project that includes building at least 1,000 housing units to be part of the MSFA pilot.
- Limited spots available: Applications will be reviewed and prioritized for suitability for the pilot.
Resources
- April 23 Council Planning documents
- Municipal Service and Financing Agreements
- Housing Affordability Strategy
- Housing in Guelph
Media Contact
Rachel Gardner-Ursel
Advisor, Strategic Communications
Strategic Communications and Community Engagement
City of Guelph
519-766-2761
[email protected]