Guelph, Ont., July 14, 2026 – Guelph is getting ready for more housing as families grow and more people set up businesses in the city, according to the 2025 Growth Management Monitoring Report.
The report, which is going to Council today, shows how Guelph has continued to take action — despite slower housing starts across Ontario — to ensure development can move forward quickly once the market improves.
“The housing market may be slow right now, but Guelph is using this time to get ready for what’s next,” said City of Guelph Mayor Cam Guthrie. “We’re approving future homes, investing in infrastructure and updating policies to support growth. That work will help ensure there are more housing options when building activity picks up again.”
Here are the key highlights from the report:
- Added housing to the pipeline: More than 1,300 units were added to Guelph’s pipeline in 2025.
- A vibrant Downtown: Downtown construction is helping renew water, sewers, and roads infrastructure that supports housing.
- Ready for growth: Despite market challenges, Guelph continues to be housing-ready, with population, employment and housing supply trends supporting future growth.
These results arrive after the City of Guelph has launched a range of new policies, grants and programs to get housing built faster and protect existing housing. Over the last two years, Guelph has:
- Created new financing tools (for example, the Municipal Service and Financing Agreement pilot) to accelerate large-scale builds
- Used City-owned land to support affordable housing (e.g. 14 Edinburgh Road, Normandy Drive, Eastview Road)
- Provided housing grants to not-for-profits, homeowners, and builders (for example, the Affordable Housing Seed Funding Grant, Affordable Housing Community Improvement Plan grants, and Multi-Unit Accelerator Grant)
- Allowed taller buildings in key growth areas through a Community Planning Permit System and an Official Plan Amendment as part of the Downtown Heights Study
- Upgraded infrastructure to support more homes
- Enabled homeowners to build up to four units as-of-right
“Our focus is on removing barriers to housing and helping projects move forward,” said Krista Walkey, General Manager of Planning and Building Services. “The work happening now — from housing grants to infrastructure investments and policy changes — helps ensure more homes can be built when market conditions improve.”
Many of these actions are funded by the federal government’s Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF), which aims to fast-track housing development.
To learn more, you can read the full Growth Management Monitoring Report or visit guelph.ca/housing.
Resources
- Growth Management Monitoring Report – Council Planning meeting agenda – July 14, 2026
- Housing in Guelph
- Housing Accelerator Fund action plan
- Affordable Housing Community Improvement Plan grants
- Affordable Housing Seed Funding Grant program
Media Contact
Strategic Communications
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City of Guelph
