Guelph, Ont., September 25, 2026 – The City of Guelph is purchasing the main Guelph Public Library property at 100 Norfolk Street with the goal of transforming the valued public asset into future housing, including below-market affordable housing options.
The City of Guelph is using the $3.69 million received through Ontario’s Building Faster Fund in 2025 to help fund the investment. The Building Faster Fund helps finance municipal housing-enabling infrastructure and aims to help get more homes built faster.
The current Guelph Public Library is moving to a new location at 1 Baker Street in 2027, opening the opportunity to use the site in new ways. The Guelph Public Library Board helped facilitate the sale to the City to ensure the property remained in public ownership and could be used to address local needs, such as more affordable housing.
In the coming year, City staff will explore options for how to deliver housing on site. This could include leasing the land or building housing through a partnership with housing providers or developers, with the goal of creating a range of housing options. This will include some below-market housing priced at provincial affordability benchmarks.
The City will engage with the community before any development takes place on site. More details on this process and how to get involved will follow in 2027.
Moving beyond the traditional municipal role
In recent years, the City of Guelph has been exploring ways to move beyond policies, grants and programs that support housing development, and into new ways to use City resources to get housing built. This includes using City-owned land, funding and collaborative relationships to support new housing in Guelph.
Examples include planning for new housing on City-owned land on Normandy Drive and Eastview Road, as well as working with Thresholds Homes and Supports to deliver affordable rental housing at 14 Edinburgh Road South. These projects are just a few of the ways that the City of Guelph is working to address our community’s need for more housing options.
To learn more about the work happening on housing at the City, you can visit guelph.ca/housing or sign up for the City’s quarterly Housing eNewsletter.
Quotes
“Our government is taking decisive action to create housing opportunities across Ontario, and we appreciate partners like the City of Guelph. This investment is in the spirit of what the Building Faster Fund is all about: creating more housing opportunities so more people can live in a home they love. Together, we will continue to cut barriers, build more homes faster, and help more families achieve the dream of owning a home, including through the new measures enabled under the Canada-Ontario Partnership to Build.” – The Honourable Rob Flack, Ontario’s Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing
“Housing has remained one of my most important priorities as mayor and for our community. Securing property for the public and social good of our city creates the right type of opportunities for housing. Working with the Guelph Public Library Board to facilitate this purchase was key, and we thank them tremendously. We’re also grateful to the provincial government for the recent Building Faster Fund, which we knew would allow us to bring this vision to life. This site’s proximity to transit, schools, services and businesses makes it an ideal spot for new homes that will serve Guelph residents for years to come.” — Cam Guthrie, Mayor, City of Guelph
“The Guelph Public Library Board is proud to support an outcome that addresses one of our community’s most pressing needs. As we prepare to welcome patrons to our new Central Library, we’re pleased to contribute to much-needed housing, including affordable housing options. This decision reflects our commitment to ensuring public assets deliver long-term value for the people of Guelph.” — Bang Ly, Chair of the Guelph Public Library Board
Quick Facts
- As of October 2025, Guelph’s rental vacancy rate was 2.9 per cent — just below the recommended three per cent vacancy rate needed for a balanced rental market.
- The main branch of the Guelph Public Library is within a 15-minute walk of the Guelph Central GO Station, local schools, Exhibition Park, and Downtown Guelph’s many stores, services and amenities.
- The 100 Norfolk Street property falls within the Downtown Community Planning Permit System area and can support residential uses.
- The City of Guelph received $3.69 million from the Province of Ontario in December 2025 through the Building Faster Fund. The funding is provided to municipalities that achieve at least 80 per cent of their provincially designated housing targets.
Media Contact
Strategic Communications
[email protected]
City of Guelph
