Category Archives: Business

Guelph, Ont., January 6, 2020 – The media are invited to attend the official launch of the Guelph Arts Apprenticeship Program (GAAP). The GAAP is a pilot program, which connects new graduates from the arts and humanities disciplines at the University of Guelph with local employment opportunities. The objective is to retain skilled talent within our community and help new graduates launch their career in Guelph. Employers who commit to a 12-month contract with a program participant are reimbursed for four months of salary to a maximum of $4,000 per month. Guelph’s pilot program is looking to fill 10 positions in 2020. What Bridging the GAAP: Official launch of Guelph Arts Apprenticeship Program Photo and interview opportunities Who Mayor Cam Guthrie, City of Guelph Franco… Continue reading Bridging the GAAP: Official launch of Guelph Arts Apprenticeship Program January 7

Online dashboard visualizes Guelph’s economic performance Guelph, Ont., December 3, 2019—The City of Guelph has launched an array of new tools to make it easy to do business in Guelph. The new tools include the Guelph Economic Monitor, profiles of Guelph’s four target sectors and the Grow Guelph website. Guelph Economic Monitor The City teamed up with Townfolio to create a customized dashboard that provides economic data and insights for businesses and the general public. The Guelph Economic Monitor highlights the performance of Guelph’s economy through the tracking and visualization of key economic indicators such as local demographics and labour force statistics. The dashboard will give businesses and prospective investors an overview of Guelph’s economy at any given time to help inform their business plans… Continue reading New tools make information more available for new and existing Guelph businesses

The City is bringing back the Guelph Urban Design Awards to celebrate design excellence and recognize thoughtful, innovative and sustainable urban design features that enhance our city’s unique sense of place. The awards were last held in 2006. Continue reading Celebrating design excellence in Guelph

Guelph, Ont., October 29, 2019—For the third year in a row the City of Guelph received an award from the International Economic Development Council. This year the City of Guelph won the Gold Excellence in Economic Development Award for its partnership with the University of Guelph in planning and delivering an agriculture media tour for Global Affairs Canada in 2018. The award was presented at a ceremony on Tuesday, October 15 during the IEDC Annual Conference in Indianapolis, Indiana. “Being selected as one of four Canadian cities for the agriculture media tour speaks to Guelph’s agri-innovation strengths,” says Kurtis Wells, Marketing and Events Coordinator for the City of Guelph. “We’re very proud to win this award from the IEDC, and we share this win with… Continue reading City wins award for 2018 agriculture media tour

At a special meeting last night, Council endorsed the public components of the Baker District Redevelopment project which include parking, an urban square and streetscape, and a new central library. Continue reading Council endorses construction of new library in Baker District

Innovative and environmentally-minded shipping company ShipperBee officially opened its head office at 335 Laird Road during a ceremony last night. Continue reading ShipperBee is all the buzz in Guelph

Guelph’s economy has grown at a brisk pace over the last five years Continue reading Guelph’s economy fastest growing among mid-sized cities in 2018

The City of Guelph will postpone a discussion about the Baker District redevelopment after learning that projected costs for the current library design are higher than they were understood to be when a staff report was placed on City Council’s agenda for Monday, July 22. Continue reading City postpones library discussion in wake of new financial information

As the sole shareholder of Guelph Junction Railway (GJR), Guelph City Council is thanking its former board directors for their service following its decision to streamline the governance of the entity. Continue reading Guelph City Council adjusts governance of Guelph Junction Railway

Guelph, Ont., June 19, 2019—The Business Centre Guelph-Wellington has set up a staffed kiosk in the Guelph City Hall Galleria as part of a new pilot project aimed at supporting small business. The kiosk is open weekdays 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. A small business concierge is stationed at the kiosk to speak to the services offered by the Business Centre and answer questions. The concierge can also schedule a free one-hour consultation with a business advisor at the centre’s main office at 14 Macdonell Street. Start-up packages and information will also be available to direct clients to other business support services available throughout the city. “Small business centres are an integral part of any city’s economy and we’re excited that the Business Centre has… Continue reading Business Centre kiosk at City Hall supports small business

Guelph, Ont., June 10, 2019—MoneySense has ranked Guelph as the second best city to buy real estate in Canada after Windsor. Guelph has been among MoneySense’s top five places to buy real estate since 2017. MoneySense ranks cities based on three criteria: Value: how affordable the community is compared to the surrounding area and the region overall. Momentum: how quickly prices are appreciating in a community with an emphasis on long-term appreciation. Expert insight: grading of communities as desirable by an extensive panel of real estate agents. “Employees often want to live in the same city they work in, so a community’s real estate market really matters,” says Barbara Maly, Manager, Economic Development with the City of Guelph. “Whether local businesses choose to expand here… Continue reading Guelph second best city to buy real estate in Canada

Be heard on Bill 108. Submit your comments on the Bill’s regulations. On June 6, 2019, the Provincial Legislature passed Bill 108: More Homes, More Choice Act into law. Most of the concerns and proposed solutions expressed by municipalities and citizens were not reflected in the Act at the time of passing. We still have an opportunity to influence how this law is put into motion. The City will continue to work with ministries to design the rules, policies and related programs under Bill 108 as the regulations are being crafted. You can get involved by voicing your opinions on specific regulations during this consultation period. Background On May 2, 2019, the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing released its More Homes, More Choice: Ontario’s… Continue reading Understanding Bill 108

Guelph, Ont., May 24, 2019—Pfaff Subaru officially opened their new Guelph dealership at 12 Wilbert Street during a grand opening ceremony last night. Pfaff Subaru broke ground for the new dealership in the City’s west end in September 2018, and completed construction on schedule in December. Pfaff Subaru chose to invest in Guelph because the community matched their needs on key decision criteria including location and quality of life. Guelph’s ideal location paired with convenient access to neighbouring communities made Guelph an excellent fit for a new dealership. Guelph is a great location for new or expanding business. Guelph is the sixth fastest growing city in Canada and 97 per cent of Guelph residents rate the overall quality of life as good or very good.… Continue reading Pfaff Subaru operations are full speed ahead in Guelph

You’re invited to attend one of two open houses as we show how the community’s feedback, to date, has influenced the evolution of the Baker District redevelopment project. Continue reading Baker District open house shows updated library, urban square design

Guelph, Ont., April 18, 2019 — The City of Guelph, County of Wellington, and Alectra Inc. are pleased to announce that FoodCycler—a business that offers a countertop food recycler that turns food waste into a nutrient-rich fertilizer for plants and gardens, and uses Smart technology to help residents, businesses and cities understand their food waste patterns- was awarded $5,000 to promote application development. At Toronto’s Globe Capital Exchange earlier this year, the City and the County of Wellington participated in the Alectra Inc.-sponsored Innovation Challenge in search of innovative technologies to support their circular food economy model. FoodCycler emerged as a leader in this technology and an example of the type of innovation at the heart of Guelph-Wellington’s Smart Cities Challenge bid. “We were impressed… Continue reading Guelph-Wellington promotes innovative solutions to address food waste – FoodCycler helps realize Smart Cities goals

Guelph, Ont., April 17, 2019—The Conference Board of Canada, a national, independent research organization, reported that real gross domestic product (GDP) for the Guelph region grew at three per cent in 2018. The Guelph region includes the City of Guelph, and Guelph/Eramosa and Puslinch Townships. According to the Winter 2019 Outlook report, Guelph’s economy has performed strongly in recent years, with GDP growth of 3.2 per cent in 2017 and 3.3 per cent in 2016. Guelph’s real GDP growth in 2018 was the sixth fastest in Canada and second fastest in Ontario behind Hamilton region (3.1 per cent). The Outlook report also states, “Guelph’s GDP growth is solid by provincial standards; Ontario’s real GDP growth clocked in at 2.4 per cent in 2018 and averaged… Continue reading Guelph’s economy sixth fastest growing among Canadian cities in 2018

Guelph, Ont. March 28, 2019—Staff from the City of Guelph, Innovation Guelph and three local start-up companies travelled to Munich, Germany for the Global Food Summit last week. The two-day conference featured presentations on agri-food industry trends and innovation from around the world. Global Affairs Canada invited the City to participate in this international conference because of Guelph and the surrounding region’s leadership in agri-innovation. The City was also invited to nominate local agri-food start-ups to participate in the Summit. Three companies from Guelph and Wellington County were selected to attend: Be Seen Be Safe: creators of virtual boundaries (geofences) around farms and other agribusinesses using satellite technology and Quinta Quinoa: producers of an all-natural, sustainable, Canadian-grown quinoa that’s high in fibre iron, and other… Continue reading City, Innovation Guelph and local startups attend Global Food Summit

Guelph, Ont., March 12, 2019—Results from the February update of Canada’s Labour Force Survey show that the Guelph census metropolitan area (CMA) continues on its established path of strong performance in economy and labour force. “Guelph’s economy and labour force continue to outperform not only our neighbouring communities, but also communities across Canada,” says Scott Stewart, deputy chief administrative officer of Infrastructure, Development and Enterprise for the City of Guelph. “Guelph is a resilient community built for success as evidenced by our having the highest employment rate in Canada.” In February, the Guelph CMA had the highest year-over-year working-age population growth in Canada (2.6 per cent); this is faster than the Toronto CMA (2.5 per cent). With the increase, 70.2 per cent of working-age Guelph… Continue reading Guelph labour market and economy continues to perform strongly

Guelph and Wellington County are in a strong position to become Canada’s first circular food economy, which could realize tens-of-millions in savings and related benefits, according to a report from UK-based Ellen MacArthur Foundation, a global thought leader in circular economies. Continue reading Guelph-Wellington is poised to lead circular food strategies: new report from London, UK Foundation

A global report released by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation at the World Economic Forum annual meeting highlights Guelph-Wellington as one city marshalling a transformation towards a circular food economy. Continue reading Report unveiled at World Economic Forum in Davos features Guelph-Wellington in its global call for change to address the world’s food challenges

Guelph, Ont. November 13, 2018— On November 11 and 12, Global Affairs Canada’s Investor Outreach, the City of Guelph and the University of Guelph hosted the Canadian Innovation and Investment Opportunities in Agriculture media tour. The tour included 12 international journalists from countries including Hong Kong, France, Netherlands, Italy, Spain, Japan, USA and Mexico. Global Affairs Canada selected Guelph as one of four Canadian media tour stops based on the City’s outstanding agri-food research sector and the cluster of innovative companies found here including foreign investors. The other scheduled Canadian stops were Saskatoon, Winnipeg and Calgary. “This was an excellent opportunity to promote Guelph’s premier agri-innovation cluster to international investment prospects,” says Scott Stewart, Deputy CAO, Infrastructure, Development and Enterprise for the City of Guelph.… Continue reading Showcasing Guelph’s agri-innovation excellence on an international stage

Knowledge sharing of innovative solutions was the focus of international visits between the City of Guelph and City of Rijeka, Croatia in September and October. Continue reading Local innovation focus for international municipal exchange

Guelph, Ont., October 4, 2018—For the second year in a row the City of Guelph has claimed awards from the International Economic Development Council (IEDC) Annual Conference. This year the City of Guelph’s Business Development and Enterprise Services department won the following awards: Gold Excellence in Economic Development Award for the Hanlon Creek Business Park sales video (Video/Multimedia Promotion) Silver Excellence in Economic Development Award for the 2017 Economic Snapshot (General Purpose Print Promotion) Bronze Excellence in Economic Development Award for the Downtown Community Improvement Program (Neighbourhood Development) The awards were presented at a ceremony on Tuesday, October 2 during the IEDC Annual Conference in Atlanta, Georgia. “This year our judges reviewed some extraordinary projects that advanced both communities and businesses. We congratulate all the award winners, and… Continue reading City of Guelph wins three awards of excellence for business programs

Guelph, Ont., September 20, 2018– The Conference Board of Canada, a national, independent research organization, has projected real gross domestic product (GDP) for the Guelph region at 2.3 per cent in 2018. The Guelph region includes the City of Guelph, and Guelph/Eramosa and Puslinch Townships. The Summer 2018 Outlook report states that Guelph’s economy has performed strongly in recent years and is expected to continue to grow above the provincial pace for both 2018 and 2019. Guelph’s expected real GDP growth in 2018 is the second highest among medium sized cities, trailing only Oshawa (2.6 per cent). “We expect continued, albeit moderating, economic growth for Guelph over the next two years, with real GDP slated to advance 2.3 per cent in 2018 and a further… Continue reading Guelph’s economy second among Canadian mid-sized cities for expected growth

Guelph, Ont., September 14, 2018—Local business Mirexus Biotechnologies Inc. has moved into their newly built headquarters in the Hanlon Creek Business Park at the corner of Downey Road and Hanlon Creek Boulevard. Mirexus adds to the strong and diverse businesses that already operate in the business park. Following the purchase of the 1.75–hectare (4.3–acre) parcel of land in July 2017, Mirexus broke ground on their development in September 2017 and completed construction this past July. Mirexus was launched in Guelph in 2008 and has seen positive growth over their 10 years. From their beginnings at the University of Guelph to their new location and staff complement of 27, Mirexus has thrived as part of Guelph’s business community and all the support that comes with that.… Continue reading Mirexus launches operations in Hanlon Creek Business Park

Guelph, Ont., September 7, 2018—Pfaff Subaru broke ground on their new 2,050–square metre (22,000–square foot) dealership today during a ceremony attended by Mayor Cam Guthrie, Pfaff Automotive Partners, Subaru and other community partners. Guelph’s newest dealership will be built in the north end of the city at 12 Wilbert Street near Woodlawn and Elmira Roads. Pfaff Subaru will add to the existing strength and diversity of automotive dealerships already located in the area, providing new options for Guelph residents. “I am thrilled to welcome Pfaff Subaru,” said Mayor Cam Guthrie. “This new dealership brings investment, jobs, and more consumer choice to our city. It’s a great addition to Guelph.” Pfaff Subaru are working with local contractors, including Guelph-based Alliance Roofing, to build their new dealership.… Continue reading Groundbreaking ceremony welcomes Pfaff Subaru to Guelph

Guelph, Ont., August 3, 2018 – There’s a new leader in the City of Guelph’s Business Development and Enterprise (BDE) office—Helen Loftin. Loftin joins the City as the new General Manager of BDE on September 10. “We’ve been looking for someone with international experience, commitment to the community and a true sense of partnership to build an even stronger local economy,” said Scott Stewart, Deputy CAO, Infrastructure, Development and Enterprise for the City of Guelph. “I’m confident that Helen has the leadership and foresight to set Guelph on a successful course for the future.” Loftin comes to the City with over 30 years’ experience working with government, private sector and community partners, most recently as Senior VP Marketing and Communications for Mennonite Economic Development Associates,… Continue reading City of Guelph gets down to business with new GM of Business Development and Enterprise  

Guelph, Ont., July 17, 2018 – The City of Guelph is pleased to announce Windmill Development Group as the preferred partner to lead the planning, design and development for the Baker District project. The Ottawa-based real estate development company was named last night during a special meeting of Council at which staff presented an update on the project. “Windmill’s proven development experience, financial strength, ambition and award-winning design excellence align with the City’s vision and objectives for this important downtown project,” says Scott Stewart, deputy CAO of Infrastructure, Development and Enterprise. He adds, “Awarding this project marks a critical milestone in the Baker District redevelopment project as we’re able to move forward with development concepts, getting us closer to revitalizing this underused urban space.” “We… Continue reading City announces partner for Baker District redevelopment

Guelph, Ont., July 12, 2018 – On Monday evening City Council approved an update to the City’s Brownfield Redevelopment Community Improvement Plan (CIP). The CIP provides financial incentives to help offset the cost of environmental investigation and clean-up of brownfield sites. The CIP update includes changes to the program to make it easier to access funding. The improvements include: an increase in the environmental study grant maximum from $15,000 to $30,000 per study; clarification of the grant program requirements that will ease the application process for both staff and proponents; and an extension of the timeframe for CIP programs for another five years. “The cleanup and redevelopment of brownfield sites have a number of benefits for the community,” says Tim Donegani, policy planner. “Investment in… Continue reading City approves financial incentive program for brownfield redevelopment

The City of Guelph and County of Wellington has been selected to collaborate with the Ellen MacArthur Foundation as a part of the Foundation’s Cities and the Circular Economy for Food initiative. Continue reading Guelph-Wellington chosen for international food study

Record revenues for railway in 2017 Guelph, Ont., June 11, 2018—Guelph Junction Railway Limited will present the City of Guelph, its sole shareholder, with a $100,000 dividend at its annual general meeting on June 18, 2018. “City staff strive to operate the Railway in a safe and profitable manner and have worked hard over the last three years to increase its financial performance,” says Peter Cartwright, acting CEO of Guelph Innovation District. “Operating costs have been reduced, new business has been brought in and safety improvements have been made—all of this has resulted in this positive financial return and illustrates the company’s collective objective of continued improvement.” City staff from multiple departments worked with the Guelph Junction Railway Board to initiate improvements to the Railway’s… Continue reading Guelph Junction Railway delivers first dividend to City

One of 10 awarded $250,000 on road to $10 million prize Guelph, Ont., June 1, 2018 – Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced finalists in the national Smart Cities Challenge today, with the Guelph-Wellington County entry named one of 10 in its population category and awarded $250,000 to further develop its bid for a $10 million prize. The Guelph-Wellington bid is entered in the category for communities with populations up to 500,000, which drew more than 100 proposals. It was developed in partnership with the University of Guelph, Conestoga College and dozens of other experts, entrepreneurs, innovators and community champions. As a finalist, Guelph-Wellington will continue work with partners in the bid to win one of two $10 million prizes to be announced by the federal… Continue reading Guelph-Wellington named finalist in Canada’s Smart Cities Challenge

Guelph, Ont., May 3, 2018—The City of Guelph has been awarded $35,000 in funding from Global Affairs Canada as part of their Invest Canada – Community Initiatives program (ICCI). The funding will be used by the City to promote the Building Partnerships initiative to both Canadian and foreign investors. Building Partnerships is a City of Guelph initiative aimed at helping businesses and builders “get to yes” as they navigate the process of moving a business to Guelph and applying for planning and development approvals. Years of foreign direct investment research helped to shape the Building Partnerships initiative, and will support Guelph in competing on a global scale. Guelph is a recognized destination for foreign direct investment. Last year the City was recognized as a top… Continue reading Guelph awarded $35,000 to attract foreign direct investment

Guelph, Ont., April 30, 2018—Local companies RKD and Zero In recently moved into their new, shared head office in the Hanlon Creek Business Park. They will be hosting their grand opening celebrations on Friday, May 11, which will include greetings from Mayor Cam Guthrie. Both companies outgrew their previous office space in Guelph and chose to relocate to the Hanlon Creek Business Park because of its convenient access to the 401 and existing local business connections. The new office space also provides options for future expansions. The current move will include the addition of five to ten new jobs. RKD and Zero In are examples of Guelph’s growing and thriving Information and Communications Technology (ICT) sector. With Guelph’s central location in the Innovation Corridor, local… Continue reading City welcomes new businesses to the Hanlon Creek Business Park

The Conference Board of Canada, a national, independent research organization, has projected economic growth in the Guelph region at 2.2 per cent in real gross domestic product (GDP). The Guelph region includes the City of Guelph, and Guelph/Eramosa and Puslinch Townships. Continue reading Guelph region ninth in Canada for expected growth in gross domestic product

Guelph, Ont., March 16, 2018 – The City of Guelph is pleased to announce the results of the request for pre-qualifications (RFPQ) process for the Baker District redevelopment project. The four development teams, shortlisted from the 10 proposals received, are: HOK Inc. Turner Fleischer Architects Inc. Windmill Development Group Triovest Realty Advisors Inc. “The successful candidates have demonstrated exceptional experience and capabilities, and we’re confident that any one of the four teams, if chosen as our preferred partner, would bring world-class development and design expertise to this important downtown project,” says Scott Stewart, deputy CAO of Infrastructure, Development and Enterprise. Last November, the City embarked on an open and competitive process to pre-qualify development teams who have the financial capability, master planning and design expertise,… Continue reading City shortlists teams for Baker District redevelopment

Development partner will be chosen this summer Guelph, Ont., February 14, 2018—Last night Council approved four recommendations from staff related to the Baker District development including the size of and costs to design and build a new Main Library as part of this major capital project. The Guelph Public Library’s (GPL’s) business case identified the need for an 8,175 square metre (88,000 square foot) space to meet current and future library needs. Staff supported GPL’s business case in its report to Council and requested that Council approve the size as well as $1.9 million in capital funding to design and build the library as part of the Baker Street development. A development partner is expected to be chosen this summer. Currently the City is evaluating… Continue reading Council approves staff recommendations to include new Main Library as part of the Baker District development

Toronto Mayor John Tory will bring a message of economic opportunity across the entire Toronto-Waterloo corridor when he comes to Guelph as the keynote speaker at the 2018 Regional Economic Summit. Continue reading Toronto Mayor John Tory to bring Innovation Corridor message to Guelph

Guelph, Ont., December 14, 2017— Guelph ranks seventh in a national list of cities having a high concentration of software developers, according to Stacking Up: A snapshot of Canada’s developer talent. “Guelph’s concentration of software developers speaks to our regional strengths in technology and innovation,” says Peter Cartwright, general manager of business development and enterprise services. “This is just one of the many reasons why companies are considering Guelph as a location for technology-driven businesses.” The national list is part of a report released by the Brookfield Institute for Innovation + Entrepreneurship in partnership with Stack Overflow this month. Rankings are based on an annual  survey completed by Stack Overflow earlier this year, as well as web traffic data to their site, “a website where… Continue reading Guelph ranks seventh for leaders in software development

Guelph, Ont., November 30, 2017—City Council has approved a staff recommendation to submit the City’s Letter of Intent to purchase 98 hectares (243 acres) in the Guelph Innovation District lands, formerly known as the York District lands. “We’re pleased Council has approved this start to bold and innovative development in our city,” says Scott Stewart, deputy chief adminstative officer of Infrastructure, Development and Enterprise for the City. “We’re excited to be one step closer to making the Guelph Innovation District Secondary Plan come to life.” The City will be submitting their Letter of Intent to the Province immediately. The purchase will include the former Wellington Detention Centre lands, the Guelph Research Station lands and 15 hectares (38 acres) of conservation lands. The purchase does not… Continue reading Council approves City purchase of Guelph Innovation District lands

Guelph, Ont., December 8, 2017 – International engineering firm Control Systems International (CSI) is celebrating the opening of their third satellite office today, their first in Guelph. CSI provides engineering design solutions for clients. Their new office will lead the design of robot systems used in client manufacturing processes. The Guelph office will also provide servicing and troubleshooting services to clients, and the company has plans to hire electrical apprentices, robot technicians and engineers in the near future. Guelph is ideally located with access to educated talent developed at the University of Guelph and Conestoga College. Guelph’s proximity to the Toronto-Guelph-Waterloo Innovation Corridor, the second largest cluster of technology innovators in North America, also makes the city an ideal choice for new businesses to set… Continue reading Control Systems International choose Guelph for their third satellite office

Guelph, Ont., October 19, 2017 – The City of Guelph, University of Guelph and area regions have come together to support the Toronto Region’s bid for Amazon HQ2. Amazon, the U.S. tech giant in the business world, sought bids from across North America in search of a location for its second headquarters. Toronto Region’s bid provides 10 sites as possible locations for Amazon HQ2. “This is an unparalleled opportunity for the entire Innovation Corridor. Guelph is pleased to bring our strengths to the table to make Toronto Region’s bid even more competitive. Those strengths include a pool of highly skilled talent and the research strengths of the University of Guelph,” said Guelph’s Mayor, Cam Guthrie. Guelph provides a unique offering of skilled local talent with… Continue reading Guelph supports Toronto Region’s bid for Amazon HQ2

Guelph, Ont., September 28, 2017 – Mirexus Biotechnologies Inc. broke ground on their new facility today, two months after purchasing a 4.3 acre parcel of land in phase one of the Hanlon Creek Business Park. The new facility will be located directly at the corner of Downey Road and Hanlon Creek Boulevard, producing a cutting edge corn-based biomaterial, PhytoSpherix®. The product is an ingredient used in the personal care and cosmetic industries. “Mirexus chose Guelph as the prime location to establish their facility and we’re pleased they chose the Hanlon Creek Business Park to make their mark in our community,” says Barbara Maly, Manager, Economic Development. “Meeting the aggressive timelines of this project is a perfect example of how we’re making it easier for business… Continue reading Groundbreaking ceremony welcomes Mirexus Biotechnologies Inc. to the Hanlon Creek Business Park

Open house October 5 at City Hall Guelph, Ont., September 22, 2017 – The City of Guelph is inviting members of the public to attend an open house on Thursday, October 5, in updating its parkland dedication strategy. “Parkland dedication is one of a number of tools that the City uses to secure additions to its park system through the development approval process; it’s also a tool that can be employed to manage or facilitate growth in Guelph,” says Jyoti Pathak, a park planner with the City. The first session is from 2-4 p.m., followed by an evening session from 6-8 p.m. Both sessions take place at City Hall and there is a formal presentation within the first half hour. City staff and The Planning… Continue reading City seeks input on parkland dedication strategy

Guelph, Ont., September 21, 2017 – The City of Guelph economic development enewsletter, Mind Your Business (MYB), is the winner of the Gold Excellence in Economic Development Award from the International Economic Development Council (IEDC). The award was presented at a ceremony on Tuesday, September 19 during the IEDC Annual Conference, which was held September 17–20 in Toronto. “On behalf of the IEDC board of directors and Excellence in Economic Development Awards Advisory Committee, we extend congratulations to the City of Guelph. Not only did they work to provide a necessary service to their community – their participation in the awards program sheds light on their stellar projects which other communities can now use as a benchmark,” says Michael Langley, CEO of Greater MSP and 2017… Continue reading City of Guelph wins award of excellence for Mind Your Business enewsletter

Guelph, Ont., September 15, 2017 – New data released from the 2016 census paints an excellent picture for business development in Guelph. The median household income rose by 2.6 per cent to $77,984 from 2005 to 2015. This jump in income for Guelphites plays an important role in job growth and attracting talent to the city, which is a goal of the City of Guelph’s Prosperity 2020 strategy. When Guelph’s low unemployment rate of 4.3 per cent is looped in, the result is a thriving community that looks attractive to investors and prospective employees. “Our goal is to bring jobs to the city and growing household incomes helps with attracting business and talent,” says Scott Stewart, Deputy CAO, Infrastructure, Development and Enterprise. “These results reflect… Continue reading Growing household income attracts business and talent to Guelph

Guelph among select municipalities to oversee and apply greater rigour to development in vulnerable source water areas Guelph, Ont., August 1, 2017 –The City of Guelph has improved its review process for sanitary sewer infrastructure projects to better protect our community’s vulnerable source water. The revised process allows the City of Guelph to complete the review process for the Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change’s (MOECC) environmental compliance approval (ECA) applications internally. The MOECC makes the decision to grant the ECAs based on the City’s review. “We’re pleased to take this work on at the local level to provide faster service to our development community,” said Peter Rider, the City’s Risk Management Official. “This also allows us to participate more directly in the oversight… Continue reading City to play greater role in protecting Guelph’s source water

Guelph, Ont., July 21, 2017 – Mirexus Biotechnologies Inc. will continue to invest in Guelph with the  purchase of a 4.3 acre parcel of land in the Hanlon Creek Business Park. “We are thrilled that Mirexus is expanding their business in Guelph – they began here and have been a great asset to the community,” says Mayor Cam Guthrie.  “We look forward to creating these types of opportunities for the growing bio-tech industry as part of our commitment to make it easier for businesses to do business with city hall.” “Through our Grow Guelph Business Retention and Expansion initiative we are well positioned to attract innovative companies, like Mirexus Biotechnologies Inc., and help them grow in Guelph,” says Derrick Thomson, Guelph’s chief administrative officer. The… Continue reading Local biotechnology company expands operations in Guelph

Guelph, Ont., July 18, 2017 – Last night Council directed staff to complete the request for proposal (RFP) process for the redevelopment of the Baker District—the priority project for the Downtown Secondary Plan — including a requirement for space allocation for a main library. “With Council’s support to secure proposals for the Baker District redevelopment, we can forge ahead with fully realizing the economic and social potential of this desirable downtown property within the next five to seven years,” said Derrick Thomson, Guelph’s Chief Administrative Officer. The competitive RFP process will allow staff to  align development work plans and the funding strategy for this site.The resulting proposals will confirm the commercial development interest in today’s market, which has changed since 2014 when the initial concept was… Continue reading City to pursue Baker District redevelopment proposals

Co-operative insurer’s new consolidated location will build upon the organization’s 50 year history in the community Guelph, Ontario, July 17, 2017 – The Co-operators and the City of Guelph announce plans for the national co-operative insurance and financial services organization to build a state-of-the art facility in 2023, situated in the city’s south end. “The Co-operators has a proud and vibrant history with the City of Guelph that we are thrilled to see continue,” says Rob Wesseling, President and Chief Executive Officer of The Co-operators. “We are grateful to the City for their support and collaboration in working with us to find a location that allows us to remain rooted in this community as we bring our three Guelph offices together under one roof.” In anticipation… Continue reading The Co-operators and the City of Guelph announce 2023 plans for new south end state-of-the-art headquarters