Category Archives: House and home

The City’s new Leash Free Policy changes how dog owners use sports fields as leash-free areas and paves the way for fenced dog parks. Continue reading City’s Leash Free Policy now in effect

Details about the current suspension of enforcement for driveways of semi-detached/duplex and on-street townhouses in Guelph. Continue reading Information about the driveway width enforcement suspension

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

Routine maintenance keeps Guelph’s sewer pipes flowing The City completes sewer main cleaning across Guelph on about a three-year rotating basis. Cleaning is done year-round, Monday to Friday between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m., and usually takes a few hours on each street. We are currently cleaning sewer mains in areas 68, 71, 78, 79 and 87 during the month of September. What to expect Toilets, sinks and other appliances can still be used during cleaning. Air pressure in the sewer can create noise in sewer pipes, and may cause water to splash out through toilets, sinks and drains. Keeping toilet lids closed, and sink drains plugged when not in use will help avoid spills. Sewer cleaning can create short-term nuisance odors. Odors can be… Continue reading Sanitary sewer cleaning

Current suspension of enforcement continues during procedure development Guelph, Ont., September, 11, 2018–Last night, Guelph City Council approved the development of a new procedure to allow groups of residents to apply for temporary enforcement suspensions of driveway width infractions in their neighbourhood. “While the procedure is developed, the City will continue to enforce Zoning Bylaw (1995) – 14864 regulations related to driveway widths and issue notifications of illegal driveways, but we won’t issue charges for residential homes classified as semi-detached/duplex and on-street townhouses,” says Rob Reynen, chief building official for the City. “The specific restrictions and conditions for suspended enforcement, including the additional criteria defined by Council, are now posted in detail on the City’s website.” Procedure development The procedure for temporary driveway enforcement suspensions… Continue reading City to develop application for temporary driveway enforcement suspensions

Guelph, Ont., January 25, 2018 – The City of Guelph has introduced  a single-application process for residents who are applying for a subsidy program like the Affordable Buss Pass, Fee Assistance in Recreation (FAIR) and animal licensing. “This new process makes it much easier for our residents when filling out the paperwork,” says Alex Goss, manager of Community Investment. “The one application saves time and reduces the need for our residents to share sensitive information over and over again.” Residents can apply for the City’s subsidy programs online at guelph.ca under the How can we help you? tab. Residents can also download the application, fill it out and return it to Service Guelph at City Hall, the West End Community Centre, Victoria Road Recreation Centre,… Continue reading City improves application process for subsidy programs

Guelph is the most attractive city for real estate investment value in Canada, according to MoneySense’s 2017 Where to Buy Now list. Continue reading Guelph ranked best place to buy real estate in Canada

Guelph, Ont., November 25, 2016 – City staff will present the proposed new animal control bylaw at the December 5 Committee of the Whole meeting. The proposed bylaw would replace four animal control bylaws that currently regulate poultry, and domestic and exotic animals in Guelph. “To better serve the community, we have taken the four bylaws and amendments that address animal control issues in Guelph and developed a single bylaw,” says Doug Godfrey, general manager of Operations. The City, with the assistance of the Animal Control Working Group (ACWG), comprised of community members, agency representatives, and City employees, spent three years reviewing and consolidating the existing animal control bylaws and considering community feedback. In 2015, 81 people submitted written feedback at four public meetings and… Continue reading City releases proposed new animal control bylaw

City releases analysis of resident feedback on animal control bylaw recommendations Guelph, Ont., March 22, 2016 – Today, the City released an analysis of resident feedback on proposed recommendations for a new animal control bylaw. The report, prepared by Sage Solutions, summarizes the feedback received from residents and is intended to inform the work of the Animal Control Bylaw Working Group (ACWG)—comprised of community members, agency representatives, and City employees. Eighty-one people submitted written feedback at the four public meetings held last November and 2,100 distinct online survey responses were received between November 27 and December 31, which focused on animal licensing, animals in public spaces, exotic animals, and limits on animals. One highlight from the results was overwhelming support for the establishment of a… Continue reading Community supports setting a standard of care for animals

Preventing damage caused by invasive insects The City monitors both termite and Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) populations. Guelph’s insect control programs vary due to key differences between the two species, and the different objectives for each program. Termites can do more damage than EAB Termites attack houses and other wooden structures, while EAB attacks one species of tree. While we are working to minimize the damage to Guelph’s urban forest, the potential for damage caused by EAB is not as detrimental as that of termites. Left unchecked, a termite population could have a significant impact on the overall infrastructure in Guelph. Dealing with termites: control the spread Guelph seeks to prevent the spread of termites and control their population, perhaps eliminate them altogether. Termites move… Continue reading How Guelph deals with termites and Emerald Ash Borer