Energy and climate change


Guelph is working on ways to use energy more wisely and reduce our carbon emissions in order to fight climate change.

Guelph’s Race To Zero to become a net zero carbon community by 2050

The City of Guelph is committed to the United Nations Race To Zero campaign and has set targets for the whole community to reduce carbon emissions:

  • Reduce our community carbon emissions by 63 per cent against the 2018 baseline by 2030
  • Work together to become a net zero carbon community by 2050

We encourage all people, businesses and organizations in the community to help conserve energy and reduce their emissions and become a net zero carbon community by 2050.

Guelph Greener Homes program

Community greenhouse gas (GHG) tracking

Yearly community GHG emissions

Guelph’s Community Race To Zero carbon emissions target is to

  • Reduce our community carbon emissions by 63 per cent against the 2018 baseline (or down to 344,048 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent) by 2030

Guelph’s 2022 community GHG emissions were 835,014 tonnes of  CO2e. This equates to 5.71 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent per person in Guelph. Past years community GHG emissions were:

  • 2018: 902,152 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent)
  • 2019: 910,226 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent
  • 2020: 749,342 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent
  • 2021: 772,768 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent)
  • 2022: 835,014 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent)

To get to Guelph’s Race To Zero, we would have liked community GHG emissions to be:

  • 2019: 854,789 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent
  • 2020: 807,426 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent
  • 2021: 760,063 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent
  • 2022: 712,700 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent

How different sector GHG emissions contribute to the total community GHG emissions

This is how different sector greenhouse gas (GHG)  emissions contribute to the total community GHG emissions:

  • Residential buildings (Includes fugitive emissions from oil and natural gas systems): 181,196 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent CO2e;  21.7%
  • Institutional/Commercial buildings (Includes fugitive emissions from oil and natural gas systems): 191,831 tonnes of  CO2e; 23.0%
  • Industrial buildings (Includes fugitive emissions from oil and natural gas systems): 183,911 tonnes of  CO2e; 22.0%
  • Transportation: 261,000 tonnes of CO2e; 31.3%
  • Waste and wastewater: 17,077 tonnes of CO2e; 2.0%

The three maps below are a graphical representation of annual greenhouse gas emissions in Guelph’s residential, commercial, and industrial sector respectively. The emissions are shown from the year 2018 (selected as baseline year) to 2022 (latest year for which information is available). The maps show six sections representing the first 3 digits of the postal code.

Residential GHG Emissions 2018-2022

View full-screen residential map

Commercial GHG Emissions 2018-2022

View full-screen commercial map

Industrial GHG Emissions 2018-2022

View full-screen industrial map

More ways Guelph is responding to climate change

In addition to using less fuel and energy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, Guelph is working to ensure our community is prepared to withstand and recover from the effects of climate change, by developing a Climate Adaptation Plan.

City facilities, fleet and operations to use 100 per cent renewable energy by 2050 (100RE Target)

Currently, a quarter of all the energy used by the City facilities, fleet and operations comes from renewable sources. By further conserving energy and choosing cleaner sources, we’re planning to reduce our carbon emissions and use 100 per cent renewable energy by 2050.

100RE status

  • In 2018, 23.5% of all the energy used by the City facilities, fleet and operations was from renewable sources.
  • In 2019, 24.5% of all the energy used by the City facilities, fleet and operations was from renewable sources.
  • In 2020, 25.4% of all the energy used by the City facilities, fleet and operations was from renewable sources.
  • In 2021, 24.7% of all the energy used by the City facilities, fleet and operations was from renewable sources.
  • In 2022, 24.6% of all the energy used by the City facilities, fleet and operations was from renewable sources.
  • In 2023, 20.8% of all the energy used by the City facilities, fleet and operations was from renewable sources.

Corporate energy consumption

In 2023, total corporate energy consumption was 133,987,329 kilowatt hour equivalent. This works out to 904 kilowatt hour equivalent per person in the community. The composition of the total corporate energy consumption is:

Energy type Consumption
Vehicles propane 0.1%
Facilities propane 0.1%
Facilities district energy 1.9%
Vehicles gasoline 5.9%
Facilities digestor gas 7.1%
Facilities natural gas 21.5%
Vehicles diesel 29.1%
Facilities electricity 34.5%

In 2018 the total corporate energy consumption was 159,431,076 kilowatt hour equivalent.
In 2019 the total corporate energy consumption was 156,908,444 kilowatt hour equivalent.
In 2020 the total corporate energy consumption was 137,384,617 kilowatt hour equivalent.
In 2021 the total corporate energy consumption was 138,603,869 kilowatt hour equivalent.
In 2022 the total corporate energy consumption was 146,051,795 kilowatt hour equivalent.
In 2023 the total corporate energy consumption was 133,987,329 kilowatt hour equivalent.

Corporate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions

In 2023, the total corporate GHG emissions were 18,346 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent. This works out to 0.124 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent per person in the community. The composition of the total corporate GHG emissions are:

  • Fleet – 62.3% or 11,424 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent.
  • Facilities – 37.7% or 6,922 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent.

In 2018 the total GHG emissions were 19,624 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent.
In 2019 the total GHG emissions were 19,777 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent.
In 2020 the total GHG emissions were 17,082 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent.
In 2021 the total GHG emissions were 17,701 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent.
In 2022 the total GHG emissions were 19,049 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent.
In 2023 the total GHG emissions were 18,346 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent.

2023 Environmental Sustainability Report

City of Guelph energy consumption and greenhouse gas emission (2011 to 2019)

Corporate Energy Management Policy

The City also offers several rebates and incentives to help the community do it’s part to use less water, to use less energy, and to fight climate change

Learn more and get involved at guelph.ca/environment.

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For more information

Energy and Climate Change
519-822-1260 extension 2672
[email protected]