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Water and Wastewater Servicing Capacity Checks and Allocation

The Water and Wastewater Servicing Allocation Policy (the Policy) was approved by Guelph City Council on February 24, 2026. In best managing the City’s finite water and wastewater servicing capacity, the Policy defines the terms by which water and wastewater servicing capacity of planning applications are assessed, temporarily held against planning applications, and when capacity is allocated to a planning application.

It is necessary to complete a capacity check for planning applications that may increase demand on municipal servicing systems or as deemed necessary by the City to ensure adequate and available servicing for proposed development projects. In accordance with the Policy, servicing capacity must be analyzed in each of the following servicing systems as part of capacity checks:

  • Wastewater linear system;
  • Water linear system;
  • Wastewater treatment; and
  • Water treatment.

Process Overview

  • Proponents seeking servicing for planning applications are required to complete and submit an Application for a Water and Wastewater Servicing Capacity Check to Development Engineering.
  • Upon receipt, Development Engineering staff will review the request and assign a Development Engineering Reviewer (DER).  The DER will then present to the Proponent associated costs and anticipated timing to complete the capacity check based on scope. 
  • Proponents must pay the applicable fees for a servicing check to be completed.
  • Following receipt of both the payment for the capacity check and a completed Application form, the DER will initiate the capacity check and provide a completed capacity check summary to the Proponent.
  • Capacity checks completed for active planning applications that show there is available capacity for the project in all four servicing systems will have associated servicing capacity held against the project in the City’s water and wastewater servicing allocation models for a period of 48 months from the date of the check.
  • Capacity checks that show available capacity for the project, but the project is not in support of an active planning application, will not receive a servicing capacity hold in the City’s water and wastewater service allocation models.
  • Proponents are encouraged to be as accurate as possible when submitting initial capacity check applications to avoid additional financial and time investments needed to remodel and confirm servicing needs.
  • Capacity checks for active planning applications that initially show available servicing capacity for the project in all four servicing systems, but project servicing needs come to increase under scope changes to the project, no longer matching the demands outlined in the initial Application for Servicing Capacity Check form, will not receive a servicing capacity hold in the City’s water and wastewater service allocation models. In such circumstances, the servicing capacity checks must be remodeled under a new application at the Proponent’s sole cost to confirm availability of adequate servicing for accurate scope of the project and to hold associated servicing capacity. 
  • Capacity checks that show there is available capacity is some, but not all, of the four servicing systems, will not receive a servicing capacity hold in the City’s water and wastewater service allocation models.
  • Planning applications which are dependent on enabling infrastructure investment by Proponents to ensure adequate servicing (such as upsizing of local watermain or wastewater main) and approval of servicing capacity checks will note such conditions through Draft Site Plan approvals.

Capacity Holds and Lapsing Periods

Successful capacity checks will be held against active planning applications for a hold period of 48 months from the date of the check.

Following the planning application approval, the servicing capacity held will be formally allocated to the planning application for a lapsing period of 36 months from the date of planning application approval. If the project does not attain substantial performance (as defined in the Construction Act (Ontario)) of the servicing works within the 36 month lapsing period, servicing will no longer be allocated to theproject.

Extensions Requests for Lapsing Periods

Proponents are encouraged to track their own lapsing periods, but will receive correspondence from the City 6 months in advance of their lapsing date advising of the requirements in advance of this date to maintain associated servicing capacity to their application .

If the planning application is not approved within the 48 month-hold period, the Proponent can apply for an extension of their held servicing capacity to City not less than 60 days in advance of their lapsing date.

Should a Proponent be unable to complete substantial performance of servicing their project by their lapsing date,  the Proponent can submit an extension request to the City not less than 60 days in advance of their lapsing date.

The General Manager of Planning and Building Services will review Proponent extension requests and provide response to the Proponent in writing within 60 days of receipt.   During the period of review of extension requests, servicing capacity holds of projects or planning applications will continue to be held against the respective project or planning application in the City’s capacity tracking models.

Should the General Manager of Planning and Building Services deny the extension request, Proponents may request a review of the decision by the Deputy CAO of Infrastructure Development and Environment. The Deputy CAO will review and provide a response to the Proponent in writing within 60 days of receipt. During the period of review of extension requests, servicing capacity holds of projects or planning applications will continue to be held against the respective project or planning application in the City’s capacity tracking models.  In accordance with the Municipal Act, 2001 and delegated authority of Council under the Water and Wastewater Servicing Allocation Policy, decisions of the Deputy CAO are final and not subject to further appeal.

Further information on the extension process, appeals process and information needs for submission, are shared as part of the City’s Water and Wastewater Allocation Extension and Appeal Guidelines shared below.

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