April 22, 2024

The City of Guelph is launching a brief survey on Additional Residential Dwelling Units. If you are someone who builds, owns, rents out or is interested in an Additional Residential Dwelling Unit, we want your feedback! Your answers will help us understand if current rules for additional residential dwelling units are working or need to change. It will also help build our knowledge on the role of Additional Residential Dwelling Units in Guelph's rental housing market.

To fill out the Additional Residential Dwelling Unit Survey, please click here.

April 22, 2024

The City of Guelph is launching a brief survey to better understand the current housing situation in Guelph. Your answers will help us build a strategy to address housing needs of current and future residents. As we develop a new Housing Affordability Strategy, we want to know what actions you think we should take to resolve Guelph's housing gaps.

To take part in the Housing Affordability Strategy Survey, click here.

April 9, 2024

Council held the Statutory Public Meeting to consider the draft zoning regulations to enable four units on low-density residential lots and introduce more gentle density options for housing in existing neighbourhoods. Council voted to receive the report from staff. A staff recommendation report and decision on the regulations is expected in June 2024; this recommendation report will include considerations around feedback and comments received through the Statutory Public Meeting.

The staff report, and attachments that provide information and details on what is proposed, can be read here.

The video of the Council meeting can be viewed here (link to be provided when video is available).

April 4, 2024

A workshop was held with private and public sector representatives involved in the housing process to inform them on the purpose of the Housing Affordability Strategy, to set the context for the current state of housing in Guelph, and to engage them on actions that the City should pursue to support a diverse range of housing options. This workshop is the first step in putting together a list of draft directions that will inform the recommendations of the Housing Affordability Strategy.

To view the PowerPoint presentation used during the Workshop, please click here.

Stay tuned for further engagement opportunities, including online surveys during Spring 2024 and an Open House in June 2024.

A draft of the proposed zoning regulations are now available for information. The purpose of the draft regulations is to enable additional residential dwelling units on low-density residential lots and strive to introduce more gentle density options for housing in existing neighbourhoods.

The staff report, with attachments, provide more information and details on both what is proposed to stay the same and what is proposed to change.

A Statutory Public Meeting will be held on April 9th, 2024, where it is possible to delegate and share your thoughts on the draft regulations. To view the Public Notice, click here.

February 29, 2024

Throughout February 2024, staff held 4 information sessions which culminated in an Open House on February 29, 2024. At these information sessions, staff shared example demonstration plans to show what four units could look like on various lot sizes around Guelph and used them as conversation-starters for gathering thoughts and ideas.

We will use the feedback received to form the draft zoning regulations for 4+ units, which will be available on March 28, 2024.

February 16, 2024

In November 2023, work began to explore opportunities to permit 4+ units on low-density residential lots across the City. The first step in this work was to prepare a policy background review and design demonstrations to highlight the potential in existing neighbourhoods. The Background Analysis highlights Guelph’s existing conditions, its policy context, and several examples of gentle density work being done across the country.

To review the Background Analysis, click here.

February 2, 2024

Staff presented the City of Guelph's Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF) Action Plan to Council through an information report. The HAF Action Plan consists of eight (8) initiatives that the City has committed to achieving as part of its application. Each initiative must result in the incentivization or stimulation of housing, beyond the City’s annual average, at an accelerated pace and provide a clear path for the approval and building process. In total, the HAF will help the City incentivize the creation of 739 new housing units by 2026.

To read more about the City’s HAF Action Plan and each of the 8 initiatives, read the information report here.

City of Guelph to receive federal funding to help build more homes, faster

Guelph, Ont., January 12, 2024 – Today in Guelph, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that the City of Guelph will receive $21.4 million to help increase housing supply through the Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF). This fund is a $4 billion initiative from the Government of Canada that provides local governments with funding to fast track the creation of new homes.

The funds will help the City incentivize the creation of 739 new housing units above the City average over the next three years. This work will reduce housing barriers and increase housing in Guelph, while supporting the development of affordable, inclusive, equitable and diverse communities. Read full news release.

December 12, 2023

In December 2023, the State of Housing in Guelph Report was published. This report is a statistical analysis of the current and emerging housing needs in Guelph, helping to identify the City’s greatest housing needs. The report is the foundation for the recommendations in the 2024 Housing Affordability Strategy.

To begin to address housing affordability in Guelph, the following will need to occur:

• More primary rental units are needed to meet increased demand as housing becomes increasingly unaffordable;
• Smaller units will be needed in Guelph to meet the increased demand as household sizes decrease;
• Additional residential units will be needed to provide more accessible affordable housing options for lower income earners; and,
• More supportive and subsidized housing is needed to meet the needs of lower income earners.

To see the agenda and staff report, visit this link.