Shaping Guelph: Guelph’s growth management strategy

To help us decide how Guelph should grow and develop over the next 30 years, we need the right mix and amount of housing to meet Guelph’s population needs to 2051.

Last year we heard community thoughts about where and how to add new housing throughout our city and we explored one possible growth scenario. In January we looked at future jobs and where we put those jobs, areas knows as employment lands. Now it’s time to take a closer look at the housing supply needed for Guelph and explore an appropriate housing mix and density targets for our city.

What is the housing analysis and strategy and what does it tell us?

The purpose of the housing analysis and strategy (HAS) is to confirm Guelph’s population and housing needs to 2051 while meeting provincial growth targets and aligning with the City’s draft vision for growth.

At a high level, the HAS confirms and recommends:

• Guelph has enough land to accommodate its forecast population of 203,000 people by 2051
• Guelph has enough land within its existing built-up area to accommodate 50 per cent of its growth within this already developed area up to 2051
• Based on the Guelph Innovation District Secondary Plan and current work on the Clair-Maltby Secondary Plan, newer areas of Guelph, known as the designated greenfield area, can achieve an average density of 66 persons and jobs per hectare
• Guelph’s housing mix between 2016 and 2051 will continue to provide housing choices while increasing the share of high-density housing
• Based on the Downtown Secondary Plan, there is capacity in Guelph’s downtown to accommodate a density of 200 persons and jobs per hectare by 2051
• An evaluation of existing and new nodes and corridors as part of the growth scenario portion of Shaping Guelph

Learn more and submit a question or comment

Learn more by reading the full housing analysis and strategy and submit a question or comment by March 19. We will respond to each question within 2 to 3 business days.

Next steps

We’ll use the housing analysis and strategy, together with the other technical background studies being done as part of Shaping Guelph, to develop growth scenarios and inform a growth management strategy for Guelph throughout 2021.

To help us decide how Guelph should grow and develop over the next 30 years, we need to consider employment needs, including the amount of new jobs we need to plan for and where we put those jobs, areas knows as employment lands.

What is the employment lands strategy and what does it tell us?

Part of Guelph’s provincially mandated growth to 2051 includes an employment target of 116,000 jobs. That is an increase of about 33,300 jobs between 2021 and 2051 with an average annual growth rate of about 1 per cent. The employment lands strategy (ELS) includes an overview of how much land we have for jobs and looks at whether this is enough land to accommodate our job growth. The ELS also outlines different things that Guelph could do to plan for its forecast job growth.

In addition to Guelph’s supply of occupied employment lands, we have about 354 hectares of vacant employment lands – land that is available for future industrial, office and related jobs. Jobs in retail or services, referred to as population-related employment, are typically accommodated in commercial areas or neighbourhoods not on employment lands. Guelph’s commercial lands were considered through the commercial policy review.

The ELS shows that we need about 319 hectares of employment lands to accommodate our growth. Guelph’s current supply of vacant employment lands is just enough to accommodate employment growth to 2051. There will only be about 35 hectares of employment land left for growth after 2051. In order to manage our supply of employment lands, we need to focus on:

• maximizing intensification of existing developed employment lands, such as through building additions. About 15 per cent of Guelph’s job growth must occur through intensification
• planning for employment land densities of a minimum of 40 jobs per hectare city-wide
• continuing to promote downtown as a focus area for major office development
• increasing Guelph’s long-term supply of “shovel-ready” employment lands, those that have all the approvals and infrastructure in place, in the Hanlon Creek Business Park and the Guelph Innovation District

Learn more and submit a question or comment

Learn more by reading our employment lands strategy and submit a question or comment through the "Ask a Question" tab by January 28. We will respond to each question within 2 to 3 business days.

Next steps

We’ll use the ELS, together with the other technical background studies being done as part of Shaping Guelph, to develop growth scenarios over the next few months.

There are different ways Guelph can adapt to reach the 2051 population and employment growth targets that the Province has set for our community. Join us for a virtual town hall TONIGHT, November 26, from 7-8 p.m. to learn about one way our community could grow. You can join the town hall through the virtual WebEx event or watch it live on guelph.ca/live or the City of Guelph’s Facebook page. Ask questions, share reactions and suggest other ways we could grow during this live event.

Complete the survey! Share your reactions to growth scenario 1 and provide input into other growth scenarios that we should explore. Hard copies are available by calling 519-837-5616. We are also looking for your input on which lands should be considered as part of the Guelph central station major transit station area. Learn more and pin areas on the map for us to consider!

Your input will help us develop a made-in-Guelph growth strategy that will guide and manage our growing city for the next 30 years.

Earlier this year we heard your thoughts about where and how to add new housing throughout our city. Now it’s time to start a conversation about how we grow.

There are different ways Guelph can adapt to reach the 2051 population and employment growth targets that the Province has set for our community. Join us for a virtual town hall on Thursday, November 26, 7-8 p.m. to learn about one way our community could grow.

You can join the town hall through the virtual WebEx event or watch it live on guelph.ca/live or the City of Guelph’s Facebook page. Ask questions, share reactions and suggest other ways we could grow during this live event.

Learn more about how Guelph might grow and complete the online survey between November 26 and December 18. Hard copies of the survey will be available on November 26 by calling 519-837-5616.

Your input will help us develop a made-in-Guelph growth strategy that will guide and manage our growing city for the next 30 years.

Why does Guelph need to grow and develop?

Guelph must plan for population of 203,000 and 116,000 jobs by 2051 to meet provincial Growth Plan targets. This work is part of Shaping Guelph—Growth Management Strategy and supports our Official Plan review. In June 2020, City Council endorsed a draft vision and principles for growth based on community input to help guide this project.

This work aligns with the Sustaining our future priority in the City’s Strategic Plan by supporting population and economic growth for future generations. This work also supports the Community Plan by preserving our “Guelphiness” as our city continues to grow.