Go Back

Affordable Housing Community Improvement Plan

Share Affordable Housing Community Improvement Plan on Facebook Share Affordable Housing Community Improvement Plan on Twitter Share Affordable Housing Community Improvement Plan on Linkedin Email Affordable Housing Community Improvement Plan link

About the project

Guelph’s Affordable Housing Community Improvement Plan (CIP) program will provide financial incentives for developers and homebuilders for the rehabilitation of the city's existing housing supply into affordable purpose-built rentals and build new affordable rental and ownership units.

Gaps in Guelph’s housing market that have been identified in the State of Housing Report (2023) will guide the CIP objectives.

Details about the proposed programs for the CIP are outlined in the presentation and information boards.

What is a CIP?

Under the direction of the Municipal Act and Planning Act, municipalities can use CIPs as tools to incentivize the private sector to rehabilitate land and existing buildings as well as develop new infrastructure to shape local needs and priorities.

Financial incentives being proposed in Guelph’s Affordable Housing CIP are in the form of:

A vacant space rehabilitation grant: a one-time grant to boost the development of affordable primary rental units from existing vacant and uninhabitable buildings. The grant would provide $100,000 per unit to cover construction costs.

Property tax rebate grant: one-time payment in lieu of taxes paid over ten-year period for the creation of new affordable residential rental or ownership units.

Since 2004, Guelph has used CIPs. Previous programs have supported brownfield redevelopment, downtown renewal and the conservation of designated heritage assets.

City’s Affordable Housing Strategy

Increasing the supply of affordable housing is a priority in Guelph. We are using $3.2 million in funding received through the federal government’s Housing Accelerator Fund to create a new affordable housing CIP program. The CIP aims to meet the targets set out by the Housing Accelerator Fund action plan and the Province of Ontario housing pledge of 18,000 new homes by 2031.

The City is currently working on updating the existing Affordable Housing Strategy (2017) to identify actions like policy changes, tools and incentives, advocacy and partnership approaches to address private-market housing gaps. Implementing an affordable housing CIP aligns with community feedback and the spirit of the Housing Affordability Strategy work underway.

To learn more about the overall Housing Affordability Strategy and the additional ongoing projects under the Housing Accelerator Fund, visit Guelph’s Housing Accelerator Fund Action Plan Webpage.

How to participate

Since June 2024, we have come together in person and online to share information about the project. Thank you for your input. Please review the Affordable Housing CIP engagement summary to see how community feedback was used to develop the draft CIP.

We're presenting information to Council next and the public is invited to participate.

At Council:

On November 13, we will present the project at the Council planning meeting. After reviewing feedback, we will then present the project to Council for approval on February 11, 2025.

Online:

Still have questions? Ask them using the question tool below. To learn more, please review the presentation and information boards.

About the project

Guelph’s Affordable Housing Community Improvement Plan (CIP) program will provide financial incentives for developers and homebuilders for the rehabilitation of the city's existing housing supply into affordable purpose-built rentals and build new affordable rental and ownership units.

Gaps in Guelph’s housing market that have been identified in the State of Housing Report (2023) will guide the CIP objectives.

Details about the proposed programs for the CIP are outlined in the presentation and information boards.

What is a CIP?

Under the direction of the Municipal Act and Planning Act, municipalities can use CIPs as tools to incentivize the private sector to rehabilitate land and existing buildings as well as develop new infrastructure to shape local needs and priorities.

Financial incentives being proposed in Guelph’s Affordable Housing CIP are in the form of:

A vacant space rehabilitation grant: a one-time grant to boost the development of affordable primary rental units from existing vacant and uninhabitable buildings. The grant would provide $100,000 per unit to cover construction costs.

Property tax rebate grant: one-time payment in lieu of taxes paid over ten-year period for the creation of new affordable residential rental or ownership units.

Since 2004, Guelph has used CIPs. Previous programs have supported brownfield redevelopment, downtown renewal and the conservation of designated heritage assets.

City’s Affordable Housing Strategy

Increasing the supply of affordable housing is a priority in Guelph. We are using $3.2 million in funding received through the federal government’s Housing Accelerator Fund to create a new affordable housing CIP program. The CIP aims to meet the targets set out by the Housing Accelerator Fund action plan and the Province of Ontario housing pledge of 18,000 new homes by 2031.

The City is currently working on updating the existing Affordable Housing Strategy (2017) to identify actions like policy changes, tools and incentives, advocacy and partnership approaches to address private-market housing gaps. Implementing an affordable housing CIP aligns with community feedback and the spirit of the Housing Affordability Strategy work underway.

To learn more about the overall Housing Affordability Strategy and the additional ongoing projects under the Housing Accelerator Fund, visit Guelph’s Housing Accelerator Fund Action Plan Webpage.

How to participate

Since June 2024, we have come together in person and online to share information about the project. Thank you for your input. Please review the Affordable Housing CIP engagement summary to see how community feedback was used to develop the draft CIP.

We're presenting information to Council next and the public is invited to participate.

At Council:

On November 13, we will present the project at the Council planning meeting. After reviewing feedback, we will then present the project to Council for approval on February 11, 2025.

Online:

Still have questions? Ask them using the question tool below. To learn more, please review the presentation and information boards.

Ask us about the CIP

If you have questions about Guelph's Affordable Housing CIP ask us here. We will do our best to answer in 3-5 business days. 

loader image
Forgot password?
Didn't receive confirmation?
Register Now
Seems like you are already registered, please provide the password. Forgot your password? Create a new one now.
  • Share Hello, my name is Olivia and I am reaching out on behalf of my company Bluevale Capital. We are commercial real estate developers and we specialize in property conversions, with two office conversions into multi-family currently underway (one in Calgary which will be 128 units with 4 commercial units, and one in London Ontario which will be 23 units and will be the first office conversion completed conversion in London), in addition to a 118 unit hotel conversion which will be completed in Q1 of 2025. I just wanted to find out the specifics of the Vacant Unit Rehabilitation Grant. I see that the grant is $100,000 per unit to encourage new affordable housing stock in Guelph, and was curious if this meant the entire building needed to be affordable or if the property would just need to meet one of the tiers of CMHC's MLI Select Criteria? In addition, I didn't see if there was any cap to the total grant that could be awarded but was wondering if there was a cap. My final question was if this grant only applies to offices/vacant apartments/industrial properties or if it could also apply to any hotel currently in operation if it were to be purchased then converted into multi-family. Please let me know, thanks. on Facebook Share Hello, my name is Olivia and I am reaching out on behalf of my company Bluevale Capital. We are commercial real estate developers and we specialize in property conversions, with two office conversions into multi-family currently underway (one in Calgary which will be 128 units with 4 commercial units, and one in London Ontario which will be 23 units and will be the first office conversion completed conversion in London), in addition to a 118 unit hotel conversion which will be completed in Q1 of 2025. I just wanted to find out the specifics of the Vacant Unit Rehabilitation Grant. I see that the grant is $100,000 per unit to encourage new affordable housing stock in Guelph, and was curious if this meant the entire building needed to be affordable or if the property would just need to meet one of the tiers of CMHC's MLI Select Criteria? In addition, I didn't see if there was any cap to the total grant that could be awarded but was wondering if there was a cap. My final question was if this grant only applies to offices/vacant apartments/industrial properties or if it could also apply to any hotel currently in operation if it were to be purchased then converted into multi-family. Please let me know, thanks. on Twitter Share Hello, my name is Olivia and I am reaching out on behalf of my company Bluevale Capital. We are commercial real estate developers and we specialize in property conversions, with two office conversions into multi-family currently underway (one in Calgary which will be 128 units with 4 commercial units, and one in London Ontario which will be 23 units and will be the first office conversion completed conversion in London), in addition to a 118 unit hotel conversion which will be completed in Q1 of 2025. I just wanted to find out the specifics of the Vacant Unit Rehabilitation Grant. I see that the grant is $100,000 per unit to encourage new affordable housing stock in Guelph, and was curious if this meant the entire building needed to be affordable or if the property would just need to meet one of the tiers of CMHC's MLI Select Criteria? In addition, I didn't see if there was any cap to the total grant that could be awarded but was wondering if there was a cap. My final question was if this grant only applies to offices/vacant apartments/industrial properties or if it could also apply to any hotel currently in operation if it were to be purchased then converted into multi-family. Please let me know, thanks. on Linkedin Email Hello, my name is Olivia and I am reaching out on behalf of my company Bluevale Capital. We are commercial real estate developers and we specialize in property conversions, with two office conversions into multi-family currently underway (one in Calgary which will be 128 units with 4 commercial units, and one in London Ontario which will be 23 units and will be the first office conversion completed conversion in London), in addition to a 118 unit hotel conversion which will be completed in Q1 of 2025. I just wanted to find out the specifics of the Vacant Unit Rehabilitation Grant. I see that the grant is $100,000 per unit to encourage new affordable housing stock in Guelph, and was curious if this meant the entire building needed to be affordable or if the property would just need to meet one of the tiers of CMHC's MLI Select Criteria? In addition, I didn't see if there was any cap to the total grant that could be awarded but was wondering if there was a cap. My final question was if this grant only applies to offices/vacant apartments/industrial properties or if it could also apply to any hotel currently in operation if it were to be purchased then converted into multi-family. Please let me know, thanks. link

    Hello, my name is Olivia and I am reaching out on behalf of my company Bluevale Capital. We are commercial real estate developers and we specialize in property conversions, with two office conversions into multi-family currently underway (one in Calgary which will be 128 units with 4 commercial units, and one in London Ontario which will be 23 units and will be the first office conversion completed conversion in London), in addition to a 118 unit hotel conversion which will be completed in Q1 of 2025. I just wanted to find out the specifics of the Vacant Unit Rehabilitation Grant. I see that the grant is $100,000 per unit to encourage new affordable housing stock in Guelph, and was curious if this meant the entire building needed to be affordable or if the property would just need to meet one of the tiers of CMHC's MLI Select Criteria? In addition, I didn't see if there was any cap to the total grant that could be awarded but was wondering if there was a cap. My final question was if this grant only applies to offices/vacant apartments/industrial properties or if it could also apply to any hotel currently in operation if it were to be purchased then converted into multi-family. Please let me know, thanks.

    Olivia Topp asked 9 days ago

    Thanks for your questions Olivia. 

    The programs have been set up so they are able to be stacked with other government financial programs like CMHC, you would just need to ensure you are meeting the criteria for both in order to access both. 

    The Vacant Residential Unit and Vacant Space Conversion grant is proposed as a flat grant of $100,000 per unit so all of the other units in the building do not need to meet the affordability requirements to receive funding for the one that does. Applicants can apply for multiple units in the same building if they meet the program affordability requirements as an example, you could receive $300,000 for 3 affordable rental units. At this time there is no maximum number of units you can apply for but there is limited funding available, and it will be first come first serve. 

    For your final question, in order to avoid renovictions the spaces must be vacant and uninhabitable and the grant is used to create new residential units. If the hotel space is already vacant and up for sale, the approval for converting them to residential units is dependent on a number of factors that would require a review with City staff during the application process. 

    The programs will be returning to council on February 11, 2025 for final approval and open for application in early 2025. 

Page last updated: 16 Dec 2024, 09:11 AM