Community Planning Permit System

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About the project

The City of Guelph is developing a Community Planning Permit System, also called a CPPS, for two areas of the city: the Downtown and Stone Road / Edinburgh Road. The CPPS is a land use planning tool that combines Zoning By-law Amendments, Minor Variances, and Site Plan applications into a single application and approval process. Watch this video to understand what a Community Planning Permit System is and how we are considering using it in Guelph.

This tool helps make the application and approval process more efficient, allowing housing to reach the market more quickly, and delivers other important elements to build thriving communities such as affordable housing and diverse housing types, public facilities, parks and open spaces as well as infrastructure improvements to support the growth.

The CPPS will be designed to create a streamlined development process and a more flexible set of development standards. The permit system is one of eight initiatives outlined in the Housing Accelerator Fund Action Plan.

How to participate

Community engagement for the CPPS is happening while the tool (CPP By-law) is being developed, this means that the engagement that happens during this project will contribute to creating the rules of development for the two areas.

Online

Thank you for joining us for the virtual open house on January 14, 2025. If you missed it you can take a look at the presentation.

Thanks for joining us for our virtual open house on November 21, participating in the survey or pinning a comment to the map. These tools are closed for comment so that we can review the feedback we received and consider it in the development of the CPPS.

In person

Thank you for coming out to our open houses at Priory Park Public School or the in-person pop ups at the Shelldale Centre, the Guelph Farmers' Market, Victoria Road Recreation Centre and the Guelph Public Library.

Come back for updates and additional opportunities that will be posted here.

Community Planning Permit by-law and Official Plan policies now available

The Community Planning Permit By-law and associated Official Plan Amendment policies are now available for your review.

About the project

The City of Guelph is developing a Community Planning Permit System, also called a CPPS, for two areas of the city: the Downtown and Stone Road / Edinburgh Road. The CPPS is a land use planning tool that combines Zoning By-law Amendments, Minor Variances, and Site Plan applications into a single application and approval process. Watch this video to understand what a Community Planning Permit System is and how we are considering using it in Guelph.

This tool helps make the application and approval process more efficient, allowing housing to reach the market more quickly, and delivers other important elements to build thriving communities such as affordable housing and diverse housing types, public facilities, parks and open spaces as well as infrastructure improvements to support the growth.

The CPPS will be designed to create a streamlined development process and a more flexible set of development standards. The permit system is one of eight initiatives outlined in the Housing Accelerator Fund Action Plan.

How to participate

Community engagement for the CPPS is happening while the tool (CPP By-law) is being developed, this means that the engagement that happens during this project will contribute to creating the rules of development for the two areas.

Online

Thank you for joining us for the virtual open house on January 14, 2025. If you missed it you can take a look at the presentation.

Thanks for joining us for our virtual open house on November 21, participating in the survey or pinning a comment to the map. These tools are closed for comment so that we can review the feedback we received and consider it in the development of the CPPS.

In person

Thank you for coming out to our open houses at Priory Park Public School or the in-person pop ups at the Shelldale Centre, the Guelph Farmers' Market, Victoria Road Recreation Centre and the Guelph Public Library.

Come back for updates and additional opportunities that will be posted here.

Community Planning Permit by-law and Official Plan policies now available

The Community Planning Permit By-law and associated Official Plan Amendment policies are now available for your review.

  • Why is the City creating a CPPS for only the Downtown and Stone Road Edinburgh Road?

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    The Downtown and Stone Road / Edinburgh Road areas are identified as Strategic Growth Areas in the City’s Official Plan. These areas are key to supporting growth, transit, active transportation, and affordable housing. The CPPS for these two areas will help plan for and accommodate future growth while supporting the City’s desire to be a complete and health community.

  • What is a Community Planning Permit System?

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    A Community Planning Permit System (CPPS) is a land use planning tool for municipalities in Ontario, previously known as the Development Permit System (DPS). It offers an alternative to the typical planning approval process and can be applied to specific areas or city-wide. The current project aims to implement a CPPS for Downtown (Area A) and Stone Road/Edinburgh Road (Area B). A CPPS replaces the existing zoning by-law with a new Community Planning Permit By-law, combining zoning amendments, minor variances, and site plan approvals. This system is more flexible and supports local objectives like affordable housing, sustainable design, and environmental protection.

    This project will create a new land use framework for the City that can support the acceleration of housing supply while providing predictability and stability for development approvals. Completing this work will fulfill a commitment made through receipt of the Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF).

Page last updated: 27 Mar 2025, 12:31 PM