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Downtown Heritage Conservation District

Thank you to everyone who provided feedback throughout the project.

About the project

In 2021, Council approved the recommendations of the Cultural Heritage Action Plan which included: For Old Downtown, undertake a comprehensive strategy, including community consultation, to direct future cultural heritage conservation efforts and planned change.

The provincial government’s More Homes Built Faster Act, 2022, significantly changed the structure of municipal heritage registers. As a result, all properties currently listed on the Municipal Register of Cultural Heritage Properties must be removed by January 1, 2025 (revised deadline January 1, 2027). About 1,700 properties will lose protections. 120 of these properties located in downtown Guelph.

Historical planning map of Guelph titled Plan of the Town of Guelf, Upper Canada, founded by the Canada Company 1827

Please note: This project began in an older version of our website. Some of the tools and information may appear different than originally designed.

Who's Listening

Imogen Goldie

Imogen Goldie, Project Manager, Heritage

imogen.goldie@guelph.ca

Rebecca Sciarra, Project Manager, ASI

rsciarra@asiheritage.ca

Phases

Phases overview
Phase 1: Downtown Guelph Heritage focus group recruitment
Downtown Guelph Heritage focus group recruitment
Phase 2: Character mapping
Character mapping
Phase 3: Downtown heritage conservation survey
Downtown heritage conservation survey
Phase 4: Community character map
Community character map
Phase 5: Heritage feature prioritization
Heritage feature prioritization
Phase 6: Potential HCD plan - Objectives values and attributes
Potential HCD plan - Objectives values and attributes
Phase 7: Levels of support for an HCD in Downtown
Levels of support for an HCD in Downtown
Phase 8: Heritage Conservation District Forum
Heritage Conservation District Forum
Phase 9: Downtown Heritage Conservation District Plan survey
Downtown Heritage Conservation District Plan survey
Phase 10: Open house for HCD Plan
Open house for HCD Plan
Phase 11: Downtown HCD Plan and Guidelines development
Downtown HCD Plan and Guidelines development
Phase 12: Draft Downtown HCD plan and guidelines review
Draft Downtown HCD plan and guidelines review
Phase 13: Downtown HCD Statutory Public Meeting
Downtown HCD Statutory Public Meeting
Phase 14: Council Planning Meeting
Council Planning Meeting
Phase 15: Designation by-law in effect
Designation by-law in effect

Council Planning Meeting

January 20, 2026 5:00 AM - January 21, 2026 5:00 AM

At the Council Planning meeting on January 20, 2026, Council will assess the designation of the Downtown Guelph Heritage Conservation District and the adoption of the DT HCD Plan.


For the January 20 Statutory meeting, please register with the City Clerk’s Office by 10 a.m. on Friday, January 16, 2026. You can register in any of the following ways:

  • Online at guelph.ca/delegation 
  • By phone at 519-837-5603 or TTY 519-826-9771 
  • By email to clerks@guelph.ca 

Once you register, we will send you a message to confirm and give you instructions on how to join the hybrid Council meeting. We will also explain during the meeting how people watching and attending in-person can take part and share their thoughts. 

You can send written comments to be included in the Council agenda in the following ways: 

  • Email clerks@guelph.ca 
  • Drop off in-person at the Service Guelph counter at City Hall, 1 Carden Street, Guelph 
  • Send by regular mail or courier to Guelph City Clerk, 1 Carden Street, Guelph, ON N1H 3A1 

They must be received by the City Clerk’s Office by 10 a.m. on Friday, January 16, 2026. 

Downtown HCD Plan_Draft.pdf
(6.1 MB)

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