overhead image of a park area with a subdivision, condos and more new development in the background

Parkland Dedication Bylaw Update and Parkland Acquisition Strategy

Guelph’s total population is forecast to grow to approximately 208,000 by 2051. As the community grows, we need more parkland to support the recreational needs of all residents.

The Parkland Dedication Bylaw sets out how much land or cash in lieu of land the City requires as part of new development or redevelopment projects. Land received creates new parks, and cash in lieu of land is used to buy land to expand our parks network.

Don’t know where to start with understanding the current Parkland Dedication Bylaw and its implications? We have a webpage for that.

It's time for an update

Recent changes to adjacent legislation have complicated our current Parkland Dedication Bylaw. We need to update our bylaw and create a Parkland Acquisition Strategy to:

align City policies with the Planning Act,
align the bylaw with the City’s Additional Dwelling Unit (ADU) policies,
simplify administration of the bylaw and deliver transparency, predictability and clarity about the process, and
address Guelph's parkland targets.

The development of a Parkland Acquisition Strategy was recommended in the Park Plan and the Parks and Recreation Master Plan. The master plans identify that parkland dedication alone won't be able to meet the parkland targets set in the City's Official Plan and Secondary Plans.

The Parkland Acquisition Strategy will explore other tools that the City can use to reach parkland targets or recommend updating the targets to ensure residents have space for recreation as the city grows.

How can I participate right now?

We need diverse perspectives from the community, including developers, home builders, those who may need to work through the parkland dedication process, and community members who need access to parkland. We want to hear from everyone to find the right balance that supports population growth and our community well-being.

Check out the summary of what we heard in 2025.

We'll be back soon with more engagement for the community. Until then, please sign up to follow this project to receive information as it is released, and reach out to the project team to share your thoughts or learn more. Our contact information can be found in the "Who's listening" section below.

Read the phase one engagement summary

More information

Phases

Phases overview

Background and Legislative Impacts

Community Perspectives

More engagement to come

Community Perspectives

November 3, 2025 - December 7, 2025

Thanks to everyone who shared their perspectives with us. We've posted a summary of what we heard from the community in 2025. We're currently working on options for the bylaw and acquisition strategy which take community interests and needs to heart. We'll be back with more questions and opportunities for you to get involved 2026.

separator line

We need to hear from the whole community as we find the balance between housing growth and the acquisition of park spaces to meet the needs of the growing population.

Take the survey

The way we grow Guelph has an impact on everyone:

developers and home builders,
homeowners interested in building additional dwelling units,
people who have had experience working through the Parkland Dedication process in the past,
people who study or have interests in community wellbeing, Green spaces, and population growth,
people who use our park systems, and
all community members.

That means we want to hear from you!

Please join the conversation in whatever way works for you!

Take about 10 to 15 minutes to share your thoughts and your experiences in our online survey.
Drop in at our in-person public open house on November 27 between 6 and 8 p.m.
Attend a virtual Public Open House on December 3 from 1:30 to 3 p.m.
Or reach out to our project team to talk with us directly or learn about other ways to get involved.