Guelph Reformatory District

The City of Guelph is developing a Heritage Conservation District (HCD) Plan and Guidelines for the Ontario Reformatory HCD.

The Ontario Reformatory opened in 1911 and served as a correctional facility for the first half of the 20th century. From 1970 through to its decommissioning in 2001, parts of the Reformatory site were repurposed and operated as the provincially run Guelph Correctional Centre. In 2016, Infrastructure Ontario indicated its intention to sell the property at 785 York Road and completed the required environmental remediation at that time. The lands are now used by the public for passive recreation and environmental education.

The Ontario Reformatory Heritage Conservation District (OR HCD) project has two phases; both include a mix of technical and engagement tasks.

Phase 1: Heritage Conservation District Study

The OR HCD Study assessed the historical, design, and contextual value of the study area; identified contributing and non-contributing properties and resources; reviewed the existing policy framework in the area, and defined boundaries for the cultural heritage landscape. Phase 1 also included community engagement to help the project team further understand the community’s experience of the area and to inform the proposed HCD boundaries.

Phase 2: Heritage Conservation District Plan

Based on the outcomes of Phase 1 and the Council’s approval, we are building on the recommendations of the study. The OR HCD plan will provide guidelines for managing change in ways that highlight the distinctive character of the area

How can I participate right now?

Council considered the final draft of the Ontario Reformatory Heritage Conservation District Plan and Guidelines at the Council Planning meeting on Tuesday, February 10, 2026. At this meeting, Council directed staff to bring an amended OR HCD Plan and Guidelines to a future Council meeting for approval. This will be a decision point for Council regarding the proposed designation of the Ontario Reformatory Heritage Conservation District and the potential approval of the OR HCD Plan.

Prior to the February 10, 2026, Council Planning meeting, the final draft of the Ontario Reformatory HCD Plan and Guidelines was announced at the Heritage Advisory Committee meeting on January 15, 2026.

You can view the OR HCD Plan here: OR HCD Plan part 1 and OR HCD Plan part 2.

The amended OR HCD Plan will be posted once available.

Share your comments in person

If you want to speak with Council about the final draft OR HCD Plan and Guidelines, please register with the City Clerk’s Office by 10 a.m. on Friday, February 6, 2026. You can register in any of the following ways:

• Register 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.

Share your comments in writing

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, February 6, 2026.

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

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