Shaping Guelph: Guelph’s growth management strategy

Learn about the housing analysis and strategy

To help us decide how Guelph should grow and develop over the next 30 years, we need the right mix and amount of housing to meet Guelph’s population needs to 2051.

Last year we heard community thoughts about where and how to add new housing throughout our city and we explored one possible growth scenario. In January we looked at future jobs and where we put those jobs, areas knows as employment lands. Now it’s time to take a closer look at the housing supply needed for Guelph and explore an appropriate housing mix and density targets for our city.

What is the housing analysis and strategy and what does it tell us?

The purpose of the housing analysis and strategy (HAS) is to confirm Guelph’s population and housing needs to 2051 while meeting provincial growth targets and aligning with the City’s draft vision for growth.

At a high level, the HAS confirms and recommends:

• Guelph has enough land to accommodate its forecast population of 203,000 people by 2051
• Guelph has enough land within its existing built-up area to accommodate 50 per cent of its growth within this already developed area up to 2051
• Based on the Guelph Innovation District Secondary Plan and current work on the Clair-Maltby Secondary Plan, newer areas of Guelph, known as the designated greenfield area, can achieve an average density of 66 persons and jobs per hectare
• Guelph’s housing mix between 2016 and 2051 will continue to provide housing choices while increasing the share of high-density housing
• Based on the Downtown Secondary Plan, there is capacity in Guelph’s downtown to accommodate a density of 200 persons and jobs per hectare by 2051
• An evaluation of existing and new nodes and corridors as part of the growth scenario portion of Shaping Guelph