Housing Affordability Strategy
Background
Guelph is experiencing challenges with the affordability of housing, like many other municipalities across Canada. As part of the City's State of Housing Report, we have identified five key issues impacting affordability of housing in Guelph:
- Guelph is working towards achieving its affordable housing targets.
- There is a need for smaller units.
- There is a need for an increased supply of primary rental units.
- The secondary rental market offers more affordable choices but could benefit from the stability offered by the primary rental market.
- There is a need for an increased supply of non-market rental housing.
We are working hard to help address these key issues and unlock and increase housing supply for our community by providing a range of housing types, including affordable housing options. View our Housing Story Map to see how.
Housing Affordability Strategy
The purpose of the Housing Affordability Strategy 2024 work is to identify actions like policy changes, tools and incentives, advocacy, and partnership approaches to address private-market housing gaps in the short, medium, and long term. While we need to focus on private-marking housing gaps since this is where the City has the most influence, we will be taking a highly collaborative approach to this work so that we can support unlocking private and non-market housing opportunities.
For more information, read the Housing Affordability Strategy - Project Initiation.
The Draft Housing Affordability Strategy is now ready for review. To read the staff report and review the agenda, click here. The Draft Housing Affordability Strategy will be presented to Council at a public meeting on October 8, 2024 at 4 p.m.
City of Guelph staff will be considering feedback received from Council and the public to prepare a Final Housing Affordability Strategy for December 10, 2024. Further details on the Decision Report, meeting start time, and Final Housing Affordability Strategy will be shared soon.
How to get involved
City staff hosted a series of engagement events in October on the Draft Housing Affordability Strategy presented to Council.
If you were unable to attend any one of the sessions listed please consider taking the survey below to provide your feedback on the draft actions by November 15.
We look forward to hearing from you on the Draft Housing Affordability Strategy.