Accessibility
Alternative accessible formats are available by contacting [email protected] or TTY 519-826-9771.
Subject lands
Downtown Secondary Plan (See Key Map 1).
Open house – February 4:
When: February 4, 2025, from 6 to 8 p.m.
How to attend: Drop-in to City Hall (Marg MacKinnon room) to learn about the proposed Official Plan Amendment and speak with the project team. Comments on the proposed Official Plan Amendment can also be provided online (details below).
Public meeting – February 11:
This is a statutory public meeting during a hybrid City Council meeting that can be watched online at guelph.ca/live or attended in-person in Council Chambers, City Hall, 1 Carden Street, Guelph.
When: February 11, 2025, 4 p.m.
The draft Official Plan Amendment will be shared online starting on January 21. Visit to view and share comments.
Purpose and effect of the proposed amendment
The proposed Official Plan Amendment identifies areas in the Downtown Secondary Plan where additional heights can be considered and what policy refinements can be made to achieve the target of 200 people and jobs per hectare by 2051 in the Downtown Secondary Plan and help the City meet its aspirational housing target of 18,000 units by 2031.
Built Form Standards for Tall Buildings will be developed to provide design direction for private development of these types of buildings throughout the city.
Additional information
To access documents relating to the proposed official plan amendment:
Visit haveyoursay.guelph.ca/downtown-heights
Go to guelph.ca/agenda to view the staff report and Council documents, which will be available for viewing as of January 30, 2025.
For more information, please contact:
Brenna MacKinnon, Project Manager, Policy Planning
Planning and Building Services
519-822-1260 ext. 4153
TTY: 519-826-9771
Stacey Laughlin, Downtown Revitalization Advisor
Economic Development and Tourism
519-822-1260 ext. 2327
TTY: 519-826-9771
How to get involved
Any person may attend the meeting in-person or online, and/or provide written or verbal comments on these applications. If you would like to register to speak to City Council and/or submit written comments about the proposed Official Plan amendment, please do so no later than 10 a.m. on Friday, February 7, 2025.
The purpose of this public meeting is to share information and consider public comments regarding the Downtown Heights Official Plan Amendment. These comments will be further reviewed by staff before making a recommendation to Council for decision at a future meeting.
You can register to speak to City Council at the public meeting in the following ways:
Register online at guelph.ca/delegation
Call 519-837-5603 or TTY 519-826-9771
Email [email protected]
When we receive your registration, we will send you a confirmation message and instructions for participating in the hybrid Council meeting. Instructions will also be provided during the meeting to ensure those watching the hybrid public meeting have the opportunity to speak.
You can submit written comments to be included in the Council agenda in the following ways:
Email [email protected]
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
Written comments must be received by Friday, February 7, 2025, at 10 a.m. to be included in the Council agenda.
How to stay informed
If you wish to be notified of the future Council decision on the proposed Official Plan Amendment and Community Planning Permit By-law, you must make a written request to the City Clerk by email or regular mail/courier as listed above. Please note Council will not make a decision at the Public Meeting.
Appeals information
Only the applicant, specified person and public bodies as defined in the Planning Act, and registered owners of lands to which the bylaw will apply and who made oral submissions at the public meeting or who have made written submissions to the City before the bylaw is passed, will be able to appeal the decision of the City of Guelph to the Ontario Land Tribunal.
If a person or public body does not make oral submissions at a public meeting or make written submissions to the City of Guelph before the bylaw is passed, the person or public body may not be added as a party to the hearing of an appeal before the Ontario Land Tribunal unless, in the opinion of the Tribunal, there are reasonable grounds to do so.
Notice of collection of personal information
Personal information is being collected to gather feedback and communicate with interested parties regarding this amendment. Information provided or presented at a public meeting is considered a public record and may be posted on the City’s website or made public upon request.
This information is collected under the authority of the Planning Act, R.S.O. 1990, cP.13. Questions about this collection should be directed to the Information and Access Coordinator at 519-822-1260 ext. 2349 or [email protected].
