| There’s a lot happening this month, from the Multicultural Festival to a Council Governance Review and the celebration of National Indigenous History Month, Pride Month, Recreation and Parks Month, Seniors’ Month and Bike Month. Also, a reminder that this week the City moved our Outside Water Use to Yellow. As always, please feel free to skim over these sections, and hit reply to let us know if you have any thoughts, concerns, advice or questions for us. Thank you in advance for taking the time to tell us what you think, and helping us make informed decisions for our Ward and the City of Guelph. Table of Contents: 1 – County Social Services Report to City Council – June 6 2 – Committee of the WholePublic Health Board Meeting – June 7 3 – Library Groundbreaking Announcement 📚 4 – Construction Season: Wyndham Street sewer construction on June 12 5 – June 13 Council Planning: — 49 Norfolk Street (Albion Hotel) – Notice of Intention to Designate — 103-105 Victoria Road North – Recommendation to Approve 6 – June 27 Council Meeting: — 2023 Procedural Bylaw & Governance Review — Guelph: Future Ready Progress Report — Community Engagement Framework Update — Downtown Renewal Status Update (Preferred Options) — Municipality of Trent Lakes Resolution: Updating our Oath of Office 7 – Community Events 8 – Have Your Say – Culture Plan, Race to Zero & Guelph’s 200th birthday! |
| 1. County Social Services Report to City Council – June 6 Last week we received a Social Services Report from the County of Wellington. You may know the County is responsible for the administration of Housing Services, Children’s Early Years and Ontario Works for Guelph. Each year, the City allocates roughly $26M to the County for these services. In turn, the City of Guelph is responsible for both the City’s and the County’s Paramedic Services. The report we received was very informative in terms of how the County delivers these services…. however, it also highlighted clear gaps in how the County is addressing the urgent needs of Guelph residents. We asked for more information on how the County is responding to the housing crisis, specifically the very long wait for social housing, given that Guelph hasn’t seen new rent-geared-to-income housing since 2005. Wellington County is currently updating their plan to address homelessness and a report is coming forward in September this year. This report from the County will coincide with a report being developed by Collective Results, a local consultant that will let Guelph City Council know who is responsible for funding and operating social housing in Guelph and identifying best practices in Ontario for addressing housing, mental health and addictions. |
| 2. Public Health Board Meeting – June 7 At last week’s Public Health Board Meeting our Medical Officer of Health, Dr Nicola Mercer focused her remarks on our air quality, an increase in tick populations and an invitation to answer a Cannabis use survey. Dr. Mercer let us know that wildfire smoke can be harmful to everyone’s health, even at low concentrations. For more information on wildfire smoke and advice from our public health office click here. If you are experiencing breathing difficulties try to stay indoors and consider wearing an N95 mask if you have to go outside. This warmer weather has also brought out a significant increase in the number of mosquitos and ticks. This is a reminder to do regular tick checks when you have been outdoors. Click here for more information on identifying and removing ticks. Lastly, please take a few minutes to answer the 2023 Cannabis Survey for a chance to win $100: https://wdgpublichealth.ca/cannabis-survey |
| 3. Library Groundbreaking Announcement This week Council received the exciting news that the official groundbreaking of the new library will be happening on June 20th!! So many people in Guelph have been working diligently to make this new library a reality – this project will be the core project of the revitalization of our whole downtown. Details on the timing and location of the event have yet to be released. |
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| 4. Construction Season: Wyndham Street sewer construction on June 12 Starting on June 12 the section of Wyndham that intersects going south at Woolwich St. and Eramosa will be closed for sewer upgrades. This construction will last between 2-4 weeks and is integral in the preparation for the Baker St. work. Please remember to support the businesses on upper Wyndham as this work is happening! |
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| 5. June 13 Council Planning: 49 Norfolk Street (Albion Hotel) – Notice of Intention to Designate With new provincial legislation, the race is on to designate and protect heritage properties. This is the first step to protecting this iconic building that forms part of Guelph’s history and heritage. 103-105 Victoria Road North – Recommendation to Approve Staff are recommending approval to permit the development of 32 stacked townhouse units and 23 cluster townhouse units as well as 3 single detached dwellings. 1373-1379 Gordon [Gordon at Vaughan] Recommendation to Approve Staff are recommending approval of this application to permit the development of a four (4) to seven (7) storey mixed-use apartment building with 99 apartment units and 850 square metres of commercial space. The developer has lowered the building height from the originally proposed 9-storey to 7-storeys, in response to community feedback. Click here to see the full staff reports for these development applications. |
| 6. June 27 Council Meeting: 2023 Procedural Bylaw & Governance Review A significant role of Council is oversight. This month we have been presented with draft changes to the rules by which we govern ourselves – our our procedural by-law, closed meeting protocol, terms of reference for the Chief Administrative Officer Recruitment, Selection and Performance Sub-committee and CAO evaluation process, as well as a number of policies and changes to the delegation of authority by-law. Of note is a staff recommendation to change the amount of time the public is allowed to delegate at Council Planning meetings. Currently delegates at Council and Committee meetings have 5 minutes to make their presentations, while in Council Planning meetings, delegates have 10 minutes each to address Council. Staff is recommending that the time of delegations at Council Planning meetings is reduced from 10 minutes to 5 minutes each, bringing this in line with Council and Committee meetings. We have heard from some residents who are concerned that 5 minutes is not enough time for residents to address the often complex development applications which will have long term impacts on their neighbourhoods. Click here to see the staff reports and proposed changes to our governance documents. What do you think about this proposed change? Does it make sense to limit all delegations to 5 minutes each, or should we continue to allow up to 10 minutes for delegations at Council Planning meetings? Guelph: Future Ready Progress Report. Staff presented the City Council with the 2022 Guelph Future Ready Progress Report. This annual report highlights the key performance indicators and strategic initiatives from the last calendar year. It incorporated stories showcasing how the city continues to provide services and programs to our community of over 140,000 people, and to our businesses and visitors. The information is presented by strategic plan pillars in alignment with the confirmed 2023 Budget, and our strategic plan: Guelph. Future Ready. The annual strategic plan progress reports are part of the City’s ongoing efforts to develop a more performance-based culture and to increase public trust in local government through transparency. Community Engagement Framework Update The Community Engagement Policy and Community Engagement Framework were first approved by Council in 2013 and updated in 2015. They were among the first in Canadian municipalities and became an inspiration for many other communities to develop their own. Since their approval, the Community Engagement Policy and Framework have shaped community consultations for hundreds of projects across the City of Guelph.The new Community Engagement Framework separates components that are predominantly community-facing (the Charter), from those that are governance-related (the Policy) and from those that are operational or implementation-focused (the Community Engagement Honorarium Policy, the Multi-Year Community Engagement Plan, and the Community Engagement Playbook). This month Council is being asked to approve the Community Engagement Charter and the Community Engagement Policy, which will set the direction for the Plan and the Playbook. Click here to access the staff reports. Downtown Renewal Status Update (Preferred Options) Council received a report from staff on Downtown Renewal efforts and in particular, the City’s Downtown Infrastructure Renewal Program. The report included the short lists of options from two ongoing Class Environmental Assessments (EAs), for Wyndham Street and for the Macdonell Street bridge and Allan’s Dam structures were included in the report. Read the report here. (Page 368 of the PDF) This summer, residents of Guelph will have the opportunity to participate in options for the redesign of these two major intersections downtown. We’ll keep you updated as we get more details about these opportunities! |
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| 8. Community Events: Multicultural Festival – June 9-11 at Riverside Park Love Your Bike Event – June 17 @ St Andrew’s Church Library Groundbreaking – June 20 National Celebration of First Nation, Inuit, and Métis Peoples June 21 at Riverside Park. This community celebration is open to all and will feature music, dance, crafts and Indigenous food. Art on the Street – June 24 Downtown Guelph |
| 9. Have Your Say Culture Plan – what does culture mean to you in Guelph? Take part in public events like Art on the Street or the Multicultural Festival or share your idea online. Race to Zero – help Guelph be greener. Take the city’s online quiz. Guelph is turning 200 in 2027. Help make the celebration amazing. Submit an idea here! |
| Thanks for taking the time to read our monthly newsletter. We look forward to hearing from you, and hope you stay safe and healthy the rest of this month! Sincerely, Carly & Rodrigo |
| PS. Do you have a non-emergency problem in your neighbourhood? Use the Report a Problem feature on the city website: http://guelph.ca/map This reporting system will ensure that bylaw and police resources are assigned to your problem. |