| We hope this update finds you well and staying warm and dry this spring. Did you know that we had to swear allegiance to King Charles when we were sworn in as elected officials? As such, we will be observing his coronation this Saturday, May 6th. We’ve included a number of other notable events at the end of this email, including the Public Works open house on May 27th. May 2023 Update Contents: 1) April Council Meetings Recap -Transit Fare Strategy 2) May 2 Committee of the Whole Meeting Recap -2022 Year-end Operating Budget Monitoring and Surplus Allocation -E-scooters in Guelph 3) Upcoming Council Meetings in May -Council Planning on May 958 Wellington St – Application Withdrawn -Official Plan Amendment 80 & Minister’s Modifications -Council Workshop on Communications, Engagement & Community Investment – May 17 4) Construction Season is Here! 5) Ward 2 Events, Engagement Opportunities & Resources -Rainbow Crosswalk Installation -Guelph’s Bicentennial Preparation Survey -King Charles’ Coronation – May 6 -Community Engagement Framework Survey – Answer by May 14 -Emergency Preparedness Week – May 7-13 -Public Works Week and Open House – May 27 -Noise Reduction in Guelph |
| 1) City Council Recap – April 25th Transit Fare Strategy We approved a new transit fare strategy at our April 25th City Council Meeting. The fare strategy introduced recommendations to update existing and introduce new fare policies, structure, pricing, payment options, and programs. Council approved a motion to provide free transit for kids and introduced a “fare-capping” strategy, so people don’t have to pay for a monthly pass upfront. Instead, you will just pay for one bus ride at a time until you’ve reached your ‘cap’, after which any other bus rides that month are free. Click here to review the full Transit Fare Strategy. |
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| 2) Recap of May 2nd Council of the Whole Meeting 2022 Year-end Operating Budget Monitoring and Surplus Allocation Staff presented a report to Council outlining the 2022 year-end operating budget monitoring and surplus allocation. In 2022 the city budget had a surplus. At today’s meeting, we approved recommendations to redistribute some of this surplus and add some to our reserves. Our reserves have been consistently increasing year-over-year. This is good news for the city as it contributes to our top-tier credit rating. You can read more in the staff report here. This table shows the steady increase in City reserves year over year: |
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| E-scooters in Guelph Council approved a motion to bring a report and draft bylaw/bylaw amendment to the Traffic Bylaw to the July 5th, 2023 Committee of the Whole meeting to permit the operation of personal use e-scooters, meeting all Provincially required conditions and regulations, and including any other recommended conditions. If you have any concerns or suggestions on where e-scooters should be allowed in Guelph, please let us know! |
| 3) Upcoming Council Meetings in May Council Planning on May 9 – 58 Wellington St – Application Withdrawn – We have received many emails from concerned residents about the application for a 23-storey building at 58 Wellington. Last week we learned that the applicant had withdrawn the application. – Official Plan Amendment 80 & Minister’s Modifications – The Province of Ontario approved Guelph’s Official Plan with several amendments. You can see the staff report here, and you can find more information about the provincial changes in this information report. The most concerning changes include a wholesale increase of building heights for most of downtown to 23 storeys and the removal of the requirements for the City to consult with the Grand River Conversation Authority. Council Workshop on Communications, Engagement & Community Investment – May 17 As part of the ongoing Council orientation, a two-part workshop on May 17 will provide information about communications and engagement, and community investment. We will get a high-level overview of the Strategic Communication and Community Engagement (SCCE) team’s direction and key trends shaping how the City listens to, talks to, and engages with people in Guelph. Staff will highlight key projects of the “One City. One Voice. Shared Purpose.” communications plan. The Community Investment team will then share how funding is allocated to various agencies and community organizations through our Community Investment Strategy including community benefits agreements, community grants, City fee reimbursement, and surplus City assets. |
| 4) Construction Season is Here! We know you’re annoyed with the recent construction projects. We are too. You can send your comments and complaints to [email protected] and copy us into your e-mail. |
| 5) Ward 2 Events, Opportunities & Resources Rainbow Crosswalk The City of Guelph will install a long-awaited rainbow crosswalk at the intersection of Gordon and Wilson streets this May, as a demonstration of support for the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. Provide your input and share your pride with the city’s Have Your Say survey. Guelph’s Bicentennial Guelph is turning 200 years old in 2027 and we want to commemorate this milestone with a big celebration across our city. Provide your input and give share your ideas for events, art installations, capital projects and more. Have Your Say. King Charles’ Coronation Honouring the Coronation of His Majesty the King and Her Majesty the Queen Consort, the 11th Field Regiment is hosting a ceremony and gun salute at York Road Park on May 6. A Parade with Colour Guards and Pipe Bands from multiple local military organizations and the local Royal Canadian Legion will begin the ceremony at 10:30 a.m. followed by speeches. The gun salute will sound just after 11 a.m. The community will be notified over the coming days. Guelph Museums will host a Coronation Tea at the Civic Museum on May 6 at 2 p.m. Tickets are available from the Museums event page. Market Square and the new Guelph sign will be lit emerald green on the evening of May 6 in celebration. Growing Civic Participation We’re working to connect with our community to find out if changes to Council and committee meeting times might increase public participation. We’re taking the opportunity to build on what we learned during engagement for the Community Engagement Framework update and widening our lens to look at all touchpoints for community involvement in civic decisions. What we learn from this consultation will be used to foster more participation in Council meetings, Advisory Committees, and community engagement activities. A Have Your Say survey is open through May 14, and three pop-up in-person engagement sessions will be hosted in the community during the same timeframe. You’ll see these activities promoted through our social media and community advertising channels. I encourage you to share these opportunities with your constituents. Emergency Preparedness Week The City will participate in Emergency Preparedness Week from May 7-13. This event is a timely reminder that an emergency can occur at any time and that being prepared is the best defense. In line with this year’s theme, “Be Prepared, Know Your Risk,” we’re hosting a public event at the West End Community Centre on May 12 from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. We’ve enlisted the help of 18 agencies, including Guelph’s Emergency Services team, the OPP, the Canadian Forces, and Emergency Management Ontario, to help the community learn about potential risks and ways to protect themselves and their families. I encourage you to participate in this event and share it with your constituents. Learn more at guelph.ca/events. Public Works Week and annual open house: The City will host its Public Works Week open house at 45 and 50 Municipal Street on May 27 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Public Works Week is celebrated every May to highlight the essential public services that municipal employees provide and the important work they do to keep City services and infrastructure running. The theme of this year’s Public Works Week is “connecting the world through public works” and highlights the way public works staff connect us both physically through infrastructure and inspirationally through the service to their community. Noise Reduction in Guelph Ward 2 resident Donna Jennison is gathering support for a campaign to introduce noise cameras into Guelph. If you have have a concern with loud vehicles send her an e-mail [email protected] |
| Thanks for taking the time to read our monthly newsletter. We’re excited for the month of May – the weather is improving, the flowers are blooming… but we could certainly use a little more sunshine. Hope that some sunnier days are ahead for us 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. |