I am thrilled to accept $4.68 million in funding as part of the Building Faster Fund to help unlock more housing supply in Guelph.

I am proud to tell you that Guelph met 98 per cent of our provincially set target for housing in 2023! That means, last year we achieved 1,245 housing starts, approved 13 residential conversions, and added 29 long-term care beds. This is no easy task, given that cities approve housing, and we don’t build homes.

Guelph’s continued desire to work collaboratively with upper levels of government to ensure policies, programs, and tools are available to get shovels in the ground faster and increase housing supply is proving to work well for our city. The Building Faster Fund initiative is a step in the right direction. Guelph is committed to moving forward with the City’s Housing Pledge, which outlines the strategies and actions that we’re taking to help build 18,000 new homes by 2031. My hope is that we’ll continue our positive progress as funds like this, and others, become available.

Today’s funding announcement brings us closer to addressing the housing crisis in our city. To address this crisis, we require support from upper levels of government, the development community, and partner organizations.

I want to thank Minister Calandra and the Ontario Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing for heeding the calls of municipalities and providing much-needed housing-enabling support in the form of the Building Faster Fund.

I also want to thank my fellow Council colleagues for their leadership and for pulling together to ensure housing is our top priority.

I want to thank City of Guelph staff for all their effort on the housing file. Especially our Planning, Building, Engineering and Economic Development staff for working to improve our development processes and shortening approval timelines to build more homes, faster.

A municipality can’t solve the housing crisis alone. It will take all of us. I’m optimistic we’ll get it done with programs and announcements like this one, because everyone deserves a safe and affordable place to call home.

Read the City’s media release to learn more.