Today, the City of Guelph, received $13.5 million in funding as part of the Green and Inclusive Community Building (GICB) program to help build the new main public library in the Baker District in downtown Guelph.

This GICB funding will help Guelph turn an underperforming asset into a performing asset, by turning a parking lot into a state-of-the-art, fully accessible library!

This $13.5 million in funding will help the City build a facility that meets the Canada Green Building Council’s Zero Carbon Building-Design standard, which brings Guelph closer to meeting our Race To Zero commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 63 per cent by 2030 and to become a net-zero carbon community by 2050. I’m told, this will be the first library in Canada to meet this zero-carbon standard!

The new 88,000-square-foot library will be the main feature of the Baker District redevelopment project, and will create a renewed area of activity, commerce and civic space for the community. The Baker District will also include an underground parking garage with more than 150 public parking spots, residential and commercial towers, and landscaped public squares for people to gather.

Today’s federal funding announcement brings us one step closer to making this district a reality!

I want to thank MP Lloyd Longfield and the Federal government, specifically Sean Fraser, Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities, for creating the GICB program to encourage environmentally sustainable community infrastructure that will serve all Guelphites regardless of age, ability, or socioeconomic status.

I want to thank my Council colleagues, past and present, who advocated for this library over the past two decades.

I want to thank the Guelph Public Library Board and staff for their ongoing work to keep evolving and moving this plan forward and making this new main library branch a reality.

I also want to thank City of Guelph staff for their efforts over the years on the Baker District Redevelopment Urban Design Master Plan, their collaboration across City departments, the financial planning, the design work required to make this a Zero Carbon Building, and working with our construction management team through the procurement process.

I hope to see you all at the ribbon-cutting event when we open the new library in 2026.

Learn more, read City’s news release: City of Guelph to receive federal investment for new central library