GUELPH – Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that the City of Guelph will receive $21.4 million to help increase housing supply through the Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF).
This fund is a $4 billion initiative from the Government of Canada that provides local governments with funding to fast track the creation of new homes.
Trudeau made the announcement in Guelph on Jan. 12.
The funds will help the city incentivize the creation of 739 new housing units above the city average over the next three years and help spur the construction of 9,450 homes over the next decade.
This work will reduce housing barriers and increase housing in Guelph, while supporting the development of affordable, inclusive, equitable and diverse communities.
“Today’s announcement is a big leap forward for Guelph in addressing the housing crisis in our city,” says Mayor Cam Guthrie.
“With this much-needed federal funding, we’re removing barriers to allow hundreds of additional housing units to help more Guelphites into the housing they need and deserve. This funding will also transform our policies and processes to accelerate the pace at which we increase the housing supply.”
Guthrie continued, “Having the federal government at the table allows us to address Guelph’s housing shortage faster and with more affordable solutions. This is a real win-win for our community.”
How the Housing Accelerator Fund will help Guelph
First announced in Guelph in March 2023, the federal government’s HAF will significantly impact housing resources in the city.
The city is committed to undertaking eight initiatives as part of its HAF action plan that will help to enable more housing in the community.
Examples of these initiatives include:
– a new Housing Affordability Strategy to identify actions, advocacy, and partnership approaches to close housing supply gaps;
– implementing new and enhanced systems and processes to better support and streamline development and construction, including designing a new Community Planning Permit System; and
– examining the potential of increasing the number of allowable units on each lot to encourage more diverse housing options that support missing middle housing in existing neighbourhoods (e.g., fourplexes, multiplexes, detached secondary suites).
The city will also explore ways to use surplus city-owned land to create more housing development.
Working together across all levels of government will help to build a better future across the country, the province, and right here in Guelph, officials state.
“We know that housing is top of mind for Canadians. That’s why we’re working with mayors across the country to cut red tape and change the way we build housing,” said Trudeau.
“Today’s announcement with Guelph will help build more homes, faster, so that every Canadian has a good place to call their own.”
What the City is doing to support housing
The City is strongly committed to improving housing supply in the community. This commitment is reflected in the City’s Strategic Plan, Community Plan, and Official Plan, and prioritizes the development of affordable housing that contributes to the community’s vision of a prosperous, well-connected city.
The City is dedicated to meeting its provincial housing pledge target of 18,000 homes by 2031.
However, the City can’t achieve this goal alone; it will take collaborative efforts between all levels of government and the home building community to get there.
This federal funding is a significant contributor that will help address the local housing shortage, officials state.
