Minutes: Tuesday, November 25, 2025

1. That the Diversity Plan for the Guelph Police Service Board, included as Attachment-1 to report 2025-470, be approved.

The following motion has been recommended by the Joint Social Services and Land Ambulance Committee:

1. That Guelph City Council calls on the Government of Canada to reintroduce and adopt legislation amending the Criminal Code to explicitly include paramedics and first responders under Section 423.2 protections, and increase penalties and maximum terms of imprisonment for aggravated assault against paramedics, firefighters, and other first responders to align with those for peace officers.
2. That Guelph City Council and Wellington County Council each forward this resolution, once ratified, to The Prime Minister of Canada, The Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, Local Members of Parliament, the Guelph Police Services, the Ontario Provincial Police Wellington County detachment, the Ontario Big City Mayors’ Caucus, The Federation of Canadian Municipalities for advocacy and adoption as FCM policy, and The Association of Municipalities of Ontario.

1. That staff be directed to continue to advocate to the Province for legislative changes to the Residential Tenancies Act to ensure that the issue of renovictions is being addressed consistently across Ontario. And, that if changes occur, that staff be directed to inform Council, through an information report, of any applicable impacts.​
2. That staff be directed to begin development of a framework for a Renoviction By-law and Rental Replacement By-law in 2026, subject to the inclusion of $311,000 in estimated expenditures, in the 2026 budget update.
3. That staff be directed to draft a complaint-based vacant home tax by-law for Council approval, with a vacant home tax rate of four per cent, subject to the inclusion of $275,000 in estimated expenditures and estimated program revenues (based on a four per cent tax rate), in the 2026 budget update.

Each clause was requested to be voted on separately.

1. That staff be directed to continue to advocate to the Province for legislative changes to the Residential Tenancies Act to ensure that the issue of renovictions is being addressed consistently across Ontario. And, that if changes occur, that staff be directed to inform Council, through an information report, of any applicable impacts.​

2. That staff be directed to begin development of a framework for a Renoviction By-law and Rental Replacement By-law in 2026, subject to the inclusion of $311,000 in estimated expenditures, in the 2026 budget update.

2. That staff be directed to draft a rental renovation by-law and a rental replacement by-law for Council approval by June 30, 2026, subject to the inclusion of $640 thousand, funded from the Affordable Housing reserve (119) in the 2026 budget update.

2. That staff be directed to draft a rental renovation by-law and a rental replacement by-law for Council approval by June 30, 2026, subject to the inclusion of $640 thousand, funded from the Affordable Housing reserve (119) in the 2026 budget update.

3. That staff be directed to draft a complaint-based vacant home tax by-law for Council approval, with a vacant home tax rate of four per cent, subject to the inclusion of $275,000 in estimated expenditures and estimated program revenues (based on a four per cent tax rate), in the 2026 budget update.

3.That staff be directed to draft a rental renovation by-law and a rental replacement by-law for Council approval by Q1 of 2027, subject to the inclusion of $640 thousand, funded from the Affordable Housing reserve (119) in the 2026 budget update.

This motion was withdrawn by the mover and seconder.

3. That staff be directed to draft a complaint-based vacant home tax by-law for Council approval, with a vacant home tax rate of four per cent, subject to the inclusion of $275,000 in estimated expenditures and estimated program revenues (based on a four per cent tax rate), in the 2026 budget update.

1. That Guelph City Council opposes provisions in Schedule 12 of Bill 60 which weaken tenant rights with respect to due process and notice surrounding evictions, and make it more challenging to navigate the Landlord and Tenant Board process; and
2. That Guelph City Council calls on the province to bring into force Bill 97, the Helping Homebuyers, Protecting Tenants Act, 2023 to strengthen tenants’ rights; and
3. That Guelph City Council urges the Province to consider the City’s submission to the Ontario Regulatory Registry regarding the proposed changes to the Residential Tenancies Act, as posted in Information Items on November 21, 2025; and
4. That a copy of these motions be forwarded to the Honourable Doug Ford, Premier of Ontario; the Honourable Rob Flack, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing; Mike Schreiner, MPP for Guelph; and the Association of Municipalities of Ontario.

1. That Council endorse exploring an expanded City role in delivering affordable housing through options two and three, as described in this report, depending on the site-specific context, while maintaining the ability to pursue option one, as described in this report, where required.
2. That Council endorse option three, as described in this report, for delivering affordable housing on lands located at 5 Normandy Drive and 7 Eastview Road.
3. That the project budget of $3,406,150 be funded through both the Housing Accelerator Fund and $400,000 from the Affordable Housing reserve (119), and this capital project budget be set-up through the Q3 Budget Monitoring report.

3.That the project budget of $3,406,150 be funded through the Housing Accelerator Fund, and this capital project budget be set-up through the Q3 Budget Monitoring report.

1. That Council endorse exploring an expanded City role in delivering affordable housing through options two and three, as described in this report, depending on the site-specific context, while maintaining the ability to pursue option one, as described in this report, where required.
2. That Council endorse option three, as described in this report, for delivering affordable housing on lands located at 5 Normandy Drive and 7 Eastview Road.
3. That the project budget of $3,406,150 be funded through the Housing Accelerator Fund, and this capital project budget be set-up through the Q3 Budget Monitoring report.

1. That Councillor Busuttil be appointed as the Joint Social Services and Land Ambulance Committee chair/vice-chair for a term ending November 15, 2026, or until such time as a successor is appointed.