Minutes of Guelph City Council

Tuesday, January 20, 2026 at 4:00 P.m. - 10:00 P.m.

Council Chambers

Guelph City Hall, 1 Carden Street

Council:

• Mayor C. Guthrie
• Councillor P. Allt
• Councillor C. Billings
• Councillor L. Busuttil
• Councillor L. Caron
• Councillor E. Caton
• Councillor K. Chew
• Councillor C. Downer
• Councillor R. Goller
• Councillor K. Hauser
• Councillor C. Klassen

Absent:

• Councillor D. Gibson
• Councillor M. Richardson

Staff:

• T. Baker, Chief Administrative Officer
• C. Clack-Bush, Deputy Chief Administrative Officer, Public Services
• T. Gayman, Acting Deputy Chief Administrative Officer, Infrastructure, Development and Environment
• S. O'Brien, Deputy Chief Administrative Officer, Corporate Services
• E. Irvine, Manager, Policy Planning and Urban Design
• I. Goldie, Project Manager, Heritage Planning
• W. Gregory, Project Manager, Policy Planning
• G. Meades, Manager, Legislative Services/Deputy City Clerk
• E. Barber, Board and Committee Coordinator
• G. Brennan, Council and Committee Coordinator
• A. Sandor, Council and Committee Coordinator
• J. Tang, Legislative Coordinator

Also Present:

• Justine Giancola, Dillon Consulting
  Matt Reid, Fotenn Planning + Design
  Rebecca Sciarra, ASI

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1.

Call to Order – 4:00 p.m.

Mayor Guthrie called the meeting to order (4:01 p.m.).

1.4

Disclosure of Pecuniary Interest and General Nature Thereof

There were no disclosures.

2.

Council Consent Agenda

• Moved By Councillor Allt
  Seconded By Councillor Billings
  1. That the January 20, 2026 Council Consent Report, identified below, be adopted.

2.1

12 Clarke Street West - Notice of Intention to Designate - 2026-10

• 1. That the City Clerk be authorized to publish and serve notice of intention to designate 12 Clarke Street West pursuant to Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act.
  2. That the designation bylaw be brought before Council for approval if no objections are received within the thirty (30) day objection period.

2.2

316 Grange Road - Intention to Demolish a Cultural Heritage Resource - 2026-08

• 1. That the property at 316 Grange Road does not meet the criteria for designation under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act, and;
  2. That 316 Grange Road be removed from the Municipal Register of Cultural Heritage Properties.

2.3

89 Arthur Street North – Notice of Intention to Designate, 2026-14

• 1. That the City Clerk be authorized to publish and serve notice of intention to designate 89 Arthur Street North pursuant to Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act.
  2. That the designation bylaw be brought before Council for approval if no objections are received within the thirty (30) day objection period.

2.4

Decision Report 55 Baker, 152 and 160 Wyndham St N Proposed ZBA - 2026-12

• 1. That the application from GSP Group Inc., on behalf of Baker Street Development Inc. (Windmill), for a Zoning By-law Amendment to change the zoning from “Site-specific Downtown 1” (D.1-28), according to Zoning By-law (2023)-20790, as amended to a new “Site-specific Downtown 1” (D.1-xx) Zone, according to Zoning By-law (2023)-20790, as amended, to facilitate the development of two mixed-use towers (with proposed building heights of 17 and 19 storeys), containing approximately 401 residential dwelling units with ground floor commercial, and underground and podium parking on the lands municipally known as 55 Baker Street, 152 and 160 Wyndham Street North and legally described as Firstly: Part of Lots 73 and 74, Part of Burying Ground and Part of Lane at the rear of Lots 73 and 74 (AKA Parklane), Closed by CS31228, Plan 8, Parts 1, 2, MS80255, Designated as Parts 6 and 7 Plan 61R21815, City of Guelph, and Part 4 61R21815, S/T & T/w ROS557919 and ROS573090; Secondly: Part Burying Ground, Plan 8 and Part Lane through Burying Ground, Plan 8, Closed by MS80255, Designated as Parts 6 and 7 Plan 61R21818, City of Guelph, be approved in accordance with Attachment-3 of Infrastructure, Development and Environment Report 2026-12, dated January 20, 2026.
  2. That in accordance with Section 34(17) of the Planning Act, City Council has determined that no further public notice is required related to the proposed Zoning By-law Amendment affecting 55 Baker Street, 152 and 160 Wyndham Street North.

  Voting in Favour: (11)

  Mayor Guthrie, Councillor Goller, Councillor Allt, Councillor Downer, Councillor Billings, Councillor Caron, Councillor Caton, Councillor Klassen, Councillor Busuttil, Councillor Chew, and Councillor K. Hauser

  Carried (11 to 0)

3.

Public Meeting to Hear Applications Under Sections 17, 34 and 51 of The Planning Act

3.1

Downtown Community Planning Permit System, 2025-525

The following staff and consultants presented regarding the Downtown Community Planning Permit System:
Will Gregory, Project Manager, Policy Planning
Justine Giancola, Dillon Consulting 

The following delegates spoke:
Ian Panabaker, Wood Development Group

Council recessed for additional delegations (4:50 p.m.). Council reconvened (4:53 p.m.).

The following delegates spoke:
Tim Smith, Urban Strategies Inc.

• Moved By Councillor Goller
  Seconded By Councillor Klassen
  1. That the report titled “Statutory Public Meeting Proposed Downtown Community Planning Permit By-law” from Infrastructure, Development and Environment dated January 20, 2026, be received.

  Voting in Favour: (11)

  Mayor Guthrie, Councillor Goller, Councillor Allt, Councillor Downer, Councillor Billings, Councillor Caron, Councillor Caton, Councillor Klassen, Councillor Busuttil, Councillor Chew, and Councillor K. Hauser

  Carried (11 to 0)

3.2

Hanlon Creek Business Park Phase 3 Housekeeping Amendments - 2025-526

Will Gregory, Project Manager, Policy Planning, presented regarding the Hanlon Creek Business Park Phase 3 Housekeeping Amendments.

Council recessed for additional delegations (5:45 p.m.). Council reconvened (5:48 p.m.). There were no additional delegations.

• Moved By Councillor Busuttil
  Seconded By Councillor Allt
  1. That the City-initiated Official Plan Amendment No. OZS25-020 to correct mapping errors be received and approved in accordance with Attachment-2 of Report 2025-526, dated January 20, 2026.
  2. That the City-initiated Zoning By-law Amendment to correct mapping errors be received and approved in accordance with Attachment-3 of Report 2025-526, dated January 20, 2026.
  3. That in accordance with Section 51(33) of the Planning Act, the application by the City of Guelph on behalf of the owner, the Estate of Stanford Robert Snyder and the City of Guelph for an extension to the Hanlon Creek Business Park Draft Plan of Subdivision 23T-03501 be approved with a three year lapsing date of November 8, 2029, subject to the original draft plan conditions approved by the former Ontario Municipal Board in its Decision/Order No. 3143, issued on November 8, 2006, and subject to changes made to the original draft plan conditions approved by City Council on October 12, 2021, and recommended in Attachment 5 of Infrastructure, Development and Environment Report, dated January 20, 2026.
  4. That in accordance with Section 51(45) of the Planning Act, administrative and technical revisions have been made to draft plan conditions approved by the former Ontario Municipal Board in its Decision/Order No. 3143, issued on November 8, 2006 to update standard wording and new service area names and staff titles, and update By-law numbers.
  5. That the application by the City of Guelph on behalf of the owner, the Estate of Stanford Robert Snyder and the City of Guelph for a red-line amendment to approved Draft Plan of Subdivision 23T-03501 to create a new Block for the purpose of a municipal water well, shown as Block 33a and a revised Block 33, be approved in accordance with the red-lined Draft Plan of Subdivision as shown in Attachment-4 of Infrastructure, Development and Environment Report dated December 9, 2025 and that Council approve housekeeping changes to the draft plan conditions to note the new Blocks.
  6. That in accordance with Section 51(47) of the Planning Act, City Council has determined that no public notice is required as changes to the draft plan conditions are administrative and technical in nature and are therefore considered to be minor.

  Voting in Favour: (11)

  Mayor Guthrie, Councillor Goller, Councillor Allt, Councillor Downer, Councillor Billings, Councillor Caron, Councillor Caton, Councillor Klassen, Councillor Busuttil, Councillor Chew, and Councillor K. Hauser

  Carried (11 to 0)

  Council recessed (5:50 p.m.). Council reconvened (6:15 p.m.).

  
  

4.

Items for Discussion

4.1

Designation of Downtown Guelph Heritage Conservation District, 2026-09

The following staff and consultants presented regarding the Designation of Downtown Guelph Heritage Conservation District:
Imogen Goldie, Policy Planner, Heritage Planning
Rebecca Sciara, ASI
Matt Reid, Fotenn Planning + Design

• Moved By Councillor Downer
  Seconded By Councillor Caron
  1. That City Council, in accordance with Section 41 of the Ontario Heritage Act, designate by by-law the area shown on Attachment-1 to this report, as the Downtown Guelph Heritage Conservation District.
  2. That City Council adopt by by-law the Downtown Guelph Heritage Conservation District Plan (Attachment-2) as the district plan for the Downtown Guelph Heritage Conservation District.

  Voting in Favour: (11)

  Mayor Guthrie, Councillor Goller, Councillor Allt, Councillor Downer, Councillor Billings, Councillor Caron, Councillor Caton, Councillor Klassen, Councillor Busuttil, Councillor Chew, and Councillor K. Hauser

  Carried (11 to 0)

5.

By-laws

• Moved By Councillor K. Hauser
  Seconded By Councillor Chew
  1. That by-laws (2026) – 21187, (2026) – 21194 and (2026) - 21198 be approved subject to Section 284.11 (4) of the Municipal Act.

  Voting in Favour: (11)

  Mayor Guthrie, Councillor Goller, Councillor Allt, Councillor Downer, Councillor Billings, Councillor Caron, Councillor Caton, Councillor Klassen, Councillor Busuttil, Councillor Chew, and Councillor K. Hauser

  Carried (11 to 0)

6.

Adjournment

• Moved By Councillor Billings
  Seconded By Councillor Busuttil
  1. That the meeting be adjourned (6:41 p.m.).
  Carried