Housing and homelessness

A variety of options along the housing continuum are needed so that everyone living in (and moving to) our community can have a decent and affordable place to call home.

Three attached houses on a sunny day in springtime.
A row of houses on a residential street in winter.

Core housing need

A decent home is: 

  • affordable, ensuring enough income is available for other basic needs; 
  • accessible, enabling people to live independently; and 
  • safe, protecting people from illness, injury, and outside threats. [1]
Not everyone in our community has a decent place to call home
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Not everyone in our community has a decent place to call home

When homes need repairs, hazards like defective electrical wiring or crumbling staircases can cause injury. 

When homes are overcrowded, it can harm relationships and mental health. 

When homes are expensive, it makes it hard to afford other things like food, child care, or electricity. 

An icon array shows the proportion of households in Guelph and Wellington County in core housing need in 2021. For a full description of the graph, refer to the “Read graph as text” section.
In 2021, nearly 1 in 10 households in Guelph and Wellington County lived in homes that required major repairs, were overcrowded, or cost more than 30% of their income. An icon array shows the proportion of households in Guelph and Wellington County in core housing need in 2021. Ten households are pictured: one is bright purple (representing the households in core housing need) and nine are pale grey. Source: Statistics Canada
A sign reading “For Rent” hangs on a post in front of a home.

Availability of rental housing

The rental vacancy rate is the proportion of all rental units that are not occupied and are available for rent. 

The rental vacancy rate in our community has been consistently below the target of a healthy rental market
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The rental vacancy rate in our community has been consistently below the target of a healthy rental market

A 3% rental vacancy rate is the target for a healthy rental market. When rental vacancy falls below this rate, it is difficult for people to find an affordable home that meets their needs. 

A line graph shows the average apartment vacancy rates in Guelph and Centre Wellington from 2014 to 2024 compared to a healthy vacancy rate. For a full description of the graph, refer to the “Read graph as text” section.
The average apartment vacancy rates in Guelph and Centre Wellington have been consistently below the target of a healthy rental market. A line graph shows the average apartment vacancy rates in Guelph and Centre Wellington from 2014 to 2024 compared to a healthy vacancy rate. The x-axis shows the year, and the y-axis shows the vacancy rate. A line for a healthy vacancy rate is drawn at 3% across all years. The lines for Guelph and Wellington County are below 3% every year. Source: Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation

A homeless encampment in a downtown area.

Homelessness

Homelessness means not having a stable, permanent, and appropriate home—and lacking access to such a home. Experiencing homelessness includes being unhoused or living in an emergency shelter or temporary accommodation. It also includes being at risk of becoming homeless because of a precarious financial or safety situation. [1] 

Many people in our community experience homelessness
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Many people in our community experience homelessness

Addressing homelessness involves three key things: 

  • Preventing people from becoming homeless in the first place. 
  • Providing emergency supports like overnight and daytime shelter while someone is experiencing homelessness. 
  • Providing decent, affordable housing and ongoing supports to move people out of homelessness permanently. [2] 
An icon array shows the number of people experiencing homelessness in Guelph and Wellington County on October 23, 2024. For a full description of the graph, refer to the “Read graph as text” section.
On October 23, 2024, at least 335 people were experiencing homelessness in Guelph and Wellington County. An icon array shows 335 illustrations of people, representing the number of people experiencing homelessness in Guelph and Wellington County on October 23, 2024. Source: County of Wellington Housing Services
A homeless encampment in front of a building covered in graffiti.

Chronic homelessness

Chronic homelessness is a situation in which a person is currently homeless and has been for six months or more in the past year.

Chronic homelessness is pervasive and increasing in our community
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Chronic homelessness is pervasive and increasing in our community

Work is needed to support community members who are experiencing homelessness in accessing and maintaining a decent home.

An area graph shows the average number of people in Guelph and Wellington County experiencing chronic homelessness from 2019 to 2024. For a full description of the graph, refer to the “Read graph as text” section.
In Guelph and Wellington County, the average number of people experiencing chronic homelessness each month is increasing. An area graph shows the average monthly number of people experiencing chronic homelessness in Guelph and Wellington County from 2019 to 2024. The x-axis shows the year, and the y-axis shows the number of people. The number of people increases from about 130 people in 2019 to just over 200 people in 2024, with a sharp increase between 2023 and 2024. Source: Built for Zero Canada
Library books on a shelf.

References

  1. Habitat for Humanity. (n.d.). 5 qualities of a decent home.
  1. Gaetz, S., Barr, C., Friesen, A., Harris, B., Hill, C, Kovacs-Burns, K., Pauly, B., Pearce, B., Turner, A., & Marsolais, A. (2012). Canadian definition of homelessness. Canadian Observatory on Homelessness. 
  2. Homeless Hub. (n.d.). Prevention. 
An open drawer in a card catalog.

Data sources

Statistics Canada. (2023). Census profile, 2021 Census of Population. Statistics Canada Catalogue no. 98-316-X2021001. Retrieved February 26, 2024. 

Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation. (n.d.). Centre Wellington – Primary rental market vacancy rate (%). Retrieved May 5, 2025. 

Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation. (n.d.). Guelph – Primary rental market vacancy rate (%). Retrieved May 5, 2025.

County of Wellington Housing Services. (2025). Guelph-Wellington 2024 everyone counts. 

Built for Zero Canada. (2025). Chronic community progress indicators: Wellington-Guelph [Dashboard]. Retrieved May 6, 2025.

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