Welcome Home
The coalition is a community-led effort to support unhoused community members in the City of Guelph.
Members of the coalition are health care and addiction specialists, faith community representatives, business representatives and homebuilders, community organizers and people with lived experience. We share a strong belief that in a city as prosperous and caring as Guelph, no one should be sleeping in a tent and that a community-led pilot is a fast and effective way to house individuals while longer-term housing options are being developed.
Where will the Homes be built?
Want to help us find a place for the homes? Check out our expression of interest document.
Part of the solution
The Guelph Tiny Homes Coalition is proposing a Tiny Home Pilot Community of 25-50 tiny homes with a shared kitchen/washroom/laundry area to help people currently living outdoors stay safe and support stabilization while longer-term housing options are being developed.
The pilot community will be supported by a team of volunteers and staff. The Guelph Tiny Homes Coalition has an agreement in principle with Royal City Mission (RCM) to provide services while also coordinating an extended partnership with Guelph-based health and social service providers to assist residents in the community. The goal of this pilot will be to provide a safer housing option for unhoused community members and support them through the next step of their housing journey, whatever that may be.
This model has been successfully deployed in other communities across Canada (Kitchener, Peterborough, Fredericton) and is proven to be an effective high-speed, low-cost solution to this problem.
The GTHC is currently working to confirm a location and deliver this pilot in Guelph by winter 24/25.
When will homes be built?
There are three phases to developing a tiny home community:
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the Launch
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Approval, and
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Housing Stability
We are in the first stage (the Launch Stage)– our initiative was launched January 2024. We introduced our coalition to the community and shared some of our early wins: the development of a broad coalition, the involvement of a homebuilder and a private property owner willing to entertain a long-term lease for up to 2 acres.
How long will it take?
The coalition members have agreed that we want a project in place before next winter so that current encampment folks have an option for next winter. We are currently working backward from a build being completed for next October. Once the preferred site is identified, we will seek approvals as quickly as possible for the infrastructure while building the tiny homes.
How many Tiny Homes will be built?
We have space and permission for up to 50 tiny homes and a community centre with showers, bathrooms, a kitchen, laundry room and lounge area. The size and scope of the project will depend on land available and the funds acquired. We will update as we have details.