The urban fabric of Guelph may soon embrace a new concept to tackle the city’s increasing unhoused citizenry – a tiny home community. Broadly overseen by the County of Wellington, Guelph’s housing issues have now drawn the attention of the city’s mayor, who has expressed an interest in creating a micro housing community akin to similar projects in Kitchener and Waterloo.
Mayor Cam Guthrie voiced these plans at a housing symposium, which was initiated to address the escalating housing crisis within the city. Taking cues from a successful implementation in Peterborough, he prompted a comprehensive exploration of the feasibility of this project for Guelph. With that vision in mind, he toured a Cambridge firm that specializes in building such homes, convinced that this could be a viable solution to the city’s issues.
Mayor Guthrie observed that the number of encampments in Guelph had nearly doubled in the past year, reflecting the urgency of the situation. Laura Moreno, a support worker at Royal City Mission, voiced her concern, speaking about the relentless challenge faced by individuals caught between paying rent and buying groceries and often ending up on the street due to lack of support.
Currently, no specific location for the prospective tiny home community has been determined, although offers of assistance have come from both private entities and faith-based non-profit organizations. Postulating that the project need not rely solely on public property, Guthrie envisages a partnership approach as a potential route towards making this community a reality.
This was seconded by a recent incident when Guelph Police were called to a fire at an encampment near the city limits. While there were no casualties, the Mayor pointed out how a centralized housing solution could prevent the scattering of resources. He believes it can foster better integration of services, and potentially achieve financial efficiency.
Local social workers have expressed cautious optimism about this approach. “I think there’s a lot of potential of people out there that can actually live on their own and actually grow,” Moreno commented.
Joyce Linseman, a previous street-dweller who now enjoys the security of subsidized housing, voiced her concern on the increasing homelessness, but remained hopeful that the tiny home concept would prove beneficial. She emphasized how a stable place to call home could allow individuals to focus on personal growth.
Meanwhile, Mayor Guthrie urged immediate action to assist the unhoused, encouraging donations to local charities and non-profits, and prompting landlords with available space to help. As the exploration for tiny home communities continues, the city wrestles with a present crisis needing immediate solutions.
