In October 2012, the County of Wellington released a Housing & Homelessness report that covers the area of Wellington County and the City of Guelph. The report is an Interim Summary of Findings and Conclusions of the Need and Demand Study for 2006 to 2011 and reports on key trends, housing affordability, social and affordable housing, and homelessness, poverty and shelters.

Key findings: 

• The Guelph CMA rent vacancy rate is 1.1%, well below a normal healthy market rate (3%).
• In 2011, the gaps range from $250 to $370 between the Ontario Works and Ontario Disability Support Programme shelter rates and average market rents throughout the Wellington County and City of Guelph area.
• The rising cost of utilities, 18.1% between 2004 and 2008, was more than double the overall Consumer Price Index for all goods in Ontario (8.1%) which significantly impacts low-income households that are required to pay their own utilities.
• Affordable market rent options for tenant households with incomes in the bottom 20% income levels are virtually non-existent in the Wellington area (5%) and the Guelph are (less than 1%).
• No new permanent social housing (geared-to-income housing) has been built since 1995.
• The number of families staying in the emergency shelter system from January 2010 to May 2012 has increased steadily from an average of 15 to 33 per night, an increase of 120% over that period.

The full report can be accessed here: Housing and Homelessness Plan