Community Cold Weather Response

The Guelph & Wellington Task Force for Poverty Elimination is working with The County of Wellington, The City of Guelph, Stepping Stone, Wyndham House, Royal City Mission, Guelph Public Libraries, Hope House, Chalmers, The Canadian Mental Health Association Waterloo Wellington, Guelph Police Service and Wellington County OPP again this year to develop Community Cold Weather Response Plans for Individuals Experiencing Homelessness in Guelph and Wellington County. These plans outline a protocol for the 2022/2023 cold weather season to support individuals experiencing homelessness to access and get to emergency shelters and warm-up locations in periods of cold weather. 

Please note: This year the Poverty Task Force worked with partners to develop the first Wellington County specific response and infographic. The Wellington County Community Cold Weather Response Plan is found below following the Guelph Response information. 

Guelph Cold Weather Response Plan

The Guelph Community Cold Weather Response Plan for Individuals Experiencing Homelessness is not triggered by a specific temperature. Partners and community members are encouraged to use their judgement about the temperature and weather conditions, as well as the safety and wellbeing of individuals.

If you are experiencing homelessness and would like to access shelter: 

  • If you are an adult (25 years+) or a family, please call: 226-821-3345
  • If you are a youth (16-24 years), please call: 519-837-3892

If you see someone unsheltered outdoors in need of assistance (not an emergency), call:

Warm-up Location Hours:

  • 23 Gordon Emergency Shelter (23 Gordon Street, Guelph) – Overnight, 8:00pm-8:00am (7 days a week – intake done upon arrival)
  • Youth Emergency Shelter (18 Norwich Street East, Guelph) – 24/7 (7 days a week)
  • Youth Hub (133 Woolwich Street) – 9:00am-4:00pm (Mon-Fri, closed Sat & Sun)
  • Royal City Mission (50 Quebec St.) – 8:00am-7:30pm (Mon-Sat, closed Sun)
    • Please note: Royal City Mission will be open 12pm-7:30pm on Sun. Dec. 25th & Sun. Jan. 1st
  • Hope House (10 Cork Street East) – 8:30am-4:00pm (Mon-Wed, closed Fri-Sun)
  • Chalmers Downtown (41 Macdonnell Street) – 10am-12pm (Tues)
  • Guelph City Hall (1 Carden St.) – 8:30am-4:30pm (Mon-Fri, closed Sat & Sun)
    • Please note: Guelph City Hall will be open on Sundays from 10am-4:00pm when extreme cold warnings are issued by Environment Canada. These warnings are issues when the temperature or wind chill is expected to reach -30°C for at least 2 hours.
  • Guelph Main Branch Library (100 Norfolk St.) – 9:00am-9:00pm (Mon-Thurs), 9:00am-5:00pm (Fri & Sat), 1:00pm-5:00pm (Sun)
  • Guelph Public Library West End Branch (21 Imperial Road South) – 9:00am-8:00pm (Mon-Thurs), 9:00am-9:00pm (Fri),  9:00am-5:00pm (Sat), 1:00pm-5:00pm (Sun)
  • All other library locations (380 Eramosa Rd., 1 Starwood Dr., 650 Scottsdale Dr., 100-31 Farley Dr.) – 9:00am-8:00pm (Mon-Thurs), 9:00am – 5:00pm (Fri & Sat), 1:00pm – 5:00pm (Sun)

The following locations will be closed at the below times due to holiday hours (all other locations will remain open at the above times regardless of holidays):

  • The Youth Hub, Hope House, and Guelph City Hall will be closed December 26th & 27th, January 2nd and February 20th.
  • The Guelph Public Libraries will close at 1pm on December 24th and will be closed December 25th & 26th, as well as January 1st.

No Cost Meal Programs: 

  • Hope House provides breakfast at 10am Monday to Thursday
  • Royal City Mission provides lunch at 1pm & dinner at 6:30pm from Monday-Saturday
  • Chalmers Downtown provides a coffee hour from 10am-12pm on Tuesdays
  • Your Downtown Guelph Friends provides lunch in front of 176 Wyndham Street North from 1:45pm-3pm on Fridays & Sundays

Please share this infographic widely. It will print as an 8.5 x 11 sheet: Guelph Cold Weather Response Infographic.

Wellington County Cold Weather Response Plan

The Wellington County Community Cold Weather Response Plan for Individuals Experiencing Homelessness is not triggered by a specific temperature. Partners and community members are encouraged to use their judgement about the temperature and weather conditions, as well as the safety and wellbeing of individuals.

If you are experiencing homelessness and would like to access shelter: 

  • If you are an adult (25 years+) or a family, please call: 226-821-3345
  • If you are a youth (16-24 years), please call: 519-837-3892

If you see someone unsheltered outdoors in need of assistance (not an emergency), call:

Warm-up Location Hours:

  • Aboyne Library (552 Wellington Rd. 18) – 10:00AM – 8:00PM (Mon-Thurs), 10:00AM – 5:00PM (Fri-Sat), 1:00PM-5:00PM (Sunday)
  • Arthur Library (110 Charles St. E) – 10:00AM-5:00PM Monday, 10:00AM-8:00PM (Tues-Thurs), 10:00AM-5:00PM (Fri-Sat), Closed Sunday
  • Clifford Library (7 Brown St. N) – Closed Monday, 10:00AM-8:00PM (Tues), 2:00PM-8:00PM (Wed-Thurs), 10:00AM-5:00PM (Fri), 10:00AM-3:00PM (Sat), Closed Sunday
  • Drayton Library (106 Wellington St. S) – 10:00AM-8:00PM (Mon-Wed), Closed Thursday, 10:00am-5:00PM (Fri), 10:00AM-3:00PM (Sat), Closed Sunday 
  • Elora Library (144 Geddes St.) – 10:00AM-5:00PM (Mon), 10:00AM-8:00PM (Tues), 10:00AM-5:00PM (Wed), 10:00AM-8:00PM (Thurs), 10:00AM-5:00PM (Fri), 10:00AM-3:00PM (Sat), Closed Sunday
  • Erin Library (14 Boland Dr.) – 10:00AM-8:00PM (Mon-Thurs), 10:00AM-5:00PM (Fri), 10:00AM-3:00PM (Sat), Closed Sunday
  • Fergus Library (190 St. Andrew St. W) – 10:00AM-8:00PM (Mon-Thurs), 10:00AM-5:00PM (Fri-Sat), 1:00PM-5:00PM (Sun)
  • Harriston Library (88 Mill St.) – 10:00AM-8:00PM (Mon-Tues), 1:00PM-8:00PM (Wed), 10:00AM-8:00PM (Thurs), 10:00AM-5:00PM (Fri), 10:00AM-3:00PM (Sat), Closed Sunday
  • Hillsburgh Library (9 Station St.) – 1:00PM-5:00PM (Mon), 10:00AM-8:00PM (Tues-Thurs), 10:00AM-5:00PM (Fri), 10:00AM-3:00PM (Sat), Closed Sunday 
  • Marden Library (7368 Wellington Rd. 30 RR#5) – 10:00AM-5:00PM (Mon), 1:00PM-8:00PM (Tues), 10:00AM-8:00PM (Wed), 1:00PM-8:00PM (Thurs), 10:00AM-5:00PM (Fri), 10:00AM-3:00PM (Sat), Closed Sunday
  • Mount Forest Library (118 Main St. N) – 10:00AM-5:00PM (Mon), 10:00AM-8:00PM (Tues), 10:00AM-5:00PM (Wed), 10:00AM-8:00PM (Thurs), 10:00AM-5:00PM (Fri), 10:00AM-3:00PM (Sat), Closed Sunday
  • Palmerston Library (265 Bell St.) – Closed Monday, 10:00AM-8:00PM (Tues-Thurs), 10:00AM-5:00PM (Fri), 10:00AM-3:00PM (Sat), Closed Sunday 
  • Puslinch Library (29 Brock Rd. S) – Closed Monday, 10:00AM-8:00PM (Tues-Thurs), 10:00AM-5:00PM (Fri), 10:00AM-3:00PM (Sat), Closed Sunday 
  • Rockwood Library (121 Rockmosa Dr.) – 10:00AM-8:00PM (Mon-Thurs), 10:00AM-5:00PM (Fri-Sat), Closed Sunday 

Please share this infographic widely. It will print as an 8.5 x 11 sheet: County Cold Weather Response Infographic.