The Guelph & Wellington Task Force for Poverty Elimination is working with community partners again this year to develop a Community Hot Weather Response Plan for Individuals Experiencing Homelessness. This plan outlines a protocol for the 2024 hot weather season to support individuals experiencing homelessness to access and get to emergency shelters and cool-down locations in periods of hot weather. This plan is partnership of: The Guelph & Wellington Task Force for Poverty Elimination, Stepping Stone, Wyndham House, Royal City Mission, The County of Wellington, The City of Guelph, Guelph Public Libraries, Hope House, Chalmers Community Service Centre, The Canadian Mental Health Association Waterloo Wellington, Guelph Police Service, and Wellington County OPP.

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


Guelph Hot Weather Response Plan

The Guelph Community Hot 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:

  • HERE 24/7, 1-844-437-3247 
  • For downtown support, call Welcoming Streets at: 519-838-6737
  • Guelph Police Service non-emergency line, 519-824-1212
  • If it is an emergency situation: Call 911 

Cool-down Location Hours:

  • 23 Gordon Emergency Shelter (23 Gordon St.) – Overnight, 8:00pm-8:00am (7 days a week)
  • Youth Emergency Shelter (18 Norwich St. E) – 24 hours (7 days a week)
  • Youth Hub (133 Woolwich St.) – 9:00am-4:00pm (Mon-Fri, Closed Sat-Sun)
  • Royal City Mission (50 Quebec St.) – Closed Mon-Tues, 2:00pm-7:00pm (Wed-Sun)
  • Hope House (10 Cork St. E) – 9:00am-4:00pm (Mon-Wed), 9:00am-6:00pm (Thurs, closed Fri-Sun)
  • Grove Hub (50 College Ave West) – 11:00am-5:00pm (Mon-Fri, Closed Sat-Sun)
  • Grove Hub (737 Woolwich St.) – 11:00am-5:00pm (Mon-Fri), Closed Sat-Sun
  • Chalmers Downtown (41 Macdonnell St.) – Closed Mon, 9:30am-12:00pm (Tues), 6:30pm-8:30pm (Tues), 10:00am-12:00pm (Thurs), (Closed Fri-Sun)
  • Chalmers West (577 Willow Rd.) – 9:00am-12:00pm Thursdays 
  • Guelph City Hall Cooling Centre (1 Carden St.) – 8:30am-4:00pm (Mon-Fri, closed Sat).
    • Please note: City hall will also be open on Sundays from 10:00am-4:00pm when Heat Warnings* are issued by Environment Canada. 
  • Guelph Public Library, West End Branch (21 Imperial Rd., S.) – 9:00am-8:00pm (Mon-Thurs), 9:00am-9:00pm (Fri), 9:00am-5:00pm (Sat), 1:00pm-5:00pm (Sun)
  • All other Guelph Public Library locations (100 Norfolk St., 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, closed 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):

  • Hope House: Closed July 1st, Aug 5th, Sept 2
  • Royal City Mission: Closed July 1st, Aug 5th, Sept 2
  • Guelph City Hall: Closed July 1st, Aug 5th, Sept 2
  • The Guelph Public Libraries: Closed July 1st, Aug 5th, Sept 2

*Environment Canada Criteria for Heat Warnings: Issued when 2 or more consecutive days of daytime maximum temperatures are expected to reach 31°C or warmer and nighttime minimum temperatures are expected to fall to 20°C or warmer. They are also issued when 2 or more consecutive days of humidex values are expected to reach 40 or higher.

No Cost Meal Programs: 

  • Royal City Mission provides dinner at 6:30pm from Wednesday-Saturday
  • Your Downtown Guelph Friends provides lunch in St. Georges Square from 3:00pm-4:30pm on Mondays & Tuesdays. They also provide lunch in front of 176 Wyndham Street North from 2:00pm-3pm on Fridays & Sundays. 
  • Youth Emergency shelter provides 8 am breakfast, 12 pm lunch, and 5 pm dinner daily

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


Wellington County Hot Weather Response Plan

The Wellington County Community Hot 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:

Cool-down 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
  • Drayton Library (106 Wellington St. S) – 10:00AM-5:00PM (Mon), 10:00AM-6:00PM (Tues-Thurs), 10:00am-5:00PM (Fri), 10:00AM-3:00PM (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
  • 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 
  • 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.) – 10:00AM-5:00PM (Mon), 10:00AM-8:00PM (Tues-Thurs), 10:00AM-5:00PM (Fri), 10:00AM-3:00PM (Sat), 1:00PM-5:00PM (Sun) 
  • 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.) – 10:00AM-5:00PM (Mon), 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 
  • Grove Hub Erin Place (10 Thompson Crescent) – 11:00am-6:00pm (Mon-Fri, Closed Sat-Sun)
  • Grove Hub Fergus (900 Tower St. S) – 11:00am-5:00pm (Mon-Fri, Closed Sat-Sun)
  • Grove Palmerston (390 Main St. E.) – 11:00am-5:00pm (Mon-Fri, Closed Sat-Sun)

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

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