Issuu

GUELPH CITY COUNCILLOR

Representing South Guelph - Ward 6

A Year in Review

Dedicated to the people of Ward 6.

This report is produced for education and communication purposes only. The opinions and views presented are not endorsed by the City of Guelph or any other entities. Unless otherwise indicated with a link or in-text citation, all images and graphics are created by Ken Yee Chew.

The contents of this report are accompanied by links to original sources and can be accessed by hovering your cursor over the visuals and graphics. To briefy view the front pages of any referenced reports, zoom in for a better view of the contents.

To form a comprehensive view on the commentary provided, it is recommended to visit the sources provided for deeper context.

The South End through the seasons, looking north towards Clair and Gordon Street.

Dear friends and neighbours,

It has been an eventful year. In 2025, federal and provincial elections, along with broader shifts in the United States, created real economic uncertainty that is being felt here in Guelph, particularly in Ward 6 across the Hanlon Creek Business Park. With rising costs affecting local employers such as DENSO and Linamar, my focus at Council has been to prioritize affordability and service delivery for residents, particularly where decisions were within Council’s direct control.

During the 2026 budget process, I advocated for fscal discipline within areas of Council’s authority and ensured that was properly refected in my votes. I also supported practical policies throughout the year such as our affordable housing tax incentives and value for money reviews across core services. I remained mindful that many residents and small businesses are already stretched, and that Council decisions should refect those realities.

Under the leadership of our CAO, the organization has also undergone restructuring to sharpen its focus on core service delivery during this economic climate.

Several long-term projects progressed this year, including the South End Community Centre, which is scheduled for completion in fall 2026. I also welcomed Councillor Katherine Hauser and supported her onboarding to ensure continuity in Ward 6 representation and casework.

At the Grand River Conservation Authority, the City and GRCA announced a partnership long in the making to begin rehabilitation efforts for the trails, woodlot, and open spaces on the Niska Lands, which remain heavily polluted from the old Kortright Waterfowl Park operations. This is a fle I have remained closely involved in, and I am encouraged by the steady progress being made this term to secure long term stewardship efforts.

Within the community, I have remained active in strengthening connections with the University of Guelph through town and gown initiatives and ongoing involvement with the School of Environmental Design and Rural Development, my alma mater.

We are fortunate to have one of the most reputable rural planning and design programs in the country here in Guelph. Stronger relationships between our institutions and the community will create long-term value for the city and requires continued relational initiative from staff, faculty, and community leaders.

One of the most positive partnerships this past year has been the revitalization of the Rutherford Conservatory. Through collaboration between heritage staff and landscape architecture students, a design competition was initiated to help shape the future commemorative plaza.

Lastly, it is always a pleasure to support local events across South Guelph, from Kortright Hills to Clairfelds. This year, I’ve seen more resident-led initiatives and have enjoyed helping organize and support them. One highlight was handing out gelato with Councillor Hauser and reconnecting with many of you at Orin Reid Park.

As we move into the fnal year of this Council term, my focus remains on maintaining stability within the organization, providing strong casework support and maintaining effective, reliable service delivery. Thank you for your continued trust and engagement. I look forward to connecting with you in the months ahead.

The best is yet to come!

Ken Yee Chew Guelph City Councillor - Ward 6

3rd Annual Kortright Plaza Block Party, September 7, 2025

Township of Guelph/Eramosa

Town of Puslinch

Rickson Ridge Neighbourhood Group

Orin Reid Park Hot Summer Nights

Clairfelds Block Party on Borland Drive

Hanlon Creek Boardwalk Maintenance Day

Kortright

Kortright Hills Neighbourhood Group

Kortright Plaza Block Party

Wagoner's Trail Minions Display

STONE ROAD CORRIDOR

UNIVERSITY

Hanlon Creek Park

UNIVERSITY SQUARE PLAZA

Malvern-Ridgeway-Arkell Communities

FUTURE SOUTH END COMMUNITY CENTRE

CLAIR-GORDON COMMERCIAL PLAZAS

Gosling Gardens-DallanPoppy Drive Communities

PARIS-GALT MORAINE

City of Guelph, Ward 6

The communities of South Guelph, Ward 6

Rolling Hills

Town of Puslinch

City of Guelph Dawn Vaughan Revell Pineridge

Rickson Ridge

Hanlon Creek Hills

Woodland Glen

HANLON CREEK BUSINESS PARK

KORTRIGHT PLAZA

Westminister Woods

Commitment to transparency and clarity

These updates over the years are intended to give you a quick impression and a deeper understanding of the work taking place at City Hall. The aggregation of all these writings should give you a better idea of who I am and how I approach consensus leadership at City Hall.

By sharing these refections regularly, my hope is to help elevate the quality of our conversations, clarify intentions, and encourage a more precise and professional approach to both the policy and operational challenges facing our city. They also offer an important window into the values and priorities guiding how I represent the City.

Please feel free to share them with anyone interested in learning more about the work happening in our community. Your ongoing support and partnership is greatly appreciated.

Annual Reports

Published once a year, the annual report brings together the major fles, decisions, and community issues that shaped the past twelve months. It provides a broader refection on the direction of the city and the priorities guiding my work as your councillor.

Progress Reports

Published every three months, these reports step back to summarize key policy discussions, neighbourhood issues, and major initiatives that have progressed over the previous quarter. They provide additional context on the fles shaping Ward 6 and the City of Guelph.

Field Notes

Published monthly and distributed through Mailchimp, the Field Notes provide shorter observations and timely updates from council and the community. They offer quick insights into committee work, planning fles at the City, and refections from around the community.

kenyeechew.ca

Year round budget monitoring

Throughout the year, I made it a priority to closely monitor the City’s operating and capital budgets to ensure decisions refect responsible stewardship of public resources. With rising costs affecting many households, I remain concerned about the pace of property tax increases and the pressure they place on residents and small businesses.

Federal and provincial pressures continues to be placed on municipalities. At the same time, there are areas of policy development within Council’s control that carry budget implications and must be approached with discipline. Maintaining the balance between necessary services and responsible taxation remains an important part of Council’s responsibility. I also remain concerned that the City’s Tax Operating Contingency Reserve currently sits below the $5 million threshold, which limits the City’s fnancial fexibility to respond to unexpected pressures.

As Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew has observed, strong public services ultimately depend on a stable economic foundation and responsible fnancial management. Strong policy must also be workable policy. My focus is ensuring Council decisions remain grounded in practical implementation, responsible budgeting, and long-term sustainability so the City can continue delivering reliable core services for residents.

"The economic horse pulls the social cart."

PREMIER WAB KINEW OF MANITOBA LEADER OF MANITOBA'S NEW DEMOCRATIC PARTY

The Confrmed 2026 Budget

October 16: Mayor Cam Guthrie’s draft 2026 Budget Update Released

October 29: Special Council – 2026 Budget Update

November 18: Special Council – 2026 Budget public delegations

November 26: Special Council – 2026 Budget amendments

December 17: Special Council – 2026 Budget local boards and shared services

Governing with reality in mind

Municipal budgeting begins early in the year and gradually takes shape through Council decisions made throughout the year. Under Ontario’s strong mayor framework, the mayor now presents the budget as the signatory and sets the overall tone and direction for the process.

At the same time, a large portion of the City’s budget is already committed before Council begins formal deliberations through infrastructure obligations, long-term capital programs, and negotiated labour agreements. These structural commitments limit how much of the budget can be adjusted in any given year.

Former Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew once observed that “moral debates lose meaning when they ignore real world consequences.” In municipal government, this reminder is particularly relevant. For example, early in 2025, while I support the goal of protecting our urban tree canopy, I raised concerns about moving too quickly on a private tree protection bylaw after staff indicated that implementing it could require deferring other planned work. One should ask, why are we establishing policy when it cannot be implemented effectively anytime soon.

"moral debates lose meaning when they ignore real world consequences."

LEE KWAN YEW FOUNDING PRIME MINISTER OF

SINGAPORE

Applying these principles to the City budget

My approach has been to evaluate new initiatives through a practical lens of three questions:

1. What is the investment?

2. Who does it serve?

3. Does City staff have the capacity to deliver and execute it well?

Good intentions must ultimately be matched with policies that can be implemented effectively. The chart below illustrates how the overall tax levy has evolved during this Council term.

Tax Levy Increase and Dollar Impact per Median Household (Budget Year with Property Tax Policy Year)

2022-2026 Term of Council

*2022 Budget was approved by the last Term of Council

*2024 Budget saw costs associated to Bill 23, Hospital, & Homelessness

*The Hospital Levy was funded through reserves in 2025

In 2025, I held 106+ documented casework-related meetings with residents, stakeholders, and city staff to address neighbourhood issues, development proposals, and community initiatives. This represents a decrease from 2024, refecting a more focused effort to ensure meetings lead to clear outcomes and coordinated follow-up. Many of these meetings required extensive preparation and coordination with staff before formal council deliberations.

At the same time, I attended 48 formal Council sessions, including Committee of the Whole, Planning, and City Council meetings, which often required signifcant preparation and extended deliberation on major policy fles affecting the city.

48 Council Sessions

36 engagement events with businesses, neighbourhood and non-proft groups

Throughout the year, I attended 36 engagement events across Ward 6 and the City of Guelph, providing opportunities to hear directly from residents while supporting local initiatives and neighbourhood activities.

• Neighbourhood gatherings such as the Rickson Ridge Meet & Greet and Clairfelds Block Party

• Citywide events including the Guelph Multicultural Festival and KHNG gatherings

• Local business and community organization openings and celebrations

• School visits and meetings with non-proft and neighbourhood leaders across Ward 6

Grand River Conservation Authority

In addition to City Council responsibilities, I serve on the Grand River Conservation Authority Board, which meets monthly. In 2025, I attended 12 board meetings, contributing to regional discussions on watershed management, conservation policy, and environmental stewardship.

Supporting Schools and Community Groups

Mock Council Meeting with Grade 10 Civics Classes from Bishop MacDonell

School of Environmental Design & Rural Development

Project Serve with students and the University of Guelph Off Campus Team

Early construction of the South End Community Centre as the structure begins to take shape.

The South End Community Centre continues to take shape, with construction progressing on schedule toward a Fall 2026 opening.

PRESERVATION PARK

The Gordon Street Improvements will stretch from Lowes Road to Edinburgh Road.

Lowes Road

GordonStreet

Construction for the Gordon Street Improvements will see centre turn lanes, upgraded signalization and multi-use paths. All vehicular lanes will remain in place.

Sleeman Breweries

Hanlon Creek Business Park, in Ward 6, houses key industries such as Sleeman Breweries, which sources aluminum from the United States.

University of Guelph Land Use Vision

The University of Guelph has released its long-term Real Estate Strategy and Land Use Vision to guide better use of its endowment lands. I participated in the engagement process and emphasized the need for more purpose-built student housing and strong urban design.

This plan focuses on proactive and thoughtful development, while evaluating long-term leases. The goal is to ease off-campus pressure by better utilizing university-owned endowment lands.

During my conversations with the project team, I emphasized that most of South Guelph is largely made up of frst-generation subdivisions, with a built form that is not well-suited to absorbing additional population pressure.

For residents who value the character and stability of our neighbourhoods, this plan provides a pathway to reduce that pressure, while still supporting the long-term success of the university and the city as a whole. As your councillor, I remain committed to helping nurture a strong, collaborative relationship between the City and our University partners.

Future Development along on Stone Road Corridor

Village by the Arboretum

COMMUNITY CORRIDOR

DOWNTOWN GUELPH CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT

COMMUNITY NODE

URBAN GROUND CENTRE

THE YORK/ ELIZABETH PROJECT

3.2.8 PARK PLAY CORRIDORS

Accessible park spaces are provided centrally to the neighbourhoods in the form of Park Play Corridors, serving as vital connective pathways that integrate community amenities. Designed with ﬂexibility, these pathways can be adapted to accommodate various planting and programming needs, enhancing both accessibility and engagement. By providing inviting and multi-use spaces, these corridors strengthen neighbourhood connectivity while supporting recreation and social interaction all within walking distance of residents.

References

1.2.1 COMMUNITY DESIGN | SEASONALITY

The Master Plan vision thoughtully integrates the diverse rhythms of community life, embracing the ﬂuidity of daily routines, seasonal shifs, and the dynamic nature of Guelph. It captures the essence of the city by celebrating its evolving character and weaving in unique programs that cater to all stages of life. From the vibrant energy of everyday interactions to the quiet reﬂection of changing seasons, the design creates spaces that grow and adapt with the community.

FIGURE:

URBAN EDGES

BIKELANES AND DOCKS

COMMUNITY AMENITIES

ART INTEGRATION

SMALL SPORTS

YOGA

SPILL OUT AREAS

ACTIVATION POCKETS

White Florwers Boulevard, Russia 8 Architects

Sport activities on the lawn

Parc Mallet Stevens Robert Mallet-Stevens

Big Bang, China 100 Architects

Ball Chair Finn Stone

Activity Zone, Poland SLAS Architects

Stadium Park, Perth HASSELL

Electric Scooter

INFRASTRUCTURE UPGRADES

Poppy Dr West extension being constructed to connect to the South End Community Centre.

Road and Dawn Avenue Road and storm sewer upgrades to support new and existing homes.

Lowes

Corporate Asset Management Master Plan

Our infrastructure is worth $7.7 billion. That equals about $50,000 per resident if we had to replace everything today.

Level of Service (Quality)

Good

State of the Assets

INFRASTRUCTURE UPGRADES

Relocated the Hanlon Farmhouse for 331 Clair Road East.

Colonial Drive Park renovations are now complete.

INFRASTRUCTURE UPGRADES

Holland Crescent Park renovations are now complete.

Cleaning up Preservation Park with the Project Serve team from the University of Guelph, the City of Guelph Parks department and local South Guelph residents.