Earlier this month, city council reviewed the decision of the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing on Guelph’s Official Plan Amendment #80 (OPA80), and some of those decisions were pretty controversial. And then there was the response to the controversy, which itself got, at times, pretty controversial. The fruits of that controversy, a letter to the minister, were revealed in an information report to council on Friday.

“We acknowledge that the amendments made to our OPA 80 are now in full force and effect and are not subject to appeal. That being said, we feel that it is important for you to fully understand the impact of the changes on our community, our professional staff, and the elected Council at City Hall,” reads the letter to Minister Steve Clark signed by Mayor Cam Guthrie.

“We recognize and appreciate the role the Ministry plays in the review process for municipal Official Plans. The Ministry has traditionally played the role of ensuring that all municipal plans are in compliance with provincial regulations. Minor edits are expected to
ensure alignment, clarity and conformity. We are concerned that some of the amendments to Guelph’s OPA 80 went beyond that role.”

The letter outlines many of the issues that council discussed at the May 9 planning meeting about the changes they made to OPA 80. That includes the increased height downtown, the reduction of employment lands in the Guelph Innovation District, taking away the Grand River Conservation Authority’s role in planning, and a lack of opportunity for consultation and feedback in the process.

“We bring our comments to you in the spirit of open communication and a commitment to work together to meet mutual goals to address the housing crisis. Only when we work together can we be effective in building public trust and building a great city and a great province,” the letter reads.

The letter is dated May 23, about two weeks after the contentious debate where Guthrie objected to sending a letter saying that it was going to create issues for the City’s intergovernmental affairs office while poking the Ontario government in the eye and putting up hurdles to get stuff done. Many councillors objected to that characterization saying that the version of the OPA passed by council last year didn’t do anything that the Province didn’t ask for and met all the goals that they laid out.

Mayor Guthrie was the only no-vote in directing him to send a letter Minister Clark on behalf of council.

You can read the full five-page letter here.