62-482: Guelph ( / ˈ ɡ w ɛ l f / GWELF ; 2021 Canadian Census population 143,740) is a city in Southwestern Ontario , Canada. Known as The Royal City, it is roughly 22 km (14 mi) east of Kitchener and 70 km (43 mi) west of Downtown Toronto , at the intersection of Highway 6 , Highway 7 and Wellington County Road 124. It is the seat of Wellington County , but
124-472: A home nearby, a year earlier. Both properties were off what is now Highway 6, an area that was Guelph Township at the time. In 1829, the Canada Company fired Galt because of poor bookkeeping and not obeying company policies. He returned to Great Britain penniless and was imprisoned because he was unable to pay his debts. In 1831, Guelph had approximately 800 residents. For several years, the economy of
186-435: A physical distance to comply with COVID-19 safety regulations. In early May 2021, Statistics Canada began sending mailings to households throughout Canada containing instructions for completing the census questionnaire. The questionnaires could be completed by returning the paper questionnaire, or by phone or online by using an access code provided in the mailing. Statistics Canada expected about 80% of households to complete
248-516: A population of 35,151,728. Three provinces' and one territory's population grew faster than Canada's overall population increase: Yukon – a 12.1 per cent increase, Prince Edward Island – an 8 per cent increase, British Columbia – a 7.6 per cent increase, and Ontario – a 5.8 per cent increase. The rapid growth in Yukon is largely credited to immigration and migration from within Canada. At the other end of
310-621: Is built on several drumlins and buried waterways, the most notable being an underground creek flowing below the Albion Hotel, once the source of water used to brew beer. Guelph is the largest Canadian city to rely almost entirely on groundwater for its drinking supply, which is sourced from two main aquifers. This region of Ontario has cold winters and warm, humid summers, falling into the Köppen climate classification Dfb zone ( humid continental ), with moderately high rainfall and snowfall. It
372-531: Is generally a couple of degrees cooler than lower elevation regions on the Great Lakes shorelines, especially so in winter, the exception being on some spring afternoons when the lack of an onshore breeze boosts temperatures well above those found lakeside. The highest temperature ever recorded in Guelph was 38.3 °C (100.9 °F) on August 6, 1918, and July 13, 1936. The coldest temperature ever recorded
434-716: Is politically independent of it. Guelph began as a settlement in the 1820s, established by John Galt , who was in Upper Canada as the first superintendent of the Canada Company . He based the headquarters, and his home, in the community. The area—much of which became Wellington County—was part of the Halton Block, a Crown reserve for the Six Nations Iroquois. Galt is generally considered Guelph's founder. For many years, Guelph ranked at or near
496-572: The Basilica of Our Lady Immaculate , McCrae House and Old City Hall . The city is home to the University of Guelph , established in 1964, and Sleeman Breweries Ltd. The Ontario Agricultural College (OAC), the oldest part of the University of Guelph , began in 1874 as an associate agricultural college of the University of Toronto . According to Maclean's , the current University of Guelph, founded in 1964, "grew out of three founding colleges:
558-677: The Canadian Pacific Railway Priory station on the Guelph Junction Railway before it was eventually torn down and removed. A historical plaque commemorates John Galt's role with the Canada Company in populating Upper Canada 's Huron Tract , calling it "the most important single attempt at settlement in Canadian history". (Galt was responsible for finding settlers for the 42,000 acre Halton Block that would become Guelph and its townships but also for
620-671: The Yukon Gold potato was first bred at the University of Guelph in 1966; it became available on the market in 1981. Guelph's police force had Canada's first municipal motorcycle patrol. Chief Ted Lamb brought back an army motorcycle he used during the First World War. Motorcycles were faster and more efficient than walking. Guelph has several buildings on the National Historic Sites of Canada register:
682-696: The patron saint of England . The name Guelph comes, via the Italian Guelfo , from the Bavarian Welf . It is a reference to the House of Welf , and was chosen to honour King George IV —the reigning British monarch at the time of the city's founding—whose family, the Hanoverians , descended from the Welfs. It is for this reason that the city has the nickname The Royal City . The directors of
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#1732764797480744-483: The 2021 census are: Statistics Canada links income and related information obtained from the Canada Revenue Agency , and immigration status obtained from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada , to the census responses. The 2021 Canadian census included new questions "critical to measuring equity, diversity and inclusivity". For the first time, questions were asked about commuting methods and
806-648: The Allan family, in the 1850s. This business was extensively damaged by fire in 1876 and ceased operation as a mill; the site was later used by manufacturing companies. (In 2019, the current John Sleeman reinstated the Spring Mill Distillery on the site which also includes a condominium apartment complex.) The more recent business, a sawmill known as the Goldie Mill, was also on the Speed; this building
868-654: The Attawandaron who lived in longhouses surrounded by fields of corn". The majority of this nation, about 4,000 people, lived in a village near what is now the Badenoch area of Puslinch , near Morriston. In 1784, the British Crown purchased a tract of land, that included present-day Guelph, from the Mississauga people for approximately £1,180. John Galt , the first Superintendent of the Canada Company ,
930-521: The Board of Light and Heat Commissioners. Guelph was one of 13 municipalities that helped to create the provincial entity that became Ontario Hydro . The Communist Party of Canada began as an illegal organization in a barn behind a farmhouse on Metcalfe Street in Guelph on 1921. Guelph was the home of North America's first cable TV system . Fredrick T. Metcalf created MacLean Hunter Television (now part of Rogers Communications ) and their first broadcast
992-552: The Canada Company had actually wanted the city to be named Goderich, because Viscount Goderich had helped form the company, but reluctantly accepted the name Guelph. Galt constructed what was one of the first buildings in the community to house early settlers and the Canada Company office; "The Priory" (built 1827–1828). was located on the banks of the Speed River near the current River Run Centre for performing arts and could house up to 100 people. The building eventually became
1054-564: The Canadian operation. According to research completed by the City of Guelph in 2010, fabricated metal product manufacturing accounted for 26.1% of the types of industries, followed by machinery manufacturing for 12.8% and miscellaneous manufacturing for 10.4%. The city's Economic Development Strategy identified life science , agri-food and biotechnology firms, environmental management and technology companies as growth industries on which to focus economic development activities. The city also touts
1116-582: The Chamber of Commerce. In order to eliminate the need for farmers to take their grain to Galt or Dundas for grinding, the Canada Company built the first grist mill; the Guelph Mill was sold to William Allen in 1832. A sawmill was erected in 1833 by Charles Julius Mickle, originally from Scotland, on the Marden Creek which runs into the Speed River; its ruin survives today. The Mickle family also built
1178-542: The Great Western Railway. The first section of the Wellington, Grey & Bruce Railway, between Guelph and Elora , opened in 1870; the line would eventually run as far as Southampton, Ontario , with stations in communities such as Palmerston , Harriston , Listowel and Wingham . The company was not very successful, and never did reach Owen Sound as planned, partly because of stiff competition from
1240-681: The Guelph Railway Company, an important part of the history of Guelph Transit . Only five miles of track had been laid by 1895, but the line was extended in 1902; the radial railway eventually reached Toronto, as the Ontario Hydro Electric Railways - Guelph District (owned by Ontario Hydro). In addition to carrying passengers, the cars carted coal to heat the Ontario Agricultural College. By 1886, telephones were quite common in
1302-454: The Guelph region's manufacturing was experiencing significant growth, averaging 5.9% over the past five years and expected to be 4.2% in 2019. Linamar is the city's leader in this sector, with 22 manufacturing plants. The company has received government funding for expansion that would create additional jobs, most recently in 2015 ($ 101 million) and in 2018 ($ 99 million). The latter would create 1,500 additional jobs and maintain 8,000 others in
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#17327647974801364-517: The Marquis of Lorne, and his wife was Princess Louise, Duchess of Argyll , one of Queen Victoria's daughters. Construction of the Church of Our Lady Immaculate, known as the Basilica of Our Lady Immaculate since late 2014, was already underway but would not be completed until 1883. (The twin towers were not added until 1926.) A few years later, George Sleeman Sr. founded an electric radial railway,
1426-785: The Northern Railway of Canada as well as the Toronto, Grey and Bruce Railway . By the mid-1870s, the Wellington, Grey & Bruce Railway was in financial trouble; it eventually became part of the Grand Trunk system, and later, the Canadian National Railway . By January 1871, some residents of the town had access to gas, provided by the Guelph Gas Company via pipes, initially to about 100 homes. Electricity would not become commonly available until
1488-613: The Ontario Agricultural College (1874), the Ontario Veterinary College (1862) and the Macdonald Institute (1903)". Guelph Collegiate Vocational Institute (GCVI), established in the 1840s, is one of the province's oldest high schools. The Former Canadian National Railways (VIA Rail/GO Transit) Station at 79 Carden Street was listed in 1992. In 2017, Scientology Canada announced it would move its Canadian headquarters to Guelph. Some residents protested
1550-664: The Wellington County Museum and Archives. Guelph was incorporated as a city in 1879 with a Special Act of the Ontario legislature. At this time, Guelph became politically separated from Wellington County and was no longer represented on the Wellington County Council. At separation, the population was about 10,000. During the inauguration, Mayor George Howard first used the term "Royal City". The only "royals" to actually visit were John Campbell,
1612-534: The bottom of Canada's crime severity list. However, the 2017 index showed a 15% increase from 2016. It had one of the country's lowest unemployment rates throughout the Great Recession . In late 2018, the Guelph Eramosa and Puslinch entity had an unemployment rate of 2.3%, which decreased to 1.9% by January 2019, the lowest of all Canadian cities. (The national rate at the time was 5.8%.) Much of this
1674-423: The census counted transgender people and people of non-binary gender . Canada has been noted in this instance to be the first country to provide census data on transgender and non-binary people. The 2021 census recorded a total federal population of 36,991,981, living in 14,978,941 of its 16,284,235 private dwellings. With a land area of 8,788,702.80 km (3,393,337.12 sq mi), its population density
1736-635: The city had the lowest unemployment rate in Canada. The 2016 Census indicated a labour force of nearly 76,000, of which about 55% said they worked full-time all year. At the time the data was gathered, 4,610 persons indicated they were unemployed. The top five occupations in terms of the number so employed were Sales and service (16,195), Education, law and social, community and government services (10,205), Business, finance and administration (10,150), Trades, transport and equipment operators and related occupations (9,170) and manufacturing and utilities (8,205). 2021 Canadian Census The 2021 Canadian census
1798-469: The city. An April news article described the situation as follows. "Telephones are rapidly being introduced into private homes, where they prove a great convenience. Ladies order their groceries, consult their medical advisers, call their husbands home from the club and gossip with their friends by telephone." In 1903 the City purchased the Guelph Light & Power Company, and four years later created
1860-470: The community had 15 stores, seven taverns, and some industry, tanneries, breweries, distilleries and a starch factory. The Post Office was receiving mail daily. Guelph was incorporated as a town in 1855 and the first mayor elected was John Smith. Despite optimism, the population growth was very slow until the Grand Trunk Railway reached it from Toronto, en route to Sarnia , in 1856; the town
1922-745: The company's Board. Downtown Guelph is situated above the confluence of the Speed River and the Eramosa River , which have numerous tributaries. The Speed River enters from the north and the Eramosa River from the east; the two rivers meet below downtown and continue southwest, where they merge with the Grand River (Ontario) . There are also many creeks and smaller rivers creating large tracts of densely forested ravines, and providing ideal sites for parks and recreational trails. The city
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1984-544: The early 1900s, from the Guelph Light and Heat Commission. An 1877 plan to start the Guelph Street Railway, using horse-drawn vehicles to deliver freight and passengers within Guelph, never came to fruition. A poor house with a farm, The Wellington County House of Industry and Refuge, opened in December 1877 in a rural area near Guelph; many orphans from Guelph were admitted. The building still stands, as
2046-399: The highest among medium-sized cities in Canada. "Although economic growth is poised to moderate in 2019, Guelph will maintain its place as one of Canada’s economic growth leaders," the report predicted. Manufacturing is the leading sector of the economy of the city with the most significant sector being auto parts manufacturing. The Conference Board of Canada 's August 2019 report stated that
2108-400: The importance of advanced manufacturing which is its largest employer. The roughly 360 businesses of this type employ approximately 14,755 people (roughly 25% of Guelph's labour force). The category includes "high precision manufacturing and auto parts assembly to plastic injection moulding machines manufacturing and automation devices. This enables advanced manufacturing to be a strong driver of
2170-821: The local economy." The second largest industry is Educational services, accounting for 11.3%. Guelph is very attractive to the agri-food and biotechnology market sector, according to the city. It was ranked as the top cluster in Ontario and one of the top two in Canada. This sector includes over 90 companies in Guelph-Wellington, employing approximately 6,500 people. The City encourages movie and television filming. Parts of several productions have been filmed here, including Agnes of God (1985), American Gods (released in 2017), 11.22.63 (2016) with James Franco, Total Recall (2012), Dream House (2011), The Heretics (2017), Dead Rush (2016) and episodes of Murdoch Mysteries (2013 and 2015). As part of
2232-488: The lowest in Canada at that time. The overall economy of the Guelph "region" (including the city and the townships of Guelph/Eramosa and Puslinch, Ontario ) grew at an average of 3.5% per year over the previous five years and was expected to be 2.1% in 2019 and also in 2020 according to the Conference Board of Canada 's August 2019 report. Guelph's real gross domestic product (GDP) grew by 3.6% per cent in 2018,
2294-488: The older building, which was declared a National Historic Site in 1984. The national document refers to the historic building as being "in the Italian Renaissance Revival style". Two very successful major mills operated in Guelph for many years in the 1800s. The first was Allan's Mill , first established in 1830 on the Speed River and significantly expanded to include a distillery by the next owners,
2356-452: The one million acre Huron Tract that stretched to Goderich, Ontario .) By the fall of 1827, 70 houses had been built, though some were primitive. In that year, the community had hired its first police constable; the first police station would be opened in 1856 at the town hall and it was moved in 1900 to the Annex building behind the court house. Also in 1827, the first Guelph Farmers' Market
2418-502: The plan to increase development, City Council voted in late 2017 to buy 98 hectares (240 acres) south of York Road owned by the Provincial government, including part of the property of the former Wellington Detention Centre. After the acquisition, the city would seek one or more developers to buy the property. The land actually purchased was only 23% of the long-term plan for development in the entire site bounded by Watson Parkway South,
2480-527: The plan. The facility was opened in the autumn of the year at 40 Baker Street. A redevelopment plan for Downtown Guelph had been discussed by Council since 2007 and was finalized as the 2018 Baker District redevelopment project. The intent is to transform the Baker St. parking lot and properties fronting Wyndham Street's north end into a mixed-use development, with urban intensification. Both residential and commercial buildings will be included. The final cost
2542-432: The questionnaire had to be completed in either English or French. The standard short-form questionnaire was to be completed by 75% of households. The other 25% completed a long-form questionnaire to collect data about the household's economic and social state, information about the occupied dwelling, and other data in addition to age, languages spoken, marital status, religious affiliation, and other basic data collected in
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2604-545: The questionnaire online. It was also available in large-print , braille , audio, and video formats. The questionnaire questions were available in a number of languages ( Arabic , simplified and traditional Chinese, Italian , Korean , Persian , Portuguese , Punjabi , Russian , Spanish , Urdu , and Vietnamese ) and indigenous languages ( Atikamekw , Denesuline , Nunavik and Nunavut Inuktitut , Mohawk , Montagnais , Naskapi , Northern Quebec Cree , Ojibwe , Oji-Cree , Plains Cree , Swampy Cree , and Tłı̨chǫ ), but
2666-694: The same time was also of great value to the community. At the time, the BMO economist also rated Guelph as the top city in Canada for those looking for work. Over subsequent months, the rate increased steadily and the jobless rate was at a more typical 5.9% by October 2017, compared to 5.1% in Kitchener-Waterloo. The rate in June 2018 had decreased to 4.5%. By December 2018, StatsCan was indicating an unemployment rate of only 2.3%, down from 4% in November, and
2728-469: The short-form questionnaire. Those who completed the census questionnaire online could listen to a number of soundtracks on Spotify and YouTube prepared by Statistics Canada. Completing the questionnaire is a legal requirement, and those who refuse to do so may be fined up to $ 500. It must be completed by citizens of Canada, permanent residents, refugee claimants, and those with a study or work permit. The release dates for data by release topic from
2790-458: The south border of the city and Victoria Road South. The city decided in late 2018 not to purchase the additional land for economic reasons. In 2019, the remaining 362 acres of Ontario government land was listed for sale by the province. According to the Bank of Montreal 's fourth quarter 2018 report, Guelph was the leading city in Canada in terms of job growth and low unemployment. In January 2019,
2852-606: The spectrum, only one province and one territory saw a decrease in population since 2016: Newfoundland and Labrador – a 1.8 per cent decrease, and the Northwest Territories — a 1.7 per cent decrease. The majority of Canadians identified as female at 50.73%, while 49.27% of the population identified as male. The median age overall was 41.6 years – 40.4 years for males and 42.8 years for females. 59,460 Canadians identify as transgender and 41,355 identify as non-binary. River Run Centre The River Run Centre
2914-417: The village suffered and some residents moved away; relief came in the form of wealthy immigrants from England and Ireland who arrived in 1832. The Smith's Canadian Gazetteer of 1846 indicates that the town had a jail and court house made of cut stone, a weekly newspaper, five churches/chapels and a population of 1,240; most were from England and Scotland with a few from Ireland. In addition to many tradesmen,
2976-502: Was 4.21/km (10.90/sq mi). Canada's most- and least-populated provinces were Ontario and Prince Edward Island , respectively. Amongst the three territories, the Northwest Territories was the largest in terms of population, while Nunavut once again became the smallest territory after briefly overtaking Yukon in 2016. The population of Canada rose by 5.2 per cent federally since the 2016 census, which recorded
3038-633: Was Queen Elizabeth's Coronation in 1953. Other news-making items include the fact that the jockstrap was invented here, in 1922, by the Guelph Elastic Hosiery Company and that the man who invented five pin bowling in 1909, Tom Ryan, was originally from Guelph. Other noteworthy items: the city's covered bridge (now part of a walking trail), built by the Timber Framers' Guild in 1992, is one of only two of its type in Ontario, using wooden pins to hold it together. Note too that
3100-494: Was a detailed enumeration of the Canadian population with a reference date of May 11, 2021. It follows the 2016 Canadian census , which recorded a population of 35,151,728. The overall response rate was 98%, which is slightly lower than the response rate for the 2016 census. It recorded a population of 36,991,981, a 5.2% increase from 2016. It will be succeeded by Canada's 2026 census . Consultation on census program content
3162-598: Was also served soon thereafter by the Great Western Railway branch from Harrisburg. In 1856, the village became a town. Two years later, the population was estimated at 4,500, up from 2,000 in 1853. The first city hall, now called the Old City Hall (Guelph) , was built in 1856 of Guelph stone; the building contained a market house, offices and an assembly hall. Modifications were made in 1870, 1875 and 1961. The new Guelph City Hall opened in 2009 beside
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#17327647974803224-476: Was attributed to its numerous manufacturing facilities, including Linamar . First Nations peoples inhabited present-day Guelph as early as 11,000 years ago. Before colonization, the area was considered by the surrounding Indigenous communities to be a "neutral" zone and was inhabited by the Neutral Nation . According to the University of Guelph , "the area was home to a First Nations community called
3286-567: Was built; the Market House was located in the downtown area. Founded in 1827, James Hodgert's brewery was managed by John Sleeman until he bought a property and opened the Silver Creek Brewery in 1851. (In 1843, there were nine breweries serving the 700 people living in Guelph.) The first Board of Commerce also started in 1827, to stimulate economic growth; in 1866, it would be renamed the Board of Trade, and in 1919, it became
3348-471: Was completed in 1875, at the cost of $ 9,869, and opened on August 16, 1875, with 12 beds, a small infectious room and a dispensary. The Gothic Revival style Roman Catholic church on Norfolk St., called the Basilica of Our Lady Immaculate since December 8, 2014, was built between 1876 and 1888. By 1869, the community's manufacturing companies were served by both the Grand Trunk Railway and
3410-587: Was constructed in 1866 by James Goldie, replacing an earlier mill known as the Wellington Mill and later as the People's Mill. The property, a ruin, was listed on the Canadian Register as a historic place in 2009. Goldie was a perennial Conservative candidate for the riding of Wellington South , and his son Thomas Goldie was mayor of Guelph from 1891 to 1892. The limestone Goldie mill structure
3472-648: Was damaged by fire in 1953 and a part of it was removed in 1969; the remaining part still stands today, in Goldie Mill Park at Cardigan Street and London Road East. The ruins, owned by the Grand River Conservation Authority , were stabilized in 2019–2021 to solve a problem created by sinkholes. The board of the Guelph General Hospital was incorporated in 1861, with James Massie as the chairman. The building
3534-450: Was estimated at between $ 315 million and $ 369 million. When finished, this area will include a new library, commercial, institutional and office space as well as an underground parking lot. The private enterprise partner for the project is Ottawa-based Windmill Development Group; there was also discussion about an additional partnership with Conestoga College and the YMCA . Actual construction
3596-527: Was from September 11 to December 8, 2017. The census was conducted by Statistics Canada , and was contactless as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada . The agency had considered delaying the census until 2022. About 900 supervisors and 31,000 field enumerators were hired to conduct the door-to-door survey of individuals and households who had not completed the census questionnaire by late May or early June. Canvassing agents wore masks and maintained
3658-481: Was hired to help colonize Upper Canada. He selected Guelph as the headquarters of this British development firm. Galt was a popular Scottish poet and novelist who also designed the town to attract settlers and farmers to the surrounding countryside. His design intended the town to resemble a European city centre, complete with squares, broad main streets and narrow side streets, resulting in a variety of block sizes and shapes which are still in place today. The street plan
3720-405: Was laid out in a radial street and grid system that branches out from downtown, a technique which was also employed in other planned towns of this era, such as Buffalo, New York . The founding was symbolized by the felling of a tree by Galt and William "Tiger" Dunlop , who would be significant in the history of Goderich, Ontario , on April 23, 1827. That was St. George's Day , the feast day of
3782-666: Was not expected to start until 2023. Before that date, up to $ 7.5 million will be spent to acquire the rest of the land that will be required. In October 2018, the Ontario Energy Board approved the merger of Guelph Hydro and Alectra Utilities Corporation. After the merger was completed in January 2019, the city received a 4.63 per cent stake in Alectra and a one-time dividend of $ 18.5 million; afterwards, annual dividends would be received. The city has one permanent seat on
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#17327647974803844-513: Was −37.2 °C (−35.0 °F) on January 25, 1884. The city of Guelph's diversified economy helped Guelph obtain the country's lowest unemployment rate at 4.2 per cent in 2011 and at 3.9 per cent in February 2016. The great diversity in the types of employers is a significant factor too; the city is not dependent on a single industry. The workforce participation rate of 72% was the best in Canada in December 2015 according to BMO senior economist Robert Kavcic. The job growth of more than 9 per cent at
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