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Tackling Housing Affordability: OnePoint at the Guelph Chamber Breakfast Academy

GUELPH, ONTARIO, October 7, 2026 This morning, the Guelph Chamber of Commerce hosted another successful Breakfast Academy, bringing together business and community leaders for an in-depth look at the state of housing in the Guelph region.

Speaking alongside OREA President Cathy Polan and OREA CEO Luigi Favaro, Dustin Davis, Broker of Record at Century 21 Heritage House and a volunteer with OnePoint’s Government and External Relations Committee, delivered a keynote focused on the Guelph housing market, affordability challenges, and the critical advocacy work OnePoint REALTORS® are leading to bring solutions forward.

The Housing Market in Guelph: A Snapshot

Using OnePoint’s MLS® data, Davis highlighted both the opportunities and challenges facing homebuyers and sellers in the City of Guelph and Centre Wellington:

  • Home Prices: In Q2 2025, average home prices in Guelph sat at over $930,000 for single detached homes, $725,000 for semis, $700,000 for townhomes, and $530,000 for apartments. Affordability continues to be a pressing issue.

  • Long-Term Trends: Since 2016, home prices have risen dramatically, driven by strong immigration and internal migration out of the GTA, adding more than $300,000 to the cost of a typical home in just three years.

  • Housing Supply: Guelph has consistently fallen short of provincial housing targets. To meet the goal of 18,000 new homes by 2031, the city would need to double its best historical years of homebuilding—an ambitious challenge.

The Human Story Behind the Numbers

While the statistics tell an important story, Davis reminded the audience that housing is ultimately about people:

  • Single parents and seniors struggling to afford rent.

  • Young Ontarians losing hope of ever owning a home.

  • A homelessness crisis growing in Guelph and across the province.

Guelph’s Leadership—and the Road Ahead

Davis praised the City of Guelph’s Housing Affordability Strategy, which has been recognized across Ontario for progressive steps on zoning reform, surplus land use, and reducing barriers to development. But, he emphasized, much more needs to be done.

Through its REALTOR® Action Plan, OnePoint is calling on all levels of government to:

  • Cut development charges that add tens of thousands of dollars to the price of new homes.

  • Fund infrastructure growth that supports housing supply.

  • Speed up approvals and reduce costly delays in the building process.

  • Hold the line on new regulations that discourage investment.

  • Lower housing taxes, including HST and land transfer tax, to make new construction viable and affordable.

OnePoint Leading the Change

Davis closed his remarks by underscoring OnePoint’s commitment to being a leader in real estate advocacy:

“Through our REALTOR® advocacy work, we are showing governments at every level how to bring down costs, cut red tape, and speed up approvals so more homes can be built faster and families can find a place to call home.”

OnePoint is proud to partner with organizations like the Guelph Chamber of Commerce and OREA to advance solutions that strengthen communities, support economic growth, and restore the dream of home ownership.

 
 
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