Council

Who decides, and how you can hold them to account

Guelph is run by an elected council of 13 people. They set the budget, approve big purchases and hire the senior staff who run the city day to day.

Current council

• MayorCam Guthriemayor@guelph.ca
• Councillor, Ward 1Dan Gibsondan.gibson@guelph.ca
• Councillor, Ward 1Erin Catonerin.caton@guelph.ca
• Councillor, Ward 2Rodrigo Gollerrodrigo.goller@guelph.ca
• Councillor, Ward 2Carly Klassencarly.klassen@guelph.ca
• Councillor, Ward 3Phil Alltphil.allt@guelph.ca
• Councillor, Ward 3Michele Richardsonmichele.richardson@guelph.ca
• Councillor, Ward 4Christine Billingschristine.billings@guelph.ca
• Councillor, Ward 4Linda Busuttillinda.busuttil@guelph.ca
• Councillor, Ward 5Leanne Caronleanne.caron@guelph.ca
• Councillor, Ward 5Cathy Downercathy.downer@guelph.ca
• Councillor, Ward 6Ken Yee Chewken.chew@guelph.ca
• Councillor, Ward 6Katherine Hauserkatherine.hauser@guelph.ca

Names and official email addresses from the city's council page. None of the members lists a public social media account there.

Top number: pay. Second number: benefits and expenses together, such as health cover, mileage, conferences and training. Exactly what goes in it differs a little from city to city; the note below says what this city’s statement includes. Some members take the city’s health plan and some do not, so a higher second number is not a problem by itself. The statements give only totals; the receipts behind them can be requested from the clerk.

Each year links to the city's statement. From the City’s statement under the Municipal Act s. 284 for 2024 (PDF page 9 of the 2024 report). “pay” is the Compensation column. “other” adds the Benefits, Cell and Data Expenses, Conference Expenses and Other Expenses columns; benefits include the City’s share of CPP, OMERS pension and extended health. Totals may differ from the printed total by $1 from rounding. The 2025 report we read (March 27, 2026) says the 2025 cost-of-living adjustment was 3.00 per cent and the Mayor receives a car allowance of $5,100 a year, but the member-by-member 2025 table was not in the PDF, so 2025 is not listed. Fees for sitting on local boards are listed separately and not included. Dominique O’Rourke served in 2024 and is not on the current council list.

• Yes
  Budgets posted online

  The 2026 confirmed budget (summary, operating and capital pages), the Mayor’s directions and decisions, the printable budget update and the 2024 to 2027 multi-year budget pages are posted. Source

• Yes
  Audited financial statements

  Statements for 2023, 2024 and 2025 are posted. The 2025 statements carry a clean opinion (“present fairly”) from KPMG LLP dated July 16, 2026. The 2024 opinion was dated June 26, 2025. Source

• Yes
  Budget monitoring and reserve reports

  Quarterly budget monitoring reports, year-end operating and capital reports and the yearly reserves and debt statement are posted for 2023 to 2026 (first quarter). Source

• Partly
  Council pay and expenses (s. 284)

  The yearly report is posted for 2024 and 2025. The 2024 PDF includes the member-by-member table. The 2025 PDF we read had only the six-page report without its attachments, so we did not find member amounts for 2025. Source

• Unknown
  Meeting agendas, minutes and video

  The City publishes agendas two weeks ahead and posts draft and final minutes, with a live stream. We did not open the meeting portal (eSCRIBE), so we did not check whether minutes are up to date. Source

• Yes
  Conflict of interest registry

  A registry is posted. We did not read the declarations. Source

• Partly
  Closed meeting investigator and reports

  An investigator is named and a request form is posted. We did not find investigation reports. Source

• Live stream of council and committee meetings

  The City’s own page for watching meetings live and for recorded meetings.

1. Send the request in writing to the city clerk (the freedom of information coordinator), on the city’s form or in a letter, with the $5 application fee.
2. Describe the records, not the answer you want. Dates, departments and the kind of record (a list, invoices, emails) make a request quicker and cheaper.
3. The city has 45 business days to answer (the law changed in 2026; older guides say 30 days). It can charge for search time and copies, but must send an estimate first if the fees will be over $25.
4. Some parts can be held back, such as legal advice or personal information about other people. The city must say which part of the law it relied on.
5. If you are refused, or the fees seem too high, you can appeal to the Information and Privacy Commissioner within 30 business days of the city’s decision.

The city's request form (on its Forms page) · The law · Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario

• Contingency reserve balances and the rebuild plan

  The reserves report gives percentages of target but not dollar balances or the date the City expects to reach 75 per cent. Related question: Guelph’s “rainy day” accounts for tax-funded costs are at 36% of target. How will they be rebuilt?.

  Show the request wordingHide the wording

  I request, under the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act: Please provide the most recent report, forecast or schedule showing the dollar balance, the dollar target and the projected balance by year for each tax-supported corporate contingency reserve, including the Tax Rate Operating Contingency Reserve (180), and any plan to reach 75 per cent of target.

  Copy the wording

• Loans between reserve funds

  The City says reserve funds act as informal lenders to development charge funds but gives no dollar amount or repayment dates. Related question: Guelph collected $12.6 million in development charges in 2025 against $53.8 million forecast. Who pays for the gap?.

  Show the request wordingHide the wording

  I request, under the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act: Please provide the most recent schedule of interfund borrowing between reserve funds, showing the lender fund, borrower fund, amount, date and expected repayment date, as of December 31, 2025 and the latest date available.

  Copy the wording

• Closed meetings in 2025 and what was reported back

  The City reports the number of closed meetings but not the topics or where council reported back in public. Related question: About one in three Guelph council meetings in 2025 was closed to the public. Does the public hear what was decided?.

  Show the request wordingHide the wording

  I request, under the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act: Please provide a list of the closed meetings of council and its committees held in 2025 showing the date, the section of the Municipal Act relied on, and the date and minute number of any public report-back or vote.

  Copy the wording

The wording is a starting point, not legal advice. Narrow the dates if the city says a request is too broad or too costly.

1. Integrity Commissioner

   Council has appointed an Integrity Commissioner to deal with complaints that a member broke the Code of Conduct, and to advise members. The City says the commissioner delivers an annual report to council. We did not find reports on the page.

2. Closed meeting investigator

   Local Authority Services Ltd. is the City’s closed meeting investigator, and has appointed Aird and Berlis LLP. Anyone can ask for an investigation through an online form.

3. Conflict of interest registry

   A public registry of declarations of pecuniary interest by members of council (and the Police Services Board), available to view and download. We did not read it.

4. Lobbyist registry

   Lobbyists must register within 10 days of lobbying a member of council or senior City official.

5. Gift disclosures

   Members of council and local boards must declare gifts over $300 that fall under the Code of Conduct exceptions, and the City keeps a registry of reported gifts.