On February 5, 2026, the County of Wellington and the City of Guelph announced a new integrated Housing and Health Support Hub in the Town of Erin that will colocate permanent housing and on-site health services. The project is designed to help local residents move into stable, long-term homes while receiving the healthcare and social and navigation supports they need in the same building. The hub aims to reduce the “revolving door” of emergency room visits and temporary shelter stays by offering permanent supportive housing for the county’s most vulnerable residents.
The facility responds to a growing need in the Wellington–Guelph area: homelessness has risen by roughly 64 per cent since 2022. By siting the hub in Erin, officials say they will close a rural “service gap” so residents no longer need to travel to larger centres such as Guelph or Fergus to access supports. The plan calls for 24/7 on-site access to medical staff, mental health supports and addictions counselling so residents can both get and stay healthy while housed.
The Wellington–Guelph Health and Housing Community Planning Table helped coordinate the integrated plan. Funding for the project will come from a combination of municipal budget allocations and provincial health supports; the City of Guelph’s 2026 social services budget included a $3.29-million increase, but the precise split of funding between the County, the City and provincial sources should be confirmed with finance officials. Medical and mental health staff are expected to be provided through the local Guelph Wellington Ontario Health Team (OHT) in partnership with provincial supports (Ontario Health/Ontario Health West).
There were 252 households on the social housing centralized waiting list in Erin as reported in 2025. The hub follows a permanent supportive housing model that prioritizes stabilizing a person’s health to improve long-term housing retention. Construction on the new hub is expected to begin in the County’s 2026–2027 infrastructure cycle, pending final approvals and procurement.
