Councillor Downer

Ward 5 · 1,235 recorded votes between 2021 and 2026

Downer voted against the motion on 6.5% of real decisions. Across all sitting members that figure averages 8.1%. Most council business passes unanimously, so these are small numbers for everyone.

Where they stood apart

Decisions where Downer was on the opposite side from the majority of council. This is where a member is most clearly making a choice of their own.

• City-initiated Community Planning Permit By-law for the Downtown Area, as shown in Attachment-1 of Council Memo 2026-204 dated April 15, 2026 be approvedAgainst · Carried (8 to 4) · April 15, 2026
• City Council review consider the remuneration of City Councillors with the pay of Councillors in Single Tier Ontario Municipalities with populations between 130k and 500k.Against · Carried (9 to 4) · February 24, 2026
• Salary for the position of City Councillor be set at $70,218.19 for the 2026-2030 term of office…For · Defeated (5 to 8) · February 03, 2026
• Salaries for the positions of Mayor and City Councillor be maintained at the 2026 current rate for the 2026-2030 term of office, subject to annual inflationary increases equal to the Non-Union Municipal Employee (NUME) economic increase approved as part of future Council budget deliberations.Against · Carried (8 to 5) · February 03, 2026
• Clause 1 (a) of the main motion be amended to: Refine the criteria used to assess suitability for increased residential density that would only apply to…Against · Carried (6 to 5) · December 09, 2025
• Staff to continue evaluating the feasibility of permitting five or more residential units on low density residential lots (RL.1 and RL.2)…Against · Carried (6 to 5) · December 09, 2025
• Amend the 2026 budget update by increasing the operating budget for Mayor and Council training funds by $20,000, funded by the property tax levy.For · Defeated (6 to 7) · November 26, 2025
• Amends the 2026 operating budget by $650,000 to restore funding for snow removal services for on-street bike lanes funded by the property tax levy.For · Defeated (6 to 7) · November 26, 2025
• This item be referred to staff, and that staff report back to Council by the end of Q1 2026.For · Defeated (6 to 7) · November 12, 2025
• Staff to amend the City’s Traffic Bylaw to make adjustments for the following on-street parking in the vicinity of 60 Ontario Street…Against · Carried (8 to 5) · November 12, 2025
• City Council authorize the General Manager of Planning and Building Services to issue final Block Plan endorsement after the applicant modifies the Block Plan to the…For · Defeated (6 to 7) · September 10, 2025
• 2 (b) A minimum of 16.48 hectares of Employment Mixed-use land;For · Defeated (6 to 7) · September 10, 2025
• Item 5.2 30-32 Eramosa Road – Objection to Notice of Intention to Designate – 2025-297 on the July 15, 2025 City Council agenda be deferred.Against · Carried (7 to 4) · July 15, 2025
• Lands bounded by the railway to the north, Fountain Street to the south, and Wyndham Street to the east, Gordon to the west (Police Station…For · Defeated (5 to 6) · April 08, 2025
• Lands bounded by the railway to the north, Fountain Street to the south, and Wyndham Street to the east, Gordon to the west (Police Station…For · Defeated (5 to 6) · April 08, 2025
• Street-facing lands located along Woolwich Street between Wellington and Eramosa, and Douglas Street, remain as is.For · Defeated (5 to 6) · April 08, 2025
• Designation of the Frost Building be deferred until the Block Plan for the Guelph Innovation District is presented to Guelph City Council, but no later than March 31, 2026.Against · Carried (7 to 3) · April 08, 2025
• Staff to disposition the Rodgers Road site in accordance with the Policy for the Sale and Disposition of Real Property Interest policy.For · Defeated (4 to 8) · March 18, 2025
• Councillor Caron called a Point of Privilege regarding comments made by Mayor Guthrie. Mayor Guthrie provided clarifying remarks. That proposed Table 5.3 be amended to require…For · Defeated (3 to 10) · December 10, 2024
• To amend Subsection 18.1.26 (a)vii to change the word "may" to "shall" with respect to the provision of 4 additional parking spaces accessed from Mitchel Street.For · Defeated (4 to 9) · December 10, 2024

Showing 20 of 40.

What they brought forward

Motions Downer moved or seconded — a reasonable measure of who is driving business rather than reacting to it.

• Minutes of the open CAO Recruitment, Selection and Performance Sub-committee Meeting held January 20, 2026 be confirmed as recorded and without being read.For · Carried (4 to 0) · July 22, 2026
• Minutes of the open Council Meetings held June 9, 10, and 23…For · Carried (13 to 0) · July 21, 2026
• That, prior to issuance of a building permit, staff be directed to offer, and if accepted, enter into a deferred payment agreement…For · Carried (13 to 0) · July 21, 2026
• Staff to bring back a report, reviewing the Public Space Bylaw, By-law Number (2024) – 20990, in Q2 of 2027…For · Carried (12 to 1) · July 21, 2026
• Staff be directed on a pilot basis, with a budget of $260,000 for a seven month period from August 2026 to February 2027…For · Carried (13 to 0) · July 21, 2026
• Now hold a meeting that is closed to the public, pursuant to The Municipal Act…For · Carried (10 to 0) · July 14, 2026
• Report 2026-321 from Planning and Building Services, dated July 14, 2026, regarding the draft Ward Heritage Conservation District Plan and Guidelines be received.For · Carried (12 to 0) · July 14, 2026
• Staff to finalize the proposed Rental Renovation By-law establishing a licencing framework for renovations requiring vacant possession…For · Carried (10 to 0) · June 10, 2026
• In order to facilitate a transparent evaluation of a potential opportunity to advance a Community Hub and Affordable Housing on 14.8 acres of land outside of…For · Carried (12 to 0) · June 09, 2026
• Application regarding the proposed City-initiated Official Plan Amendment and Zoning By-law Amendment to redesignate and rezone the parcel of land with the legal description of PT…For · Carried (12 to 0) · June 09, 2026
• Closed Meeting Investigation Report 2026-01, dated May 15, 2026, be received.For · Carried (13 to 0) · June 02, 2026
• McQuillan’s Bridge Environmental Assessment be approved, and that staff be directed to issue a Municipal Class Environmental Assessment Notice of Completion to rehabilitate and strengthen the…For · Carried (8 to 5) · June 02, 2026
• Minutes of the open Council meetings held April 15 and 21…For · Carried (12 to 0) · May 26, 2026
• By-law (2026) - 21254 and by-laws (2026) - 21256 through by-law (2026) - 21259, be approved subject to Section 284.11 (4) of the Municipal ActFor · Carried (13 to 0) · May 26, 2026
• Staff to take no further action in regard to the five plus units project on low density residential lots, at this time…For · Carried (13 to 0) · May 12, 2026

Most recent votes

• Report titled ‘Future Guelph Progress Report, 2026 - 308’ dated July 22, 2026, be received.For · Carried (12 to 0) · July 22, 2026
• That, prior to issuance of a building permit, staff be directed to offer, and if accepted, enter into a deferred payment agreement…For · Carried (13 to 0) · July 21, 2026
• Staff to bring back a report, reviewing the Public Space Bylaw, By-law Number (2024) – 20990, in Q2 of 2027…For · Carried (13 to 0) · July 21, 2026
• Staff to bring back a report, reviewing the Public Space Bylaw, By-law Number (2024) – 20990, in Q2 of 2027…For · Carried (12 to 1) · July 21, 2026
• Staff be directed on a pilot basis, with a budget of $260,000 for a seven month period from August 2026 to February 2027…Against · Defeated (6 to 7) · July 21, 2026
• Staff be directed on a pilot basis, with a budget of $260,000 for a seven month period from August 2026 to February 2027…For · Carried (13 to 0) · July 21, 2026
• By-laws (2026) - 21248, (2026) - 21278, (2026) - 21279, (2026) - 21281…For · Carried (13 to 0) · July 21, 2026
• Public Meeting and Decision Report for Proposed Rental Replacement By-law and Enabling Official Plan Amendment as outlined in report 2026-351, dated July 14, 2026…For · Carried (12 to 0) · July 14, 2026
• Statutory Public Meeting Report regarding a proposed Official Plan Amendment and Zoning By-law Amendment application submitted by GSP Group Inc. on behalf of 2742707 Ontario Limited… be receivedFor · Carried (12 to 0) · July 14, 2026
• Report 2026-321 from Planning and Building Services, dated July 14, 2026, regarding the draft Ward Heritage Conservation District Plan and Guidelines be received.For · Carried (12 to 0) · July 14, 2026
• Guelph City Council receives the Guelph Growth Management Monitoring Report 2025.For · Carried (12 to 0) · July 14, 2026
• Urban Design Master Plan (UDMP) for 64 Duke Street “Mid-town Village” Concept Plan in Attachment 1, be supported.For · Carried (12 to 0) · July 14, 2026
• By-laws (2026) - 21255, (2026) - 21261, by-laws (2026) - 21270 through (2026) - 21272, (2026) - 21275, (2026) - 21276 and (2026) - 21280…For · Carried (12 to 0) · July 14, 2026
• Report titled “Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) Risk Register Update”, dated July 7, 2026, be received.For · Carried (10 to 0) · July 07, 2026
• Updated Budget Policy included as Attachment-1 to report 2026-357 – Finance Policy Updates… be approvedFor · Carried (10 to 0) · July 07, 2026
• 2026–2029 Guelph Community Safety and Well-being Plan, as included as Attachment-1 to report 2026-277, dated July 7, 2026, be adopted.For · Carried (10 to 0) · July 07, 2026
• Response Performance results for Guelph Wellington Paramedic Service in 2025 be received, and That the Recommended Response Time Performance Plan for 2027 be approved.For · Carried (13 to 0) · June 23, 2026
• City of Guelph 2025 Consolidated Financial Statements and External Audit Findings Report, dated June 23, 2026, be approved.For · Carried (13 to 0) · June 23, 2026
• Guelph City Council respectfully requests that The County of Wellington, as the area Social Services Manager…For · Carried (13 to 0) · June 23, 2026
• Requests that the DGBA works with City staff to determine operationally feasible transit and/or parking mitigation opportunities to support customers of downtown businesses during construction activities…For · Carried (13 to 0) · June 23, 2026
• Requests that the DGBA works with City staff to determine operationally feasible transit and/or parking mitigation opportunities to support customers of downtown businesses during construction activities…For · Carried (13 to 0) · June 23, 2026
• Respectfully request that the incoming Mayor consider continued investment in similar measures for inclusion in the 2027 confirmation budget.For · Carried (12 to 1) · June 23, 2026
• Receive the Guelph Energy Equity Action Plan. That Council direct staff, through the multi-year budget process…For · Carried (13 to 0) · June 23, 2026
• Recommendations outlined in the Community Investment Strategy Update report dated June 2…For · Carried (13 to 0) · June 23, 2026
• McQuillan’s Bridge Environmental Assessment be approved, and that staff be directed to issue a Municipal Class Environmental Assessment Notice of Completion to rehabilitate and strengthen the…For · Carried (8 to 5) · June 23, 2026

Showing the 25 most recent of 1003 decisions. Routine business — adopting minutes, adjourning — is excluded from these lists but included in the totals above.