Councillor O'Rourke

Ward 6 · 724 recorded votes between 2021 and 2025

O'Rourke voted against the motion on 5.6% 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 O'Rourke was on the opposite side from the majority of council. This is where a member is most clearly making a choice of their own.

• Guelph City Council urges the Ontario government to continue to permit the operation and funding of the Guelph consumption and treatment site beyond the proposed termination…For · Defeated (4 to 7) · December 11, 2024
• Guelph City Council encourages the Ontario Government to not take steps to prohibit the establishment of supervised consumption sites, including urgent public health needs sites (UPHNS).Against · Carried (7 to 4) · December 11, 2024
• 4.12.1(g)(vi)B. An additional dwelling unit must be setback from an exterior side lot line no less than the exterior side yard setback of the main dwelling…Against · Carried (8 to 5) · December 10, 2024
• Respectfully requests the mayor to amend the 2026 budget update by increasing the operating budget by $167,400 to increase the base budget for Community Grants to…For · Defeated (6 to 7) · November 27, 2024
• Each subsequent budget, starting in 2026, be amended to reflect an of rate of inflation to keep pace with community grant funding needs.Against · Carried (10 to 3) · November 27, 2024
• Section 5 of the Code of Conduct for Council and Local Boards be amended to include an exception for 'food, lodging…For · Defeated (4 to 9) · November 26, 2024
• Staff revise the heritage attributes of the designation bylaw to be limited to salvageable steel elements of the conservatory structure.Against · Carried (7 to 5) · November 13, 2024
• Section 4.13 of the Procedural By-law be suspended to allow Council to continue the November 13, 2024 Council Planning meeting beyond 12:00 a.m.Against · Carried (8 to 3) · November 13, 2024
• Guelph City Council directs the City Clerk’s Office to offer internet voting as an alternative voting method for the 2026 municipal and school board election subject…Against · Carried (9 to 4) · May 28, 2024
• Guelph City Council directs the City Clerk’s Office to offer internet voting as an alternative voting method for the 2026 municipal and school board election subject…Against · Carried (9 to 4) · May 07, 2024
• Staff comments requesting the ministry to uphold the reversal of a Council decision on the designation of 41-45 George Street be stricken from the letter to…Against · Carried (7 to 6) · December 05, 2023
• Amend the 2024-2027 operating budget by reducing 2025 by $24,020, reducing 2026 by $154,900…For · Defeated (6 to 7) · November 29, 2023
• C. Bring forward through the multi-year budget process the necessary resources to expedite recommendations in the Cultural Heritage Action Plan (CHAP) on lands affected by the…Against · Carried (8 to 5) · May 09, 2023
• D. During the next five-year OP amendment process, initiate a public consultation exercise and bring forward recommendation(s) for additional future View Corridors that may be appropriate…Against · Carried (9 to 4) · May 09, 2023
• Section 5.11.2 be amended as follows: 5.11.2 Garage location (a) Within residential zones…For · Defeated (6 to 7) · April 18, 2023

What they brought forward

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

• Guelph City Council receive the 2024 Water Services’ Annual Report and Summary Report. That Guelph City Council receive the 2024 Water Efficiency Strategy Progress Report.For · Carried (12 to 0) · March 04, 2025
• David Kennedy be appointed to the Guelph Cemetery Commission for a term ending November 2026 or until such time as a successor is appointed.For · Carried (10 to 0) · February 25, 2025
• General by-law of Guelph Municipal Holdings Inc., referred to as By-law No. 1, be amended to delete the following from section 7.01 Appointment…For · Carried (11 to 0) · February 11, 2025
• Notice of Objection to the intention to designate 37 Christie Lane dated December 19… be approvedFor · Carried (11 to 0) · February 11, 2025
• Report titled “Enterprise Risk Management Policy and Framework Overview” be received.For · Carried (10 to 0) · February 04, 2025
• By-law (2025)-21032 be approved subject to Section 284.11 (4) of the Municipal Act.For · Carried (11 to 0) · January 22, 2025
• 56-58 Glasgow St. S. does not meet the criteria for designation under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act…For · Carried (11 to 0) · January 21, 2025
• By-law (2025)-21031 and (2025)-21034 be approved subject to Section 284.11 (4) of the Municipal Act.For · Carried (11 to 0) · January 21, 2025
• Authorizes and directs the General Manager of Planning and Building Services…For · Carried (9 to 2) · January 14, 2025
• Guelph City Council urges the Ontario government to continue to permit the operation and funding of the Guelph consumption and treatment site beyond the proposed termination…For · Defeated (4 to 7) · December 11, 2024
• Minutes of the open CAO Recruitment, Selection and Performance Sub-Committee Meetings held November 5 and 26, 2024 be confirmed as recorded and without being read.For · Carried (4 to 0) · December 10, 2024
• Notice of Objection to the intention to designate 106 Carden Street dated October 8… be approvedFor · Carried (12 to 0) · December 10, 2024
• City-initiated Official Plan Amendment to exclude multi-unit residential buildings with four units or less from the net density calculation in the low density residential designation be…For · Carried (13 to 0) · December 10, 2024
• Application from Van Harten Surveying Inc. on behalf of 8 Mitchell St Inc. for a Zoning By-law Amendment to change the zoning from the current Neighbourhood…For · Carried (13 to 0) · December 10, 2024
• City Council approve the deconstruction of the Rutherford Conservatory at 37 Christie Lane on the condition that salvageable steel be retained and conserved for future use…For · Carried (12 to 0) · December 10, 2024

Most recent votes

• Meeting be adjourned (10:54 a.m.).For · Carried (10 to 0) · March 19, 2025
• Meeting be adjourned (2:59 p.m.).For · Carried (7 to 0) · March 19, 2025
• City Clerk be authorized to publish and serve notice of intention to designate 99 Maltby Road West pursuant to Part IV…For · Carried (12 to 0) · March 18, 2025
• Staff to disposition the Rodgers Road site in accordance with the Policy for the Sale and Disposition of Real Property Interest policy. That staff be directed…For · Carried (12 to 0) · March 18, 2025
• Staff to disposition the Rodgers Road site in accordance with the Policy for the Sale and Disposition of Real Property Interest policy.Against · Defeated (4 to 8) · March 18, 2025
• Staff to prioritize the evaluation of adding residential use to the City-owned downtown surface parking lots at Neeve Street and Fountain Street and any other properties…For · Carried (12 to 0) · March 18, 2025
• Housing in Guelph Semi-Annual Update report 2025-129, dated March 18, be received. That the proposed Affordable Housing Seed Funding Program…For · Carried (12 to 0) · March 18, 2025
• City of Guelph will actively collaborate with the local business community and the broader public sector to navigate these challenges through initiatives such as the Trade…For · Carried (12 to 0) · March 18, 2025
• 2025 City of Guelph property tax ratios and corresponding tax rates… be approvedFor · Carried (11 to 0) · March 04, 2025
• Membership and Composition section of the Economic Development and Tourism Advisory Committee terms of reference, included as Attachment-6 to report 2025-50…For · Carried (12 to 0) · March 04, 2025
• Membership and Composition Section of the Heritage Advisory Committee terms of reference, included as Attachment-2 to report 2025-50…Against · Defeated (6 to 6) · March 04, 2025
• Accessibility Advisory Committee Terms of Reference, included as Attachment-1 to report 2025-50, be approved. That the Heritage Advisory Committee Terms of Reference…For · Carried (12 to 0) · March 04, 2025
• Code of Conduct for Council and Local Boards, included as Attachment-3 to report 2025-44…For · Carried (12 to 0) · March 04, 2025
• City Clerk be directed to review and recommend amendments to the Public Appointment Policy, in consultation with the Accessibility Advisory Committee…Against · Defeated (5 to 7) · March 04, 2025
• Procedure By-law, included as Attachment-1 to report 2025-44, be approved. That the Review of Code of Conduct for Members of Council and Local Boards and Use… be approvedFor · Carried (12 to 0) · March 04, 2025
• Guelph City Council receive the 2024 Water Services’ Annual Report and Summary Report. That Guelph City Council receive the 2024 Water Efficiency Strategy Progress Report.For · Carried (12 to 0) · March 04, 2025
• 5(1).5 Exemptions from sections 5(1).1, 5(1).2, 5(1).3, and 5(1).4 apply to the following: Self-serve restaurants such as buffets, salad bars, and all-you can-eat restaurants…For · Carried (11 to 0) · March 04, 2025
• Additional phase 2 recommendation for the Single-Use Items Reduction Strategy, as included in report 2025-84, dated March 4, 2025… be approvedFor · Carried (11 to 0) · March 04, 2025
• Councillor Downer called a point of order, noting that Councillor Goller's questions on procuring Canadian vendors may not be in order. Chair O'Rourke ruled in favour…For · Carried (11 to 0) · March 04, 2025
• 2024-Q4 quarterly report on the operations of The Elliott Long-Term Care Residence (the ELTCR), be received.For · Carried (6 to 0) · March 04, 2025
• David Kennedy be appointed to the Guelph Cemetery Commission for a term ending November 2026 or until such time as a successor is appointed.For · Carried (10 to 0) · February 25, 2025
• 2024 Annual Report of the Integrity Commissioner, dated January 22, 2025, be received.For · Carried (12 to 0) · February 25, 2025
• 2024 Annual Report of the Lobbyist Registrar, dated February 11, 2025, be received.For · Carried (12 to 0) · February 25, 2025
• General by-law of Guelph Municipal Holdings Inc., referred to as By-law No. 1, be amended to delete the following from section 7.01 Appointment…For · Carried (11 to 0) · February 11, 2025
• Notice of Objection to the intention to designate 22 James Street East dated December 16… be approvedFor · Carried (12 to 0) · February 11, 2025

Showing the 25 most recent of 594 decisions. Routine business — adopting minutes, adjourning — is excluded from these lists but included in the totals above.