Neighbourhood Good
All the nice things we can do for the neighbourhood because of you!
Guelph's Great Meeting Place
The Wooly Pub has been an institution in downtown Guelph for 35 years, welcoming neighbours to a second home to share in life's biggest and smallest moments and celebrations.
The pub was built on the foundation of being good for the planet. This means supporting local growers and makers and committing to carbon neutrality - all while offering the best micro-brews in the area. One of the only restaurants in Canada that is B Corp Certified, The Wooly Pub proves its commitment to use business as a force for good.
Founder, Bob Desautels, was inspired by the Ontario micro-brewery "explosion” that occurred in the late 1980’s. Teaching a course on beer at the University of Guelph, he knew the brewery industry was dominated by 3 large companies for over 40 years and wanted a community space that championed the local, small craft breweries.
Over the past 3 decades, the pub has become a beacon of environmental action, social justice and strengthening the local economy. Above all, putting people before profits.
Our history
Every decision we make in the pub is driven by the goal of being more human, making a positive impact in our neighbourhood and using our business as a force for good. Being a certified B Corp means that not only are we part of a global community of businesses doing the same but we're held accountable, publicly and transparently.
Together we've raised over half a million dollars with fundraisers or in-kind sponsorships to support local community initiatives. From sustainable food programs to reconciliation to environmental protection, you've helped our neighbours do some incredible good! This includes $250K specifically for local waterways like the Grand and Speed Rivers.
We're completely carbon neutral! And so are all of our sister restaurants - Borealis Grille & Bar, Miijidaa Cafe + Bistro, and Park Eatery. Testing the ink on our napkins to ensure they're compostable may seem like overkill to some people, but we know that small actions can make a big impact. Another step we take toreduce our carbon footprint is partnering with Anwaatin to purchase carbon offsets and further indigenous stewardship.
With Provision Coalition and local partners, the world's first entirely upcycled food menu was made right here in southern Ontario! Using only food byproducts that would normally go to waste our chefs we're able to create delicious and entirely sustainable dishes.
Neighbours Helping Neighbours
When neighbours come together, there's not much we can't do! Supporting local organizations that make an impact in our community is only possible of you and guess what, you’ve made a pretty big impact so far! Here’s just a bit of the good you’ve done for the neighbourhood:
- With the community raised enough to get Maddy her JACO arm!
- Raised over $500,000 for local non-profits like Kidsability, Food4Kids, Women In Crisis and many more
- Fed more than 5,000 Superheroes at Kidsability’s annual fundraising run
- Kept our local riverways like the Grand and Speed Rivers safe by raising over $250,000
NO PLANET B
Sustainability for us goes beyond sourcing local food and beverages, compostable containers, metal straws and rooftop pollinator gardens; the future of our climate and food systems informs every decision we make.
To make sure we're staying true to our B Corp values and finding new ways to reduce our environmental impact we have our B Team! A dedicated group of staff who meet once a month to talk all things sustainability and wellness in the restaurant, pushing us to make sure we are the good we want to see in the world.
"Eating locally isn’t just a fad – it may be one of the most important ways we save ourselves and the planet!”- Dr. David Suzuki
People First
The heart of our restaurant is the neighbours we get to work with every day.