Ontario Rewards Chatham-Kent With $440,000 Through the Building Faster Fund

The Ontario government is rewarding the Municipality of Chatham-Kent with $440,000 through the third round of the Building Faster Fund, which provides funding to municipalities that achieve at least 80 per cent of their provincially designated housing targets. In 2025, Chatham-Kent broke ground on 577 new homes, achieving 525 per cent of its annual target. The funding will help the Municipality of Chatham-Kent build more homes and community infrastructure while advancing the province’s plan to protect Ontario by investing in projects that support economic growth and keep workers on the job.

“Chatham-Kent’s strong results show what’s possible when municipalities remove barriers and move projects forward,” said Graydon Smith, Associate Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing. “Our government is recognizing that leadership by reinvesting in the infrastructure needed to sustain this momentum and support long-term growth. By exceeding its housing target, the community is helping create more opportunities for families and workers to find a place to call home.”

Announced in August 2023, the Building Faster Fund is a three-year, up to $1.2 billion program that helps municipalities build more homes faster. The fund rewards municipalities that make significant progress toward their housing targets by providing funding for the infrastructure needed to support new housing and growing communities.

“Chatham-Kent is a community that is trending upwards, and this investment is another example of the opportunities that come with growth,” said Darrin Canniff, Mayor of Chatham-Kent. “When more people choose to live, work, and invest here, it strengthens our communities, supports local businesses, creates jobs, and helps us build a more vibrant future. We are committed to ensuring Chatham-Kent has the housing, infrastructure, and services needed to support continued sustainable growth, and we appreciate the Ontario government’s partnership in helping us make that happen.”

The Ontario government is also helping to speed up the construction of new homes and infrastructure by streamlining development processes and reducing unnecessary costs, most recently through the Building Homes and Improving Transportation Infrastructure Act, 2026, and the HST Relief Implementation Act (Residential Property Rebates), 2026.

“Chatham-Kent continues to take meaningful steps to support housing growth and meet the needs of our growing community. This $440,000 investment through the Building Faster Fund recognizes the municipality’s efforts to increase housing opportunities for residents while planning for the infrastructure and services that support sustainable growth. By rewarding communities that are helping to get more homes built, this funding will help ensure Chatham-Kent remains a great place to live, work, raise a family, and invest for years to come.” – Trevor Jones, Member of Provincial Parliament for Chatham-Kent

As part of the up to $8.8 billion Canada-Ontario Partnership to Build, Ontario has introduced the Development Charge Reduction Program, which will provide funding for housing-enabling infrastructure projects over 10 years. Funding will be prioritized for municipalities that reduce and maintain reductions on development charges. The agreement also supports the removal of the HST on new homes from April 1, 2026, to March 31, 2027, which will save homebuyers up to $130,000 off the cost of a new home. Collectively, these measures help to enhance affordability, support builders as they get shovels in the ground on new homes and keep workers on the job.

Quick Facts

• From January to May 2026, Ontario saw 26,084 total housing starts, an increase of 17.2 per cent compared to the same period in 2025.
• From January to May 2026, Ontario saw 13,599 rental starts, an increase of 94.9 per cent compared to the same period in 2025. This is a record for rental starts for this time of the year.
• To help make way for more housing opportunities and support growing communities, the government is also giving municipalities more time to spend funds rewarded through the Building Faster Fund, extending the deadline to 2028.