Ontario Premier Doug Ford says the province is nearly doubling its Municipal Housing Infrastructure Program, adding $1.6 billion to speed up construction of homes and critical projects.
The new investment, announced Monday at the Association of Municipalities of Ontario conference, brings the program’s total to $4 billion. The fund helps municipalities and Indigenous communities build roads, bridges and water systems needed to support new housing.
“We’re making record investments in housing and infrastructure so we can keep workers on the job and help families across the province find a home that meets their needs and their budgets,” Ford said. “Working with our municipal partners, we’re going to keep lowering costs, investing in infrastructure and cutting red tape so we can keep the dream of homeownership alive in Ontario.”
Launched in 2024, the program has supported the construction of about 800,000 homes across the province. It works alongside Ontario’s $1.2-billion Building Faster Fund, which rewards municipalities that meet or exceed housing targets.
“This additional $1.6 billion investment in the Municipal Housing Infrastructure Program will help communities across Ontario build the infrastructure they need to unlock more housing and support economic growth,” said Infrastructure Minister Kinga Surma. “In the face of unwarranted U.S. tariffs, our government is doubling down on our plan to build and investing more than $200 billion through our capital plan to protect Ontario by getting shovels in the ground faster on the projects that matter most.”
The government says its capital plan includes more than $200 billion in projects, with $33 billion earmarked this year alone for transit, highways, hospitals, schools and housing-enabling infrastructure.
“For far too long, too many families, first-time home buyers, and seniors have been priced out of the market,” said Municipal Affairs and Housing Minister Rob Flack. “Our government recognizes that this must change. Today’s investment is part of our plan to use every tool in our toolbox to bring costs down and builds upon recent initiatives such as the Protect Ontario by Building Faster and Smarter Act.”
Robin Jones, president of the Association of Municipalities of Ontario and mayor of Westport, called the announcement a major step forward.
“Investments in municipal infrastructure have consistently proven to be the best way to protect local, provincial and national economies,” Jones said. “These investments will not just help to build homes, they will provide thousands of jobs in communities across the province and lay the foundation for long-term productivity. We commend Premier Ford for these important investments.”
The province says the expansion builds on other recent announcements, including $82 million for agricultural infrastructure in Niagara Region and Leamington, and $400 million for 50 new water projects that will support about 86,000 homes.
