The Ontario government is awarding the Municipality of Chatham-Kent $440,000 through the second round of the Building Faster Fund after the community exceeded its provincially designated housing target by more than three times.
Chatham-Kent broke ground on 311 new homes in 2024, which represents 338 per cent of its target, Provincial officials say.
The funding will help the municipality build more homes and community infrastructure while supporting the province’s plan to protect Ontario by investing in infrastructure to support economic growth and keep workers on the job.
“I commend Mayor Canniff for taking bold action to get homes built faster in Chatham-Kent,” said Rob Flack, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing.
“Through the Building Faster Fund and our historic investments in infrastructure, our government is giving mayors and councillors across Ontario every tool in our toolbox to get shovels in the ground, so families can find a place to call home.”
The Building Faster Fund, announced in August 2023, is a three-year, $1.2-billion program designed to encourage municipalities to speed up approval processes and get more homes built faster. It rewards municipalities that make significant progress against their targets by providing funding for housing-enabling and community-enabling infrastructure.
“We’re thrilled to once again be receiving funding through the Building Faster Fund. This support is a recognition of the incredible work being done in Chatham-Kent to both meet and exceed our housing targets and keep up with the pace of our growing community,” said Darrin Canniff, Mayor of Chatham-Kent.
“As more people choose to call Chatham-Kent home, it’s essential that we continue to build a variety of housing options that meet the needs of both our current and future residents. This funding helps us do exactly that, and we’re grateful for the continued partnership with the Ontario government as we build a stronger more vibrant future for Chatham-Kent.”
The province said it is also helping to speed up the construction of new homes and infrastructure by streamlining development processes and reducing costs in partnership with municipalities through the Protect Ontario by Building Faster and Smarter Act 2025.
“Chatham-Kent continues to show leadership in advancing solutions to Ontario’s housing crisis. Through the Building Faster Fund, our government is making strategic investments in municipalities that are getting the job done, cutting red tape, modernizing planning processes, and delivering critical infrastructure that supports new housing. This funding demonstrates our shared commitment to building stronger, more vibrant communities, and ensuring that families in Chatham-Kent have access to the homes they need, now and for the future,” said Trevor Jones, Member of Provincial Parliament for Chatham-Kent.
