Ontario ministers and parliamentary assistants met with more than 320 municipalities and held nearly 800 meetings with municipal officials this week at the annual Association of Municipalities of Ontario conference, where the province announced a series of new investments in municipal and community infrastructure.
Ontario and Canada are investing $1 billion to help municipalities that do not levy development charges build more homes through a new Non-Development Charge Municipalities Stream of the Canada-Ontario Partnership to Build. The stream will help municipalities build and renew housing-enabling infrastructure such as roads, bridges and water systems, with applications opening Oct. 29.
The province has also opened applications for the next intake of its $500-million Community Sport and Recreation Infrastructure Fund, with this round valued at $100 million.
In September, Ontario will launch the next call for proposals to create or expand about 78 primary care teams that will connect 600,000 more people to a family doctor or primary care provider. The $250-million investment is part of the government’s $3.4-billion Primary Care Action Plan and is aimed at connecting everyone in Ontario to primary care by 2029.
The province is also investing more than $1 billion in land ambulance funding, an average increase of nine per cent over 2025, and is providing one per cent growth base funding for public health units in 2027. Provincial funding to public health units has increased by about 24 per cent since 2018.
“Our government appreciates our strong partnership with Ontario’s 444 municipalities, which has enabled us to make meaningful progress on a number of shared goals,” said Rob Flack, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing. “Despite living through a period of significant uncertainty, Ontario continues to attract people and investment from around the world, building strong communities where people and families are positioned for success.”
In the 2026 Ontario Budget, the province announced an additional $300 million for the Community Sport and Recreation Infrastructure Fund, bringing the total investment to $500 million. Since 2024, Ontario has awarded more than $3 billion through the Municipal Housing Infrastructure Program to support more than 305 projects in over 230 municipalities and First Nations communities. The province is also launching the third application window of the Rural Ontario Development Program, which provides cost-share funding for projects that attract investment, strengthen workforce capacity and support long-term growth in rural communities.
AMO represents Ontario’s 444 municipalities. This year’s conference brought together multiple levels of government to discuss shared priorities including housing, infrastructure, public health and public safety.
“The AMO conference is an important opportunity for municipalities and the Ontario government to come together, have direct conversations and find practical ways to work together on the challenges facing communities,” said Riley Brockington, president of the Association of Municipalities of Ontario. “We welcome these investments and the recognition of the important role municipalities play in building strong, healthy communities.”
