The Ontario government is awarding the Municipality of Chatham-Kent $440,000 through the third round of its Building Faster Fund after the municipality exceeded its provincially assigned housing target in 2025.
The province said Chatham-Kent recorded 577 housing starts last year, reaching 525 per cent of its annual target. Municipalities that achieve at least 80 per cent of their housing targets are eligible for funding through the program.
“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.”
The Building Faster Fund was announced in 2023 as a three-year program worth up to $1.2 billion. The province says the initiative rewards municipalities that make significant progress toward housing targets by providing funding for infrastructure needed to support new homes 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 Chatham-Kent Mayor Darrin Canniff. “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 province said the funding will help municipalities build community infrastructure and support housing development as part of broader efforts to increase the housing supply.
“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,” said Chatham-Kent-Leamington MPP Trevor Jones. “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.”
The Ontario government said it has also extended the deadline for municipalities to spend Building Faster Fund allocations to 2028. From January to May 2026, the province recorded 26,084 housing starts, up 17.2 per cent from the same period in 2025, including a record 13,599 rental housing starts during that timeframe.
