Ontario is awarding Clarington $2,877,680 through the second round of Building Faster Fund, for achieving at least 80 per cent of the provincially-designated housing targets.
The first round was disappointing for Clarington which was expecting a $4 million payout (see below)
Clarington said it had announced achieving 955 new housing unit starts in 2023, exceeding the target of 953 set by the province. However, Ontario claimed that Clarington only achieved 506 unit starts—or 53 per cent of its target—making the municipality ineligible for funding.
For 2024, Clarington broke ground on 899 new homes, achieving 83 per cent of its 2024 housing target. This figure was not contested.
Funds To Be Used To Build Infrastructure
“There’s a reason Clarington is one of the fastest growing municipalities in the Greater Toronto Area – it’s a place where people want to be. As we proactively plan for Clarington’s steady growth, we’re pleased to receive the Building Faster Fund, which will be invested in the infrastructure needed to support new neighbourhoods,” said Adrian Foster, Mayor of Clarington. “We’re eager to keep working with the province to advance our shared housing goals and ensure Clarington remains an awesome place to live and work.”
Additionally, the Building Faster Fund is complemented by an investment of nearly $81 million in municipalities across Durham Region through the Municipal Housing Infrastructure Program, which will enable the construction of approximately 200,000 new homes. This includes more than $509,000 for Clarington, said a provincial statement.
“The Building Faster Fund is just one way we are creating the conditions to get shovels in the ground, complementing recent actions like the Fighting Delays, Building Faster Act, and rebating the provincial portion of HST for first-time home buyers,” said Rob Flack, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing.
Announced in August 2023, the Building Faster Fund is a three-year, $1.2 billion program that is designed to encourage municipalities to speed up approval processes and get more homes built faster. The program rewards municipalities that make significant progress against their targets by providing funding for housing-enabling and community-enabling infrastructure.
Todd McCarthy, MPP of Durham said “I commend Mayor Foster for taking bold action to ensure homes are built faster in Clarington. This funding to our municipal partners demonstrates our government’s commitment to build homes that families need and deserve.”
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