Ontario Construction News staff writer
Burlington has received a third funding installment under its $21.16 million Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF) agreement with Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, as the municipality continues efforts to accelerate local housing development.
The latest $5.3 million will support ongoing work to increase housing supply and help the city progress toward its HAF target of 2,724 new housing units permitted by the end of 2026. By the end of 2025, Burlington had already permitted 1,664 units.
City officials say the funding will continue to support initiatives aimed at increasing housing starts, while ensuring new development is compatible with surrounding neighbourhoods and aligned with long-term community planning goals.
As part of its HAF agreement and action plan, Burlington committed to seven key initiatives designed to streamline approvals and unlock new housing supply. The city reports all seven initiatives have now been completed and are being implemented:
- Simplification of planning and building approval processes to improve speed, predictability and customer experience
- Approval of Major Transit Station Area (MTSA) policies and progress toward a Community Planning Permit System to support intensification around the city’s three GO Transit stations
- Official plan and zoning amendments increasing as-of-right permissions for Additional Residential Units (ARUs) and reducing parking requirements, allowing up to three ARUs per urban residential lot where requirements are met
- Launch of an Affordable Rental Housing Community Improvement Plan offering grants, forgivable loans and fee waivers to support new rental and affordable housing
- Creation of an online Housing Connections Centre as a centralized access point for housing resources, programs and partnerships
- Introduction of an ARU Incentive Program to support new affordable rentals and bring existing units into compliance with building standards
- Acquisition of land for future affordable housing development
The city has also introduced additional supporting tools, including an ARU property eligibility look-up tool and a Garage Conversion Toolkit to guide homeowners through creating legal residential units. A broader review of development application fees is also underway to further support housing delivery.
Officials say the third installment will help implement ongoing work, support additional policy and zoning adjustments where needed, and further streamline planning and permitting systems to ensure housing targets are achieved.
“Together with our federal partners, we’re making progress on creating more affordable housing for our residents,” said Mayor Marianne Meed Ward. “With federal funding, we have accelerated housing supply, with more than 1600 units already permitted, while also ensuring that development aligns with our community’s values and vision for the future – with affordable housing at the right scale in the right location.”
For Burlington, the HAF investments are intended to translate policy changes into tangible increases in housing supply across the city as population growth and housing demand continue to rise.
