Ontario Construction News staff writer
The Ontario government is awarding the City of Pickering $4.4 million through the third round of the Building Faster Fund, which provides funding to municipalities that achieve at least 80 per cent of their provincially designated housing targets.
In 2025, Pickering broke ground on 1,477 new homes, exceeding its annual target by 14 per cent.
Announced in August 2023, the fund is a three-year, up to $1.2 billion program that helps municipalities build more homes faster. The fund rewards municipalities that make significant progress toward their housing targets by providing funding for the infrastructure needed to support new housing and growing communities.
“As one of Ontario’s fastest-growing cities, Pickering is proud to continue answering the call by increasing housing supply and creating more options for residents at every stage of life,” said Kevin Ashe, Mayor of Pickering. “With strong momentum in new home construction and a continued focus on building complete communities, we are helping to meet demand for new housing while supporting a high quality of life for our residents.”
Ontario is also hoping to speed up construction of new homes and infrastructure by streamlining development processes and reducing unnecessary costs, most recently through the Building Homes and Improving Transportation Infrastructure Act, 2026 and the HST Relief Implementation Act (Residential Property Rebates), 2026.
“Across Ontario, there is a need for more homes across the continuum,” said Rob Flack, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing. “That is why our government is working tirelessly through legislation and related measures to reduce the time and cost of building.”
In March 2026, the Government of Canada and the province of Ontario signed the Canada-Ontario Partnership to Build, promising $8.8 billion over 10 years for housing-enabling and transit infrastructure projects, prioritizing municipalities that reduce and maintain reductions on development charges. The agreement also removes HST on new homes from April 1, 2026, to March 31, 2027, a plan they say supports builders to get shovels in the ground on new homes and keep workers on the job.
“This $4.4 million investment through the Building Faster Fund recognizes the City of Pickering’s leadership in getting homes built and keeping projects moving,” said Peter Bethlenfalvy, MPP for Pickering-Uxbridge. “By supporting essential infrastructure, we are increasing housing supply, improving affordability and helping bring the dream of homeownership back within reach — while supporting local jobs and long-term growth.”
