The Ontario government is awarding $1,050,576 to the Town of East Gwillimbury through the second round of the Building Faster Fund, a program that supports municipalities achieving at least 80 percent of their provincially designated housing targets. In 2024, East Gwillimbury broke ground on 328 new homes, reaching 92 percent of its housing target. The funding will help the town build additional homes and community infrastructure, supporting the province’s broader plan to invest in infrastructure, drive economic growth, and maintain employment.
Rob Flack, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, emphasized that the Building Faster Fund, together with new legislation to streamline approvals, enables municipalities like East Gwillimbury to get more homes built efficiently. He described the investment as a key step in Ontario’s partnership with municipalities to accelerate housing development.
The Building Faster Fund, announced in August 2023, is a three-year, $1.2 billion program designed to encourage municipalities to speed up approval processes and meet housing targets. It provides funding for housing-enabling and community-enabling infrastructure to municipalities that demonstrate significant progress in housing development.
Mayor Virginia Hackson of East Gwillimbury expressed appreciation for the support, highlighting that the funding will help the town continue planning and building homes responsibly while ensuring the creation of strong, complete communities for both current and future residents.
The Ontario government is also working to accelerate home construction and infrastructure development by streamlining development processes and reducing costs under the Protect Ontario by Building Faster and Smarter Act 2025. From January to July 2025, the province saw a record 12,175 rental starts, marking a 21 percent increase compared to the same period in 2024.
To further support municipalities, Ontario has extended the deadline for spending funds from the Building Faster Fund to 2028. The province is also providing nearly $4 billion through the Municipal Housing Infrastructure Program to support housing-enabling infrastructure. Parliamentary Assistant Laura Smith noted that the fund helps municipalities like East Gwillimbury create more homes for families, ensuring communities have the necessary infrastructure to thrive. The government praised local leadership for enabling the town to accelerate investments in housing infrastructure and support economic growth, making home ownership more accessible for families in the region.