Ontario Rewards Belleville With More Than $1.2 Million Through the Building Faster Fund

BELLEVILLE — The Ontario government is rewarding the City of Belleville with $1,240,000 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, Belleville broke ground on 418 new homes, exceeding its annual target by almost 35 per cent. The funding will help the City of Belleville build more homes and community infrastructure while advancing the province’s plan to protect Ontario by investing in projects that support economic growth and keep workers on the job.

“I applaud Mayor Ellis and municipal leaders across Ontario who are taking bold action to get shovels in the ground,” said Rob Flack, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing. “Our government is taking decisive action to support municipalities and create the conditions to help them build more homes, smarter and faster, through initiatives such as the Building Faster Fund and the recently announced Development Charge Reduction Program.”

Announced in August 2023, the Building Faster 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 more people choose to call Belleville home, we are working hard to ensure our infrastructure and services keep pace with our community's growth,” said Neil Ellis, Mayor of Belleville. “This investment through the Building Faster Fund will help us continue creating the conditions needed for new housing while strengthening our community for years to come. We are grateful to the Ontario government for recognizing Belleville's efforts and for being a valued partner in supporting our city's growth and long-term success.”

The Ontario government is also helping to speed up the 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.

As part of the up to $8.8 billion Canada-Ontario Partnership to Build, Ontario has introduced the Development Charge Reduction Program, which will provide funding for housing-enabling infrastructure projects over 10 years. Funding will be prioritized for municipalities that reduce and maintain reductions on development charges. The agreement also supports the removal of the HST on new homes from April 1, 2026, to March 31, 2027, which will save homebuyers up to $130,000 off the cost of a new home. Collectively, these measures help to enhance affordability, support builders as they get shovels in the ground on new homes and keep workers on the job.

“It is encouraging to see that Belleville significantly exceeded its housing targets for 2025,” said Tyler Allsopp, MPP for Bay of Quinte. “That means additional homes for families in our fast-growing area, but it also triggers new investment through the Building Faster Fund. For a third consecutive year, the City will receive this provincial funding to build key growth-related infrastructure, allowing further progress on our shared goal of increasing housing supply.”

• From January to May 2026, Ontario saw 26,084 total housing starts, an increase of 17.2 per cent compared to the same period in 2025.
• From January to May 2026, Ontario saw 13,599 rental starts, an increase of 94.9 per cent compared to the same period in 2025. This is a record for rental starts for this time of the year.
• To help make way for more housing opportunities and support growing communities, the government is also giving municipalities more time to spend funds rewarded through the Building Faster Fund, extending the deadline to 2028.
• Ontario is investing $59 million in municipalities across the County of Hastings through the Municipal Housing Infrastructure Program, which will enable approximately 6,000 new homes. This includes over $1 million for the City of Belleville.