Ontario Rewards City of Kawartha Lakes with $1.4 Million Through the Building Faster Fund

KAWARTHA LAKES: As part of its record-breaking investments in housing-enabling infrastructure, the Ontario government is awarding $1,442,307 to the City of Kawartha Lakes through the second round of the Building Faster Fund, which provides funding to municipalities which achieve at least 80 percent of their provincially designated housing targets. Kawartha Lakes broke ground on 451 new homes in 2024, which works out to 83 percent of its 2024 housing target. This funding will help the City of Kawartha Lakes build more homes and community infrastructure, and support the province's plan to protect Ontario by investing in infrastructure to support economic growth and keep workers on the job.

"Through the Building Faster Fund, we're partnering with Mayor Elmslie to get shovels in the ground in Kawartha Lakes," said Rob Flack, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing. "This investment, along with our government's latest legislation, is another step forward in our plan to streamline and speed up approvals to get more homes built faster in partnership with municipalities across Ontario."

"Thanks to Ontario's Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing for this funding, which will support a vital need in our community for more housing-enabling infrastructure. Together we are building the future of Kawartha Lakes, our community of communities where we will thrive together when everyone has a place to call home", said Mayor Doug Elmslie

Announced in August 2023, the Building Faster Fund is a three-year, $1.2 billion program which is designed to encourage municipalities to speed up municipal approval processes and get more homes built faster. The fund rewards municipalities which make significant progress against their targets by providing funding for housing-enabling and community-enabling infrastructure.

"Our government has a plan to protect Ontario by creating good-paying jobs and building the housing needed for our growing province and the most competitive economy in the G7," said Matthew Rae, Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing. "This funding will play a key role in ensuring that the housing and infrastructure needs of local communities are met for generations to come."

The Ontario government is also helping to speed up the construction of new homes and infrastructure, including by streamlining development processes and reducing costs in close partnership with municipalities, through the Protect Ontario by Building Faster and Smarter Act 2025.

"The Ontario government is working closely with the City of Kawartha Lakes to support the dream of homeownership for families in our community. This $1.44 million investment through the Building Faster Fund recognizes the city's strong progress toward its housing targets and will help accelerate construction so that owning a home remains within reach for more people in Kawartha Lakes", said Laurie Scott, MPP for Haliburton-Kawartha Lakes-Brock.