St. Catharines, Niagara Falls and Welland Receiving $6.8 Million Through the Building Faster Fund
June 18, 2025
St. Catharines – The Ontario government is awarding a combined total of nearly $6.8 million to the cities of St. Catharines, Niagara Falls and Welland through the second round of the Building Faster Fund, which provides funding to municipalities that achieve at least eighty percent of their provincially designated housing targets. St. Catharines, Niagara Falls and Welland broke ground on nearly 2,000 new homes in 2024.
As part of the Ontario government’s record-breaking investments in housing-enabling infrastructure, this funding will help all three municipalities build more homes and community infrastructure, while advancing the province’s plan to protect Ontario by investing in infrastructure to support economic growth and keep workers on the job.
“We are keeping the hope of home ownership alive for young people across Ontario and in Niagara,” said Sam Oosterhoff, MPP for Niagara West.
“Today’s significant investment by our government in housing-enabling infrastructure for the cities of St. Catharines, Niagara Falls and Welland will help the next generation in our region achieve the same dream of homeownership as the last.”
“We are working closely with Mayor Siscoe, Mayor Diodati and Mayor Campion, and with local leadership in municipalities across Ontario, to get more homes built faster,” said Hon. Doug Ford, Premier of Ontario.
“Today’s investment is just the latest step we are taking to protect our workers and communities by supporting continued growth in Niagara and across Ontario.”
St. Catharines is receiving $2,501,547 for achieving eighty-five per cent of its housing target, breaking ground on 782 new housing units, approaching their provincial target of 917. Niagara Falls is receiving $2,817,707 for achieving 116 percent of its housing target, breaking ground on 774 new housing units, exceeding their provincial target of 667. Welland is receiving $1,467,045 for achieving 114 per cent of its housing target, breaking ground on 408 new housing units, exceeding their provincial target of 358.
“We are grateful for this provincial support for St. Catharines through the Building Faster Fund,” said Mat Siscoe, Mayor of the City of St. Catharines.
“This funding recognizes the strong progress we are making toward our ambitious housing goals.”
“Our government’s latest legislation is a key step forward in our plan to reduce delays, streamline approvals and build more homes – faster – in partnership with municipalities across Ontario,” said Hon. Rob Flack, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing.
“Through the Building Faster Fund and our historic infrastructure investments, we are partnering with local leadership to get more shovels in the ground and deliver the homes Ontario needs.”
Announced in August 2023, the Building Faster Fund is a three-year, $1.2 billion program that is designed to encourage municipalities to speed up municipal approval processes and get more homes built faster. The fund rewards municipalities that make significant progress against their targets by providing funding for housing-enabling and community-enabling infrastructure. The province is also providing record funding to support housing-enabling infrastructure, including through the Housing-Enabling Water Systems Fund and the Municipal Housing Infrastructure Program.
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.