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2mo ago

Ontario’s $1.6 Billion Housing Push Meets Calls for Deeper Fixes

Rising costs are stalling projects, leaving housing targets out of reach.

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Haden Dow delivers a pitch for the Charlottetown Gaudet’s Auto Body Islanders against Ontario Team Two at the 2025 Baseball Canada national senior men’s championship in Regina on Aug. 21. Dow pitched six solid innings to earn the win in the Islanders’ 6-2 victory.
West St. Paul councillor Dorothy Klieber is equipping and inspiring Manitobans to run for office or get involved in civic life, sharing practical insights into the realities of serving in municipal government ahead of the 2026 elections.
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Overview

  • Premier Doug Ford unveiled a $1.6‑billion infrastructure fund to speed up home-building, a move welcomed by industry voices as timely but insufficient.
  • Official data show Ontario’s 2024 housing starts at 94,753 versus roughly 125,000 needed, and CMHC reports a 28% year-over-year decline in July starts for the province.
  • The City of Ottawa missed its 2024 housing target and forfeited related provincial funding, underscoring the gap between goals and deliveries.
  • Developers cite sharply higher municipal levies as a key barrier, with Ottawa’s development charges up as much as 28% inside the Greenbelt and one ByWard Market infill facing about $700,000 in fees.
  • Political and civic debate is intensifying, with letters highlighting a Conservative landslide in Battle River–Crowfoot and a Manitoba group urging residents to prepare for 2026 municipal races.