Ontario Rewards Pickering With More Than $5 Million Through the Building Faster Fund
October 27, 2025
Second round of funding rewards municipalities for progress toward housing targets
PICKERING — The Ontario government is awarding the City of Pickering with $5,200,000 through the second round of the Building Faster Fund, which provides funding to municipalities that achieve at least 80 per cent of their provincially designated housing targets. Pickering broke ground on 1,880 new homes in 2024, which works out to 174 per cent of its 2024 housing target. This funding will help Pickering build more homes and community infrastructure and supports the province’s plan to protect Ontario by investing in infrastructure to support economic growth and keep workers on the job.
“I commend Mayor Ashe for taking bold and decisive action to get homes built faster in Pickering,” said Rob Flack, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing. “Through the Building Faster Fund and our historic investments in infrastructure, our government is equipping municipalities across Ontario with every tool in our toolbox to get shovels in the ground, so families can find a place to call home.”
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 approval processes and get more homes built faster. The program rewards municipalities that make significant progress against their targets by providing funding for housing-enabling and community-enabling infrastructure.
“For the second year in a row, Pickering has shown strong leadership by exceeding it’s housing targets,” said Peter Bethlenfalvy, Member of Provincial Parliament for Pickering-Uxbridge. “This $5.2 million investment from the Building Faster Fund will further accelerate vital housing projects underway in Pickering.”
Additionally, the Building Faster Fund is complemented by an investment of nearly $81 million in municipalities across Durham Region through the Municipal Housing Infrastructure Program, which will enable the construction of more than 200,000 new homes. This includes over $5.1 million to the City of Pickering.
“As one of Ontario’s fastest growing cities, Pickering is proud to answer the call by increasing housing supply and providing more choice for new and existing residents at every stage of life. Whether discovering our community for the first time or staying in the place they love, people are choosing Pickering and all that it has to offer,” said Kevin Ashe, Mayor, City of Pickering. “We thank the Ontario government for its partnership through the Building Faster Fund, which is enabling more Ontarians to achieve the dream of home ownership and helping us shape a vibrant, inclusive future for Pickering.”
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 Fighting Delays, Building Faster Act, 2025 and Protect Ontario by Building Faster and Smarter Act 2025.
Quick Facts
- From January to September 2025, Ontario saw 17,202 rental starts, an increase of 38 per cent compared to the same period in 2024. This is the highest level of rental starts on record 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 awarded through the Building Faster Fund, extending the deadline to 2028.
Additional Resources
Media Contacts
Alexandra Sanita
Minister’s Office
Alexandra.Sanita2@ontario.ca
Communications Branch
MMA.media@ontario.ca