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Ontario Introduces Legislation to Speed Up Housing and Infrastructure Construction

Justin Barber

— 1 min read

Ontario introduced the Protect Ontario by Building Faster and Smarter Act, 2025, in Vaughan on May 12. According to the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing, the proposed legislation is intended to accelerate the construction of homes and infrastructure. The province also announced an increase of $400 million in funding for housing-related infrastructure, bringing total planned investment in the Housing-Enabling Water Systems Fund (HEWSF) and the Municipal Housing Infrastructure Fund (MHIP) to nearly $2.3 billion over four years.

The Ministry stated that Ontario faces a housing shortage and has identified the need for faster and simpler development approvals. The proposed legislation is described by the government as a response to concerns from municipal leaders about costs and varying standards across Ontario’s 444 municipalities.

Based on details released by the province, the Protect Ontario by Building Faster and Smarter Act, 2025, if passed, would take several actions, including:

  • Standardizing development charges in consultation with municipalities;
  • Removing barriers for Canadian manufacturers to introduce new construction materials;
  • Streamlining planning and development application processes;
  • Extending expedited approval measures for all provincial transit projects;
  • Harmonizing municipal road building standards through a consultation process by fall 2025;
  • Proposing more consistent building construction standards across municipalities.

The Ministry reported that nearly $1.3 billion from HEWSF has already been allocated for water and wastewater infrastructure projects intended to support the construction of approximately 600,000 homes. According to the province, further funding under MHIP is being provided to support communities of various sizes, including small, rural, and Northern municipalities.

These legislative changes are being presented alongside the Protect Ontario through Free Trade within Canada Act and the Protect Ontario by Unleashing Our Economy Act. The government describes these acts as part of broader efforts to improve development processes and strengthen internal trade.

Statements supporting the legislation were issued in the announcement by Vaughan Mayor Steven Del Duca and Mississauga Mayor Carolyn Parrish. Industry organizations, including the Association of Municipalities of Ontario and the Ontario Home Builders’ Association, were also quoted as welcoming measures aimed at reducing delays and streamlining approval for building projects.

The full text of the Protect Ontario by Building Faster and Smarter Act, 2025, is available through the Ontario government’s website.

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