Ontario Tables New Legislation to Speed Up Home and Infrastructure Building Amid Economic Uncertainty

VAUGHAN — The Ontario government is introducing sweeping new legislation aimed at cutting red tape, streamlining development approvals, and accelerating the construction of homes and critical infrastructure. The Protect Ontario by Building Faster and Smarter Act, 2025 is part of the province’s broader plan to protect Ontario’s economy and tackle the housing crisis head-on.

Alongside the legislation, the government announced $400 million in new funding for the Housing-Enabling Water Systems Fund (HEWSF) and Municipal Housing Infrastructure Fund (MHIP), bringing Ontario’s total investment to nearly $2.3 billion over four years.

“We are taking bold action to protect Ontario by speeding up construction, lowering housing costs, and keeping workers on the job,” said Rob Flack, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing.

Great to join Minister Rob Flack and my colleagues to announce new legislation speeding up critical infrastructure projects across Ontario!

We’re cutting red tape, creating jobs, and building the homes, transit, and infrastructure our growing economy needs to thrive. 🏠🚧💪… pic.twitter.com/2YaqRDE3tX

— Prabmeet Sarkaria (@PrabSarkaria) May 12, 2025

Key Measures in the Act

The legislation and accompanying measures include:

• Standardizing and reducing development charges, working with municipalities to cut unnecessary fees that can add significant costs to home prices.

• Removing barriers to innovative building materials and designs, enabling Canadian manufacturers to bring forward cost-saving innovations.

• Streamlining approvals for transit-oriented communities, ensuring more housing options are built near transit.

• Harmonizing building standards across Ontario’s 444 municipalities, reducing costs and approval times.

• Extending expedited processes for major transit projects, previously limited to select projects, to all provincial transit initiatives.

• Improving land use planning and municipal official plans, making them simpler and faster to navigate.

Ontario will also consult municipalities this fall on standardizing road-building requirements to further cut costs and delays.

Boosting Infrastructure and Housing Together

The $400 million top-up includes:

• $315 million for HEWSF, supporting water and wastewater projects that enable the construction of 600,000 homes.

• $85 million for MHIP, helping to connect homes to vital roads and services.

Strong Municipal Support

The legislation has received endorsements from municipal leaders:

“The status quo simply isn’t working,” said Steven Del Duca, Mayor of Vaughan. “We need bold, creative action to cut red tape, standardize approvals, and build a more affordable future.”

Carolyn Parrish, Mayor of Mississauga, added: “Municipalities cannot tackle this challenge alone. These provincial measures will encourage cities across Ontario to accelerate their own housing initiatives.”

Ontario’s Broader Economic Plan

The legislation complements Bill 2 and Bill 5, which aim to strengthen Ontario’s internal trade relationships, support local businesses, and protect Ontario’s economy amid global pressures, including President Trump’s tariffs.

“Now more than ever, we must remove barriers to building transit and take bold, decisive action,” said Prabmeet Sarkaria, Minister of Transportation.

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