The Ontario government is providing nearly $1.3 million to Greater Sudbury through the Building Faster Fund, a provincial initiative designed to accelerate housing construction across the province. Associate Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing Graydon Smith joined Mayor Paul Lefebvre to announce the funding, which will specifically address infrastructure needs in the city’s south end. Lefebvre confirmed that this year’s allocation will be directed toward housing opportunities south of the Four Corners near Long Lake Road, with a particular focus on unlocking development potential that has been stalled by infrastructure limitations. “It’s basically unlocking infrastructure in the south end and to allow some multiplexes to be built,” he said. “These are going to be apartments, some of which will be affordable as well.” The mayor said that while developers have not yet made formal announcements regarding specific projects, the infrastructure funding removes a critical barrier that had prevented progress. “They couldn’t move forward because there was no sewer capacity,” Lefebvre said. Reward for meeting housing targets The Building Faster Fund provides financial support to municipalities that achieve at least 80 per cent of their provincially designated housing targets, creating a direct incentive for communities to prioritize residential development. Smith, who serves as both Associate Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing and MPP for Parry Sound-Muskoka, emphasized the connection between infrastructure investment and housing growth. “We know if we support infrastructure in communities, that’s what allows homes to be built, whether that’s water and sewer infrastructure, whether that’s road bridge infrastructure, whether that’s a new pumping station or more capacity at a wastewater plant that allows communities to grow,” Smith said. Sudbury exceeds targets for 3rd consecutive year The city has demonstrated strong performance in meeting provincial housing goals, with Lefebvre reporting that Greater Sudbury has consistently surpassed its assigned targets. “The province gave us a target of 380 homes to build in 2025. The developer community and the residents built over 433, so we exceeded the target by over 14 per cent,” Lefebvre said. “Sudbury has done a fantastic job of exceeding those targets down three years in a row,” said Smith. “Really pleased to be able to bring the dollars that support the infrastructure that supports even more homes being built.” Timeline and commitment Lefebvre indicated that residents can expect a timeline of about a year and a half before the newly enabled housing projects reach completion, as the sewer capacity improvements must first be implemented. “We’ll continue to support the North. We want to see the North grow. Very, very exciting opportunities in northern Ontario, including here in Greater Sudbury,” Smith said. The associate minister also highlighted his personal connection to the region, expressing enthusiasm for supporting neighbouring communities. “I’m a neighbour and so I love to come and see my neighbors,” Smith said. He continued, “understanding what they need to grow and be successful and do that all across Ontario.”
