Ontario Rewards Sarnia with $400,000 Through the Building Faster Fund

August 22, 2025

Second round of funding rewards municipalities for progress toward housing targets

August 21, 2025

Office of the Premier

Municipal Affairs and Housing

Table of Contents

  1. Content
  2. Quick Facts
  3. Quotes
  4. Additional Resources
  5. Related Topics

SARNIA — The Ontario government is awarding the City of Sarnia with $400,000 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. Sarnia broke ground on 164 new homes in 2024, achieving 198 per cent of its 2024 housing target.

This funding will help the City of Sarnia build more homes and community infrastructure while advancing the province’s plan to protect Ontario by investing in infrastructure to support economic growth and keep workers on the job.

“We’re working closely with Mayor Bradley and with local leadership in municipalities across Ontario to get more homes built faster,” said Premier Doug Ford. “Today’s investment is just the latest step we are taking to protect our workers and communities by supporting continued growth in Sarnia and across Ontario.”

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 municipal approval processes and get more homes built faster. The fund awards municipalities that make significant progress against their targets by providing funding for housing-enabling and community-enabling infrastructure. The province is also providing record funding to support housing-enabling infrastructure, including the province’s $4 billion Municipal Housing Infrastructure Program.

“Sarnia is home to a fast-growing, diverse population, and this funding will help to ensure that we can meet the housing needs of current and future generations,” said Mike Bradley, Mayor of Sarnia. “We will continue working with our provincial partners to get shovels on the ground here and ensure every resident has a place they can proudly call home.”

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 Protect Ontario by Building Faster and Smarter Act, 2025.

“Our government’s latest legislation is a key step forward in our plan to reduce delays, speed up approvals and build more homes — faster — in partnership with Mayor Bradley and municipalities across Ontario,” said Rob Flack, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing. “Through the Building Faster Fund and our historic infrastructure investments, we’re giving municipalities every tool in our toolbox to deliver the homes families in Sarnia and Ontario need.”

Quick Facts

  • From January to July 2025, Ontario saw 12,175 rental starts, an increase of 21 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 to 2028.
  • The province is also providing record funding to support housing-enabling infrastructure through the Municipal Housing Infrastructure Program, which was recently expanded to nearly $4 billion. The City of Sarnia is receiving nearly $8 million through MHIP, which is helping to unlock over 2,700 homes.

Quotes

“The City of Sarnia’s dedication to increasing its housing supply is a testament to what we can achieve when we work together for a stronger Ontario. I applaud Sarnia for doing its part to deliver housing for all its citizens. The Ontario government will continue to partner with municipalities, equipping them with the resources they need to meet the demands of our growing population.”

– Bob Bailey
MPP for Sarnia—Lambton

Additional Resources

Related Topics

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Media Contacts

Hannah Jensen
Premier’s Office
Hannah.Jensen2@ontario.ca

Alexandra Sanita
Minister Flack’s office
Alexandra.Sanita2@ontario.ca

Communications Branch
MMA.media@ontario.ca