Doug Ford announces $6.8M housing incentive to cities in Niagara

The Ontario government announced a combined $6.8 million going toward housing in the cities of St. Catharines, Niagara Falls and Welland.

The funding comes in the second round of the “Building Faster Fund” — created with the aim of encouraging communities to meet at least 80 per cent of their provincially designated housing goal. The three cities broke ground on around 2,000 homes last year.

“We are making record investments to get shovels in the ground faster for new homes. Including a total investment of $62 million in projects across Niagara to enable the construction of nearly 17 thousand new homes,” Ford said at a press conference Wednesday in St. Catharines, alongside Municipal Affairs and Housing Minister Rob Flack, Niagara West MPP Sam Oosterhoff, St. Catharines Mayor Mat Siscoe, Niagara Falls Mayor Jim Diodati and Welland Mayor Frank Campion.

St. Catharines will receive $2,501,547 for meeting 85 per cent of their housing target. Their provincial target was 917 new homes.

Niagara Falls will get $2,817,707 for reaching and exceeding their housing goal. The city broke ground on 774 new homes, which is 116 per cent of their target.

The City of Welland will get $1,467,045 for also reaching and exceeding their 408-home target. This is 114 per cent of their 358-home target.

This is a developing news story. More to come. 

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