City achieves more than double its 2024 goal, earns provincial funding boost
Windsor, ON – August 12, 2025 — Windsor’s record-breaking progress in new home construction has earned the city a significant reward from the Ontario government. Premier Doug Ford announced Monday that Windsor will receive $5.2 million through the second round of the province’s Building Faster Fund, a three-year, $1.2 billion program designed to accelerate housing development across Ontario.
The funding is awarded to municipalities that meet or exceed at least 80 per cent of their provincially designated housing targets. In 2024, Windsor shattered expectations by breaking ground on 2,306 new homes — achieving an impressive 213 per cent of its annual target.
“This funding will help the City of Windsor 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,” the province stated.
Premier Doug Ford praised the city’s leadership in tackling the housing shortage.
“Mayor Dilkens and the City of Windsor have done an incredible job supporting new home construction and getting shovels in the ground,” said Ford. “Today’s investment is a reflection of that hard work and is just the latest step we are taking to protect workers and communities by supporting continued growth and keeping the dream of homeownership alive in Windsor and across Ontario.”
A Model for Other Municipalities
The Building Faster Fund, first announced in August 2023, aims to reward municipalities that make substantial progress toward housing targets by providing funding for housing-enabling and community-enabling infrastructure. The program also complements record investments in critical infrastructure, such as the Housing-Enabling Water Systems Fund and the Municipal Housing Infrastructure Program.
Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens emphasized that the city’s growth strategy has focused on eliminating bureaucratic hurdles and using municipal assets to stimulate development.
“Windsor has been identified as one of the most important and fastest growing communities to watch in Ontario and Canada,” said Dilkens. “As we continue to focus on investment, growth and sustainability, Windsor has been a leader in removing red tape, repurposing City-owned land to promote development and significantly exceeding our housing targets to support housing options and developments in our community. We thank Premier Ford, Minister Flack, MPP Dowie and the province for working to protect Ontario and for this latest major investment in building Windsor’s future.”
Provincial Support for Speed and Efficiency
The province says it is committed to removing obstacles to housing development through legislative reforms such as the Protect Ontario by Building Faster and Smarter Act, 2025, which streamlines development processes, reduces costs, and strengthens municipal-provincial collaboration.
“I want to thank Mayor Dilkens along with mayors and local councillors across Ontario who are taking bold action to get shovels in the ground faster,” said Rob Flack, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing. “Through the Building Faster Fund and our historic investments in infrastructure, our government is giving municipalities every tool in our toolbox to build more homes, so families in Windsor and across our province can find a place to call home.”
Local MPP Andrew Dowie also underscored the significance of the funding in driving Windsor’s long-term prosperity.
“This investment demonstrates what’s possible when governments work together to deliver for our communities,” Dowie said. “As the city of Windsor exceeds its housing targets, this funding will help build the infrastructure we need to support families, attract talent and sustain long-term growth.”
By the Numbers
The province’s latest housing statistics show positive momentum across Ontario. From January to June 2025, there were 9,125 rental housing starts, marking a 26.5 per cent increase compared to the same period in 2024. This represents the second-highest level of rental starts on record for the first half of the year, surpassed only by 2023.
In recognition of the time it takes to complete large-scale infrastructure projects, the province has also extended the spending deadline for Building Faster Fund awards to 2028, giving municipalities greater flexibility to deliver results.
What’s Next for Windsor
With the additional $5.2 million, Windsor is expected to continue building at an accelerated pace, focusing not only on housing supply but also on community infrastructure that supports long-term growth — from roads and utilities to public services.
The funding is part of Ontario’s broader housing plan, which aims to address affordability challenges by increasing supply and ensuring municipalities have the tools and financial support needed to meet ambitious targets. Windsor’s performance is now being held up as a model for other municipalities striving to meet similar goals.
For Premier Ford’s government, the announcement marks another step in advancing the province’s housing agenda while maintaining public confidence that the dream of homeownership can remain within reach for Ontario families.