At this week’s Council meeting, an important report was presented regarding a newly announced funding opportunity that could help accelerate housing development in Fort Erie while securing additional infrastructure funding for our community.
Council supported a recommendation directing Town staff to further investigate and prepare an application for the newly launched Canada-Ontario Development Charge Reduction Program (DCRP), with applications due by June 19, 2026.
For those who may not be familiar with Development Charges (DCs), they are fees collected from developers to help municipalities fund infrastructure required to support growth, including roads, water and wastewater systems, parks, and other municipal services. Development Charges are often a topic of discussion when considering housing affordability and the cost of new residential construction.
The Canada-Ontario Development Charge Reduction Program offers municipalities a unique opportunity. Under the program, municipalities can access federal and provincial infrastructure funding in exchange for committing to meaningful reductions in residential development charges for a period of three years.
To be eligible, municipalities must commit to reducing residential Development Charges by at least 30%, with greater funding opportunities available for larger reductions of up to 50% or more. These reductions must be applied consistently across all residential development types and maintained throughout the three-year program period.
The report presented to Council outlined the potential financial opportunities available to the Town, while also identifying the work that must be undertaken before an application can be submitted. Town staff will now review eligible capital projects contained within the Town’s Development Charges Background Study and 10-Year Capital Plan to determine which projects may qualify for funding through the program.
Council’s support of this initial step does not automatically reduce Development Charges. Rather, it authorizes the Chief Administrative Officer and Town staff to conduct the necessary analysis, evaluate the potential impacts, and submit an application before the provincial deadline.
This review is important because it will help determine whether Fort Erie can leverage additional infrastructure funding while continuing to support responsible growth and housing development in our community.
As housing affordability and housing supply continue to be priorities across Ontario, programs such as the DCRP may provide municipalities with additional tools to encourage new residential construction while ensuring the infrastructure needed to support growth remains in place.
I will continue to follow this initiative closely and provide updates as more information becomes available.
Residents interested in reviewing the full report can find it within the June 8, 2026 Council Agenda package:
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