Canada and Ontario invest $1B in rural housing infrastructure
“None of NOMA’s 37 member municipalities collect development charges, yet they still face significant costs to build and renew roads, bridges, water systems, and other critical infrastructure,” Dumas said.
Filling the gap for rural and northern communities
Robin Jones, Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) president and mayor of Westport, welcomed the announcement as a recognition of “the unique pressures facing rural, small and northern communities.”
The Ontario government said the MHIP has, since its 2024 launch, supported approximately 800,000 new homes and protected approximately 375,000 existing homes across the province.
An analysis from Royal Bank of Canada suggests Canada’s housing market recovery remains uneven, while Sarah Albert of Premiere Mortgage Centre reports renewed buyer activity and strong demand for quality listings in New Brunswick.https://t.co/7F9YgjkiCI
— Canadian Mortgage Professional Magazine (@CMPmagazine) August 13, 2026
What this means for housing supply and buyers
Broker reaction to development charge reform has been measured since the Partnership to Build was first unveiled. Toronto-based broker Matthew O’Neil of Connolly Capital previously told Canadian Mortgage Professional that government-backed relief does not automatically translate to lower prices for buyers.
“The problem with pre-con pricing is that even after this new rebate, it’s still priced way higher than resale,” O’Neil said.
