Hamilton secures historic $572M to accelerate infrastructure, housing growth and affordability

HAMILTON, ON – Hamilton has secured $572 million in federal and provincial funding to accelerate major infrastructure projects that will improve roads and connections, expand water and wastewater capacity and help make new housing possible, alongside a three-year elimination of development charges on new residential developments.

This federal and provincial funding, provided through the Development Charge Reduction Program, is the single-largest investment in roads, water and wastewater infrastructure in Hamilton’s history. For Hamilton residents, this means infrastructure projects can move forward faster, improving how people get around the city today while creating the capacity needed for new homes and future neighbourhoods.

The City’s three-year elimination of development charges on new residential developments will reduce the cost of building new homes, with savings of up to $100,442 per home that is meant to be passed on to new homebuyers.

“This is a historic investment in Hamilton’s future and one I have worked hard as Mayor to make happen. It represents the single largest investment in roads, water and wastewater infrastructure in our city’s history, and I welcome the support of our provincial and federal partners,” said Mayor Andrea Horwath. “We know Hamilton needs more housing. That means creating the conditions to get more homes built, support local construction and get people back to work, while making housing more affordable for Hamiltonians. By eliminating residential development charges for three years and investing in the infrastructure our growing communities need, we can get shovels in the ground, increase housing supply and reduce costs for people looking to call Hamilton home.”

These investments will benefit Hamilton's growing communities by:

Better connections between neighbourhoods and easier travel: Barton Street (Fruitland Road to Fifty Road) will be widened and reconstructed to create a new multi-modal corridor, with construction expected to begin in 2029. Lewis Road (Highway 8 to Barton Street) will be reconstructed and urbanized, with construction expected to begin in 2027. Together, these projects will create stronger connections between neighbourhoods.
Less time spent getting where residents need to go: Widening Rymal Road (Glancaster Road to Upper Paradise Road and Upper James Street to Dartnall Road) and Garner Road (Wilson Street to Glancaster Road) will improve connections between neighbourhoods, making it easier for people to travel by car, transit, bike or on foot, access services and get where they need to go each day. Provincial funding will help construction begin on the Rymal Road project in 2028.
More room for future communities: Woodward Wastewater Treatment Plant expansion will increase capacity to accommodate up to 97,000 additional homes, helping Hamilton plan for long-term growth and ensuring future communities have the infrastructure they need. Construction is expected to begin in 2028.
More capacity for new housing: Greenhill Water Pumping Station upgrades will increase capacity to accommodate up to 4,400 additional homes, helping support new housing and growth in Hamilton. Construction is expected to begin in 2027.

As an initial step to increase the supply of housing and local construction employment, the City implemented a temporary development charge reduction program. In September 2025, the City began applying it to all new residential and non-residential developments across Hamilton. This measure reduces development costs and supports the City’s efforts to improve housing affordability.

“Getting more homes built for Hamilton residents requires investment in infrastructure from all orders of government,” said Acting City Manager Mike Zegarac. “I want to thank City staff for their hard work in identifying growth-enabling infrastructure projects that will unlock thousands of additional homes and attract support from all three levels of government. I also want to thank Council for approving the City’s Temporary Development Charge Reduction Program last year, a critical step that helped make this investment possible.”

Hamilton worked with federal and provincial partners to bring this investment to the city and advance infrastructure projects that support housing growth. City staff identified projects that aligned with Hamilton’s priorities and worked with senior government partners to secure funding to move them forward. Combined with the City’s own investments and development charge reductions, this funding will help Hamilton get more infrastructure built sooner, support new housing and make the most of every infrastructure dollar.

Accelerating these projects will also support Hamilton’s local construction labour market, creating more opportunities for skilled trades and workers as infrastructure and housing projects move forward.

The City will now work with the Province, Government of Canada, development community and other partners to put this investment into action and move these projects forward, supporting more housing, stronger communities and greater affordability for Hamiltonians.

Quick Facts

Hamilton recorded 4,074 housing starts in 2025, 65 per cent more than in 2024.

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