Advocating for a Strong Halton

Halton Region is committed to working with the Provincial Government to build more homes faster. Our Local Municipalities have endorsed housing pledges totalling 92,500 units in support of the Province’s goal to build 1.5 million homes by 2031. To support them in achieving their housing targets, Halton Region is proactively planning for, financing, and delivering more than $5.9 billion of growth-related infrastructure.

The Region’s continued success in delivering the critical infrastructure needed to support housing is dependent on partnerships with the development community and the Provincial and Federal Governments. This includes the expansion of funding programs that support the delivery of municipal infrastructure projects, such as the Housing-Enabling Water Systems Fund (HEWSF) and the exploration of alternative sources of funding to finance growth-related infrastructure.

The Provincial Government can support the continued successful delivery of critical housing-enabling infrastructure in Halton by: 

Working with the Region to explore alternative sources of funding to finance growth-related infrastructure that do not impact property tax and water/wastewater rate payers. This includes expanding infrastructure funding programs for net-new infrastructure and the maintenance and repair of existing assets that service current development and will support intensification. 

Delivering infrastructure to support housing (PDF file)

High market rental costs, static social assistance programs and the growing mental health and addictions crisis are increasing the demand for homelessness services and supports across Halton. Municipal governments, including Halton Region, are often the first point of contact for people facing struggles with mental health and addictions, many of whom require intensive supports and experience challenges with securing and maintaining stable housing.

There is also significant demand for dedicated supportive and assisted housing across Halton for individuals and families unable to afford market rent. All 5,608 existing assisted housing units in the Region are fully occupied, with 8,519 households on the wait list. At current rates, only 9% of Halton’s existing waitlist will be housed each year. Unmet demand in the community continues to put increased pressure on the Region’s emergency shelter system.

Research from the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO), in partnership with the Ontario Municipal Social Services Association (OMSSA) and the Northern Ontario Service Deliverers Association (NOSDA) (PDF file) has found that more than 85,000 Ontarians experienced homelessness in 2025, a number that has grown by more than 50% since 2021. In Halton, there has been a 185% increase in unsheltered homelessness since 2018 and the Region’s emergency shelter system is currently operating at 140% capacity.

Halton Region has identified 535 shovel-ready assisted and supportive housing units, contingent on Provincial and Federal funding opportunities to begin construction. Halton Region’s Portfolio of housing opportunities (PDF file) provides an overview of Halton’s shovel-ready and in progress projects. These new units are critical in preventing higher emergency shelter use, street homelessness and encampments.

The Provincial government can support Halton in providing housing for those with the greatest need by:

• Increasing social assistance rates and providing greater flexibility to improve housing stability outcomes.
• Increasing coordination across all three levels of government including key provincial ministries and agencies (MMAH, MCCSS, Ontario Health) to address the homelessness, income security, mental health and addictions crises.
• Providing dedicated capital funding for new supportive housing units.
• Partnering with Halton Region to get the Portfolio of shovel-ready assisted and supportive housing properties (PDF file) built faster to meet increasing demand.
• Increasing funding through the Homelessness Prevention Program as a source of long-term, sustainable funding to support the Region in providing housing and supports for individuals who are homeless or at risk of homelessness and to mitigate street homelessness and encampments in Halton.

Provincial Government: Providing housing for those with the greatest need (PDF file)

Provincial Government: Keeping Property Taxes and Water/Wastewater Rates as low as Possible for Halton Residents and Businesses (PDF file)

As one of the fastest growing communities in the country, Halton Region is facing significant demand for Canada Wide Early Learning and Child Care (CWELCC) spaces. Demand from Halton families and child care operators is expected to continue as the community grows.

To address this significant and growing demand for CWELCC spaces in Halton, it is critical that the Provincial Government reassess Halton’s space allocation and revise the methodology used to allocate CWELCC spaces to more accurately reflect community need. Child care operators in Halton are ready to quickly operationalize over 4,200 additional CWELCC spaces for Halton families if the Provincial Government allocates more funding and spaces. Immediate Provincial investment would allow Halton to expand CWELCC spaces to respond to community need, prevent long wait-times for affordable child care, and ease financial hardship for families.

The Provincial Government can support Halton in delivering high quality and affordable child care by: 

• Revising the methodology used to allocate CWELCC spaces to better reflect current and future community need.
• Restoring local flexibility to the Local Priorities Fund.
• Extending the deadline for new capital projects beyond December 31, 2026.
• Providing increased administrative funding and at least 4,200 additional CWELCC spaces, enable Halton Region to allocate more resources to support oversight and auditing of the CWELCC program.

Provincial Government: Expanding child care spaces to meet demand (PDF file)

The Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) has estimated that 5.8 million new homes would be required across the country by 2030 to restore affordability for Canadians.

In Halton, our Local Municipalities have endorsed housing targets totalling 92,500 units to support the delivery of 1.5 million new homes across Ontario by 2031. To support the Local Municipalities in achieving their targets, Halton Region is proactively planning for, financing, and delivering more than $5.9 billion of growth-related infrastructure.

Our collective and continued success is dependent on the expansion of infrastructure funding programs and strong partnerships with the development community and the Provincial and Federal Governments. Infrastructure funding programs such as the Canada Housing Infrastructure Fund (CHIF) are welcomed tools to support municipalities in the delivery of critical housing-enabling infrastructure. However, municipal eligibility requirements for CHIF funding pose challenges for many municipalities.

The Federal Government can support the continued successful delivery of critical housing-enabling infrastructure in Halton by:

• Working together with the Provincial Government to expand infrastructure funding programs such as the CHIF.
• Working with the Region and Provincial Government to explore alternative sources of funding to deliver new water, wastewater and road infrastructure and support the necessary maintenance and repair of existing assets to support growth in Halton.
• Taking action with FCM to develop a National Prosperity Partnership to ensure municipalities can continue to deliver critical housing-enabling infrastructure and address priority community needs.

Advocacy document: Delivering infrastructure to support housing (PDF file)

High market rental costs and the growing mental health and addictions crisis are significantly increasing the demand for homelessness services and supports, including emergency shelter. Municipal governments, including Halton, are often the first point of contact for people facing struggles with mental health and addictions, many of whom require intensive supports, and experience challenges with securing and maintaining stable housing.

The demand for homelessness supports and service across Halton continues to exceed available supply. The Region’s emergency shelter system is currently operating at 140% capacity, and there is a significant demand for assisted housing for individuals and families unable to afford market rent. All 5,608 existing assisted housing units in the Region are fully occupied, and 8,519 households are on the wait list. At the current rate, only 9% of Halton’s existing waitlist will be housed each year. This data points to a clear call for increased, long-term and predictable funding from the Federal Government to meet demand and make long-term strategic investments in homelessness prevention and supportive housing.

This data points to a clear call for increased, long-term and predictable funding from the Federal Government to meet demand and make long-term strategic investments in homelessness prevention and supportive housing.

The Region currently has 535 shovel-ready assisted and supportive housing units (PDF file) in its portfolio of housing development opportunities. This means they are fully zoned and serviced, and ready for Federal and Provincial investment to get construction started. These new units are critical in preventing higher emergency shelter use, street homelessness and encampments.

The Federal Government can support Halton in providing housing for those with the greatest need by:

• Partnering with Halton Region by investing in our shovel-ready assisted and supportive housing properties. This will get them built as fast as possible to meet increasing demand.
• Providing increased, long-term and predictable capital and operating funding to support individuals and families who are homeless or at risk of homelessness with stable and affordable housing.
• Increasing coordination across all three levels of government to address the homelessness, mental health and addictions crises.

Advocacy document: Providing housing for those with the greatest need (PDF file)

The Region, its residents and businesses continue to be impacted by severe weather events such as floods, high winds, tornadoes, ice storms and extreme heat and cold days. These events pose serious risks to the Region’s infrastructure including watermains and wastewater pumping stations and threaten the health, safety and quality of life of residents.

In July 2024, Halton Region experienced five consecutive intense rainfall events, resulting in 100 to 220 mm of total rainfall in isolated areas throughout the region contributing to 1,897 basement flooding incidents. Of the reported flooding, roughly 54 per cent were related to the stormwater-induced wastewater system surcharges, with the remainder being directly flooded by stormwater.

As outlined by FCM, municipalities build and maintain 60% of the core public infrastructure that supports communities including water, wastewater and roads. Long-term predictable sources of funding are required from the Provincial and Federal Governments to invest in climate action, including aging infrastructure and adaptation measures for communities.

The Federal Government can help address climate change and support a resilient Halton community by:

• Providing long-term, sustainable funding for municipal climate adaptation efforts to support resilient communities.
• Expanding federal funding programs such as the Disaster Mitigation and Adaptation Fund.

Advocacy document: Addressing climate change and supporting resilient communities (PDF file)