The 2025 Federal election has been called, and voting day is April 28. It is important to stay informed about the key issues that will shape the future of our community. As candidates begin knocking on doors, we want to share what we think is important for Halton in this election.
Making an informed decision: Halton’s priority issues
Working together with the Federal Government, we have taken some key steps forward. However, there is much more to be done. A strong, collaborative partnership with the Federal Government remains critical as we continue to work together to advance priority issues impacting the Halton community:
Delivering critical infrastructure to support housing: Halton Region plays a vital role in providing high-quality water and wastewater services, both now and in support of future housing needs. The housing crisis continues to make housing unaffordable for many.
In Halton, our Local Municipalities have endorsed housing targets totaling 92,500 units to support the delivery of 1.5 million new homes across Ontario by 2031.
We are delivering the critical water and wastewater infrastructure needed to meet the increasing demand for housing across Halton. We are working with our partners to plan, finance, and implement $5.2 billion worth of infrastructure for water, wastewater, and roads to facilitate this growth. By 2031, Halton will have the capacity to support 104,000 housing units with our water and wastewater infrastructure—more than sufficient to meet our housing targets.
To get housing built faster, we require long-term, reliable funding and effective policies that will enable the timely development of roads, water, and wastewater systems. This will ensure sustainable growth in both new and existing communities.
Providing Housing for those with the Greatest Need: Halton is not immune to the homelessness crisis. The numbers are alarming. Our emergency shelters operate at 40% over capacity, we have over 8,000 people on the waitlist for assisted housing, and all 5,404 existing units are fully occupied.
We urgently need the Federal Government to commit to long-term, sustainable funding to help us start construction on the 548 shovel-ready units of assisted and supportive housing (PDF file) that are zoned, serviced, and ready for investment.
We need long-term, predictable capital and operating funding to support the Region in providing housing and support for individuals who are homeless or at risk of homelessness.
Responding to the Threat of U.S. Trade Tariffs: Trade tensions with the United States raise concerns about the impact of high tariffs and counter-tariffs on Canada, Ontario, and our local economy. Halton Region is proactively responding to the threat and is working to plan and mitigate potential impacts, such as increased costs of essential goods and services.
We want to be part of the Team Canada approach to protect our local economy and interests.
We’re concerned about the negative impacts of higher costs and potential supply chain issues for critical materials, such as steel, which are essential for large infrastructure projects. Decisions made at the federal and provincial levels often have a local impact, and municipalities want to ensure we are coordinated in our approach.
We need the Federal government to increase funding for housing and infrastructure to help stimulate the economy, remove any barriers that prevent municipalities from preferring Canadian companies for capital projects and goods and services, and eliminate inter-provincial trade barriers to support Canadian businesses.
Addressing Climate Change and Supporting Resilient Communities: Our 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.
We need long-term, predictable sources of funding from both the Provincial and Federal Governments to invest in climate action, including aging infrastructure and adaptation measures for communities.
How the Federal government can support Halton
We need funding and policies that support house-enabling infrastructure, create more supportive housing, address mental health and addiction, protect our national, provincial, and local economies, and help ensure our infrastructure is resilient to climate change.
Halton Region needs solid funding commitments from the Federal government for us to:
- put the water, wastewater and road infrastructure in place to get pipeline housing developments built faster;
- create more supportive housing to get people out of encampments and into permanent housing with mental health and addiction support;
- protect our local economy by removing trade barriers to inter-provincial trade that prevent municipalities from selecting Canadian companies; and
- protect our core infrastructure and our community from the impacts of climate change and severe weather.
Your vote matters
Every ballot counts. Learn about the issues that will shape your future and your community. Learn about the local candidates and where they stand on issues that matter to you. Your vote is your voice, and it matters.
The time to act is now. Let’s build the future together. Learn more about Halton Region’s priority issues and make an informed decision in this Federal election.
Resources
- Read our Federal Election series on Halton Highlights throughout the election period.
- View our web pages on Housing Supports and Services, Construction (infrastructure and Assisted and Supportive Housing), Climate Change and the Environment
- Follow @regionofhalton on X, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram.