Story by Paul Martin
Belleville hit its building target for 2025 and has been rewarded by the province.
Minister of municipal affairs and housing Rob Flack was on hand to deliver the good news in person at City Hall, and a check for 1.24 million dollars through the Building Faster Fund on Wednesday.
Flack said keeping rent and housing costs down is crucial and the government is doing all it can to help speed the process by making regulatory changes and making moves to encourage development.
He says “affordability is back on the menu” thanks to some of these changes.
Bay of Quinte MPP Tyler Allsopp says Belleville didn’t just meet its target, it “smashed it by 35-per cent” and it was great to see those efforts being rewarded.
418 new homes were built last year.
2025 is the third straight year Belleville has hit its housing target and the second of those years where the target has been exceeded.
The funding must be allocated for future development.
“As more people choose to call Belleville home, we are working hard to ensure our infrastructure and services keep pace with our community’s growth,” stated Mayor Neil Ellis.
“This investment through the Building Faster Fund will help us continue creating the conditions needed for new housing while strengthening our community for years to come.
Announced in August 2023, the Building Faster Fund is a three-year, up to $1.2 billion program that helps municipalities build more homes faster. The fund rewards municipalities that make significant progress toward their housing targets by providing funding for the infrastructure needed to support new housing and growing communities.
