Chatham-Kent (CK) is getting a large sum of money from the province after a strong year of home builds in 2025.
Graydon Smith, Associate Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, presented a cheque for $440,000 to the municipality on Monday.
The funding comes from Ontario's Building Faster Fund, which awards municipalities that reach at least 80 per cent of its yearly target for new homes. CK's target sat around 120, with the municipality seeing 577 new builds.
CK Mayor Darrin Canniff told CK News Today that the large number of builds proves the area is a desirable place to live.
"We're a growing community here, and people recognize that," he explained.
What exactly the funds will be used for is unknown. Michael Duben, CK's Chief Administrative Officer (CAO), explained that the money would most likely be put into reserves, and that CK's council could decide how to spend it at a later date.
The Building Faster Fund ran for three years, with CK receiving funds annually. Canniff believes that if the province brings the program back, the municipality will continue to benefit.
One reason the mayor believes this is a motion that will soon be brought forward to CK's council to remove development charges from new builds over the next three years.
"The more we can reduce costs... It's going to make it more affordable for many people to buy here," added Canniff.
Typical development charges can cost home builders tens of thousands of dollars, with that money going directly to the municipality. This won't be a loss for the municipality, as the province is directly supporting areas that lower these charges by at least 30 per cent.
One person supporting the motion is Dan Van Moorsel, the executive officer of the Chatham-Kent Home Builders Association.
"Why do we always have to get the money from homeowners. If the province is offering up money, why don't we grab some of that?" he added.
Canniff noted that the motion will most likely be brought before CK's council sometime over the next month.
