A major investment announced yesterday could unlock tens of thousands of new homes in Hamilton, marking an important milestone for housing affordability, economic growth and the city’s ability to attract and retain talent.

The Federal Government and Province of Ontario announced that Hamilton will receive $572 million through the Development Charges Reduction Program, supporting critical housing-enabling infrastructure while allowing the City to eliminate residential development charges from March 30, 2026, to March 31, 2029. The City estimates the measures could help unlock more than 31,000 new housing units.

For the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce, yesterday’s announcement represents meaningful progress on an issue we have consistently identified as fundamental to Hamilton’s economic future.

Our advocacy goes back years.

In 2023, the Chamber partnered with the West End Home Builders’ Association (WE HBA) to commission the Smart Prosperity Institute’s Who Will Swing the Hammer? report. The research sounded the alarm on Hamilton’s housing shortage and connected the availability of attainable housing directly to our ability to attract and retain the workers our economy needs.

At the time, Chamber President & CEO Greg Dunnett made that connection clear: “Building housing that meets the needs of young families is incredibly important for the future of Hamilton’s labour market and thus the economy.”

We continued carrying that message to all levels of government, including through federal pre-budget consultations, while making attainable housing and talent retention a focus of the Hamilton and Burlington Chambers’ 2025 Bay Area Economic Summit event.

More recently, our advocacy has focused on the cost and viability of actually getting homes built.

In 2025, the Chamber and WE HBA pushed Hamilton City Council to reduce development charges, initially calling for a temporary 50 percent reduction to stimulate construction. Council ultimately approved a 20 percent reduction, an important first step.

This June, the Hamilton Chamber joined WE HBA, the Hamilton-Halton Construction Association and Cornerstone Association of REALTORS® in calling on Council to aggressively pursue the Development Charges Reduction Program, specifically advocating for senior-government infrastructure funding and deeper development charge reductions to stimulate housing supply and economic growth.

Yesterday, that advocacy has resulted in action.

We commend the Governments of Ontario and Canada, Mayor Andrea Horwath, Hamilton City Council and City staff for this historic investment. We also congratulate our partners at WE HBA for their persistent leadership and advocacy.

Hamilton needs housing that workers, young professionals and families can afford. It needs the infrastructure that makes growth possible. And it needs an environment where builders and investors can confidently get projects moving.

Yesterday’s announcement is a major step toward all three, and toward a more competitive, affordable and prosperous Hamilton.

• Share on Facebook
• Share on Twitter
• Share on LinkedIn