Ontario Premier Doug Ford paid a visit to Belleville on Friday to present Mayor Neil Ellis with a cheque from the Building Faster Fund.
The amount was $1,240,000. The funds are set to contribute to a new water pump station to service new homes.
The Building Faster Fund payout was awarded because Belleville exceeded its new home construction target for 2023 under the the provincial plan to build 1.5 million homes by 2031.
Belleville’s 2023 target was 227 housing starts, and the city achieved a total of 644.
Premier Ford said that Belleville has been a great partner for the provincial government in building more homes.
“Our province over the last year, was the fastest growing region in North America, bar none,” said Premier Ford. “Everyone is pitching in, because that’s what a growing province needs.”
During a brief question and answer session, Premier Ford addressed Belleville’s ongoing state of emergency with the addictions crisis. He said that he was working with Mayor Ellis on funding applications.
“We have to take care of people,” said Premier Ford. “I always say there’s not a family out there that doesn’t know someone that’s been affected by mental health and addictions.”
Premier Ford wasn’t able to provide a timeline for when provincial support would be available.
