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BARRIE, ONT.Ìý— The City of Barrie is receiving up to $129 million through the Development Charge Reduction Program (DCRP) as it commits to reducing DCs by 50ÌýperÌýcent for residential developments from MarchÌý30, 2026 to MarchÌý31, 2029.

The reduction in development charges over the three-year period is estimated to reduce the cost of building new homes in Barrie by up to $62,223 per home, explains a release. When combined with savings enabled through the expanded HST relief on eligible new homes, these initiatives could save families in Barrie up to $192,223.

Subject to the signing of a Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­-Ontario Build Communities Strong Fund agreement, further due diligence by both governments and the signing of an Ontario-municipal Transfer Payment Agreement, the DCRP will provide the City of Barrie with up to $129Ìýmillion to support the improvement of the city’s wastewater treatment facility infrastructure, including:

• constructing a new digester and integrating it into the existing solids treatment train;
• converting the existing biological system to conventional fine-bubble diffused aeration and replacing the existing site electrical infrastructure; and
• constructing a new, advanced nutrient removal treatment train.

The City of Barrie estimates Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­ cost savings over the development charge reduction period, along with the investment in housing-enabling infrastructure, would unlock 23,364 new homes.

In MarchÌýof this year, Ontario and the federal government agreed to a cost-matched structure to provide a combined $8.8Ìýbillion over 10Ìýyears for infrastructure investments in Ontario.