Simcoe County works through process to reduce DCs for grants

 

Posted August 19, 2026

​

Simcoe County council will meet in special session tomorrow at noon, in camera, to discuss reducing its share of development charges as a means of qualifying for provincial and federal funding programs.

​

Last spring, The Building Communities Strong Fund (BCSF) provincial-territorial stream was created to provide $8.8 billion in cost-matched federal and provincial investment over ten years doled out to municipalities focused on temporarily reducing or maintaining low DCs.

​

To build a new home or semi-detached unit in New Tecumseth, the DCs total $111,560 for urban services. Of that, Simcoe County's share is $14,975 while the school boards divide the $6,083. DCs, like property taxes, are collected at the municipal level.

​

Earlier this week at the AMO conference in Ottawa, the two levels of government announced a further $1 billion program that would provide grants to municipalities that eliminate their DCs. The reasons cited would be to lower the cost of new home construction for buyers.

​

New Tecumseth, whose DC reserves are in deficit by millions of dollars for water, and wastewater, has not made any moves to take part in either of the funding programs, at this point.