Big city mayors call for faster federal infrastructure funding to keep housing projects on track

By CaDCR Staff Writer

February 12, 2026

Mayors from Canada’s largest cities are urging the federal government to accelerate the flow of infrastructure funding, warning that delays could stall housing and transit projects during the upcoming construction season and drive up costs at a critical moment for the economy.

Members of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities’ Big City Mayors Caucus (BCMC) raised the issue earlier this week during a meeting with the Prime Minister, where they outlined steps municipalities are already taking to speed up approvals and reduce barriers to construction. Mayors said those local efforts risk being undermined if federal dollars do not reach cities quickly enough.

According to the caucus, existing federal infrastructure programs often fail to align with the pace and scale of municipal needs, creating a gap between national housing and economic goals and the ability of cities to deliver projects on the ground.

“Mayors share the federal government’s ambition and sense of urgency, which is why we need to work together to get shovels in the ground this season,” BCMC chair Josh Morgan said in a statement. “Canada’s housing and trade goals depend on enabling infrastructure and reliable transit in the cities where growth is happening. Housing targets require infrastructure capacity to match.”

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