FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

October 23, 2025

Ontario Introduces Landmark Legislation to Harmonize Municipal Road Standards

New “Fighting Delays, Building Faster Act, 2025” will standardize municipal road standards, reduce costs, and improve infrastructure delivery efficiency

TORONTO — The Government of Ontario today introduced the Fighting Delays, Building Faster Act, 2025, landmark legislation that will modernize the way transportation and municipal infrastructure are delivered across the province.

Through amendments to the Public Transportation and Highway Improvement Act, the proposed legislation will enable the Minister of Transportation to create regulations that require municipalities to harmonize their road-building standards with Ontario Provincial Standards (OPS).

For decades, municipalities have operated under a patchwork of differing design and material standards for road and bridge construction. This inconsistency has created costly redundancies and inefficiencies in project delivery. The new legislation aims to eliminate those inefficiencies, providing greater certainty for industry, more value for taxpayers, and more consistent infrastructure delivery across Ontario.

“This is a pivotal moment for Ontario’s infrastructure sector,” said Walid Abou-Hamde, Chief Executive Officer of the Ontario Road Builders’ Association (ORBA). “For years, our members have highlighted the inefficiencies caused by fragmented municipal standards. Harmonization under the OPS framework will ensure consistency, predictability, and cost-effectiveness across projects—allowing Ontario to build more for less.”

The harmonization framework will:

• Eliminate costly duplication and streamline project design, procurement, and delivery;
• Provide greater certainty for contractors, engineers, and suppliers through standardized specifications;
• Support innovation and efficiency in the planning and delivery of municipal infrastructure; and
• Enable Ontario to accelerate investment in critical roads and bridges that keep the province moving.

The Building Faster Act, 2025 reflects Ontario’s commitment to improving how infrastructure is built—by partnering with industry and municipalities to reduce red tape, increase efficiency, and strengthen value for taxpayers.

About the Ontario Road Builders’ Association (ORBA)
The Ontario Road Builders’ Association is the voice of the transportation infrastructure sector in Ontario. Our members build provincial and municipal roads, bridges, and transportation, infrastructure across the province. To learn more about ORBA, visit www.orba.org

Media Contact:
Steven Crombie
 Senior Director, Public Affairs
 Ontario Road Builders’ Association
 steven@orba.org