Environment & Sustainability, Housing, Parliament, Transport
Building a Distinctive City and Endearing Home
18 September 2025
Find out how Singapore plans to improve housing and liveable towns, strengthen transport connectivity, and enhance climate resilience, water and food security, and environmental quality.
At the opening of the First Session of the 15th Parliament on 5 September 2025, President Tharman Shanmugaratnam spoke on providing assurances to Singaporeans, such as by keeping public housing affordable and accessible, and investing in technologies to develop breakthrough environmental solutions.
The Government will revitalise our towns and estates to make them more liveable, vibrant and senior-friendly. As we strengthen Singapore’s position as a global hub for sustainable aviation and maritime, we will also expand and enhance public transport to meet future mobility needs. Guided by our commitment to sustainability, we will uplift daily experiences of Singaporeans while building a more climate- resilient Singapore.
The following agencies have outlined key initiatives and focus areas under the theme of “Building a Distinctive City and Endearing Home”:
For more details, please refer to the President's Address at the First Session of the 15th Parliament (opens in new tab).
Ministry of National Development (MND)
1. An Endearing City to Live, Work, and Play
Continue to provide a robust supply of Build-To-Order (BTO) flats across different regions including more with shorter waiting times, and also maintain a strong supply of land for private housing.
Review public housing income ceiling and study providing more housing options, including for singles, seniors, and larger families.
Revitalise business nodes and workspaces, bringing jobs closer to homes such as in the Northern, Eastern, and Western Gateways.
2. Vibrant Towns and Communities, and a Quality Living Environment
Continue to upgrade older towns and homes through programmes like the Home Improvement Programme (HIP) and Neighbourhood Renewal Programme (NRP) for HDB estates.
Develop and flesh out the framework for the Voluntary Early Redevelopment Scheme (VERS)
Build more integrated community hubs, expand the network of parks and park connectors around the island, and plan new public spaces along Identity Corridors that anchor community activity.
3. Promoting a Pro-enterprise Operating Environment which Advances our Built Environment Sector
Work with industry partners to uplift the Built Environment sector and offer more career opportunities for Singaporeans.
Advance a pro-enterprise agenda by streamlining regulatory processes through the implementation of CORENET X, continuing to reduce regulatory burden and business costs, and catalysing new growth opportunities.
Ministry of Transport (MOT)
1. Positioning Singapore as a Global Hub through Expanded Air, Maritime, and Cross-Border Land Connectivity
Facilitate and strengthen seamless passenger travel and efficient cargo transfers through the upcoming Changi Terminal 5 (to be operational in the mid-2030s), the new Changi East Industrial Zone, revamped Changi Airfreight Centre, and the new Changi East Urban District.
Consolidate port facilities at Tuas Port, increasing its handling capacity to 65 million twenty-foot equivalent units when fully completed in the 2040s.
Continue work on Johor Bahru (JB)-Singapore RTS Link, with passenger service expected to begin by December 2026, carrying up to 10,000 passengers per hour in each direction.
2. Enhancing the Inclusivity, Accessibility and Reliability of our Land Transport System
MOT (opens in new tab) and Land Transport Authority (LTA) (opens in new tab) will commence public engagements on the future of Land Transport.
Expand our rail network for better access to MRT with new lines and interchanges, while providing alternative routes for commuters to strengthen the rail network’s resilience.
Enhance bus connectivity to meet ridership and demand.
Deploy autonomous vehicles to complement the public transport network, enhancing first- and last-mile connectivity to and from transport nodes and key amenities, starting with Punggol by end 2025.
Enhance accessibility of land transport system through ongoing efforts like upgrading MRT stations and bus interchanges, and rolling out Friendly Streets, for safer and more inclusive towns.
3. Leveraging our Global Connectivity to Bolster Economic Growth and Resilience, Creating New Opportunities for Singapore and Singaporeans
Strengthen Singapore’s position as a trusted node in the global supply chain and vital connector between Asia and the world.
Enhance collaboration with international bodies and tripartite partners to expand opportunities for businesses and create good jobs for Singaporeans, particularly in the transport sector.
Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment (MSE)
1. Raising Singapore’s Climate Adaptation Ambitions
Develop first National Adaptation Plan to address the physical risks and other impacts of climate change
Implement mitigation strategies for a low-carbon future
Enhance capacity and capability to assess safety of nuclear energy deployment in Singapore
2. Enhancing Singapore’s Water and Food Supply Resilience
Continue to diversify our food import sources, build up our stockpile of essential food items, and enhance local agri-food industry productivity and climate resilience
Invest in water infrastructure to meet future water needs
3. Uplifting Daily Environmental Experiences of Singaporeans
Increase collective action on the 3Rs for a zero-waste future
Work with community partners to sustain high standards of public hygiene
Upgrade existing and build new hawker centres to support the provision of affordable food options
Read other key initiatives and focus areas outlined in the President's Address (opens in new tab):