The Ontario government has unveiled the first wave of investments through its House-Enabling Water Systems Fund, with an allocation of $970 million dedicated to 54 projects across 60 municipalities. This funding aims to develop, repair, rehabilitate, and expand critical water infrastructure, including drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater systems.
In response to the overwhelming demand for this funding, the government has committed an additional $250 million for a second round of applications, beginning on August 14. This brings the total amount in the fund to $1.2 billion.
Premier Doug Ford said: "Our government’s historic investments in infrastructure are helping to tackle Ontario’s housing supply crisis and get more homes built across the province," he stated. Ford emphasized that the announced investments alone would facilitate the construction of over half a million homes, including nearly 47,000 in Peel Region. "We’re going to keep working with our municipal partners to make the dream of homeownership a reality for more families across Ontario,” he added.
One of the significant beneficiaries of this funding is the Regional Municipality of Peel, which will receive $35 million to support the expansion of the G.E. Booth Water Resource Recovery Facility. This project is crucial for enabling the development of 46,784 housing units in Peel Region and includes extending water systems and adding new features, such as an aeration tank and filtering systems. More approved projects are expected to be announced in the coming weeks.
“By investing in drinking water and wastewater treatment facilities and connecting pipes to land, we are helping municipalities build more homes,” said Kinga Surma, Minister of Infrastructure. “Homes can’t be built without connections to drinking water and wastewater.”
This year’s provincial budget revealed over $1.8 billion earmarked for housing-enabling infrastructure, through both the $825 million Housing-Enabling Water Systems Fund and the $1 billion Municipal Housing Infrastructure Program. The government is reallocating $275 million from the Municipal Housing Infrastructure Program to the Housing-Enabling Water Systems Fund, following consultations with municipalities about the pressing need for water and wastewater infrastructure to support housing development. Additionally, $120 million from the Building Faster Fund, intended for small, rural, and northern communities, will be distributed through the Housing-Enabling Water Systems Fund.
Ontario's industry and municipal associations have welcomed the government's initiatives.
