Thompson brings nearly $40 million to municipalities expanding housing capacity

The Ontario government is investing $39,448,926 in water infrastructure to help build approximately 4,974 new homes in five Huron-Bruce municipalities. The funding is being delivered through the province’s Housing-Enabling Water Systems Fund (HEWSF), a stream of the Municipal Housing Infrastructure Program (MHIP).

 

“This is tremendous news for communities across Huron-Bruce,” said Lisa Thompson, MPP for Huron-Bruce. “By investing in critical water infrastructure, our government is leading the way for new housing opportunities and sustainable growth in our municipalities. This investment will help ensure that more housing can be realized, supporting families, attracting new residents, and strengthening the vibrant communities we call home.”

 

Projects approved for provincial funding for this intake are: 

 

• The Municipality of Huron East is receiving $12,819,000 for the expansion of the Seaforth Wastewater Treatment Plant, which will enable up to 962 more houses to be built, according to the provincial government

 

• The Town of Saugeen Shores will receive $17,976,250 for upgrades to the Southampton Water Pollution Control Plant, enabling the support of 1,634 more houses

 

• The Municipality of South Huron will receive $5,367,325 for work on the London Road South Trunk Sanitary Sewer, leading to the expansion of 2,100 potential new homes

 

• The Township of Ashfield-Colborne-Wawanosh has received $2,110,156 for the expansion of the Century Heights Drinking Water system, enabling the support of up to 156 new homes

 

• The Municipality of Central Huron is receiving $1,176,195 for the King Street Infrastructure Expansion Project, which will enable the construction of up to 122 more homes.

 

According to a press release from Thompson’s office, the MHIP is part of the government’s plan to protect Ontario and includes historic investments in housing- and community-enabling infrastructure that will help municipalities deliver the core infrastructure needed, such as roads and water systems, to lay the foundation for new homes in communities across the province.

 

“In the face of economic uncertainty, our government is investing in the future for the people of Ontario by doubling down on our plan to build,” said Kinga Surma, Minister of Infrastructure. “With our additional investments in the MHIP, we’re unlocking more housing and building critical infrastructure that will protect communities, keep workers on the job and lay the groundwork for a stronger economy.”

 

This round of funding brings the total number of homes enabled in Ontario through the MHIP to approximately 800,000. Investing in local infrastructure is part of the province’s more than $200 billion capital plan to build and improve transit, highways, hospitals, schools and other critical public infrastructure, while strengthening the economy for the future.
As part of last year’s intake, projects valued at a total of over $12 million to the Municipality of Bluewater, the Town of Goderich and the Municipality of South Bruce were funded by the provincial government, enabling the construction of nearly 3,000 new homes.

 

Thompson added, “This funding builds on last year’s Housing-Enabling Water Systems Fund investments, announced in August 2024, which also supported key water infrastructure projects in Huron-Bruce.”