Lakeshore Receives $32.3 million from Government of Ontario’s Housing-Enabling Water Systems Fund

Mayor Bailey and members of Lakeshore Council and administration earlier this month joined Anthony Leardi, Member of Provincial Parliament for Essex at the Atlas Tube Recreation Centre to announce a $32.3 million grant from the Government of Ontario. The funding, provided through the Municipal Housing Infrastructure Program’s Housing-Enabling Water Systems Fund (MHIP-HEWSF), will support critical investments in Lakeshore’s wastewater infrastructure.

The funding is one of the largest grants Lakeshore has ever received, second only to the $36.8 million from the Canada Housing and Infrastructure Fund, which was announced in March of this year.

“Investing in local infrastructure is part of our government’s plan to protect Ontario, strengthen the economy and create more jobs,” said Todd McCarthy, Ontario’s Acting Minister of Infrastructure. “The County Road 22 Sanitary Sewer Expansion project is part of our government’s nearly $4 billion investment in critical infrastructure that will make new housing possible. For the Municipality of Lakeshore, these projects will help enable approximately 2,500 new homes.”

“This investment comes down to one thing: building more homes,” said MPP Leardi. “By supporting new housing in Lakeshore, the Ontario government is protecting our community and our workers, helping families put down roots and giving seniors the chance to remain close to their loved ones.”

“This investment will ensure we can meet the infrastructure needs of our communities today, and well into the future. Whether you’re a senior looking to downsize, or a new family looking for more space, this funding will help improve access to a wide variety of housing options for the next generation of Lakeshore residents. It will also help us deliver the critical infrastructure investments that we need to unlock Lakeshore’s potential,” said Mayor Bailey.

“We are grateful for the support from MPP Leardi and the Government of Ontario as we embark on the largest infrastructure project Lakeshore has ever seen,” Mayor Bailey added. “As a Council, we have been faced with a critical gap in infrastructure funding, and this grant demonstrates our continued commitment to working with other levels of government to achieve our shared goals.”

The grant will support the implementation of Lakeshore’s Water and Wastewater Master Plan (Conveyance Group 2). The project will include:

• 4.3 kilometers of new trunk sewer along County Road 22, from Rourke Line Road to Old Tecumseh Road (County Road 2).
• Local sewer improvements: 700 meters along Puce Road, 400 meters along IC Roy Drive, 200 meters along Mancini Drive, and 200 meters along Poplar Drive.
• New pump stations and upgrades to existing pump stations.

Background

• Lakeshore’s Water and Wastewater Master Plan, adopted by Council in October of 2024, will guide critical water and wastewater infrastructure investments over the next two decades.
• Earlier this year, Lakeshore also received over $7 million from the Government of Canada’s Housing Accelerator Fund. The funding will help lay the groundwork for the building of new homes over the next decade. To support the achievement of HAF targets, the Municipality formed Lakeshore Horizons in partnership with the Centre for Cities (C4C) at the University of Windsor's Faculty of Law.
• Housing has been a priority for the municipality. At a meeting in August, Council approved several reports and initiatives related to housing and fulfilling Lakeshore’s commitments under the HAF grant.