Mayor's Message: $32.3 million from Government of Ontario’s Housing-Enabling Water Systems Fund

This week, members of Council, administration and I joined Anthony Leardi, Member of Provincial Parliament for Essex, to announce a $32.3 million grant from the Government of Ontario’s Housing-Enabling Water Systems Fund. This is one of the largest grants in Lakeshore’s history.

On behalf of Council and our residents, I’d like to thank MPP Leardi for his advocacy. Our success would not have been possible without his support.  

The grant funds will support critical investments in Lakeshore’s wastewater infrastructure. This work will include over four kilometres of new trunk sewer along County Road 22, from Rourke Line Road to Old Tecumseh Road, new pump stations and pump upgrades, as well as local sewer improvements throughout the project area.

This investment will ensure we can meet the infrastructure needs of our communities today, and well into the future. It will enable the building of over 2,500 homes. Whether you’re a senior looking to downsize, or a new family looking for more space, the grant will help improve access to a wide variety of housing options for current and future residents.

And through the ongoing work of Lakeshore Horizons, these housing options will reflect the desires of our community members. We need your input on what the future of Lakeshore looks like.

Today’s announcement caps off a record-setting year for grants in Lakeshore. Since the start of 2025, we have secured nearly $80 million in funding from upper levels of government.

Our success, and this project, will leave a lasting legacy that demonstrates what is possible when we find common ground and focus on solutions.

While we have much work to do, we will continue to achieve our goals in cooperation with each other and our community partners.

Together we are Lakeshore.