MISSISSAUGA, ONT. — Through the first round of investments from the province’s Housing-Enabling Water Systems Fund, the Ontario government is helping to foster construction of more than 500,000 new homes across the province.
The first round will see a $970 million investment in 54 projects across 60 municipalities to help develop, repair, rehabilitate and expand drinking water, wastewater and stormwater infrastructure, indicates a release. The government is also allocating an additional $250 million for a second round of applications starting on Aug. 14. That will bring the total amount in the fund to $1.2 billion.
The investments announced will help get more than half-a-million homes built, including nearly 47,000 in Peel Region, said Premier Doug Ford during the announcement held Aug. 7 in Mississauga, Ont.
As part of the first round of funding, the province is providing the Regional Municipality of Peel with $35 million to support the expansion of the G.E. Booth Water Resource Recovery Facility. The project includes the extension of water systems and installation of new features, such as an aeration tank and filtering systems. Additional projects that have been approved for funding will be announced in the coming weeks, the release adds.
The province is also transferring $275 million from the Municipal Housing Infrastructure Program to the Housing-Enabling Water Systems Fund in order to meet the demand, states a release. In addition, the $120 million from the Building Faster Fund that was reserved for small, rural and northern communities is being flowed to the communities through the Housing-Enabling Water Systems Fund.
More information about the remaining funding in the Municipal Housing Infrastructure Program, including eligibility and application intake details, will be announced in the coming weeks.