The Municipality of Lakeshore is celebrating the second biggest grant it's ever received from the Ontario government, $32.3-million to support new wastewater infrastructure on County Road 22.
The largest grant the municipality ever received came earlier this year. It got $36.8-million from the Canada Housing and Infrastructure Fund in March.
The most recent grant was awarded through the Municipal Housing Infrastructure Program's Housing Enabling Water Systems Fund.
"Investing in local infrastructure is part of our government's plan to protect Ontario, strengthen the economy, and create more jobs," said Ontario's Acting Minister of Infrastructure, Todd McCarthy. "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."
A total of 4.3 kilometres of new trunk sewer will be installed along County Road 22, from Rourke Line to Old Tecumseh Road. The project also includes 700 metres along Puce Road, 400 metres along IC Roy Drive, 200 meters along Mancini Drive, and 200 metres along Poplar Drive. Lakeshore also plans to build more pumping stations and upgrade its existing ones.
It will help support the construction of 2,500 new homes in Lakeshore.
"This investment will ensure we can meet the infrastructure needs of our communities today, and well into the future," said Lakeshore Mayor Tracey Bailey. "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."
"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," she added.
The project on County Road 22 was approved under Lakeshore's Water and Wastewater Master Plan a year ago.
Housing is a top priority for the municipality. Earlier this year, Lakeshore received $7-million through the Government of Canada's Housing Accelerator Fund, and it formed Lakeshore Horizons, a partnership with the Centre for Cities at the University of Windsor's Faculty of Law.
