Ontario Investing in Critical Infrastructure

“We have heard time and time again that municipalities need more options for funding to meet the growing demand for infrastructure in their communities,” said Kinga Surma, Minister of Infrastructure. “We are listening and taking action by launching a new Housing-Enabling Water Systems Fund to build stronger, more prosperous communities. At the same time as the province is moving forward with our own program, we continue to call on the federal government for new federal-provincial infrastructure funding to address significant unmet infrastructure needs.”

Ontario’s new Housing-Enabling Water Systems Fund will support growing communities, helping municipalities build critical water infrastructure that would not otherwise get built and bringing the province one step closer to the government’s goal to build at least 1.5 million homes by 2031.

“We know that to build homes faster, municipalities need to service those homes. That’s why our government has been stepping up, giving our partners the tools that they need to build housing-enabling infrastructure,” said Paul Calandra, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing. “Programs like the Housing-Enabling Water Systems Fund are just one of several ways we are working with municipalities to help build more homes.”

As announced in Ontario’s 2023 Fall Economic Statement, the government is also introducing additional measures to help build critical infrastructure faster and smarter. This includes launching the new Ontario Infrastructure Bank and the building of more rental homes by taking steps to remove the full eight per cent provincial portion of the Harmonized Sales Tax (HST).

“Ontario is facing a housing crisis like never before and our government will continue to work with partners at every level of government to get shovels in the ground to build more housing,” said Peter Bethlenfalvy, Minister of Finance. “We will continue building a strong Ontario together through our responsible, targeted approach to get more critical infrastructure built while laying a strong fiscal foundation for future generations.”

The Housing-Enabling Water Systems Fund is part of the Ontario government’s most ambitious capital plan in the province’s history to invest in infrastructure that will support growing communities and ensure that infrastructure is built for today and for generations to come. Eligible municipalities will be able to nominate housing-enabling water and wastewater projects through the Housing-Enabling Water Systems Fund in early 2024.