The Ontario government has made a $135 million investment into the water systems and irrigation infrastructure in Niagara Region and the Municipality of Leamington.
The investment will finance home construction and farmland protection, in addition to creating jobs. About $94 million has been allocated to Niagara, while Leamington gets $41 million.
Niagara will earmark approximately $53 million for six water systems projects that will help facilitate the building of up to 14,000 new homes through the Municipal Housing Infrastructure Program’s (MHIP) Housing-Enabling Water Systems Fund stream. Meanwhile, $41 million will be set aside for irrigation pipelines providing water to farms and agricultural businesses.
Leamington, which produces the majority of Ontario’s fruits and grapes, will use its funds to provide improved wastewater treatment services to greenhouse operations.
“In the face of U.S. tariffs and economic uncertainty, our government is investing in the future for the people of Ontario by doubling down on our plan to build,” Ontario infrastructure minister Kinga Surma said in a statement. “With our additional investments in the Municipal Housing Infrastructure Program, we are unlocking more housing and building critical infrastructure that will protect communities, support the farming sector and keep workers on the job.”
Agriculture, food and agribusiness minister Trevor Jones added that the investment aligned with the government's plan to support the province’s economy.
“By funding critical infrastructure like the Niagara irrigation and Leamington wastewater projects, we’re strengthening local economies, safeguarding food security, and making sure Ontario farmers have the tools they need to grow, compete, and succeed, now and for the future,” Jones said.
The agriculture projects in Niagara and Leamington will bolster crop yield, quality, and drought resilience through a consistent water supply. This benefits valuable fruit and vegetable crops in Niagara, while Leamington improves its water quality by collecting nutrient-heavy wastewater from greenhouse operations.
The government will announce other projects that have qualified for MHIP funding in the coming weeks. Thus far, it has injected $2.3 billion into the program.