{"id":160443,"date":"2024-09-11T14:44:08","date_gmt":"2024-09-11T18:44:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/doppleronline.ca\/rwddev\/?p=160443"},"modified":"2024-09-11T14:44:12","modified_gmt":"2024-09-11T18:44:12","slug":"ontario-government-announces-more-than-50m-for-huntsville-infrastructure","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/doppleronline.ca\/huntsville\/ontario-government-announces-more-than-50m-for-huntsville-infrastructure\/","title":{"rendered":"Ontario government announces more than $50M for Huntsville infrastructure"},"content":{"rendered":"
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It’s being lauded as the largest infrastructure funding announcement of its kind in Muskoka’s history and it took place this morning at the Mountview Wastewater Treatment Plant, which is being converted into a pumping station.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Ontario government is investing $50,607,711.73 to add capacity to Huntsville’s wastewater infrastructure system and enable the construction of an additional 3,197 new homes. The funding is being delivered through the first round of investments under the Housing-Enabling Water Systems Fund, which includes $970 million to help municipalities develop, repair, rehabilitate, and expand drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater infrastructure. (See funding announcement below).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOur government is committed to making life more affordable. A big part of that mission is enabling the construction of new homes. This historic investment into Muskoka will do exactly that,\u201d said MPP Graydon Smith, Parry Sound-Muskoka. \u201cUnder our government our riding has and continues to receive truly unprecedented levels of provincial government investment. I\u2019m thrilled that Muskoka is receiving over $50 million to make home ownership more attainable for our residents.\u201d  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Minister of Infrastructure Kinga Surma delivered the announcement in the Town of Huntsville today. The announcement was made at the site of the Mountview Wastewater Treatment Plant, which will be turned into a pumping station and direct all of Huntsville’s wastewater to the enhanced treatment facility at the Golden Pheasant plant on Hwy. 60.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Surma said that municipalities cannot approve development projects in many instances unless the infrastructure capacity exists to service them. Huntsville Mayor Nancy Alcock said there are planning approvals pending for an additional 277 units on Earls Road, which requires not only treatment but also wastewater pumping capacity. She said that with the enhancement of infrastructure as a result of the funding announcement, the municipality could give the project the green light to move forward to create more housing in the community. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

“This extraordinary investment is one of the largest ever by the Province in Muskoka.\u202fIt helps us tackle one of the biggest barriers to housing construction – the high cost of servicing,\u201d said District of Muskoka Chair Jeff Lehman. “This funding ultimately means less pressure on water bills, and lower housing costs supporting areas of the District with the greatest need.” <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The government is also allocating an additional $250 million and accepting a second round of applications through the Housing-Enabling Water Systems Fund, bringing the province\u2019s total investment in the fund to $1.2 billion.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBy investing in drinking water and wastewater treatment facilities and connecting pipes to land, we are helping municipalities build more homes,\u201d said Surma, \u201cHomes can\u2019t be built without connections to drinking water and wastewater.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this year\u2019s budget, Ontario announced more than $1.8 billion in housing-enabling infrastructure funding through the $825 million Housing-Enabling Water Systems Fund and the $1 billion Municipal Housing Infrastructure Program, in addition to funding announced previously through the province\u2019s Building Faster Fund. In response to the significant demand for investments in water and wastewater infrastructure to enable the construction of more homes, and after consulting with municipalities, the province is transferring $275 million from the Municipal Housing Infrastructure Program to the Housing-Enabling Water Systems Fund. In addition, the $120 million from the Building Faster Fund that was reserved for small, rural, and northern communities is being flowed to these communities through the Housing-Enabling Water Systems Fund. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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