County of Brant received $35 million in provincial funding for the expansion of the St. George Water Pollution Control Plant on Thursday, September 12, 2024.
Provincial representatives made the announcement, with the funds 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.
Will Bouma, MPP for Brantford-Brant, said that while the Water Pollution Control Plant is currently working fine for the homes that do exist, there is limited capacity which has ultimately slowed down the building projects that are underway.
“The existing treatment plant has been losing capacity for as long as I’ve known,” he said.
“I believe there’s still years and years left, but St. George has been under an interim water servicing policy, which means limited construction. …Because there isn’t capacity in the system to build more, that’s all slowed down.”
He said that the funding and the project, which is “shovel-ready,” will ultimately allow for the construction of 1,350 new homes in the town of St. George.
“We are taking a significant step forward in addressing one of our community’s most pressing needs,” he said. “…These upgrades are the backbone of our housing projects as without reliable water and wastewater systems, homes simply cannot be built. …By investing in infrastructure now, we are enabling the construction of more homes in the future, ensuring that Brantford-Brant continues to thrive as a vibrant community.”
David Bailey, Mayor for the County of Brant, who was in attendance alongside Councillors Lukas Oakley, John MacAlpine, Jennifer Kyle and John Bell as well as various municipal staff members, expressed his thanks to the provincial government, noting that the funding is a crucial step in moving forward.
“This is great news for us,” he said. “As we know, the County of Brant is a highly desirable place to live, and this funding is a crucial step in ensuring we can provide reliable, safe and sustainable wastewater treatment to support the construction of new homes and the needs of our growing community.”
Kimberly De Jong’s reporting is funded by the Canadian government through its Local Journalism Initiative.The funding allows her to report rural and agricultural stories from Blandford-Blenheim and Brant County. Reach her at kimberly.dejong@brantbeacon.ca.
