Ontario Investing $1,535,463 for Critical Water Infrastructure in the Town of Northeastern Manitoulin and the Islands in Algoma-Manitoulin

March 18, 2026

Funding will support housing, jobs and economic growth

NEWS                                                                                                                   March 18, 2026

Little Current, Ontario — Today, MPP Bill Rosenberg announced the Ontario government is investing up to $1,535,463 to rehabilitate and expand water infrastructure in the Town of Northeastern Manitoulin and the Islands (NEMI) in Algoma-Manitoulin. The funding comes from the province’s Municipal Housing Infrastructure Program’s Health and Safety Water Stream (MHIP-HSWS), which has increased by $700 million for a total of $875 million to support access to safe drinking water, housing, job creation and protection for communities in the event of extreme weather events.

Algoma-Manitoulin MPP Bill Rosenberg: “Congratulations to the Town of Northeastern Manitoulin and the Islands (NEMI) on receiving funding from Ontario’s Ministry of Infrastructure. This important provincial investment is a tremendous step forward for the community, strengthening health and safety while helping build a stronger community.    We are proud to see this support for NEMI, and we are confident it will help the community for many years to come.”

The MHIP-HSWS funding will be used in the Town of NEMI for the rehabilitation of Blake Street cast iron watermains. 

“This funding will ensure that we can continue to provide safe drinking water to our residents and the local public school.  This will also increase our capacity to service additional residential development on Blake Street which will help to increase our housing stock.”  Mayor Al MacNevin

This funding is part of a historic investment of $4 billion in the Municipal Housing Infrastructure Program (MHIP), included in Ontario’s $220 billion capital plan, the most ambitious in the province’s history, to build transit, highways, hospitals, schools and water infrastructure that enables new housing.

“As we continue to navigate economic uncertainty and unwarranted U.S. tariffs, our government is protecting Ontario by investing in critical infrastructure that drives growth, creates jobs and strengthens communities,” said Todd McCarthy, Acting Minister of Infrastructure. “Through our historic $4 billion Municipal Housing Infrastructure Program, we are giving municipalities and First Nations the tools they need to get shovels in the ground and build stronger communities. Our investments will deliver more homes, modernize aging water systems and lay the foundation for long-term prosperity across Ontario.”

QUICK FACTS

 

• In August 2025, Ontario increased the MHIP to $4 billion to speed up construction of homes and core infrastructure, such as roads and water systems. Since its launch in 2024, the MHIP has made about 800,000 more new homes possible.
• The MHIP is comprised of four funding streams: the Housing-Enabling Water Systems Fund (HEWSF), the Housing-Enabling Core Servicing (HECS) Stream, the Health and Safety Water Stream (HSWS) and the Agriculture and Irrigation Stream.
• In January 2025, Ontario announced an initial investment of $175 million to launch the HSWS.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

• Ontario Investing $1.6 Billion in Municipal Housing Infrastructure Program
• Ontario Getting Homes and Infrastructure Built Faster and Smarter
• Municipal Housing Infrastructure Program
• Health and Safety Water Stream

MPP Bill Rosenberg
Bill.Rosenberg@pc.ola.org
705-842-6556

MPP Rosenberg, Mayor Al MacNevin

Cockburn Street expansion location of residential lots for new housing from 2025 Housing Enabling Core Services funding of $907,887