MPP Oosterhoff Attends Groundbreaking of Critical Water Infrastructure Project in West Lincoln

November 7, 2025

Smithville – Supported by a provincial investment of over $3.9 million, the Township of West Lincoln, along with the Regional Municipality of Niagara, hosted a groundbreaking ceremony, today, marking the commencement of essential watermain and sanitary sewer upgrades in Smithville. The housing-enabling water systems project will help unlock up to 2,100 new homes in the Township of West Lincoln.

“This provincial support through the Housing-Enabling Water Systems Fund for West Lincoln will help unlock the construction of up to 2,100 future new homes in Smithville,” said Sam Oosterhoff, MPP for Niagara West.

“This funding also means municipal rate payers will not be required to carry the burden of new infrastructure – keeping more money in the pocket of residents in West Lincoln.”

Provincial funding for the project is being delivered through the second intake of the Housing-Enabling Water Systems Fund, which includes a total of $325 million to help municipalities build, repair, rehabilitate and expand drinking water, wastewater and stormwater infrastructure across Ontario.

“This investment is a key step in supporting the long-term growth strategy of West Lincoln,” said Cheryl Ganann, Mayor of the Township of West Lincoln.

“By upgrading critical water and wastewater infrastructure, we are ensuring that new development happens in a responsible and sustainable way that balances housing targets with the capacity of our services.”

The project includes the replacement and expansion of key sections of watermain and sanitary sewer infrastructure to support both existing residents and future development needs. Construction is expected to begin during the week of November 10 and continue until approximately June 2026.

Through the second intake of the Housing-Enabling Water Systems Fund, the government is supporting twenty-three water infrastructure projects across the province, including the water infrastructure project in West Lincoln.

In total, Ontario is investing nearly $1.3 billion through the first and second intakes of the Housing-Enabling Water Systems Fund to support seventy-seven water infrastructure projects that will help municipalities build approximately 600,000 new homes.

In 2024, the province announced over $22 million in funding for a housing-enabling project in Lincoln and over $20 million in funding for a housing-enabling project in Welland.

This past August, the province announced $94 million in water infrastructure funding for Niagara, including $53 million for six local municipal water system projects and $41 million for irrigation pipelines to help deliver water to hundreds of farms and agricultural businesses across the region.

Through the Municipal Housing Infrastructure Program and the Housing-Enabling Water Systems Fund, Ontario is providing nearly $2 billion to support housing- and community-enabling infrastructure and build more homes across the province.