The Municipality of Lakeshore has received over $32-million to make water and sewer system improvements.
The announcement was made Thursday afternoon by Essex MPP Anthony Leardi for the County Road 22 Sewer Expansion Project.
The $32.2-million grant is from the province's Housing-Enabling Water Systems Fund and will be used to construct new trunk sewers along County Road 22 from Rourke Line Road to Amy Croft Drive near Manning Road.
The funding will also be used to construct new pump stations along that stretch and make improvements to existing pump stations.
This expansion will allow the municipality to add 2,500 new housing units along County Road 22 in a range of forms, such as single-family homes, semi-detached homes, or even apartment buildings.
Lakeshore mayor Tracey Bailey says residents will notice a number of things happening with this project.
"The installation of trunk lines, and so those trunk lines are six-foot wide trunk lines going down County Road 22, so we're going to see that happening. The pump stations are also receiving back up generators, and new pumping activity... all of that kind of stuff being installed. As well as opening up housing opportunities along County Road 22."
Bailey says this will allow the municipality to build and offer different housing types.
"Other communities are able to have ARUs or an additional dwelling unit, here you can't do that. So, having opportunities to be able to add additional toilets, to have a commercial development on the bottom that wants to have housing above it, or a couple of apartment options... we can't do that currently because our sanitary doesn't allow us to grow."
Wayne Ormshaw, Lakeshore's Division Leader for Capital Projects, says residents who currently live along that stretch who have experienced flooding will notice a major difference.
"Once those pump stations and the pipes go online, you're going to see an immediate reaction to that during those flooding events. So, during the heavy rainstorms where unfortunately water gets into the wrong system by accident, but it does get there, you're going to see an immediate difference and it's almost going to be night and day."
Mayor Bailey adds that residents will be able to provide their feedback on the project as it moves along.
This expansion will be split into two phases, with the design of phase one to begin December 2025. Phase one is expected to be completed by March 2029, while phase two is expected to be completed by September 2031.
The total project cost is estimated to be $92-million, with $32-million from the provincial government, nearly $37-million from the federal government, and nearly $23-million being put forward by the Municipality of Lakeshore.