The Ontario government has announced plans to invest $135 million in water systems and irrigation infrastructure in Niagara Region and the Municipality of Leamington to help build more homes, protect farmland and keep workers on the job.

“In the face of U.S. tariffs and economic uncertainty, our government is investing in the future for the people of Ontario by doubling down on our plan to build,” said Infrastructure Minister Kinga Surma. “With our additional investments in the Municipal Housing Infrastructure Program, we are unlocking more housing and building critical infrastructure that will protect communities, support the farming sector and keep workers on the job.”

Niagara Region will receive approximately $94 million, which includes approximately $53 million for six water systems projects to help unlock up to 14,000 new homes through the Municipal Housing Infrastructure Program’s (MHIP) Housing-Enabling Water Systems Fund stream, and another $41 million for irrigation pipelines to help deliver water to hundreds of farms and agricultural businesses.

Leamington will receive $41 million to help protect thousands of acres of greenhouse operations with improved wastewater treatment services, supporting domestic food production.

Leamington is home to one the largest greenhouse hubs in North America and Niagara Region is where the majority of Ontario's tender fruit and grape crops are grown.

The water systems projects in Niagara Region are part of the province’s $400 million in previously announced MHIP funding. This round of funding will support 50 new water infrastructure projects in 55 municipalities to help build up to 86,000 new homes across the province, bringing the total number of homes enabled through the MHIP to approximately 800,000.

The two projects will help improve crop yield, quality, and drought resilience by ensuring a consistent water supply that will particularly benefit high-value fruit and vegetable crops like peaches for Niagara, as well as enhance water quality in Leamington through the collection of nutrient-heavy wastewater from the greenhouse operations.