The Ontario government has announced plans to invest an additional $700 million to help 127 municipalities and First Nations communities upgrade and expand aging water infrastructure.

The funding, which comes from the province’s Municipal Housing Infrastructure Program (MHIP), will support access to safe drinking water, housing, job creation and protection for communities in the event of extreme weather events.

Across Simcoe North, the government is investing up to $78.4 million to support five water system projects, including upgrades to Orillia’s Fittons Road West Sewage Pumping Station, which will help prevent sewage backups and support future growth.

Other projects in Simcoe North include $30 million for Ramara, $29.5 million for Tay Township, $11.5 million for Penetanguishene and $4.16 million for Tiny Township. This funding is in addition to more than $55 million previously provided to Simcoe North municipalities through the Housing-Enabling Water Systems Fund.

Other recipients of the $700 million in additional funding will be announced in the coming weeks.

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.