The Ontario government topped up its Housing-Enabling Water Systems Fund (HEWSF) in an effort to build more homes across the province.

The government announced the news shortly before Premier Doug Ford called the snap February provincial election. The move sees the province add $325 million to the fund, which helps municipalities build, repair, rehabilitate and expand critical drinking water, wastewater and stormwater infrastructure. The government says that money is enough to stimulate the construction of as many as 107,000 new homes.

“Our government is making historic investments to support housing-enabling infrastructure that will increase the housing supply and help make the dream of homeownership a reality,” said Infrastructure Minister Kinga Surma. “Thanks to the incredible interest for funding, we increased our investment for the Housing-Enabling Water Systems Fund to help our municipal partners deliver the foundational infrastructure needed to connect new homes to essential water services people depend on every day.”

Through the second intake of HEWSF, the government is supporting 23 water infrastructure projects across the province. In total, Ontario is investing nearly $1.3 billion, through the first and second intakes of HEWSF, to support 77 water infrastructure projects that will help municipalities build approximately 600,000 new homes.

The Ontario government is investing $700 million through the first and second intakes of HEWSF to help build 160,000 new homes in 54 small, rural and Northern municipalities.

It is also investing $175 million through the new Health and Safety Water Stream, under the Municipal Housing Infrastructure Program, to help municipalities and First Nations build, repair and expand the capacity of aging water, flood and erosion infrastructure.

Ontario is also investing $400 million through the Housing-Enabling Core Servicing Stream, under the Municipal Housing Infrastructure Program, to fund 58 projects across 60 municipalities. These projects will help enable up to 160,000 new homes and ensure these growing communities are connected to reliable roadways.

The new Housing-Enabling Water Infrastructure lending stream under Infrastructure Ontario’s Loan Program is providing up to $1 billion in loans to support municipalities with water infrastructure projects that will enable the construction of more homes.