Ontario Investing $1,419,986 for Critical Water Infrastructure in the Township of Emo

January 22, 2026

Funding will support housing, jobs and economic growth

EMO— Today, MPP Greg Rickford announced the Ontario government is investing up to $1,419,986 for wastewater infrastructure upgrades in the Township of Emo. The funding comes from the province’s Municipal Housing Infrastructure Program’s Health and Safety Water Stream (MHIP-HSWS), which has increased by $700 million for a total of $875 million to support access to safe drinking water, housing, job creation and protection for communities in the event of extreme weather events.

“This expanded funding for critical water infrastructure will contribute to strengthening the safety and reliability of water services here in the Township of Emo,” said Greg Rickford, Member of Provincial Parliament for Kenora-Rainy River. “The Health and Safety Water Stream is ensuring the safety, functionality and longevity of the water of the treatment plants that residents in Emo rely on, today and into the future.”

The MHIP-HSWS funding will be used in the Township of Emo to construct a new sanitary holding tank with duplex pump systems, provide upgrades to electrical, mechanical and SCADA systems, and modernize controls and electrical systems. This will improve the monitoring and resiliency for weather-related impacts and system demands.

“The Township of Emo would like to thank the Ontario Government and the Ministry of Infrastructure for their support for Emo’s Wastewater Infrastructure Upgrades and Rehabilitation to the Emo Water Treatment Plant sanitary sewer and the Meadowland Sanitary Pumping Station.”

Mayor Harold McQuaker, Township of Emo

This funding is part of a historic investment of $4 billion in the Municipal Housing Infrastructure Program (MHIP), included in Ontario’s $220 billion capital plan, the most ambitious in the province’s history, to build transit, highways, hospitals, schools and water infrastructure that enables new housing.

“As we continue to navigate economic uncertainty and unwarranted U.S. tariffs, our government is protecting Ontario by investing in critical infrastructure that drives growth, creates jobs and strengthens communities,” said Todd McCarthy, Acting Minister of Infrastructure. “Through our historic $4 billion Municipal Housing Infrastructure Program, we are giving municipalities and First Nations the tools they need to get shovels in the ground and build stronger communities. Our investments will deliver more homes, modernize aging water systems and lay the foundation for long-term prosperity across Ontario.”

QUICK FACTS
• 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.
• The MHIP is comprised of four funding streams: the Housing-Enabling Water Systems Fund (HEWSF), the Housing-Enabling Core Servicing (HECS) Stream, the Health and Safety Water Stream (HSWS) and the Agriculture and Irrigation Stream.
• In January 2025, Ontario announced an initial investment of $175 million to launch the HSWS.