Chatham-Kent’s mayor stressed the importance of investing in wastewater infrastructure during a recent provincial housing summit.
Mayor Darrin Canniff attended the Western Ontario Housing Economic Summit on Friday in London to underscore the urgent need for investment in wastewater infrastructure as being crucial for Ontario’s future, especially for emergency preparedness.
Canniff spoke during the summit and highlighted the substantial financial commitment.
“In Chatham-Kent, we’re facing an estimated $1.5 billion investment over the next decade just for new infrastructure and repairs,” he said in a news release. “This is indicative of the hundreds of billions of dollars that will be necessary province-wide in the coming years to address wastewater challenges.”
Canniff, along with Perth-Wellington MPP Matthew Rae, urged stakeholders to prioritize long-term planning and investment in wastewater infrastructure, such as pumping stations, to increase capacity that will accommodate growth in Ontario communities.
“Investing upfront in high-quality infrastructure not only helps expedite housing construction but also ensures resilience against the impacts of climate change, benefiting future generations,” said Rae.
The Western Ontario Housing Economic Summit on Friday saw realtors from across southwestern Ontario gather to discuss topics such as the state of the economy, inflation and interest rates.