Ontario Investing $30M for Water Infrastructure in Cornwall
February 17, 2026Cornwall Ontario – The Ontario government is investing up to $30M to expand critical water infrastructure in Cornwall. 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.
“Protecting our community starts with protecting the critical infrastructure our homes, businesses and services need,” said Nolan Quinn, MPP for Stormont-Dundas-South Glengarry. “Through this historic investment, our government is ensuring Cornwall’s water supply remains safe and reliable for decades to come.”
The MHIP-HSWS funding will be used in Cornwall to construct a secondary intake to draw raw water from Lake St. Lawrence into the City’s water purification plant. This new intake will ensure the reliability of Cornwall’s water supply in the event of a blockage or failure of the original intake which was built in 1955 and is nearing the end of its service life.
“This funding from the Ontario Government is a significant contribution to our secondary water intake project,” said Mayor Justin Towndale. “This project will ensure the safety and security of our community’s water supply for future generations. The City of Cornwall is grateful for the Province’s support and investment in our critical infrastructure.”
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.”
About Cornwall’s Water Network
Cornwall intakes water from the St. Lawrence River where it is treated at the City’s Water Purification Plant. Over 11 million cubic metres of fresh clean water are pumped annually through 272+ kilometres of watermains to efficiently distribute the City’s abundant drinking water supply, which consistently earns top ratings from the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks.
You can learn more, including viewing the latest water quality reports, on the City of Cornwall’s website:
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