Turning on the taps for expansion – Minister of Colleges and Universities and local MPP Nolan Quinn joined with members of the Township of South Stormont council after announcing $21.9 million in funding from the province’s Housing-Enabling Water Systems Fund. The funding will provide 73 per cent of the needed money for upgrading both the Long Sault and Ingleside Water Treatment Plant and the Ingleside Wastewater Treatment Plant. Both plants have been at or near capacity, which has hampered residential growth in the two communities. Pictured with Quinn (l-r) are: Councillor Reid McIntyre, Quinn, Mayor Bryan McGillis, Councillor Jennifer MacIsaac, and Deputy Mayor Andrew Guindon. (Supplied)nnLONG SAULT – Residential growth in South Stormont has been hamstrung in recent years as its water treatment plant was near capacity. After years of planning, the provincial government announced $21.9 million in funding to make the needed expansion possible.nn“This funding, which is dedicated to the expansion of the Ingleside Wastewater Treatment Facility and the Long Sault Water Treatment Facility, will allow the Township to expand our capacity and support employment and residential development in our region,” said South Stormont Mayor Bryan McGillis at the September 19 announcement in Long Sault.nnThe funding from the Ontario government is for not only for the Long Sault plant, which supplies drinking water to Long Sault and Ingleside, but also for the wastewater treatment plant in Ingleside that has been at near capacity for a number of years. This has limited residential growth in the southwestern portion of the township.nnOnce completed, the dual expansions will allow for up to an additional 2,817 homes to be built in the two communities.nn“With $21.9 million dedicated to enhancing the Ingleside and Long Sault Plants in South Stormont, we are setting the stage for the development of nearly 3,000 new homes across our communities,” said Minister of Colleges and Universities and Stormont-Dundas-South Glengarry MPP Nolan Quinn at the announcement.nn“These investments are a key part of Ontario’s commitment to building 500,000 new homes and improving our critical infrastructure.”nnThe South Stormont announcement was one of two water-related funding announcements made in SDG Counties Thursday. Later on, $4.8 million in funding for the expansion of the Moose Creek Wastewater Treatment plant was announced by Quinn. In all, the Housing-Enabling Water Systems Fund will flow $26.7 million into the taps of Stormont County municipalities.nn“By investing in drinking water and wastewater treatment facilities and connecting pipes to land, we are helping municipalities build more homes,” said Minister of Infrastructure Kinga Surma via a press release. “Homes can’t be built without connections to drinking water and wastewater.”nnThe Long Sault plant is expected to cost $5.5 million, while the first two phases of the Ingleside wastewater facility are expected to cost about $24.5 million. The third phase of the plant is estimated to cost about $17 million.nnHEWS funding will fund 73 per cent of the overall cost of the two projects, with South Stormont water users to fund the balance.nnThe HEWS fund is a $1.2 billion fund from the province for municipalities to tap into for water-related projects in support of the government’s goal to build new homes.
