Building Canada strong by investing in water and wastewater infrastructure in the Municipality of the County of Antigonish

BEECH HILL, NS, Aug. 27, 2026 /CNW/ -- Building a strong Canada starts with investing in the modern and reliable infrastructure that makes it possible to increase housing supply and create resilient communities.

The Build Communities Strong Fund is investing $51 billion in a wide range of infrastructure projects across the country that support economic prosperity, housing, sport, education, health, transit, and climate adaptation.

To that end, Parliamentary Secretary Jaime Battiste and Warden Nicholas MacInnis announced a federal investment of more than $560,000 in extending municipal water, wastewater, and stormwater systems in the Municipality of the County of Antigonish through the Direct Delivery stream of the Build Communities Strong Fund.

In partnership with the Antigonish Affordable Housing Society (AAHS), this project will involve the construction of a new road and sidewalk and the extension of municipal water, wastewater, and stormwater systems to enable the development of 150 new affordable housing units. The new housing developments will include four units for individuals with intellectual disabilities and 10 supportive housing units.

The Build Communities Strong Fund is a cornerstone of the Government of Canada's plan to build the infrastructure needed to build Canada strong – today and for generations to come. 

Quotes

"The Build Communities Strong Fund is building the infrastructure that Canadians rely on every day. Today's investment in a new road as well as water and wastewater infrastructure in Antigonish County will help address the need for more affordable housing in the area."

Jaime Battiste, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations and Member of Parliament for Cape Breton–Canso–Antigonish

"We are grateful for this federal investment, which recognizes the important role infrastructure plays in supporting growth in our community. The new road, sidewalk, and expanded municipal services will help enable 150 much-needed residential units, including affordable and supportive housing. This investment helps address a significant housing need while creating new opportunities for development in our community." 

Warden Nicholas MacInnis, Municipality of the County of Antigonish

"This announcement provides the fundamental infrastructure needed to forge ahead with the Sugarloaf project; creating desperately needed capacity in affordable housing in Antigonish County. This is a rapidly expanding community and we know how important it is to have the infrastructure to support this growth. Along with our architect partners, we have done the due diligence to plan this work correctly. We are grateful for the Building Communities Strong Fund to enable us to start with a strong foundation."

Terry MacIsaac, Board Chair, Antigonish Affordable Housing Society

Quick Facts

• The federal government is investing $566,644 in this project through the Direct Delivery stream of the Build Communities Strong Fund.
• Starting in 2026-27, the Build Communities Strong Fund will deliver funding through three major streams:
  • A Provincial and Territorial stream, which provides $17.2 billion over 10 years, including $5 billion in health infrastructure funding over three years;
  • A Direct Delivery stream, which provides $6 billion over 10 years, including $1 billion over 4 years as part of a Local Impact Stream that is being delivered by Canada's Regional Development Agencies to support community infrastructure projects with local impact; and,
  • A Community stream (formerly the Canada Community-Building Fund), which provides $27.8 billion over 10 years and, indexed at 2% to deliver $3 billion per year ongoing.
• The Build Communities Strong Fund will be a force multiplier in infrastructure – with funding that will be matched by nearly $17 billion from provinces, and additional billions leveraged through municipal and territorial partnerships as well as private capital. The fund will also boost Canada's GDP by $95 billion over the next decade.
• Under the Direct Delivery stream, at least 10% of the funding will go towards investments in Indigenous communities.
• Project funding is subject to the signing of a contribution agreement between the Government of Canada and the recipient.
• Federal funding is conditional on fulfilling requirements, including those related to consultation with Indigenous peoples and environmental assessment obligations, if applicable.

Associated Links

• Build Communities Strong Fund
• Prime Minister Carney launches the Build Communities Strong Fund and announces the first tranche of projects
• Prime Minister Carney shares Budget 2025 plan to build communities strong

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SOURCE Department of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities

Contacts: For more information (media only), please contact: Arianna Durgerian, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Housing and Infrastructure, [email protected]; Media Relations, Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada, 613-960-9251, Toll free: 1-877-250-7154, Email: [email protected]; Shirlyn Donovan, Chief Administrative Officer, Municipality of the County of Antigonish, 902-863-1117, [email protected]