Canada and New Brunswick invest in Edmundston's water and sewer infrastructure to support more housing

EDMUNDSTON, NB, Aug. 17, 2026 /CNW/ -- The Government of Canada is using every tool at its disposal, leveraging technology, innovation and partnerships, to build homes at scale.

To that end, Guillaume Deschênes-Thériault, Member of Parliament for Madawaska--Restigouche, Honourable Gilles LePage, Minister of Environment and Climate Change and Minister responsible for the Regional Development Corporation, and Eric Marquis, Mayor of the City of Edmundston, announced a federal investment of more than $1 million, a provincial contribution of more than $715,000, and a municipal investment of more than $678,000 through the Canada Housing Infrastructure Fund (CHIF) to improve the water and sewer infrastructure needed to build more homes, faster.

Funding will support the extension of water and sewer services to three lots in Edmundston-North. Work will include installing several hundreds of metres of drinking water pipes and sanitary sewers, as well as 80 metres of stormwater pipe to service the proposed developments on Laboissonnière Avenue, des Mélèzes Street, and Mgr Lacroix Avenue.

This project will also build upon the area's natural infrastructure by converting an open ditch into a retention pond and replacing selected pipes and culverts to manage the increased stormwater flows. These extensions and upgrades will enable the construction of approximately 700 new housing units.

These types of important infrastructure projects support the Government of Canada's goal to address the housing crisis, and complement the work of Build Canada Homes, a new federal agency that will build affordable houses, support builders with financing, and encourage better building methods.

Together, we will make housing more affordable by unleashing the power of public-private cooperation, catalysing a modern housing industry, and creating new careers in the skilled trades.

Quotes

"This project is an exciting step toward unlocking new housing opportunities for Edmundston residents. By investing in improved water and sewer infrastructure, the federal government is supporting the community's growing housing needs."

Guillaume Deschênes-Thériault, Member of Parliament for Madawaska--Restigouche

"Our government is investing in what matters to communities. By extending water and sewer services to these new lots, we are not only enabling new housing in Edmundston, but also ensuring the system is ready to support sustainable development well into the future."

The Honourable Gilles LePage, Minister of Environment and Climate Change and Minister responsible for the Regional Development Corporation

"This investment in water and sewer infrastructure is a concrete step forward for housing development in Edmundston. By partnering with the provincial and federal governments, we are giving our community the tools it needs to address the housing challenge, to grow sustainably, and to plan for the future. We are grateful for this collaboration and look forward to seeing these new lots come to life."

His Worship Eric Marquis, Mayor of the City of Edmundston

Quick facts 

• Part of Budget 2024, the Canada Housing Infrastructure Fund (CHIF) is investing up to $6 billion for the construction and upgrading of core public infrastructure that will enable housing growth and densification in communities across Canada. 
• CHIF is designed to help communities build the infrastructure necessary to support more homes and increase housing density. The funding can be used for projects that improve drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater systems, as well as initiatives that preserve existing capacity, enhance system reliability, or implement waste diversion measures to reduce landfill use.
• A share of CHIF is allocated to support long-term provincial and territorial priorities. Provinces and territories must finalize an agreement with the Government of Canada and commit to key housing-enabling conditions to receive funding. Funding for those provinces and territories that do not conclude an agreement will be transferred to the direct delivery stream of CHIF. 
• Funding through the direct delivery stream of CHIF is supporting important infrastructure projects in municipalities and Indigenous communities. The intake for this stream is now closed.
• Build Canada Homes was launched on September 14, 2025 and is focused on increasing the supply of affordable housing. Alongside this effort, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) will continue to deliver on its mandate to contribute to the well-being of Canada's housing system through existing programs such as the Apartment Construction Loan Program and Mortgage Loan Insurance products.
• The Government of Canada is taking concrete actions to strengthen the economy by investing in Canadians and supporting Canadian businesses.
• Federal actions are creating good jobs, accelerating home building and helping communities grow across the country.
• Federal funding is conditional on fulfilling all requirements related to consultation with Indigenous groups and environmental assessment obligations.

Associated Links 

Canada Housing Infrastructure Fund
https://housing-infrastructure.canada.ca/housing-logement/chif-fcil/index-eng.html

Fairness for Every Generation
https://www.budget.canada.ca/2024/home-accueil-en.html

Solving the Housing Crisis: Canada's Housing Plan
https://housing-infrastructure.canada.ca/housing-logement/housing-plan-logement-eng.html

Growing communities and building more homes, faster
https://www.pm.gc.ca/en/news/news-releases/2024/04/02/growing-communities-and-building-more-homesfaster

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Web: Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada

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]; Mary-Anne Hurley-Corbyn, Communications Director, Regional Development Corporation, Government of New Brunswick, [email protected]; Mychèle Poitras, Communications, City of Edmundston, [phone], [email protected]