Canada and Newfoundland and Labrador partner on province-wide water and wastewater investments

MOUNT PEARL, NL, Oct. 19, 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, the federal government and the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, in partnership with local municipalities, announced a joint investment of more than $23 million for 10 water and wastewater projects across the province. These projects will develop the essential water, wastewater, stormwater and solid waste infrastructure needed to build more homes, faster.

This was announced by Tom Osborne, Member of Parliament for Cape Spear–Mount Pearl–Paradise, the Honourable Barry Petten, Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure for Newfoundland and Labrador, and His Worship Dave Aker, Mayor of Mount Pearl.

In total, these investments will enable the construction of up to 1,800 housing units. These projects are part of the Government of Canada and Newfoundland and Labrador's funding agreement that is paving the way for the construction of more homes to support a growing population.

Headlining this list of projects is a $5.3-million project on Holden Street in Mount Pearl that will replace aging water, sewer and stormwater infrastructure, opening the door for more housing development on Kenmount Hill. The 10-project list also includes a $6.4-million replacement of the water tower in Twillingate and a $6.8-million project to replace aging water and wastewater infrastructure in Stephenville.

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 homes, 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

"Water and wastewater infrastructure lays the foundation for the homes, businesses and services we rely on everyday. With the foundation put in place by this new infrastructure, we can build more housing, modernize our municipal services, and build Newfoundland and Labrador strong."

Tom Osborne, Member of Parliament for Cape Spear–Mount Pearl–Paradise

"Investing in municipal infrastructure is one of the most important ways we can support growing, healthy communities. Through this investment of more than $23 million, we are helping municipalities strengthen essential drinking water, wastewater and stormwater systems, while also creating the capacity needed for future housing development. These projects also reflect our government's commitment to long-term infrastructure planning and providing municipalities with the support they need to build safer, stronger and more resilient communities across Newfoundland and Labrador."

The Honourable Barry Petten, Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure for the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador

"This funding will enable critical upgrades to water, wastewater and stormwater systems in one of Mount Pearl's key growth areas, ensuring residents continue to benefit from reliable municipal services while supporting future housing development. This announcement demonstrates what can be achieved when all levels of government work together to make strategic investments that support housing growth and create livable neighbourhoods."

His Worship Dave Aker, Mayor of Mount Pearl

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• Backgrounder: Canada and Newfoundland and Labrador partner on province-wide water and wastewater investments

The federal government is investing $10,093,907 through the Provincial and Territorial Agreement stream of the Canada Housing Infrastructure Fund (CHIF) to support 10 water and wastewater projects. The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador is investing $9,467,281 across the 10 projects. The municipalities listed in the table below are investing a total of $4,107,013 in these projects.

Project information:

Location	Project Name	Project Details	Federal Funding	Provincial Funding	Municipal Funding
Beachside	New Chlorination System	Build a new chlorination facility in the Town of Beachside.	$184,926	$147,942	$36,985
Centreville-Wareham-Trinity	Water Main Replacement - Phase 3	Replace approximately 450 m of aging 10-inch water main extending from the pump house into the town.	$431,551	$345,241	$86,310
Gambo	Gambo - Lift Station #14 Retrofit	Restore the full capacity and reliability of an aging sewage lift station through a comprehensive system upgrade.	$192,703	$154,162	$38,541
Leading Tickles	Outfall Replacement/ Extension	Replace and extend the existing wastewater outfall to improve the reliability and performance of the sewage system.	$255,607	$204,485	$51,122
Mount Pearl	Kenmount Hill Phase 1 - Holden Street Upgrading	Replace aging water, sanitary sewer, and stormwater infrastructure on Holden Street to improve reliability and enable new housing development on Kenmount Hill.	$1,590,138	$2,120,184	$1,590,138
Port au Choix	Connector Road Water and Sanitary Sewer	Build approximately 700 m of water main and 650 m of sanitary sewer main. Additional components include storm sewer infrastructure to address erosion and support site servicing.	$766,296	$613,037	$153,259
Port au Choix	Lift Station #3 Retrofit	Replace Sanitary Sewer Pumping Station #3, which is no longer reliable because key components have exceeded their service life.	$217,343	$173,874	$43,469
Stephenville	St. Clare Ave and Crescent Street Upgrades Phase 3 - Water and Sewer Upgrades	Full reconstruction of approximately 750 m of underground infrastructure, along with roadway upgrades, and the installation of manholes, catch basins, hydrants, and residential service connections.	$2,720,404	$2,720,404	$1,360,202
Twillingate	Water Tower Replacement	Replace an aging steel standpipe (built in 1972) with a new water storage tank.	$3,199,832	$2,559,865	$639,966
Witless Bay	Dunn's Lane Storm Sewer Infrastructure Upgrade	Full upgrade of stormwater infrastructure along Dunn's Lane, including the installation of storm sewer piping, culverts, catch basins, ditch inlets, curb and gutter, and associated drainage improvements.	$535,107	$428,087	$107,021

Quick Facts

• The federal government is investing $10,093,907 through the Provincial and Territorial Agreement stream of the Canada Housing Infrastructure Fund (CHIF) to support 10 water and wastewater projects. The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador is investing $9,467,281 across the 10 projects. The respective municipalities are investing a total of $4,107,013 in these projects.
• Part of Budget 2024, CHIF is investing in 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.
• 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.
• Launched on September 14, 2025, Build Canada Homes is Canada's new federal agency, with the mandate to scale up the supply of affordable housing. By leveraging public land, flexible financial tools, and modern methods of construction, the agency is catalysing a more productive and innovative homebuilding industry.
• The federal government is making generational investments in infrastructure through the Build Communities Strong Fund (BCSF), providing $51 billion over 10 years, starting in 2026-27, and $3 billion per year ongoing, in a wide range of public infrastructure projects that support economic prosperity, housing, sport, education, health, transit, and climate adaptation.

Associated Links

Canada Housing Infrastructure Fund

Build Canada Homes

Build Communities Strong Fund

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SOURCE Department of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities

Contacts: For more information (media only), please contact: Piper McWilliams, Communications Advisor, Office of the Minister of Housing and Infrastructure, 819-955-1813, [email protected]; Media Relations: Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada, 613-960-9251, Toll free: 1-877-250-7154, Email: [email protected]; Janelle Simms, Transportation and Infrastructure, 709-729-1758, 709-327-6152, [email protected]; Kerri Hodder, Communications Advisor, City of Mount Pearl, 709-748-1009,  [email protected]