Starting next year, Lakeshore will spend $69-million to replace the Stoney Point Sewage Lagoons.
The Stoney Point Sewage Lagoons serve Lakeshore's eastern communities, including Stoney Point/Pointe-aux-Roches and Comber.
Council approved the expenditure at its meeting on Tuesday night, along with another $ 7-million to expand the Belle River sanitary sewer in 2030.
Both projects are identified as priorities in the Lakeshore Water and Wastewater Master Plan, adopted by councillors in 2024.
"The commitment is huge for Lakeshore," said Mayor Tracey Bailey. "Council has continued to make the bold decisions that are needed to dig us out of decades of underfunding infrastructure."
The funding is critical to addressing growth pressures, environmental compliance requirements, and long-term servicing needs.
Bailey also noted Lakeshore landed nearly $80-million in senior government grants since last year, money it used to lower water and wastewater rates. Just four years ago, water and wastewater rates were expected to rise between four and nine per cent every year until 2028. Thanks to the funding, those rates will rise 2.5 per cent until 2028, and two per cent after that.
"Our success in accessing grants from both federal and provincial governments has paved the way to meet the infrastructure needs of communities throughout the municipality," added Bailey. "The commitment also positions us well for future grant applications as upper levels of government look to municipalities that are ready and willing to invest. We have to put our money where our mouth is, and we are ready to talk with potential partners."
Councillors also approved the development of a debt financing strategy and additional staff to deliver the projects.
