The Ontario government is investing $18.5 million in infrastructure to ensure new homes in Barrie are connected to reliable roads.
The funding comes from the Housing-Enabling Core Servicing Stream of the $400 million Municipal Housing Infrastructure Program. It supports building, repairing, and maintaining municipal roads, bridges, and culverts to encourage housing growth across Ontario. Present for the announcement in January were Mayor Alex Nuttall, Barrie–Springwater–Oro-Medonte MPP Doug Downey, Barrie–Innisfil MPP Andrea Khanjin and Councillor Sergio Morales.
“This provincial investment is essential to supporting Barrie’s growth,” Nuttall said. “Team Barrie continues to work together to deliver much-needed housing and infrastructure our community needs to thrive. We are grateful to the province for their continued commitment to Barrie’s future.”
The city will use the funding to expand Mapleview Drive East and the Yonge Street Right of Way, from Lockhart Road to Prince William Way. The focus will be to create new housing and help boost economic growth in the community.
“This new funding will help enable a reliable road system through the Mapleview Drive East and Yonge St Right of Way Expansion to unlock 11,900 new homes in our community,” Downey said.
Morales, who represents Ward 9 in the area, said the funding will have a positive impact as new homes are built.
“Building overdue housing means building the infrastructure that facilitates that housing,” he said. “Thanks to this investment by the provincial government and MPP Downey & MPP Khanjin’s advocacy of Barrie and area residents, more housing supply will be built faster, benefiting residents greatly.”
The province is also investing $175 million to launch the Health and Safety Water Stream under the Municipal Housing Infrastructure Program. The funds are aimed to protect homes and strengthen communities by upgrading and expanding infrastructure for water, wastewater, stormwater, flood management, and erosion control.
