‘The lack of provincial investment is creating negative effects for Niagara municipalities—forcing local governments to weigh the cost of critical infrastructure against already overstretched taxpayers, all while housing growth hangs in the balance.’
A News Release from the Constituency Offices of Niagara Falls NDP MPP Wayne Gates and St. Catharines NDP MPP Jennie Stevens
Posted May 27th, 2025 on Niagara At Large
Niagara Falls NDP MPP Wayne Gates and St. Catharines NDP MPP Jennie Stevens
NIAGARA – Niagara MPPs Wayne Gates (Niagara Falls) and Jennie Stevens (St. Catharines) issued a joint call for the Ford government to finally deliver on funding for the South Niagara Wastewater Treatment Plant—an essential infrastructure project that has stalled while costs climb, and housing targets slip further out of reach.
“In 2023 and 2024, the Premier committed to funding the South Niagara Wastewater Treatment Plant,” said MPP Wayne Gates.
“But not a single dollar has flowed to our region’s largest infrastructure project. Since then, water bills have jumped over 12% just to patch aging infrastructure. Housing starts are stalling, and there are serious concerns about environmental impact. Local officials say we can’t wait.”
“The Mayor of Niagara Falls put it plainly: ‘Without capacity, we won’t be building new homes.’ The Premier found billions for Highway 413 in Toronto—yet no funding for basic water treatment in Niagara. Will the Premier finally put real dollars on the table for our wastewater treatment plant—yes, or no?”
The lack of provincial investment is creating negative effects for Niagara municipalities—forcing local governments to weigh the cost of critical infrastructure against already overstretched taxpayers, all while housing growth hangs in the balance.
“The South Niagara Wastewater Treatment Plant is necessary to increase flow capacity to the current St. Catharines plant,” said MPP Jennie Stevens.
“With new housing developments in Thorold encroaching into St. Catharines, the treatment plant needs to be operating at full capacity to serve this growth in population. Local taxpayers should not be expected to foot the bill for this project through yet another sky-high property tax hike. Premier, will you commit to funding this project before construction is set to begin and work with the federal government to ensure local infrastructure is in place to reach our housing goals?”
Gates and Stevens emphasized that this is not just a local issue—it’s about fairness and long-term planning. The government has proven it can move mountains for developers in the GTA, or allocate billions to controversial projects like Highway 413, yet communities like Niagara are told to “wait their turn” or to raise property taxes even higher to meet basic needs like clean water infrastructure.
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