Wellington North, Mapleton receive $26.1M in provincial funding to assist with expansion of Arthur, Drayton wastewater facilities

KENILWORTH – On Wednesday, March 18, the Province of Ontario announced that the Township of Wellington North and the Township of Mapleton will be receiving $26,097,500 in funding through the Municipal Housing Infrastructure Program – Health and Safety Water Stream to assist with the expansion of wastewater treatment facilities in both Arthur and Drayton.

Through a jointly planned and provincially supported project, the municipalities are delivering critical upgrades to wastewater treatment and conveyance systems in Arthur and Drayton, enabling responsible growth while safeguarding an important tributary of the Grand River.

The total eligible cost of the joint project is estimated at $35.75 million. This investment allows both municipalities to move forward with the expansion of both facilities while protecting local ratepayers and maintaining essential services.

Together, the project will unlock capacity to support approximately 1,856 new housing units (1,061 in Arthur, 795 in Drayton), helping meet provincial housing targets and supporting growth within existing urban centres.

In Arthur, the Township of Wellington North is expanding the Arthur Wastewater Treatment Plant from 1,860 m³/day to 2,300 m³/day, along with key pumping and conveyance upgrades. These improvements will enhance system reliability, improve hydraulic performance, and provide the wastewater capacity needed to move forward with approved residential developments that have been on hold due to servicing constraints.
In Drayton, the Township of Mapleton is replacing the Drayton Wastewater Pumping Station and upgrading critical conveyance infrastructure to support wastewater flows from existing and future residential areas. These upgrades are essential to ensuring wastewater can be reliably collected and conveyed for treatment, supporting growth while maintaining system resilience and operational reliability.

Both the Arthur and Drayton wastewater systems discharge treated effluent to the Conestogo River, a key tributary of the Grand River and an important environmental, agricultural, and recreational resource.
By planning and investing together within a shared watershed, Wellington North and Mapleton are proactively managing cumulative impacts on the river system, aligning infrastructure planning with environmental protection, and following provincial policy direction that encourages integrated, watershed-scale decision-making.

“This investment highlights how critical it is for federal, provincial, and municipal governments to work together to support growth in our communities,” said Mayor Andy Lennox, Township of Wellington North. “We’re proud to partner with the Township of Mapleton and grateful for the support through the Municipal Housing Infrastructure Program – Health and Safety Water Stream, which will help unlock growth opportunities in Arthur by delivering the water and wastewater infrastructure needed to enable new housing, protect shared resources, and build complete communities for the long term.”

“Expansion of our wastewater system is costly, but allows for new homes, industry and business development to occur,” said Mayor Gregg Davidson, Township of Mapleton. “In our planning, we are mindful of our environment, which is why we partnered with the Township of Wellington North as we both discharge into the Grand River watershed via the Conestogo River. The province agreed with our approach and with gratitude we are recipients of over $12 million of funding from their Health and Safety Water Stream.”

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Media Contacts

Brooke Lambert Chief Administrative Officer, Township of Wellington North blambert@wellington-north.com 519-848-3620 ext. 4225

Manny Baron Chief Administrative Officer, Township of Mapleton mbaron@mapleton.ca 519-638-3313 ext. 024