Canada and Nova Scotia Announce Multi-Million Dollar Investment to Modernize Antigonish Water Systems and Unlock Construction of Over 300 Housing Units

Anyone who has tried to find a rental in Antigonish lately knows the pressure is real.

Students from St. Francis Xavier University compete with families and newcomers for limited options, and prices have crept up along the way.

Now, the Town of Antigonish is getting a serious infrastructure boost that could change that story.

The federal government, the Province of Nova Scotia, and the town itself have joined forces to invest millions into upgrading water and wastewater systems — the kind of behind-the-scenes work that most people never see, but that makes new housing possible.

Millions on the Table for Water and Sewer Upgrades

The funding announcement brought together Jaime Battiste, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations and Member of Parliament for Cape Breton–Canso–Antigonish, alongside Mayor Sean Cameron of Antigonish.

Through the Canada Housing Infrastructure Fund, Ottawa is contributing more than $1.6 million.

The Town of Antigonish is adding over $1.1 million of its own funds, while the Government of Nova Scotia is putting in more than $1.3 million.

Altogether, that’s more than $4 million going into infrastructure improvements — specifically replacing and rehabilitating water mains and upgrading storm and sanitary sewer systems in the West and James Street area.

It may not sound glamorous, but without reliable water and wastewater capacity, you simply cannot approve or build new homes at scale.

Why Pipes Matter More Than You Think

Housing conversations often focus on interest rates, developers, or zoning battles.

What gets less attention is capacity underground.

Many communities across Canada are running into the same problem: they want more housing, but aging pipes and sewer systems can’t handle it.

If water pressure drops or wastewater treatment plants are at capacity, municipalities can’t issue building permits safely.

That’s the barrier this project is designed to remove in Antigonish.

By modernizing these systems, the town will be able to support up to 323 new housing units.

Of those, 48 are expected to be affordable homes — a significant piece in a region where affordability has become a growing concern.

Part of a Bigger National Strategy

This investment doesn’t stand alone.

It’s tied to a broader agreement between Canada and Nova Scotia aimed at unlocking housing construction across the province.

The federal government has made housing supply a central priority, arguing that the housing crisis can only be solved by building at scale.

Through programs like the Canada Housing Infrastructure Fund, Ottawa is focusing on the practical bottlenecks — roads, pipes, transit connections — that slow development.

This effort also complements the creation of Build Canada Homes, a new federal agency designed to directly build affordable housing, offer financing tools to developers, and promote more efficient construction methods.

The idea is not just to fund projects, but to modernize how Canada builds homes altogether.

What This Means for Antigonish

Antigonish may be a smaller community, but it plays an important role in northeastern Nova Scotia.

It’s home to a major university, a regional hospital, and serves as a hub for surrounding rural communities.

Population growth in smaller towns has accelerated in recent years, partly driven by remote work trends and people relocating from larger cities in search of lower costs and a different pace of life.

That growth has strained housing supply.

By upgrading infrastructure in the West and James Street area, the town is positioning itself to accommodate new residents without overwhelming existing services.

The mix of market and affordable units could help ease pressure for students, seniors, young families, and essential workers.

The Skilled Trades Angle

There’s another layer to this story. Infrastructure upgrades and new housing construction mean jobs — especially in skilled trades.

Federal officials have emphasized that solving the housing crisis is not just about supply numbers but about building a modern housing industry.

That includes investing in apprenticeships, encouraging innovative construction techniques, and expanding the workforce needed to deliver homes faster.

Projects like the one in Antigonish create immediate construction work while also laying the foundation for long-term residential development.

Public and Private Working Together

A key theme behind the announcement is collaboration.

Governments at three levels are pooling resources, and the expectation is that private builders will follow once infrastructure capacity is secured.

Public dollars help remove risk.

Once water and sewer systems are upgraded, developers can move forward with projects more confidently, knowing the town can support the additional density.

This kind of public-private partnership model is becoming more common as governments try to accelerate housing construction without shouldering the entire cost of development.

What’s Next?

With funding announced, the next steps involve detailed engineering work, tendering contracts, and beginning construction on the water and sewer upgrades.

Timelines will depend on procurement processes and seasonal construction windows, particularly in Atlantic Canada where winter can slow major infrastructure work.

Once the upgrades are completed or sufficiently advanced, developers can move ahead with housing projects tied to the newly serviced land.

The pace at which the 323 units are delivered will depend on market conditions, financing availability, and developer participation.

Residents can also expect continued coordination between municipal and provincial planners to ensure zoning and permitting processes align with the expanded infrastructure capacity.

The Bigger Picture

Antigonish’s project reflects a broader shift in how governments are approaching housing.

Instead of focusing only on subsidies or buyer incentives, the strategy is turning toward fundamentals — land readiness, infrastructure, and long-term capacity.

Fix the pipes, expand the systems, and the homes can follow.

If the plan works as intended, Antigonish won’t just see more rooftops.

It could see a more balanced housing market, new job opportunities, and a stronger foundation for growth in the years ahead.

Summary

Canada, Nova Scotia, and the Town of Antigonish are investing more than $4 million to upgrade water and wastewater infrastructure in the West and James Street area.

The project will enable the construction of up to 323 housing units, including 48 affordable homes.

Funded through the Canada Housing Infrastructure Fund and supported by all three levels of government, the initiative removes key infrastructure barriers to housing development.

It also ties into broader federal efforts, including the launch of Build Canada Homes, aimed at increasing supply and modernizing the housing industry across the country.