Lakeshore breaks ground on much-needed waste water expansion

The municipality of Lakeshore will be getting a new much-needed upgrade to its sewage facility after the plant reached its operational capacity last year putting a damper on new development in the region.

"We had fears that it could be two [or] three years before we would get this built and we're pleased it's moving along so fast," Lakeshore mayor Tom Bain said.

The existing system reached its operational capacity earlier than expected in 2020 because of "higher than anticipated population growth and changes to residential water use patterns during the pandemic," according to the municipality.

The expansion is being built on a grassy hill behind the existing facility and will cost $55 million dollars, add 70 per cent capacity and be completed in Summer of 2023.

"It will allow us years of development ahead," Bain said.

The situation also caused the municipality to put a pause on new applications for developments, which can now go ahead with the caveat that they'll have to wait for the expansion to be complete before hooking up to the sewer line. 

"It's unfortunate but any new development is going to have to wait," John King of King Home and Developments said. 

"If we were on a project like that there, we'd be done before 2023."

King said he has some projects already in the works in the area. One he had applied for and got the go-ahead to do before capacity became an issue. Another condominium project, he said, won't be able to be completed until he's able to hook into the waste water system.

"We'll have to be very careful because you put all that money out and the economy changes and some developers are going to be in big trouble," he said.

The municipality also said that it is taking on debt to build the project and will not be covered by ratepayers, rather through development charges which is paid by the developers.

"I mean, what are we going to do?," King said. "It's a cost of business and [if] the prices are just going to keep escalating like they are, that's the unfortunate thing here. When is it going to stop?"