The Ontario government is providing $17 million for water infrastructure work in North Bay, the Town of Mattawa and Nipissing Township. The announcement was made in early February 2026 and is intended to make local water supplies more reliable and protect the communities from future floods.
Mattawa’s portion of the package is roughly $4.3–5 million and will largely fund replacement of the town’s nearly 80‑year‑old water reservoir; separate funding within the regional $17‑million package will support wastewater‑collection and flood‑proofing upgrades in North Bay and culvert work in Nipissing Township.
Work is expected to begin within 2026, with construction slated for spring or summer; residents have been warned there may be short, temporary utility disruptions during the upgrades.
Nipissing MPP Vic Fedeli and Mattawa Mayor Raymond Belanger spoke at the announcement, saying the investment will both protect critical infrastructure after near‑miss flooding events in 2019 and 2024 and enable new housing developments in the area.
Regional agencies and town officials have cited historic high river levels and flood risk as factors in prioritizing the projects. The province says the funding comes through its housing‑enabling water systems program to support growth while improving the resilience of drinking‑water and wastewater systems.
