Mapleton reaches financial close on $41-million water, wastewater projects

MAPLETON – Financial close has been reached on a $41-million series of water and wastewater infrastructure projects in Mapleton. 

This milestone marks the transition from development to construction, with Graham’s construction team, who have been engaged since the project’s inception, now set to begin delivering these critical upgrades.

The project will be paid for with development charges, grants and debt. 

“This is absolutely going to be a game changer,” said Mayor Gregg Davidson during a regular meeting of council on May 27.

“Council and staff have been working at trying to get wastewater fixed in this community for a very, very long time.

“We’ve had some small increments that we worked on over the years, but this is going to be a significant increase and allow us to have the housing and developments of industry and business that we haven’t been able to allow,” Davidson said.

“So this is a significant step forward for Mapleton, and it’s a great partnership that we have here with Graham Capital, the township, with CIMA (and) Ontario Clean Water Agency.”

“These infrastructure projects represent a foundational step toward unlocking new housing and supporting long-term sustainable growth in the Township of Mapleton,” stated officials in a press release.

By expanding water and wastewater capacity, these projects directly enable the growth needed to meet both local and provincial housing targets. 

“With Ontario focused on building 1.5 million new homes by 2031, this initiative highlights how innovative public-private collaboration can accelerate the delivery of essential infrastructure and help communities like Mapleton grow sustainably and strategically,” officials stated.

The projects are being delivered through Graham’s Municipal Asset Partnership (MAP) framework, “a unique development and financing approach designed to deliver cost-effective, tailored solutions that meet the specific needs of municipalities.”

As part of the MAP framework, Graham supported the township in establishing a Municipal Services Corporation (MSC), enabling an off-balance sheet financing structure that preserves municipal borrowing capacity while advancing essential infrastructure projects. 

Northern Maple Utilities Inc. was officially established in April and will be responsible for the ongoing operations, maintenance, asset renewal and delivery of water and wastewater services in Mapleton.

From early in the project, Graham has worked with the township, engineering partner CIMA, and operations and maintenance partner Ontario Clean Water Agency (OCWA) through an early contractor involvement process. 

“This transparent and iterative approach allowed the team to align goals, incorporate real-time cost inputs, and proactively address challenges,” officials stated.

“This has ensured a streamlined path to construction.”

“This partnership with Graham has allowed Mapleton to overcome the inherent challenges of building critical infrastructure capacity in rural Ontario,” stated Mapleton CAO Manny Baron in the release.

“Northern Maple Utilities’ delivery of critical water and wastewater infrastructure allows us to combine public sector oversight with private sector innovation, efficiency and investment.”

During the May 27 meeting, township treasurer Patrick Kelly said Mapleton’s approach to the projects provides “a framework for what other municipalities across Ontario may look at doing through establishing MSCs.” 

Construction will begin in June, “with Graham continuing to work alongside the township to deliver sustainable infrastructure that supports Mapleton’s future growth and resilience,” officials stated. 

For more information, visit mapleton.ca/services/NMU. 

“That process, from the beginning to where we are now, is outlined on the website,” Kelly said.