A new affordable housing development in Liverpool hinges on whether the municipality is ready to extend water and sewer services along Shore Rd.

Rumclo Development Ltd is proposing to build 92 units of affordable housing between Shore Rd. and College St. in a community they’re calling Birchwood Gardens. The apartments will be a mix of 1, 2 and 3 bedrooms ranging from 650ft² to 1,000ft². Rent is projected to range between $696 and $1,200/month, depending on construction costs.

During their presentation at the most recent Region of Queens Council meeting on June 13, Rumclo officials expressed frustration that they have yet to see a study that will determine if municipal water and sewer can be extended. Rumclo has requested the service extension for another development they’re proposing further along Shore Rd. called “The Point”.

The presentation also included a development called “The Curve” which would sit adjacent to Birchwood Gardens affordable housing project. The Curve will see 22 two and three bedroom 1,500ft² townhouses built that would sell between $400,000 and $500,000 and rent at approximately $2,000/month.

The developers argue the new proposed developments can piggyback off the same lines that will service “The Point”.

Rumclo developer Chad Clothier says they’ve already lost this building season and are eager to learn if they will have the water and sewer extensions so they can plan to build in 2024. “Ask the Region why the study isn't coming back or what the hold up to the study is and it really makes it hard as a company to feel like we can get this project done if a simple study is taking this long to come back,” said Clothier. “So, we'd really like to get some insight on the study.”

Region of Queens Interim CAO Dan McDougall was sympathetic to the developer’s time pressures but explained determining if the municipality can extend those services is not a simple matter. “It's actually far more complex than just extensions,” said McDougall. “Extensions are one element of what we’ll likely receive back from the consultants. They’ll also provide insight on how the system needs to be improved in order to accept volumes, both water and wastewater.”

McDougall says the existing wastewater treatment plant has the capacity to handle the increased number of users but getting the flow to the plant will require significant upgrades to the underground infrastructure.

The CAO says the study is also looking at how providing municipal water to the developments will affect the existing system. “You can get water to the land that you're proposing to develop but what are the implications on the rest of the system?” asked McDougall. “Will it result in negative water pressure in other areas of the municipality where improvements are required in order for the extensions to work for your project, but to work for the rest of the community as well.  So, it's not a simple study.”

McDougall expects the final engineering report to come to staff and council for review in the next few weeks. It will then be a month or two before it will be presented to council for a decision whether the project will go ahead.

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