Madeira Park Wastewater Infrastructure Feasibility Project
The Pender Harbour & Area Residents Association (PHARA) has established a Madeira Park Village Improvement (MPVI) Subcommittee to address longstanding infrastructure gaps within our community.
Previous working groups have identified a number of initiatives as important for the continued growth and development of Madeira Park. The MPVI Subcommittee has identified wastewater collection and treatment as the most urgent priority.
Madeira Park currently relies on aging septic systems, many of which are reaching capacity. This creates several challenges for the community:
The Proposed Two Phase Project
Phase 1 — Feasibility and Engineering Study
The first phase will assess:
We plan to learn from and build on what other similar communities have already found to be successful. Why reinvent the wheel?
Phase 2 — Implementation
The second phase would see implementation of a sewer collection line and community-scale wastewater treatment facility, with a marine outfall through Bargain Harbour being considered as one of several possible solutions.
In Spring 2026, a new federal infrastructure support program was announced by Ottawa. A total of $51 billion will be invested over 10 years, starting this calendar year, through the Build Community Strong Fund.
The purpose of the program is to derive economic growth and improve housing, health, transit and climate adaptation.
This program will exist as a cornerstone to national infrastructure development, with funds flowing through provincial and local municipal channels. We feel comfortable that we can tap into the $3 billion allotment earmarked for infrastructure expansion, such as the wastewater system we are considering.
Progress to Date
The project has already moved beyond the initial concept stage.
The diagram below shows an envisioned proposed route for the sewer system.
The proposed line would run from the Pender Harbour Hotel through the downtown core, past Lily Lake Resort, and reach a treatment facility at or around Bargain Harbour.
The feasibility study will look at the best-fit options, including how many properties can be connected and what further expansion opportunities exist.
The MPVI Subcommittee membership is:
The development of a centralized sewer system for Madeira Park, the commercial and service hub of Pender Harbour, is anticipated to remove a major existing barrier to sustainable growth, affordable housing and local economic vitality.
PHARA and the MPVI Subcommittee are excited to be drivers of this initiative.
