Through the NOHFC Regional Tile Drainage Program, funding is available for tile drainage contractor costs (including materials) to a maximum of $500 per acre. RAIN supports producers in the Algoma and West Sudbury.
For more information, Contact Cathy Bouchard at cbouchard@ssmic.com or (705) 942-7927 ext. 3135.
What is Tile Drainage or Subsurface Drainage?
Tile drainage, or subsurface drainage, is used to lower the water table in poorly drained fields by installing perforated drain tubes 2–12 feet below the surface. Modern tile drains are flexible, corrugated PE or PVC pipes wrapped in filter material to enhance water flow and prevent soil from entering the system. These drains can be installed by landowners on their own property, but installation on other lands must be done by a licensed professional.
Benefits of Tile Drainage
- Tiled fields warm and dry faster, providing earlier and longer access for field work.
- Crops can develop deeper root systems, even under extreme wet or dry conditions.
- Research shows that crop yield and quality can improve by 20–30% compared to untiled land.
- Soil aeration improves, reducing the risk of compaction.
- Better control of water levels on farmland helps reduce flooding risk.
Past Projects:
| PROJECT | LOCATION | YEAR COMPLETED | FUNDING ISSUED | ACRES TILED | LAND CLEARED |
| Tile Drainage | Algoma 5 | CURRENT | $411,500.00 | 823 | |
| Tile Drainage | Algoma 4 | 2025 | $410,000.00 | 820 | |
| Tile Drainage | Algoma 3 | 2021 | $600,500.00 | 1201 | |
| Tile Drainage | Algoma 2 | 2019 | $712,000.00 | 1424 | |
| Land Clearing | Algoma 2 | 2019 | $183,500.00 | 367 | |
| Tile Drainage | Manitoulin | 2015 | $794,000.00 | 1588 | |
| Land Clearing | Manitoulin | 2015 | $28,000.00 | 56 | |
| Tile Drainage | Algoma 1 | 2015 | 1668 | ||
| $3,139,500.00 | 7524 | 423 |