Oshawa’s development evolution: easier, faster, better

The City of Oshawa is charting a path of ambitious growth, anchored by thousands of new employment opportunities and welcoming many new businesses and blue-chip companies to our community.

Economic forecasts project a strong year ahead for the city, with robust building activity and new construction records. Discover the transformative enhancements we’ve made to our services, making it easier than ever to do business with the City of Oshawa:

• Building permit fee freeze: We’re extending our 2024 building permit fee freeze into 2025 to continue to further support our development community.
• New online application portal: Introducing Application Portal, Oshawa’s new 24/7 application and online payment tool, which makes applying for a building permit even more convenient.
• Increased staffing for faster turnarounds: Our highly-trained team continues to grow to meet demand and to ensure fast processing times for your application.
• Continuous website updates: Our website is regularly updated with all the information you need to guide you through our permitting system. Check out our Developer Permits page for detailed instructions on applying for large construction projects and residential developments.  
• Concurrent permit reviews: We will review building permit applications in tandem with site plan applications, streamlining the approval process and saving you valuable time.
• Same-day inspection service: Need an inspection? Make a request before 9 a.m., and we’ll provide same-day service to keep your project on track.
• Concierge customer service: Working collaboratively and seamlessly across multiple departments, the City of Oshawa Business and Economic Development Services branch is committed to supporting developers and investors at every stage of the process. From ideation to implementation, Oshawa offers exceptional customer service in coordinating efforts across planning, engineering, building and other City departments as required.

We’re dedicated to supporting the needs of our development community with these efficiencies. Partner with the City of Oshawa and experience a smoother, more efficient process for your projects. For more information about the permit application process, visit the City’s Building Permits page.

Did you know?

In 2024, Oshawa issued building permits worth over $649 million in total construction value, marking its second highest building year on record, including a record-breaking $191 million in institutional construction.

The City of Oshawa Economic Dashboard, provides real-time economic indicators, socio-economic and demographic data to investors and decision makers. Up-to-date information on development, statistics, business news and more is available at Oshawa.ca/InvestOshawa or follow @InvestOshawa on X (Twitter).

Have a business in Oshawa? We want to hear from you.

We invite you to share your priorities by completing our Business Retention and Expansion Survey, which should take approximately ten minutes. Your feedback will help us improve local programs, services, and partnerships that support your business and strengthen our community.

For City of Oshawa updates, visit Oshawa.ca/NewsCentre to follow us on social media, subscribe to news and alerts, and have your say on Connect Oshawa.

About the photo: 

In just 13 months, Lactalis Canada’s vision for a state-of-the-art distribution facility has become a reality in Oshawa’s Northwood Park, a rapid transformation from groundbreaking to ribbon cutting that highlights the City’s commitment to fostering growth through streamlined development processes and innovative support.

The global dairy leader opened the 379,000-square-foot facility in December -- its largest distribution centre worldwide, bringing 80 new jobs to our community.