Second strongest City building year on record in 2023 marked by all-time industrial building records

The City of Oshawa is pleased to report total building permit activity of $639+ million in 2023 -- its second highest total construction value on record and contributing to over $1.5B in total permit value over the past two years.

In addition, industrial building permit activity in 2023 exceeded any year in Oshawa’s recorded history. Oshawa’s previous industrial building permit record was set in 2003 with $97 million. In 2023, the City shattered that record with more than $128 million in job-producing industrial building permit values.

In total, Oshawa set 18 new building records in 2023. Highlights include:

• highest total industrial construction value issued in any one month ($119+ million in October surpassing the record of $11+ million set in 1995)
• highest total construction value issued in October ($143+ million surpassing the record of $61+ million set in 2011)
• highest total commercial construction value issued in April ($15+ million surpassing the record of $9+ million set in 2005)
• six new industrial and commercial buildings, which continue to generate more local jobs.

In 2023, the City issued 1,530 permits for a total of $639.45 million in construction value. Of that total, $372 million in Residential, $90.7 million in Commercial, $128.9 million in Industrial and $47.6 million in Governmental/Institutional was issued.

New buildings in 2023 include major industrial developments at Northwood Business Park from Broccolini at Thornton Rd. N. and Panattoni Development Company at Conlin Rd. W.

Northwood Business Park continues to present the City’s next prime employment development opportunity with approximately 202 hectares (500 acres) of developable land designated for employment and commercial uses that are attracting further investment from global industrial and commercial leaders such as Lactalis Canada, the world’s largest dairy product group and international retail supply chain giant Martin Brower.

The City has thrived through a remarkable run of development activity in recent years. Oshawa recorded its strongest year of building activity ever in 2022, with over $900 million in permit values. From 2018-2022, the City issued more than $250 million in industrial building permits and more than $2.7 billion in total building permit values over the same period.

Oshawa has kept monthly building records since 1965, while yearly records date back to 1964. For more information on Building Permits & Inspection Services, visit the Building and Renovating webpage.

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.

Quotes:

“Oshawa has experienced yet another record-breaking year of growth, tracking approximately $1 billion worth of commercial, industrial and institutional development in the last five years. Helping drive that momentum is our City’s commitment to continuous improvement and our customer-focused approach,” said Oshawa Mayor Dan Carter. “Major commercial and industrial companies are making significant investments in our city and they are bringing thousands of high quality jobs to the great city of Oshawa.”

“Oshawa continues to shatter building records reaching an all-time high for industrial development in 2023. These impressive numbers tell the story of Oshawa’s transformational progress positioning us as a dynamic metropolitan city that is gaining the attention of global giants and industry-leading blue-chip companies,” said Councillor Tito-Dante Marimpietri, Chair of the Economic and Development Services Committee. “Prestige employment lands such as Northwood Business Park are bringing to our doorstep major new job creating tenants like global dairy giant Lactalis Canada who are choosing Oshawa for their global operations and investing substantially in our community.”

“This significant year of industrial development – the highest ever in Oshawa’s history – reflects our city’s growth as a key destination for doing business within the G.T.A.,” said Councillor Bob Chapman, Vice-Chair of the Economic and Development Services Committee. “With access to world-class research facilities and a talent pipeline of more than 30,000 students, Oshawa is a future-ready city attracting major international companies that have strengthened and diversified our local economy.”

Photo caption:
A rendering of Northwood Business Park.