City Manager's Message
Oshawa is the largest urban centre in one of the fastest growing regions in Canada. Durham Region is forecasted to reach a population of 1 million by 2031 and our city is driving this growth by attracting new industry, innovation, students and families.
Oshawa is the right place to live, work, play and learn.
Located just 45 minutes east of Toronto, Oshawa is an ideal location for residents and businesses. Our city offers easy access to the GO Train, GO Bus, VIA Rail and Hwy 401, as well as the Hwy 407 East that will be extended through to Harmony Road in Oshawa by 2015 and to Hwy 35/115 by 2020.
Oshawa's scenic waterfront is a hotspot of activity during the summer months. Residents and visitors enjoy a sandy beach, playgrounds, sports fields, trails, environmentally sensitive areas and the community museum. The City is developing a Waterfront Master Plan that will articulate the City’s vision for the waterfront. In addition, the federal government has announced the Oshawa Port Authority that will guide the development of a plan for the Oshawa Harbour and deep water port.
Oshawa is an academic destination. We are proud, especially for a municipality of our size, to have three highly acclaimed post-secondary institutions in our city -- Durham College, Trent University and UOIT. In addition, Queen’s University School of Medicine has established a training site for several of its programs at Lakeridge Health Oshawa.
Nearly 2,000 UOIT students learn in downtown Oshawa. In fact, our downtown is poised to become Durham's business, entertainment and education hub. The downtown features over 250 establishments -- stores, restaurants and spas -- located within walking distance of the historic four corners at King and Simcoe Streets. The state-of-the-art General Motors Centre offers visitors a multitude of entertainment options – from the latest in top performers (including Elton John and Cirque du Soleil), to Oshawa Generals OHL hockey, Canadian Lacrosse League games and Oshawa Power NBL basketball games. The Regent Theatre hosts concerts, lectures, films and the Ontario Philharmonic.
Oshawa is a vibrant and progressive community. Some recent examples of innovation, investment and development include:
- UOIT's Energy Research Centre recently opened on the university’s main campus. The Centre trains future energy scientists and nuclear engineers while enabling research in the development of clean and green energy and technology.
- GM Canada (named one of Canada’s Top 100 Employers) is investing $117 million to prepare the Oshawa Assembly Plant to build the all-new Cadillac XTS.
- Development of a new Costco store in the heart of the city is underway. The new Costco is scheduled to open in fall 2012.
Oshawa Council is committed to keeping the City’s progress on the right track. The City's 2012 budget maintains the delivery of quality services while balancing affordability. The budget addresses volume growth, meets inflationary increases, and responds to major capital needs. The City budget includes a 2.3 per cent tax levy increase on the City of Oshawa portion of the property tax bill, the lowest in Durham Region.
I hope you take some time to browse our website and discover more about our amazing city. I encourage you to complete the feedback form with your suggestions and comments.
Contact:
Bob Duignan
City Manager
Phone: 905-436-3311
For more information on City services, please contact Service Oshawa.
