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Committee of Adjustment

The Committee of Adjustment (C. of A.) is a committee of five community members, appointed by City Council, whose role is to consider:

  • minor variances to the City's Zoning By-law. The Committee also considers extensions, enlargements or variations to existing legal non-conforming uses.
  • consents for the creation of lots, lot line adjustments, lot additions and creation of easements.

The Ontario Planning Act governs the Committee's responsibilities and conduct.

Consents in Oshawa

Consent, also known as land division or land severance, is the division of land to create new parcels of land.

Land division may include:

  • the creation of new building lots
  • boundary adjustments
  • lot additions
  • registration of easements

If more than three new lots are proposed from one parcel of land, a Plan of Subdivision application is generally required.

For further information see the Ontario guide to land severances (consents).

The Committee of Adjustment is delegated the responsibility to consider consent applications and grant consent.  City staff review consent applications using the Oshawa Official PlanZoning By-law 60-94 and other City standards, and consult with the Region of Durham, Central Lake Ontario Conservation Authority and other agencies.

In some cases, severances can be created through an application to Remove Part Lot Control. However, this type of application can only be used in some circumstances and only when the lands are within a registered plan of subdivision.

Minor Variance

A variance is a minor exception to the Zoning By-law for a specific property. The C. of A. may approve the variance if satisfied that the variance meets four tests. It must maintain the general intent of the Official Plan and the Zoning By-law. The proposed development must be minor and must be desirable for the appropriate use or development of land.

An example of a minor variance could involve a homeowner who wants to build a house. The homeowner wants the house to be 0.9 metres from the interior side lot line. In the Zoning By-law, the minimum interior side yard depth is 1.2 metres. To be able to build the house 0.9 metres from the side lot line, the homeowner needs C. of A. approval.

Larger changes that are beyond the scope of the C. of A. must go through the Zoning By-law amendment process.

A legal non-conforming use is a use that is not recognized in the Zoning By-law but existed and was legal on the day the Zoning By-law passed (June 6, 1994). In Ontario, these uses have a right to continue.

A legal non-conforming use should eventually change to a use that conforms to the Zoning By-law and the Official Plan. Despite this goal, the Planning Act allows legal non-conforming uses some leeway. Legal non-conforming uses get leeway despite not meeting the municipality's long-term planning documents.

Applying for a Consent or a Minor Variance application

Step 1: Pre-Consultation

Before submitting an application, please email the Committee of Adjustment to ask any questions about your proposal and find out what you will need to submit with your application.  This can help avoid delays during the application process.

Step 2: Fill Out the Application Form

Complete the applicable application form (consent or minor variance application). If you need help, you can book a meeting with a member of the Committee Adjustment team.  You can meet with them in person, online or by phone.

Step 3: Submit Online

Create an account on the Oshawa Application Portal. Then upload a scan of your completed form, a site plan, and any other documents identified during the pre-consultation. You will also need to pay the application fee.  Note: the application form that you upload does not need to be commissioned but you will need to provide us with a commissioned copy as mentioned below.

Step 4: Get the Form Commissioned

A paper copy of your application must be commissioned (signed in front of a legal official). You can use your own lawyer or notary, or you can come to City Hall and have it done for free.  If you use your own lawyer or notary, drop off or mail the signed form to City Hall. The mailing address is on the first page of the application form.

Your application cannot be reviewed until the commissioned form is received by the Committee of Adjustment.

Note: after the fact variances are double the regular fee

Fees
Type Fee
Tabling $337 
Special Meeting $1,660 
Minor Variance: single detached dwelling, semi-detached dwelling, duplex, street townhouse dwelling, block townhouse dwelling, accessory apartment or converted dwelling $831
per lot or proposed lot 
Minor Variance: all other residential $1,989
per lot or proposed lot 
Minor Variance: non-residential $1,989 
Application for Consent  $2,266 
Consent: clearance of City conditions $421 
Consent: stamping fee  $1,030 

Meetings and Agendas

View the calendar for Committee of Adjustment meetings.

Note: Notwithstanding the table below, the City may limit the number of applications on a given agenda to 10 applications based on a first-come first-served basis.

Committee of Adjustment Meeting Date/Time Minor Variance Submission Deadline Consent Submission Deadline Calendar
(agendas, minutes & video link)
Thursday, January 23, 2025 - 6 p.m.     Calendar
Wednesday, January 29, 2025 - 6 p.m. Wednesday, January 8, 2025 Wednesday, December 18, 2024 Calendar
Wednesday, February 19, 2025 - 6 p.m. Wednesday, January 29, 2025 Wednesday, January 8, 2025 Calendar
Wednesday, March 12, 2025 - 6 p.m. Wednesday, February 19, 2025 Wednesday, January 29, 2025 Calendar
Wednesday, April 2, 2025 - 6 p.m. Wednesday, March 12, 2025 Wednesday, February 19, 2025 Calendar
Wednesday, April 23, 2025 - 6 p.m. Wednesday, April 2, 2025 Wednesday, March 12, 2025 Calendar
Wednesday, May 14, 2025 - 6 p.m. Wednesday, April 23, 2025 Wednesday, April 2, 2025 Calendar
Wednesday, June 4, 2025 - 6 p.m. Wednesday, May 14, 2025 Wednesday, April 23, 2025 Calendar
Wednesday, June 25, 2025 - 6 p.m. Wednesday, June 4, 2025 Wednesday, May 14, 2025 Calendar
Wednesday, July 16, 2025 - 6 p.m. Wednesday, June 25, 2025 Wednesday, June 4, 2025 Calendar
Wednesday, August 6, 2025 - 6 p.m. Wednesday, July 16, 2025 Wednesday, June 25, 2025 Calendar
Wednesday, August 27, 2025 - 6 p.m. Wednesday, August 6, 2025 Wednesday, July 16, 2025 Calendar
Wednesday, September 17, 2025 - 6 p.m. Wednesday, August 27, 2025 Wednesday, August 6, 2025 Calendar
Wednesday, October 8, 2025 - 6 p.m. Wednesday, September 17, 2025 Wednesday, August 27, 2025

Calendar

Agenda

Wednesday, October 29, 2025 - 6 p.m. Wednesday, October 8, 2025 Wednesday, September 17, 2025 Calendar
Wednesday, November 19, 2025 - 6 p.m. Wednesday, October 29, 2025 Wednesday, October 8, 2025 Calendar
Wednesday, December 17, 2025 - 6 p.m. Wednesday, November 19, 2025 Wednesday, October 29, 2025

Calendar

Appeals to the Ontario Land Tribunal

The Planning Act provides that decisions of the Committee of Adjustment on applications under Sections 45 or 53 of the Planning Act can be appealed by the municipality, a specified person, any public body, the applicant or the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing. Appeals are filed with the municipality but are sent to the Ontario Land Tribunal for administration. Below is a list of applications appealed to the Ontario Land Tribunal since June 1, 2023 and a link to additional information on the Ontario Land Tribunal’s website. To search for previous decisions, please visit the Ontario Land Tribunal’s Decisions webpage. To search the status of other cases, please visit the Ontario Land Tribunal’s Case Status webpage.

Ontario Land Tribunal appeals
Property Address Oshawa File Number Case Number Decision Made by Ontario Land Tribunal? Case Information
1397 Rennie St. A-2023-52 OLT-23-000558 Yes view Hearing and Decision information

Contact Us

Service Oshawa
Oshawa City Hall
50 Centre St. S.
Oshawa, ON L1H 3Z7
Phone: 905-436-3311
Toll Free: 1-800-667-4292
Email: service@oshawa.ca

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