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Industrial Development - Construction

Site Selection Assistance

HomeWhy OshawaAvailable Land and BuildingsSite Selection Assistance
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Oshawa offers the right people, connections and opportunities for your business.

Located in the Greater Toronto Area, Oshawa is one of Canada's fastest growing regions and has access to a vast and highly skilled workforce enhanced by our leading-edge educational institutions. Oshawa is a dynamic city with a rich blend of global companies complemented by new innovative entrepreneurs. Industrial lease rates deliver exceptional value, making Oshawa one of the most cost effective cities in the Greater Toronto Area. Supported by excellent future development opportunities, infrastructure and local incentives. Oshawa does not have City Development Charges on industrial developments and downtown developments.

The City of Oshawa's site selection service includes:

  • A one-on-one consultation to learn about your needs
  • Information about the community and relevant properties
  • An inventory of vacant land for opportunities
  • Arranging site visits
  • Providing custom research
  • Introductions to local businesses
  • Introductions to business support organizations
  • Information about relevant government programs to help you grow your business

For site selection assistance, please email Business and Economic Development Services

Construction - 80 Bond Steet

Quick Facts

  • Located along the north shore of Lake Ontario, the City of Oshawa is the largest urban municipality in Durham Region and is the eastern gateway to the Greater Toronto Area (G.T.A.).
  • Oshawa's population currently is 172,000 and is forecasted to increase to 200,000 by 2031.
  • Oshawa companies draw from 1.2 million workers within a 45 minute commute.
  • Companies in Oshawa have quick and convenient access to Canada's largest consumer market of more than five million people and are located within a day's drive of more than 120 million Canadian and American consumers.
  • Oshawa achieved nearly $500 million in development activity in 2020.

 Access to Markets

Modes of Transportation

Oshawa companies are well-positioned for inbound and outbound global shipping needs as it offers:

  • Oshawa Executive Airport
  • Freight Rail Service (C.N. and C.P.)
  • Highways 401 and 407
  • Deep Sea Port (H.O.P.A.)

 Commuting into Oshawa is very convenient with the following shared transportation options:

  • Go Transit (Bus & Train)
  • Durham Regional Transit (D.R.T.)
  • VIA Rail

Distance to Markets

Oshawa is ideally situated on Highway 401, only 60 km from Downtown Toronto, with easy connections to multiple U.S.A. border crossings into New York, Michigan and Minnesota, Oshawa offers superior access to the U.S.A.

Distance to Major Centers
LocationsDistance

Toronto, ON

60 km/ 37 mi

Buffalo, NY

222 km/ 138 mi

Washington, DC

841 km/ 522 mi

Ottawa, ON

392 km/ 243 mi

Windsor, ON

410 km/ 254 mi

Montreal, QC

486 km/ 302 mi

New York, NY

805 km/ 500 mi

Boston, MA

848 km/ 527 mi

Chicago, IL

880 km/ 547 mi

Distance to Major Borders

Cornwall381 km/ 236 mi

Fort Erie

219 km/ 136 mi

Niagara

191 km/ 118 mi

Pigeon River

1499 km/ 931 mi

Prescott

307 km/ 190 mi

Sarnia

338 km/ 210 mi

Sault Saint Marie

732 km/ 454 mi

Thousand Islands

247 km/ 153 mi

Windsor

418 km/ 259 mi

Major Economic Sectors

Oshawa's Sector Strategy was developed to reflect the city's evolving economic landscape and to set directions for economic development initiatives. Throughout a number of community and business consultations, the study revealed four key sectors in Oshawa that are positioned with high potential for growth.

Advanced Manufacturing

Advanced manufacturing has ushered in new methods of production of goods and services using computer-controlled and micro-electronics-based equipment, including CAD design, robots and automated storage systems. Increased innovation and technological adoption now involves new manufacturing processes that encompass innovative technologies such as 3D printing, machine learning and cybersecurity.

Assets

  • A.C.E. at Ontario Tech University (one of the world's most sophisticated climatic wind tunnels that can test product life cycling and performance under the most intense and extreme weather conditions)
  • Durham College School of Skilled Trades, Apprenticeship and Renewable Technology
  • General Motors Canadian Engineering Centre
  • Integrated Manufacturing Centre at Durham College
  • O.P.G. Engineering Building at Ontario Tech University

Key Companies

  • All or Nothing Brewhouse
  • AGS Automotive Oshawa
  • Canfab Packaging
  • Cleeve Technology
  • EHC Global
  • Fresh Del Monte Produce
  • General Motors of Canada

Health and Biosciences

Oshawa is home to a new and emerging health cluster. The city is a centre of excellence in healthcare and a regional hub for education, training and clinical research activity. The health and biosciences sector encompasses a variety of businesses including medical research, the development of pharmaceuticals, digital health, precision medicine, development and manufacturing of medical health devices with technological elements such as artificial intelligence, and the healthcare system itself. The health and biosciences industry generates significant economic growth annually, representing 11% of Canada's annual G.D.P. and accounting for over 11,000 jobs in Oshawa.

Queen's Family Medicine Program

The Queen's University Family Medicine program at Lakeridge Health was established in 2012 and is the newest of four teaching sites for Queen's University family medicine residents. Clinical Faculty describe Oshawa as a “sweet spot” in Southeast Ontario due its equidistant proximity to Toronto and cottage country.

Assets

  • Grandview Children's Centre
  • The Oshawa Clinic Group represents the largest multi-speciality medical group practice in Canada.
  • Lakeridge Health
  • Lakeridge Health Education and Research Network (L.H.E.A.R.N.)
  • Post-secondary programs supporting Health Sector at Durham College and Ontario Tech University.

Key Companies

  • Orthodent
  • Paradigm Clinical Trials
  • Praxair
  • Prosthetic Technologies

With a single payer healthcare system in Ontario, Oshawa offers significant cost savings to your business.

Multimodal Transportation and Logistics

Oshawa is one of few cities that can boast an airport, rail lines, a regional deep-sea port and major highways, all within close proximity. Companies appreciate that the deep-sea port's loading dock is located 2 km/1.2 mi from Highway 401. With the completion of a rail spur, the Hamilton-Oshawa Port Authority is truly intermodal, and able to respond to the growing demands of current and prospective port clients. Employing over 300, the Port handles an annual $23 million of cargo, from salt and steel products to asphalt and grain.

Assets

  • Air: The Oshawa Executive Airport can accommodate a range of aircraft—from small recreational planes and 20-passenger business jets to 70-passenger turbo prop commuters. Corporate travel and just-in-time freight services are expedited with the presence of Canada Customs and fixed-based aviation services (F.B.O.). Toronto Pearson International Airport (Canada's largest airport) is located only 70 km/43 mi from Oshawa
  • Rail: C.N. Rail and C.P. Rail
  • Roads: Highway 401 and Highway 407
  • Seaway: Hamilton-Oshawa Port Authority accommodates any size or type of vessel that transits the St. Lawrence Seaway System and is fully intermodal with CN rail spur.

Key Companies

  • Canada Cartage
  • Mackie Transportation
  • Oshawa Stevedoring
  • Enterprise Airlines
  • Pival International
  • T.T.R. Transport
  • T.M.H. Logistics

Information Technology

Information Technology includes goods and services that process, transmit or receive information. These are technologies related to software, hardware, computer services, telecommunications, and microelectronics. I.T. is prevalent in e-commerce, e-learning, e-health, wireless multimedia and digital entertainment, in addition to emerging technologies such artificial intelligence.

Global Cyberlympics
In 2019, the City of Oshawa was host to The Global Cyberlympics, a worldwide cyber security competition. It pits teams from all over the world to compete in a series of challenges in the areas of Digital Forensics, Web Application Exploitation, System Exploitation, Malware Analysis and Reverse Engineering.

Assets

  • Spark Centre Regional Innovation Centre
  • Durham College AI Hub
  • Marketing Laboratory
  • Gaming and Virtual Reality Laboratory
  • Hacker Research Laboratory
  • Networking Laboratory
  • Health Informatics Laboratory
  • OPUC Dark Fibre Optics
  • Communication Network
  • Spark Angel Network

Key Companies

  • Concentrix
  • Cross Platform Cloud Technologies
  • Conpute
  • IFTech
  • Mojility
  • International Resource Software (R.S.I.)

Major Employers

Private Sector

  • General Motors
  • Concentrix
  • Cleeve Technology
  • EHC Global
  • Mackie Moving Systems

Public Sector

  • Oshawa Clinic
  • Canada Revenue Agency
  • Lakeridge Health Oshawa
  • Ministry of Finance
  • Ontario Tech University
  • Durham College

Post-Secondary Institutions

Oshawa is home to three leading post-secondary institutions with nearly 25,000 students.

Ontario Tech University

With two campuses in Oshawa, Ontario Tech is a modern, forwarding-thinking university that advances the discovery and application of knowledge to accelerate economic growth, regional development and social innovation. Researchers, students and graduates are inspired and equipped to make a positive impact in a tech-focused world through understanding and integrating the social and ethical implications of technology. With seven faculties, more than 10,000 students in over 115 programs, the STEM-focused university houses more than 80 specialized research laboratories and facilities.

Durham College

With campuses in Oshawa and Whitby, Durham College (D.C.) offers over 11,400 full-time students access to more than 140 post-secondary programs, including four honours bachelor degrees and nine apprenticeship programs. Applied research at D.C. – facilitated by the Office of Research Services, Innovation and Entrepreneurship (ORSIE) and its five research centres – solves business and social challenges through innovation and collaboration by engaging industry, faculty, students and the community-at-large in research projects to address the needs of a technology-driven knowledge economy.

Trent University Durham

The Oshawa campus of Trent University opened in 2010, building upon 40 years of presence in Durham Region. With 2000 students enrolled annually, the campus offers Bachelor of Arts and Science degrees, post-graduate certificates and master's programs. The campus focuses on the needs of business management and community health and wellness, offering community-based research to their partners. Trent University Durham GTA (Trent U Durham) is renowned for the innovative and ground-breaking research conducted by faculty and students, on campus and around the world.

Recruitment

Locally, resources are available to assist companies in accessing skilled professionals across various industry specialties. From facilitating links to specialized post-secondary programming to candidate pre-screening, job fairs and training cost incentives – organizations in Oshawa and Durham Region are available to help streamline connections to the right talent.

Talent Recruitment Service Providers

  • Durham Region Unemployment Help Centre (D.R.U.H.C.)
  • Ontario Tech University Career
  • Durham College Career Services
  • John Howard Society of Durham
  • Human Resources and Skills Development Canada
  • YMCA Durham Employment and Community

 

 

Why Oshawa
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Contact Us

© 2022 Invest Oshawa

2nd Floor, Rundle Tower, City Hall,
50 Centre St. S.,
Oshawa, Ontario L1H 3Z7

Phone: 905-436-5617
Toll Free: 1-800-667-4292
Fax: 905-436-5623
Email: [email protected]

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