COVID-19 Information & Updates

City Hall

Oshawa City Hall is open by appointment only for the following services: Service Oshawa, Municipal Licensing Services, Property Tax Services and Building Services. Additional City services (such as Engineering Services and Planning Services) are also available for in-person services at City Hall.

At City Hall, public health protocols are in place, including screening upon entry and plexiglass barriers at front counters. Community members requiring in-person service at City Hall are asked to:

• enter and exit through the main entrance (located across from the Robert McLaughlin Gallery and adjacent to the Arts Resource Centre);

• upon entering, wait to respond to screening questions and provide contact information;
• wear a mask or face covering (with the exception of those who have health, respiratory and sensory issues, various disabilities; are unable to remove the mask without assistance; children under the age of two or for religious reasons);
• maintain physical distancing from others and adhere to physical distancing markers;
• follow directional arrows located on the floor;
• use hand sanitizer when entering and exiting the building; and,
• sign out when exiting the building.

Service Oshawa 

Community members can continue to do business with the City online or over the phone. Residents can submit many common requests and report issues through Service Oshawa online. Additional online applications and payment options are available through our online services. 

Service Oshawa continues to be available to customers via phone, email and live chat during their regular hours, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday on business days and can be contacted by live chat, phone at 905-436-3311 or email at [email protected].

Visit Oshawa.ca/CouncilMembers to contact Members of Council.

Building Services

Community members interested in booking an appointment to apply for a building permit, can call 905-436-5658 or send an email to [email protected]. Learn more at Oshawa.ca/Permits.

Civil Marriage Ceremonies

Bookings for civil marriage ceremonies are now available. Civil marriage ceremonies take place in the Council Chamber with ceremony times available on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Call Service Oshawa or visit Oshawa.ca/GetMarried for details.

Oshawa Animal Services

Oshawa Animal Services (O.A.S.) is open to the public by appointment only. 

The Animal Shelter’s regular in-person operating hours are 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday to Saturday. Adoption hours are 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. only. To book an appointment, please call 905-436-3311, ext. 2480. To learn how to apply to adopt an animal, visit the City’s Adoption webpage.

Oshawa Animal Services continues to offer virtual pet adoptions online. The virtual adoption process includes a review of the available animals online by the potential adopter, the submission of the applicable form, a phone interview with O.A.S. staff and then, once approved, the arrangement of safe pick up and secure online payment. Animals adopted through O.A.S. include spay/neuter, vaccinations, flea treatment, deworming, microchipping, rabies vaccine and four weeks pet insurance. 

For further information, to report a lost/found pet or licensing services via telephone contact Service Oshawa at 905-436-3311 or view Service Oshawa online options.

The following animal related services continue to be offered by Municipal Law Enforcement:

• Pick up of sick/injured/aggressive domestic animals and wildlife
• Aggressive animals
• Dogs running at large
• Dog bite investigations
• Pick up of confined stray animals
• Pick up of diseased wildlife and stray animals

City Amenities

Community members using outdoor amenities are reminded to adhere to safety protocols, government orders and health authority guidelines.

Oshawa Senior Citizens Centres OSCC55+

All branches of the OSCC55+ Oshawa Senior Community Centres have reopened for in-person visits with COVID protocols and capacity limits in place. Call 905-576-6712 to book your appointment to visit a branch.

• Online programs continue at oscc.ca/onlineprograms

• Grocery delivery service and frozen meal deliveries continue.

For the most up-to-date OSCC55+ information, visit their reopening updates webpage or call 905-576-6712. 

Oshawa Public Libraries

The Oshawa Public Libraries branches are offering some services by appointment only. Visit their welcome back webpage for additional details.

Events

Oshawa Executive Airport Terminal Building

Currently, the Oshawa Executive Airport Terminal building is closed to the public. The Regional municipalities, including the City of Oshawa, are following recommendations provided by Durham Region Health Department, the Province of Ontario and the Federal Government.

Waste Collection

The four-bag limit for bi-weekly garbage collection in Oshawa is in effect. Each bag placed at the curb beyond the four-bag limit must have a bag tag attached for pickup. Contactless options for purchasing bag tags are now available at www.oshawa.ca/waste. We encourage residents to continue to practice waste reduction by utilizing their blue boxes and green bins. 

The Region of Durham’s Region Waste Management facility located at 1640 Ritson Road North remains open but will only accept debit and credit card payments (no cash).  

Fire Services

Oshawa’s fire stations have been closed to the public to protect our first responders, but Oshawa Fire Services continues to stand ready to respond to fire emergencies.

City Council and Standing Committee meetings will continue to take place electronically. Community members are encouraged to watch online at www.oshawa.ca/webcasts. 

View Upcoming Council and Standing Committee meetings as per the Council approved schedule.  

Additionally, at the upcoming Council and Standing Committee meetings, delegations will be permitted electronically through remote electronic access provided the request relates to an item on the published agenda and is received by City Clerk Services a minimum of two business days prior to the meeting in order to arrange for technology testing. Due to the technology and testing required, delegation requests received after this deadline will not be permitted. City Clerks Services can be contacted by email at [email protected] or telephone 905-436-3311.

To receive email notifications of Council and Standing Committee meetings, visit www.oshawa.ca/subscribe. 

If you have a smartphone, download the COVID Alert app.  

COVID-19 Vaccination Clinics

Check with Durham Health for the latest updates, including appointment availability:

• Vaccination site located at Durham College/Ontario Tech University Campus Ice Centre: visit covidvaccine.lh.ca or call 905-721-4828.
• Vaccination sites in other Durham Region municipalities: visit durham.ca/Vaccineappointment or call 1-888-444-5113.
• Please be advised that call volumes are very high at this time. For more information and the latest updates, visit durham.ca/covidvaccines.

Community members concerned about their health are asked to seek clinical assessment using one of these four options:

1. Complete an online self-assessment.
2. Contact Durham Health Connection Line 905-668-2020 or 1-800-841-2729.
3. Contact Telehealth Ontario at 1-866-797-0000.
4. Contact your primary care provider by phone.

Additional resources

As per provincial orders, individuals are required to wear a mask or face covering in the indoor areas of businesses or organizations that are open. Wearing a mask or face covering is now recommended outdoors when you can't physically distance more than two metres.

The Durham Region Health Department has provided instructions to ensure the mandatory use of non-medical masks or face coverings:

• Tips for choosing a proper non-medical face mask or face covering
• How to keep safe while using your non-medical face mask or face covering

Additional information regarding non-medical face masks and face coverings is available on the Region of Durham’s COVID-19 Update webpage. 

Any inquiries about mask requirements can be directed to the Durham Region Health Department. 

The Ontario government, in consultation with the Chief Medical Officer of Health, has released its Roadmap to Reopen, a three-step plan to safely and cautiously reopen the province and gradually lift public health measures based on the provincewide vaccination rate and improvements in key public health and health care indicators. 

For a full list of changes and for more information, visit the Ontario Government’s COVID-19 shutdown webpage.

Ontario Protecting Consumers from Price Gouging

Consumers can report an individual who is price gouging by filing a complaint at 1-800-889-9768 between 8:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. 

On March 24, 2020, Regional Chair and Chief Executive Officer, John Henry declared a State of Emergency in the Region of Durham in accordance with the Emergency Management By-law.

For the most up-to-date public information about COVID-19 in Durham Region, refer to www.durham.ca/NovelCoronavirus.

Masks

The Durham Region Health Department has issued instructions to ensure the mandatory use of non-medical masks or face coverings within most public and enclosed indoor spaces. 

Non-medical masks or face coverings are mandatory for all community members within most public and enclosed indoor spaces, with the exception of those who have health, respiratory and sensory issues; various disabilities; are unable to remove the mask without assistance; children under the age of two; or, other valid reasons.

The Health Department has created resources to aid the community in safely using a non-medical mask or face covering:

• Tips for choosing a proper non-medical face mask or face covering
• How to keep safe while using your non-medical face mask or face covering

Additional information regarding non-medical face masks and face coverings is available on the Region of Durham’s COVID-19 Update webpage. 

Any inquiries or reports about public establishments not ensuring masks are worn can be directed to the Durham Region Health Department.

Durham Regional Police Service (D.R.P.S.)

For concerns about gatherings beyond allowable limits on private property, residents can now report the situation on www.drps.ca under Online Services - Community Concern, or call the D.R.P.S. non-emergency line at 1-888-579-1520, ext. 0 or email [email protected]. 

Region of Durham Health Department

To report a non-compliant business including restaurants, food facilities, gyms, grocery stores, personal services setting (including but not limited to hair salons, spas, tattoo and aesthetics), call the Durham Health Connection Line at 905-668-2020 or 1-800-841-2729, or complete the online complaint form. 

Oshawa Municipal Law Enforcement and Licensing Services 

For concerns related to the use of masks, apartment buildings and concerns at businesses other than those noted above as well as gatherings on public property please contact  Service Oshawa.

What you can expect:

• You will be required to provide:
  • Your name, address and phone number (information about a complainant is confidential)
  • The address of the property with the violation
  • Details about the concern

• Anonymous complaints will not be investigated
• The complaint will be sent to Municipal Law Enforcement for investigation and response

Stop the Spread Business Information Line

Anyone seeking clarification whether a situation falls under the non-compliance orders can call the Stop the Spread Business Information Line at 1-888-444-3659. Assistance is available Monday to Sunday, from 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.