Oshawa Community Profile

Community Profile
2015
Welcome
Message from Mayor Henry
Welcome to Oshawa, a dynamic city in one of the fastest
growing regions in Canada. Oshawa offers the best of both
worlds – the amenities and opportunities of a thriving urban
centre coupled with the lifestyle of a connected community
featuring vibrant culture, integrated transportation and
affordable living.
With a population of 160,000 people, Oshawa is the largest city
in Durham Region and is the eastern gateway to the Greater
Toronto Area – the largest metropolitan area in Canada. In Oshawa, you will find a rich
blend of global companies complemented with innovative start-up entrepreneurs and
long standing family owned businesses.
The Oshawa Community Profile highlights the achievements, opportunities and
business case for investing in this amazing city. Companies that are located in Oshawa
enjoy access to skilled workforce and talent, connected infrastructure, state-of-the-art
research facilities and competitive business environment.
As a lifelong resident and business owner, I am proud of Oshawa. I invite you to visit
us and learn how you can become part of the Oshawa success story.
Mayor John Henry
Table of Contents
Location (Map & Distance to Markets) 2
Oshawa Advantage 3
Demographics 4
Labour Force & Talent 5
Development 6
Utilities 7
Business & the Creative Economy 8
Downtown 10
Taxes & Incentives 12
Education & Innovation 14
Housing 16
Lifestyle 17
Oshawa’s Key Economic Sectors
Economic Development Strategy &
Key Sectors 19
Advanced Manufacturing 20
Energy 21
Health Technology 22
Logistics 23
Information Technologies 24
Location
Oshawa Advantage
Located on the north shore of Lake Ontario, Oshawa is Durham Region’s hub for business,
transportation, education and entertainment and the gateway to both the Greater Toronto Area
(GTA) and eastern Ontario markets.
Businesses that are located here experience the Oshawa advantage
of Talent, Access and Value.
Distance to Markets and Borders
Downtown Toronto, ON
60 km / 37 mi
Québec
Sudbury
Toronto
London
Buffalo
Pittsburgh
Cincinnati
Boston
Rochester
New York City
Cleveland
Indianapolis
Fort Erie, ON / Buffalo, NY (border)
218 km / 136 mi
Oshawa
Hamilton
Detroit
Queenston, ON / Lewiston, NY (border)
184 km / 114 mi
Montreal
Ottawa
Philadelphia
Baltimore
Washington D.C.
Toronto Pearson International Airport
70 km / 43 mi
Windsor, ON / Detroit, MI (border)
424 km / 263 mi
Montreal, QC
485 km / 301 mi
New York City, NY
804 km / 500 mi
Chicago, IL
865 km / 537 mi
Oshawa’s Climate Ranks in the Top 10 for:
• Warmest Climate
• Lowest Amount of Snow
• Longest Frost-Free Season
(amongst largest Canadian Metropolitan Areas)

Source: Environment Canada 1981–2010
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oshawa.ca/business
Talent Thriving business relies on skilled talent and
tax treatment and the second
lowest business costs among
the G7 countries. Canada has
been long recognized for its stable
and sound banking system. Locally, Oshawa offers
development incentives, affordable real estate and
business-friendly services.
Oshawa’s talent measures up. Oshawa welcomed
thousands of bright minded full-time students in 2014,
studying at three top ranking institutions: Durham
College, Trent University Durham and the University
of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT). Relevant
education for today’s industries coupled with renowned
research facilities show why our graduates are sought
after by top companies.
Overall Business Costs Index (U.S.=100)
Access Oshawa businesses enjoy access to a connected
and integrated transportation system offering all modes
of transportation. Oshawa’s roads, rail, seaway, air and
commuter services ensure passengers and freight have
convenient access to North American and global markets.
Value Oshawa companies enjoy the benefits associated
Location
Costs index
Ontario
90.2
United Kingdom
93.5
France
93.5
Japan
94.7
Italy
95.3
Germany
United States
with doing business in Ontario, Canada. According to
KPMG 2014 Competitive Alternatives, Canada has the
lowest total tax costs, including the most generous R&D
Source: KPMG, Competitive Alternatives, 2014.
Deep Water Port
Frieght Rail Lines (CN and CP)
Commuter Rail & Transit systems
(VIA Rail, GO Transit, Durham Regional Transit)
3
1
2
97.7
100.0
1
Major Highways
2
2
(Highway 401 – with Highway 407 to be
completed December 2015)
International Airports within 60 minutes drive
Executive Airport
oshawa.ca/business
3
Demographics
Labour Force & Talent
As the most populated city in Durham Region and one of the fastest
growing areas of the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), Oshawa has experienced
significant growth year after year and is predicted to reach a population of
more than 176,000 by 2025. Oshawa’s population is diversifying, welcoming
international businesses, newcomers and many foreign students each year.
Oshawa’s percentage of residents aged 20–39 and 50–59 exceed the provincial
average for these cohorts demonstrating that Oshawa has a youthful labour force and is a
destination to work and raise a family.
2015 Population
Oshawa’s population has a higher proportion than the
Province of Ontario in age cohorts which represent the
Millenials, Generation X, and Boomers.
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Age
Groups
10%
2015 (total estimated population)
2020 (projected)
2025 (projected)
of study within two years of graduating (University of Ontario
Institute of Technology)
92.2% employer satisfaction rating for Durham
160,051
168,134
176,103
17,206
10–19
17,816
20–29
21,234
Millennials
30–39
19,944
Generation X
40–49
Region of Durham Population
21,126
50–59
25,865
Boomers
60–69
18,687
2015 (total estimated population)
2020 (projected)
2025 (projected)
70+
18,175
oshawa.ca/business
Conference Board of
Canada’s July 2015 report
states Oshawa’s economy
will expand by 2.6 percent
in 2015 thanks to robust
construction and services
activity. The report projects approximately 15,000 new
jobs in Oshawa by 2019.
94.8% of UOIT’s graduates are employed in their field
0–9
Total: 160,053
Oshawa Economy
Canada (Statistics Canada NHS 2011)
certificate, diploma or degree (Manifold Data Mining 2015)
population growth rate
projected by 2025
664,710
718,153
774,959

2nd largest proportion of College Graduates in
86% of Oshawa’s total population aged 25-64 has a
City of Oshawa Population
Number
Located within the academic powerhouse of Ontario, Oshawa is
home to three post-secondary institutions: Durham College, Trent
University Durham and the University of Ontario Institute of Technology.
Oshawa is also a Community Teaching Site for Queen’s University School
of Medicine at Lakeridge Health Oshawa.
College graduates (Durham College)
Labour Force
Oshawa Labour Force 85,204 (Manifold Data Mining)
Durham Region Labour Force 378,566
(Region of Durham, Economic Development)
Toronto CMA Labour Force 3,357,470 (Invest Toronto)
Ontario Labour Force 7,487,200 (StatsCan 2014/Invest Toronto)
Talent Recruitment

Resources are available to assist
companies with accessing skilled
professionals – from candidate
pre-screening, job fairs, links to
specialized training and training cost incentives.
Top Three Major Fields of Study
Durham Innovation and Technology Portal
• Architecture, Engineering and Related
Technologies (24%)
• Business Management and Public Administration (22%)
• Health and Related Fields (16%)
Valuable online tool promotes Durham Region’s
Digital Technology Sector to international investors.
Ditp.ca
oshawa.ca/business
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Development
Oshawa continues to set annual records with well-balanced growth
and development. For the first time in its history, Oshawa surpassed
the half a billion dollar mark in construction value in 2014. The first half
of 2015 continued to break records, with over $300,000,000 in construction
value. Looking forward, Oshawa is on track to surpass 2014’s record.
Record Breaking
The City of Oshawa issued more than
$506 million in building permits in 2014, more
than $60 million over the record set in 2007.
Major Projects
•Highway 407 extension
(expected completion: Dec. 2015)
•Triad Metals (industrial warehousing)
•Stoeger Canada (Canadian office,
warehousing and testing facility)
Industrial Land
Oshawa has a healthy supply of vacant industrial land
totaling 1,017.96 acres, 21% of which is fully serviced,
pre-zoned and ready for development.
Source: 2014 Oshawa Industrial Land Inventory Monitoring Report and
Commercial Land Development Opportunities
Utilities
Oshawa is well connected and offers reliable utility services at
competitive rates.
Natural Gas
Enbridge Gas, Oshawa’s provider of
natural gas, offers a number of incentives
that assists companies with improving
energy efficiency. enbridgegas.com
Telecommunications
Oshawa is well-serviced with numerous telecom
providers. The city is also connected with dark fibre optic
infrastructure supporting the future needs of residents
and businesses.
•Downtown Hotel and Convention Centre
(expected completion: late 2015)
•Kedron Part II Plan (1152 acres of land to
accommodate 22,000 people)
•CN Rail Spur connection to the Port of
Source: CBRE Q1 2015

6
Office Rents (average gross rents – all classes)
• Oshawa $20.50/SF
• Mississauga $28.75/SF
• Markham $27.50/SF
Source: Royal LePage Frank Real Estate, June 2015
The City of Oshawa has implemented a development charge exemption for industrial development
oshawa.ca/business
In Oshawa, water and
sanitary services are provided by the
Regional Municipality of Durham durham.ca/works
Electric Power
Electric Power is distributed by Oshawa
Power and Utilities Corporation (OPUC),
which offers a number of energy saving
programs for residents and businesses. The
OPUC has a reliable network with an average
uptime of 99.9%, and is continuously modernizing the
grid to meet the growing energy needs of the next
generation customer. opuc.on.ca
Oshawa (completed Q2 2015)
Industrial Lease Rates (net average asking)
• Oshawa (East GTA) $4.16/SF
• Mississauga (West GTA) $5.84/SF
• Markham (North GTA) $5.36/SF
Water and
Sanitary
Services
Downtown
Smart Grid investment energy project
OPUC is automating the entire downtown underground network to identify
equipment failures before they occur so that preventative action can be taken
to avoid a power disruption. In addition, should a failure occur, the system will
begin to self-heal and restore power immediately to maximize performance to
the downtown core business customers.
oshawa.ca/business
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Business & the Creative Economy
Opportunity and innovation are attracting new business to our city.
Historically known for its automotive manufacturing excellence,
today’s Oshawa is much more diverse. According to the Conference
Board of Canada “healthy manufacturing, construction, and wholesale
and retail trade will lead to 2.6 per cent GDP growth in Oshawa in 2015.“
Source: Conference Board of Canada Metropolitan Outlook 2, Winter 2015
Advanced
Manufacturing
Key Sectors
Energy
Health
Technology
Information
Technologies
Logistics
Business Resources
Partnerships with various government agencies ensure that companies in
Oshawa have access to a selection of programs and incentives. Available
resources include:
• Greater Oshawa Chamber of Commerce – the voice of business in
Oshawa, the Chamber offers workshops, networking opportunities and
membership benefits. oshawachamber.com
• Interactive Manufacturing Innovation Networks (iMiN) – a regional online
platform for industry professionals to share ideas, bid on proposals and find
local opportunities. iminonline.ca
• The Durham Region Economic Development Partnership (DEDP) –
Economic Developers across Durham work collaboratively to foster new
investment and growth. investdurham.ca
Fostering Entrepreneurial Innovation
Start Up City ranked 4th
in major Canadian cities for
entrepreneurial policy (CFIB)
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oshawa.ca/business

FastStart is a student incubator extra-curricular program designed
to increase entrepreneurship skills to help students create business
plans that take their products and services to market. This program is
delivered by UOIT, Durham College, Trent University and Spark Centre.
Entrepreneurship and
Innovative Partnerships
Small businesses are significant drivers
of the local economy and there are a
variety of support services available to
help entrepreneurs and small business
bring their ideas to life. In addition to the
services offered by Oshawa’s Economic
Development Team, organizations including
the Business Advisory Centre Durham
(BACD) and Spark Centre (one of
17 Regional Innovation Centres in Ontario)
are available to assist in areas of mentoring,
training, connections and access to funding.
oshawa.ca/business, bacd.ca,
sparkcentre.org.
Entrepreneurs can grow their
business at CORE21 a creative
co-working space that is home to Spark
Centre’s support services to the start up
technology sector. core21.ca
Spark Centre in partnership with the City
of Oshawa also offers incubation space in
The Loft through their Thrive Accelerator
program — a space dedicated to grow new
technology based entrepreneurs.
MAJOR Employers
Private Sector
Auto Warehousing Company (Automotive)
Cleeve Technology (HQ) (Defense/Aerospace)
EHC Global (HQ) (R&D, Advanced Manufacturing)
Fresh Del Monte ( Food Processing)
General Motors of Canada (CDN HQ)
(Automotive, R&D, Advanced Manufacturing)
Mackie (Logistics)
Minacs (IT, BPO)
NuFlow Technology (CDN HQ) (Advanced Manufacturing)
Oshawa Clinic (Healthcare)
Pival (Logistics)
Public Sector
Canada Revenue Agency
Children’s Aid Services
Durham College
Durham District School Board
Durham Region Provincial Courthouse
Lakeridge Health Oshawa
Ministry of Finance
Ontario Power Generation
Region of Durham
University of Ontario Institute of Technology
oshawa.ca/business
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Downtown
Downtown Oshawa is the entertainment and education district of the
Region. It is a vibrant place to work, learn, enjoy art and music, watch
sports, meet for drinks and enjoy great food.
Statistics
• Over 5,500 people work in
Downtown Oshawa including municipal
government, regional courthouse, three provincial
agencies and two federal agencies.
• 2,500 UOIT students take full time classes in
downtown Oshawa.
• Pedestrian traffic grew in 2014. The lunch crowd
grew by 16%, while the morning rush grew by 6%.
• Downtown’s main intersection at King and Simcoe
registered approximately 2,100 pedestrians during
the daily lunch rush hour.
• Employment in downtown is anchored by government
services, health care, education and culinary industries.
Plan 20Twenty is the
guiding strategy to continue the revitalization of Downtown
Oshawa. The strategy focuses on 6 key areas: Residential
Development, Business Development, Social Experience,
Improving the Visual Streetscape, Physical Environment
and Communications. The plan was developed in
consultation with the downtown stakeholders who are
actively engaged in implementing the strategy.
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oshawa.ca/business
Social Experience
More people than
ever visit downtown
to enjoy sporting
events, concerts
and cultural
activities. New
events have
been added to
the downtown core
and include – Culture
Squared, Multi-cultural
Fiesta Week, inclusive LBGTQ
activities, First Nations celebrations, Craft Beer
Festival and of course the General Motors Centre
has been busier than ever – Ranked Number #1 venue
for its size category and home to our Memorial Cup
Champions the Oshawa Generals Hockey Club and
two Toronto 2015 Pan Am Games events. Whether
you prefer large concerts, symphony orchestras or local
bands, Oshawa has a myriad of options and growing
music scene.
Culinary Trends
Downtown is the place to be to
experience delicious culinary foods from around the
world with over 60+ restaurants.
Reverb, Noel Harding, Steel and lights, 2015. Purchased with the financial support of the
RMG Acquisition Fund and the Canada Council for the Arts Acquisition Assistance Program.
Public Art
Public art is important to the downtown community – proven
by the installation of three large pieces over the last few years. Douglas
Coupland, Clement Meadmore and the most recent – Noel Harding’s
Reverb are gorgeous additions to the downtown streetscape.
Downtown Oshawa has been
identified as an Urban Growth
Centre in the Province of Ontario’s
Places to Grow initiative. This
means that Oshawa is poised for
future growth – while keeping a
focus on affordability.
Development
Business continues to invest in the downtown. Municipal
incentives for downtown such as loans, grants, tax rebates and City
development charge exemptions have helped to promote growth and attract new business such as:
• La Quinta Hotel 59 room boutique hotel in Downtown Oshawa.
• Holiday Inn Express and Conference Centre 120 room hotel is under construction with an estimated completion
date of November 2015.
• The 100 Bond development has broken ground for the construction of 239 residential units with retail at grade.
oshawa.ca/business
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Taxes & Incentives
Combined Provincial and Federal Corporate Taxes
January 1, 2015
General/Manufacturing and Processing/Investment (General Corporation)
25.0%
General; Active Business Income (General Corporation)
26.5%
Small Business Income up to $425,000 (Canadian Controlled)
15.5%
Small Business Income Between $425,000 and $500,000 (Canadian Controlled)
15.5%
General; Active Business Income (Canadian Controlled)
2.7%
Source: Manifold Data Mining 2015
Harmonized Sales Tax (HST)
HST provides tax credits for sales tax paid on many inputs
and capital investments. Ontario’s HST rate is 13%.

Tax Rates (2015)
Property Class
Tax Rates
Land Transfer Tax
Commercial
3.133%
Ontario has a land transfer tax of between 0.5% and
2% depending on the cost and use of the property.
Industrial
4.643%
Office
3.133%
Property Tax
Residential
1.572%
Multi-Residential
2.766%
The City of Oshawa collects property taxes on behalf
of the City, the Region of Durham and the Provincial
Education Tax.
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oshawa.ca/business
Incentives
A number of incentives are available to support private
investment and development in key areas from the
municipal, provincial and federal levels.
• Brownfield Community Improvement Plan: offers
property tax cancellation and a redevelopment grant.
• Central Business District Community Improvement
Plan: assists property owners with building façade and
accessibility improvements, building code upgrades
or assistance with building permit fees for key
redevelopment projects.
• Simcoe Street South Community Improvement
Plan: assists property owners with building façade
improvements.
• University and College Area Community
Improvement Plan: designed for the redevelopment
of higher density residential properties in the university
and college area. This incentive is a grant instrument
that reduces the portion of city taxes attributable to
the increased assessment over a 10 year period.
Federal and Provincial
government incentives
are available in the following
categories:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•

Businesses that locate in Oshawa enjoy the benefits and advantages associated with doing
business in Ontario, Canada. Canada remains the most tax competitive country in the world
for business according to KPMG 2014 Competitive Analysis. Ontario’s combined general federalprovincial Corporate Income Tax (CIT) rate is lower than the average G20 countries and lower
than the average federal-state CIT rate in the United States.
Commercialization
Community Development
Digital Media
Energy
Export
Financing
Human Resources and Training
Infrastructure
Research and Development
Venture Capital
Collaboration with various agencies and postsecondary institutions can realize further incentives
for many research and development projects.
• Property Tax Cancellation: a component of a select
number of Community Incentive Programs offered by
the City.
The City of Oshawa’s portion of Development
Charges has been
eliminated for Industrial and Downtown development projects.
oshawa.ca/business
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Education & Innovation
Durham College
Since opening its doors in
1967, Durham College (DC)
has been providing high-quality,
post-secondary education and
producing outstanding graduates, while
contributing an economic impact of more
than $800 million to Durham Region.
Home to more than 30,000 students, 1,600 full and part-time
staff, and more than 70,000 alumni, DC has campuses in Oshawa
and Whitby and a Pickering Learning Site, offering more than
140 market-driven programs taught by industry experts.
Customized corporate training solutions are available through
Corporate Training Services, a division of DC that delivers
innovative, responsive and flexible third-party training solutions.
Named as one of Canada’s top 25 research colleges, DC also
focuses on applied research through its Office of Research
Services, Innovation and Entrepreneurship (ORSIE), working with
small- and- medium- sized businesses to help them innovate,
commercialize and develop their ideas. durhamcollege.ca
Trent University Durham
Ranked as the top university in Ontario in the undergraduate
category by Maclean’s, Trent University is consistently recognized
for leadership in teaching, research and student satisfaction.
Building on a tradition of academic excellence spanning over
four decades in the east GTA, Trent University Durham offers
a dynamic and rigorous educational experience rooted in the
social sciences and humanities.
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oshawa.ca/business
Students seeking a truly personalized and flexible
learning experience can complete full- and parttime studies in Business Administration, Social Work,
Anthropology, English Literature, History, Psychology,
Sociology, Media Studies, and Communications & Critical
Thinking, as well as in a fast-growing roster of certificate
programs such as the Human Resources Management
Postgraduate Certificate. Students at Trent University
Durham enthusiastically speak of the unparalleled sense
of community on campus and the opportunity to be
involved in a vibrant and dynamic student experience. trentu.ca/durham
University of Ontario Institute of
Technology (UOIT)
Business leaders and investors need sophisticated
expertise, a knowledgeable labour force and accessible
research facilities to build their organizations. At its
modern campus in Oshawa, UOIT partners with hundreds
of businesses and community organizations to deliver a
mix of theoretical and hands-on learning to its
10,000 students. The university offers more than
70 career-focused and market-oriented graduate
and undergraduate programs that
foster advanced manufacturing,
sustainable energy research and
the development of smart
communities. UOIT prides
itself on promoting an
entrepreneurial mindset,
instilling characteristics like
risk taking, problem solving
and learning by doing.
Through its more than
70 specialized research
laboratories and facilities, including
the state-of-the-art ACE climatic wind
tunnel and the Clean Energy Research Laboratory,
UOIT aims to push the boundaries of learning through
imaginative uses of technology. uoit.ca
LHEARN
The LHEARN Centre (Lakeridge Health Education and
Research Network) welcomes more than 1,600 students
across a broad range of health disciplines and has
partnered with more than 80 post-secondary institutions
including Queen’s University, University of Toronto, UOIT
and Durham College. The LHEARN Centre is unique for
a community hospital in Canada, blending education
directly into the delivery of health care. The LHEARN
Centre has an auditorium with HD videoconferencing
through the Ontario Telemedicine Network, health
sciences library and state-of-the-art simulation labs
equipped with simulators that create realistic
medical scenarios with a system that records
and plays back simulations to improve
learning outcomes. The LHEARN Centre
plays a pivotal role in training the next
generation of physicians and health
care providers.
oshawa.ca/business
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Housing
Lifestyle
Offering some of the most affordable housing in the Greater Toronto
Area (GTA), options include urban condos, traditional family dwellings,
skillfully planned subdivisions and townhomes, not to mention many
options for retirement and student living.
Out of 2,845 building permits issued in 2014 in
Durham Region, the largest proportion were
issued in Oshawa with 813 units.
Source: 2014 Annual Building Permit Activity Review,
Durham Region
Source: City of Oshawa Development Activity: Review of 2014 and
Outlook for 2015
Tenure Split of Existing Housing Stock
70% Owned and 30% Rented
Private apartment vacancy rates fell from 2.0% in
2013 to 1.8% in 2014.
Source: Manifold Data Mining 2015
Source: CMHC Rental Market Report, Greater Toronto Area, Fall 2014
City of Oshawa Housing Unit Distribution by Type
55.6%
■ Single Detached 34,252
■ Semi-Detached 5,370
■ Townhouse 5,454
■ Apartment 16,621
8.7%
8.8%
26.9%
Total Units 61,697
Source: City of Oshawa Housing Monitoring Report 2014
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Oshawa continues to maintain a solid supply of
lots currently developed and in the development
approval process, equivalent to a +/– 5 year supply.
oshawa.ca/business
Real Estate Hotspot
Quality of life means different things to different people. Access to
vibrant arts and culture with live theatre, symphonies and museums is
desirable to some, while others may wish to take in a concert or sporting
event. Others seek a cozy spot to listen to live bands, and for others it is
access to the outdoors through golf, hiking, or biking. Whatever your lifestyle –
Oshawa provides a safe, inclusive and accessible community.
Parks & Recreation
First-class facilities include
public and private golf courses, indoor and outdoor
swimming pools, ice rinks, ball diamonds, stadiums,
beachfront park space, trails, community centres and
libraries. The Civic Recreation Complex is the City’s
premier sporting destination and features five outdoor
fields (two with artificial turf), a FIFA sized indoor
Fieldhouse, indoor and outdoor tracks, swimming pool,
fitness centre and indoor courts for tennis, badminton
and squash. In addition to acres of pristine parkland, the
community also features an extensive paved trail system
of nearly 27 km (16 miles).
Health Care
Oshawa is a real estate hotspot with
the lowest median detached house
sale price for cities in the GTA.
Source: Toronto Real Estate Board Market Watch,
May 2015
Oshawa is supported by a variety of
medical clinics, urgent care clinics and community-based
home health care, in addition to an acute care hospital, a
regional cancer centre and a specialized surgical centre.
Lakeridge Health Oshawa provides primary, secondary
and tertiary healthcare. lakeridgehealth.on.ca
Taunton Surgical Centre specializes in general, plastic
and orthopedic surgeries. oshawaclinic.com
Quick Fact
Oshawa is home to Treetop Eco Adventure
Park – a thrilling zip line and outdoor adventure
park with five zip lines, aerial obstacle course,
and archery games all with breathtaking views
of the Oak Ridges Moraine.
Grandview Children’s Centre the only outpatient
rehabilitation facility in Durham Region for children with
special needs. grandviewcc.ca
Culture Counts
Oshawa is a vibrant city with
exciting festivals, engaging heritage sites, dynamic
programs and creative cultural workers. The City has
an active Arts, Culture and Heritage Plan aimed to
strengthen the work of cultural organizations, while
connecting the arts, cultural and business communities
together.
oshawa.ca/business
17
Economic Development Strategy & Key Sectors
Oshawa’s Sector Analysis and Cluster Development
Strategy was developed to reflect the city’s evolving
economic landscape and to set a new direction for
economic development initiatives. Throughout a number
of community and business consultations, the study
revealed five key sectors in Oshawa that are positioned
with high potential for growth.
•
•
•
•
•
Advanced Manufacturing
Energy Generation
Health and Biosciences
Information Technologies
Multimodal Transportation and Logistics
Labour Force Per Sector (Durham Region)
NAICS
Codes
Place of
Place of
Residence Work
Advanced Manufacturing
31–33
27,390
19,930
Transportation/Logistics
48–49
10,825
5,980
IT
51
9,340
3,740
Sustainable Energy
2211
7,340
9,520
2212
545
55
62
30,400
22,340
3391
235
170
Health Technologies
For Site Selectors
Oshawa’s Economic Development
Services offers ED Tools, a
comprehensive database providing the
latest demographics, labour market
information, utility and tax rates, lists
of top employers, research centres
and more. The database enables
users to select information/statistics
needed and can generate customized
PDF reports. An inventory of available
properties in Oshawa is also available.
Oshawa also offers BizPaL, an online
tool to streamline your business permit
and licensing experience.
oshawa.ca/business
oshawa.ca/siteselection

Oshawa has been rated as the number one
Canadian city in the Top 10 Small American
Cities of the Future as ranked by fDi
Intelligence, a division of the Financial Times
(UK). Oshawa placed fifth in the category when
compared with Canadian and U.S. small cities.
Source: National Household Survey, 2011.
oshawa.ca/business
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Advanced Manufacturing
Sector Profile
Oshawa is a leader in advanced manufacturing with local post-secondary institutions acting
as an anchor to support a diverse base of technology driven companies. Oshawa companies
are globally competitive and sustainable with innovative products across a wide spectrum of
industries. Best recognized for automotive excellence, Oshawa companies also include food
processors, aerospace and defense industries, robotics, and large metal fabricators.
Assets
• ACE at UOIT (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
• OPG Engineering Building at UOIT
Sector Profile
Energy
Highlights
Key Companies
• BRIC Engineering
• Cimetrix • Cleeve Technology
• EHC Global
• Fresh Del Monte Produce
• General Motors of Canada
Labour Stat
Oshawa’s Advanced Manufacturing Labour Force: 8,400+
Source: 2011 National Housing Survey as provided by the Durham Workforce Authority
Highlights
Oshawa’s location within Durham Region (Ontario’s Energy Capital) coupled with the local
presence of innovative companies and relevant post-secondary programs have established
Energy Technology as a prominent economic sector for Oshawa.
UOIT’s Energy Systems and Nuclear Science Research Centre is a 9,290-square-metre facility
that houses the university’s unique-in-Canada education programs and research in geothermal,
hydraulic, hydrogen, natural gas, nuclear, solar and wind energy technologies. Assets
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Clean Energy Research Laboratory (CERL)
Energy Systems and Nuclear Science Research Centre (ERC)
Nuclear Simulation Lab
OPUC – Solar Energy Management System (SEMS Project) – new technology pilot funded
by NEDO of Japan
• Energy Systems Engineering Technology Program
Key Companies
20
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En-Pro International
EV Fern
GDS Technologies
Ontario Power Generation
Oshawa PUC Networks
Labour Stat
Oshawa’s Energy Labour Force: 4,000+
Source: 2011 National Housing Survey as provided by the Durham
Workforce Authority
21
Health Technology
Sector Profile
Oshawa is a growing and innovative health technology cluster built on the strengths of Lakeridge
Health and its emerging research capacity. Oshawa’s top health care professionals and educators
undertake cutting edge research, manufacture innovative products, provide public service in stateof-the-art facilities and prepare the next generation of family physicians and health care providers.
Oshawa is Durham Region’s hub for health technologies production, post-secondary education
and primary, secondary and tertiary medical services.
Assets
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Grandview Children’s Centre
10 Family Medical Clinics
Lakeridge Health
Lakeridge Health Education and Research Network (LHEARN)
Sector Profile
Logistics
Highlights
Key Companies
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MARS Bio-Med
Orthodent
Paradigm Clinical Trials
Praxair
Prosthetic Technologies
Labour Stat
Oshawa’s Health Technology Labour Force: 9,600+
Source: 2011 National Housing Survey as provided by the Durham Workforce Authority
Highlights
Oshawa offers all modes of transportation to move people and products locally, regionally and
around the globe and is emerging as an integrated regional logistics and distribution hub for the
GTA and eastern Ontario markets.
Assets
• Air: The Oshawa Executive Airport is an executive-level airport that 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 (FBO). Toronto Pearson
International Airport – Canada’s largest airport is located only 70 km/43 mi from Oshawa.
• Rail: CN Rail & CP Rail
• Roads: Highway 401 & Highway 407 (under construction)
• Seaway: Port of Oshawa accommodates any size or type of vessel that transits the
St. Lawrence Seaway System. Port of Oshawa is fully intermodal with CN rail spur.
Key Companies
22
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Canada Cartage
Enterprise Airlines
Mackie Transportation
Oshawa Stevedoring
Pival
Labour Stat
Oshawa’s Logistics Labour Force: 4,000+
Source: 2011 National Housing Survey as provided by the Durham
Workforce Authority
23
Information Technologies
Sector Profile
Highlights
Information Technology (IT) is the enabler that facilitates growth across all other business sectors.
With strong post-secondary institutional programming and research in IT security, adaptive
technology and big data, IT enabled companies and entrepreneurs are well supported in Oshawa.
Spark Commercialization and Innovation Centre is one of 17 Regional Innovation Centres in
Ontario that are available to assist innovative technology businesses to start-up, scale and grow.
Spark Centre uses competitions, training, mentoring and connections to help technology based
business reach their full potential.
In 2015, Spark Centre in partnership with the City of Oshawa announced the grand opening of
The Loft – a new 90 seat start-up incubation space in Downtown.
Assets
• Gaming and Virtual Reality Laboratory
• Hacker Research Laboratory
• Health Informatics Laboratory
Key Companies
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24
Conpute
IFTech
Minacs
Mojility
Resource Software
International (RSI)
• Marketing Laboratory
• Networking Laboratory
• OPUC Dark Fibre Optics Communication Network
Labour Stat
Oshawa’s Information Technologies Labour
Force: 1,900+
Source: 2011 National Housing Survey as provided by the Durham
Workforce Authority
Awards & Accolades
Oshawa is an award-winning community
• Record-setting Growth | Over half a billion dollars in construction value – the highest year on record!
• Real Estate Hot Spot | Oshawa ranks Top 10 for real estate value in Canada (MoneySense Magazine) and also
recognized by Canada Real Estate Magazine as a real estate hot spot in Canada.
• City of the Future | Oshawa ranked as top Canadian city in the Top 10
Small American Cities of the Future as ranked by fDi Intelligence, a
division of the Financial Times (UK). Oshawa placed fifth in the
category when compared with Canadian and U.S. small cities.
• Top Economic Developer | Oshawa economic
developer recognized as one of North America’s Top 50
(Consultant Connect)
• Community of Choice | Top 10 community for net
intra-Canada migration (Statistics Canada)
• Best Place to be a Woman in Canada | Oshawa
ranked 10th best city in Canada (Canadian Centre for
Policy Alternatives)
• Start-up City | Ranked 4th in major Canadian cities
for entrepreneurial policy (Canadian Federation of
Independent Business); CORE21 co-working office
received award (Economic Developers Council of Ontario)
• Foodie Hotspot | Publication award for Downtown
Foodies Guide (Economic Developers Council of Ontario)
• Award-winning events | Peony Festival and Fiesta Week
named Top 100 Festivals and Events in Ontario
• Beautiful City | Winner of the Ontario Parks Association Municipal
Garden Competition in the Floral Art and Xeroscape categories
• General Motors Centre | Major Venue of the Year (Canadian Music Week)
and ranked #1 (Venues Today Magazine) for its size category
• 2015 MasterCard Memorial Cup Champions Oshawa Generals Jr. A Hockey Team
Oshawa’s Economic Development Services
[email protected]
www.oshawa.ca/business
1-800-667-4292
905-436-5617
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If this information is required
in an accessible format, please
contact Service Oshawa.
Telephone: 905-436-3311
Email: [email protected]