6 minute read
Company Growth
Lifestyle
The Oshawa Census Metropolitan Area (CMA) is leading the country in population growth. According to Statistics Canada, the Oshawa CMA achieved a population growth rate of 2.3% in 2021. The City of Oshawa has made national headlines as a top destination for those migrating out of Toronto. According to a 2021 HuffPost article, Oshawa is one of the best cities to move to within the Greater Toronto Area. Oshawa’s top five ranking was the only Durham Region municipality to make the list. Oshawa’s low unemployment was also a factor in Oshawa’s ranking, with the article citing that the number of jobs in Oshawa is up by 3.2% compared to 2020. Quality of life benefits of working locally are significant. Durham Recruiting estimates that residents travelling from Oshawa to Toronto will spend an average of 690 hours commuting (the equivalent of 3 working months) and over $18,000 on hard costs such as fuel and vehicle maintenance. With so many new employment opportunities on the horizon, combined with a shift towards remote work, Oshawa residents have greater choice in choosing to work where they live, to spend more time with loved ones and to enjoy a lifestyle that has made our City one of the fastest growing communities in Canada.
Oshawa CMA
Population 353,500 Labour Force 238,400 Employment 219,900 Participation Rate 67.4% Employment Rate 62.2% Unemployment Rate 7.8% Source: Statistics Canada, December 2020 Millenial Migration in Canada, 2018–19 Waterloo (ON) 1535 Halton (ON) 1622 Capital Regional District (BC) 1814 Durham Region (ON) 1979 Simcoe County (ON) 2426 Ottawa (ON) 3099
Source: Ryerson University Centre for Urban Research & Land Development Oshawa Lakefront Nestled along the shore of Lake Ontario, Lakeview Park with its mature landscape setting has views of the lake and is a beautiful, community park. Connected to the recreational trails, Joseph Kolodzie Oshawa Creek Bike Path and the Waterfront Trail, visitors can connect to Oshawa's vibrant downtown, Oshawa Second Marsh, McLaughlin Bay Wildlife Reserve, the historical Oshawa Community Museum among other attractions. Lakeview Park is also host to many family fun events. The Park is also home to the Jubilee Pavilion which provides a banquet hall and public meeting place. Come stretch your legs or sit and relax by the lake.
Northwest Oshawa to welcome future multi-use community centre Located at the northeast corner of Thornton Road North and the future Britannia Avenue West extension, the future facility will expand the City’s recreational offerings and provide north Oshawa residents with closer access to community resources such as the Oshawa Public Libraries and OSCC55+. Oshawa is expected to welcome 4,700 newcomers in 2021. Going forward, increased federal immigration targets, coupled with relatively affordable housing prices in the region, will support Oshawa’s population growth in 2022 and beyond. —Conference Board of Canada
Lifestyle (continued)
Parks and Trails Oshawa's parks and recreational trail system encompasses almost 410 hectares (1013 acres) of parkland and provides more than 27 kilometres of paved surface for you to explore. The parks and recreational trails are a great place to enjoy Oshawa's outdoors with friends and family. Culture and Festivals The City of Oshawa is an amazing place to host a special event or festival. Oshawa has a wide variety of venues including parks, arenas and facilities. The City of Oshawa has made a commitment to further enhance and expand events within our City. Annually, the City of Oshawa hosts and/or facilitates many events and tournaments ranging from one-day celebrations to multiple-day festivals. These festivals and events range in attendance from 100 to over 30,000 with spectators attending from the local area and beyond.
Gold Point Wildlife Reserve The City is undertaking the design of the Gold Point Wildlife Reserve, located at the southwest corner of Stevenson Road South and Phillip Murray Avenue. The site is home to a number of significant environmental features. The Wildlife Reserve is being designed as a passive recreational destination, which respects and protects the significant natural environmental features of the site.
2031 Population Projection
1,000,000 Durham Region Residents
Did you know the average commuter from Oshawa to Downtown Toronto will spend:
690 hours $18,748
Commuting – that’s 3 working months! Hard Costs (Fuel, Maintenance etc.)
$20,412
Soft Costs in unpaid travel time (Salary x Travel time) You are losing 3 working months in time and nearly $40,000 in costs.
Source: Durham Recruiting
With a projected population approaching 185,000 in 2029, the number of Oshawa residents is expected to grow by 16% over the next 10 years. Oshawa is leading the way in Residential Appreciation Value. The City of Oshawa leads the G.T.A. in home price appreciation at 48% over the past year. —Home Builder Magazine
Filming
Lights, camera, action! Filming in Oshawa continues to grow as another great addition to our local economy. Film companies benefit from diverse filming locations, a welcoming community and no film permit fees. Oshawa issued 25 film permits in 2020 and 19 film permits in 2021 for studios such as Netflix, Amazon, Hulu, Disney and CNN.
TV Shows and Commercials 2021 • CAA commercial • Dan Brown’s The Lost Symbol • Jack Reacher (TV series) • Made Good commercial
Projects 2021 • Station Eleven • Turtles in Ontario (documentary) • Un-Perfect Christmas Wish
Projects 2020 • Nightmare Alley (feature film) • The Expanse • CBC’s Dragon’s Den • Langdon • The Odd Squad • My Boss’s Wedding • Stella Artois Theatre Releases 2019 • IT Chapter 2 • Ready or Not
TV Shows and Commercials 2019 • The Handmaid’s Tale • Designated Survivor • Secret Society of Second Born Royals • Schitt$ Creek • Private Eyes • Jupiter’s Legacy • Mrs. America • Self Made • Titans • The Umbrella Academy • Ghostwriter • The Boys • Race for the Whitehouse • Battle of the Blades
Mayor’s Message
Thank you for taking the time to review the 2022 Development Insider. We hope that this publication has provided an overview of Oshawa’s strong environment for investment. Our access to world-renowned talent, global markets and innovative assets uniquely positions our community to usher in the next wave of economic growth. As we look towards economic recovery, 2022 continues to demonstrate the resiliency of our community. As our economy reopens, we are beginning to chart a path towards a post pandemic future. Our local businesses are the core of our community. They have faced historic challenges over the past year and exemplified a resiliency that the City of Oshawa is known for. We continue to promote the #OshawaLovesLocal campaign to encourage further investment as we highlight and support local businesses. Together, our economy is emerging stronger than ever. Businesses like yours are an essential component of Oshawa’s dynamic and diverse neighbourhoods and their sustainability is a critical pillar of our community. As such, the Mayor’s Economic Recovery Task Force continues to advocate and assist in any way possible to help mitigate the challenges that businesses have endured during this difficult period. We are here to support you as Oshawa City Hall continues to embrace a culture of service and partnership with the business community. On behalf of the City of Oshawa, thank you for your continued investment in our community.
Dan Carter Mayor, City of Oshawa City of Oshawa
Oshawa’s Economic Development Services
50 Centre Street South Oshawa, Ontario, Canada L1H 3Z7
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If this information is required in an accessible format, please contact Service Oshawa. Telephone: 905-436-3311 Email: service@oshawa.ca
