Public feedback wanted on Ontario city’s long-term Official Plan review

The City of Oshawa is inviting residents to provide feedback on a new long-term Official Plan to guide how Oshawa grows and develops in the years ahead.

The last Official Plan was completed in 2016 and with the city’s population exploding the document already needs updating.

Work by city staff on the new growth management study began in April of 2024, with much of the document taking Oshawa to 2051, when the population is expected to nudge 300,000 – a 62 per cent jump from today.

The city population should reach 200,000 sometime next year.

A number of themes will be explored as part of the Official Plan Review, including:

• Growth Management
• Housing
• Transportation
• Cultural Heritage Resources
• Agriculture and the Rural System
• Environment
• Climate Change and Sustainability
• Economic Development

The Official Plan is the highest order land use planning document for Oshawa and it identifies where new housing, industry, offices and retail will be located. It also identifies what services will be needed, when they will be needed, and the order in which parts of the community will grow. It is the primary tool available to manage and guide growth and development and ensures that growth is coordinated, meets the needs of the community, and provides a framework for establishing zoning by-law regulations and standards.

Residents are invited to complete a brief feedback form available online at Connect Oshawa or in person at Service Oshawa in Oshawa City Hall, with feedback accepted to noon on Friday, August 1. The input will help the project team engage with the community throughout the Growth Management Study and Official Plan Review process.

The Growth Management Study will explore when, where and how future growth and development should happen in Oshawa. This includes planning for land uses and infrastructure to meet the needs of today and in the future.

All municipal reviews in Durham must also conform to Envision Durham, which was adopted by the Region of Durham in 2023.