Record-breaking year in Oshawa for industrial construction; second best year ever for building permits

Building permit values issued in Oshawa last year crested $639 million – second only to 2022’s $901 million in the city’s history.

More than $128 million of last year’s numbers were designated for industrial projects  – the highest total on record and smashing the old record of $97 million set 20 years before.

In total, Oshawa set 18 new building records in 2023, including:

• highest total industrial construction value issued in any one month ($119-plus million in October, surpassing the record of $11 million from 1995)
• highest total construction value issued in October ($143-plus million, more than double the $61 million set in 2011)
• highest total commercial construction value issued in April ($15-plus million, surpassing the old record of $9 million set in 2005)
• six new industrial and commercial buildings

In 2023, the City issued 1,530 permits for a total of $639.45 million in construction value. Of that, $372 million went to residential, $90.7 million for commercial and $47.6 million was issued for governmental/institutional.

New buildings in 2023 include major industrial developments at Northwood Business Park from Broccolini at Thornton Rd. N. and Panattoni Development Company at Conlin Rd. W.

Northwood Business Park represents the next prime employment development opportunity with 500 acres of developable land designated for employment and commercial uses that has already attracted global industrial and commercial investments from companies like Lactalis Canada, the world’s largest dairy product group, and international retail supply chain giant Martin Brower.

“Oshawa continues to shatter building records reaching an all-time high for industrial development in 2023. These impressive numbers tell the story of Oshawa’s transformational progress positioning us as a dynamic metropolitan city that is gaining the attention of global giants and industry-leading blue-chip companies,” said Councillor Tito-Dante Marimpietri, Chair of the Economic and Development Services Committee. “Prestige employment lands such as Northwood Business Park are bringing to our doorstep major new job creating tenants.”

Oshawa Mayor Dan Carter echoes those sentiments. “Oshawa has experienced yet another record-breaking year of growth, tracking approximately $1 billion worth of commercial, industrial and institutional development in the last five years,” Carter said. “Helping drive that momentum is our City’s commitment to continuous improvement and our customer-focused approach.”

“Major commercial and industrial companies are making significant investments in our city and they are bringing thousands of high quality jobs.”

Oshawa has kept monthly building records since 1965, while yearly records date back to 1964.