The City of Oshawa has approved a new community improvement plan aimed at accelerating Central Oshawa GO Station development by offering financial incentives to encourage redevelopment in the surrounding area.
City council recently voted to adopt the Central Oshawa Protected Major Transit Station Area Community Improvement Plan, which is designed to transform the neighbourhood into a high-density, transit-oriented community. The plan supports a mix of residential, commercial, and institutional developments at densities that align with future transit use.
The designated area stretches north to south from John Street and Eulalie Avenue to Highway 401, and east to west from Ritson Road to the Oshawa Creek Valley. The future GO station will be built at 500 Howard St., the former site of Oshawa’s Knob Hill Farms.
The station is part of Metrolinx’s Lakeshore East GO rail extension to Bowmanville, which is expected to be completed in the 2030s. City officials believe the station presents a major opportunity for long-term economic growth through Central Oshawa GO Station development.
To encourage investment, the improvement plan includes programs that provide funding to renovate vacant commercial properties, offset a portion of increased municipal taxes for new housing developments, and support city-led redevelopment projects in the area.
Council also directed staff to explore additional incentives, such as potential reductions or exemptions for development charges, building permit fees, planning costs, and parkland dedication fees.
Some councillors and delegates raised concerns about the use of financial incentives, questioning whether the future GO station alone should be enough to attract developers. Others argued that similar incentives have proven effective in Oshawa in the past, particularly in supporting multi-unit housing near post-secondary institutions.
Supporters of the plan emphasized that the incentives are intended to stimulate economic activity rather than give away public resources. City leaders say the goal is to modernize the area, attract investment, and increase long-term tax value through strategic Central Oshawa GO Station development.
