MAYOR DAN CARTER HIGHLIGHTS CITY'S ACCOMPLISHMENTS

MAYOR POINTS GROWTH, LOW UNEMPLOYMENT, UPCOMING PROJECTS IN ADDRESS TO BUSINESS LEADERS

Oshawa Mayor Dan Carter had no trouble pointing to plenty of highlights in his 2023 State of the City address in a Wednesday lunch gathering with business leaders.

The sold-out Greater Oshawa Chamber of Commerce event at the Harmony Event Centre/courtyard by Marriott allowed the mayor to celebrate the latest win for the city: the decision by Ontario Power Generation to move its headquarters to the old GM headquarters in Oshawa, an announcement made earlier this past week.

OPG had previously announced plans to build a new corporate HQ at its site in Darlington but recently decided to change its plans. The announcement means 2,000 employees will be moving to Oshawa after OPG retrofits the old GM HQ site and locates it there in late 2024. Carter also ticked off: • over $900 million in building permit values in 2022, nearly 50 per cent more than the previous record for a single year;

• the addition of a lightduty pickup production and a third shift at GM Canada's Truck Assembly Plant, creating 3,200 new automotive jobs;

• a $32-million capital investment in the Oshawa port;

• and a commitment by

Metrolinx via the provincial government that the Lakeshore East GO Train extension will run through Oshawa to Bowmanville, leading to the establishment and development of two new stations.

Other highlights of Carter's speech touched on Oshawa's anticipated 2.2 per cent GDP growth rate for 2023 as projected by the Conference Board of Canada and the city's 4.1 per cent unemployment rate, which is below Ontario's rate of 5.2 per cent and the Canadian rate of five per cent.

Much of the future growth in the city will take part in the north, where the Columbus and Kedron Part II subdivision developments are expected to expand to hold 50,000 residents in the coming years.

In line with the growth the city is experiencing, Carter spoke about the

city's $80-million capital budget program, which includes infrastructure spending, including changes to Rotary Park that will feature an outdoor pool, destination playground and splash pad. There will also be a future recreation centre on Thornton Road North to accommodate growth.

"I love this city, love our spirit and accomplishments, and love the diversity of our economy and population. I love that you, as business leaders, have become ambassadors of Oshawa as you travel across Canada and the world and talk about our city," said Carter.

"Our great city has so much to look forward to. Let us continue to work together as we embrace this culture of diversity, change and innovation," added Carter.