Civil Municipal Magazine - Dec 2023

56 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 4, ISSUE 12 The Ukrainian community in Oshawa offers another example of how diverse groups contribute to the city’s cultural fabric, as Carter describes, “We’re seeing many families that are leaving Ukraine to be able to resettle in Canada. Many of them are coming to Oshawa because we have such a strong Ukrainian community. That is really reminding all of us how lucky we are, how blessed we are, and that we have the opportunity to care and be able to support individuals in the most vulnerable time in their lives.” He mentions a monthly Mayors Cleanup event, sharing that a large group of newly arrived Ukrainians were there to help clean up the city, emphasizing, “They want to bring their spirit to our community.” Infrastructure Investments for a Thriving City The city is investing heavily in infrastructure upgrades, with funds going towards roads, bridges, public transportation, water and sewer projects, and green spaces. “We have 100 year old infrastructure, so we are concentrating about $50million a year in regards to infrastructure spending, not only on new projects, but on existing. Like many communities across Canada, we have an infrastructure deficit of about $900 million. So, we understand that we’ve got to continue to invest in our infrastructure,” Carter admits. On the development side, a notable project is a new community center, planned for the northwest part of the city, featuring a dedicated indigenous space. Additionally, the city is welcoming one of the largest business parks in the region, Northwood Business Park, which is expected to accommodate around 7,000 new jobs when fully developed. Major corporations like Broccolini and Panattoni Development Company are investing