Community Benefits Charge

The Community Benefit Charge (CBC) is a new charge that was passed on September 6, 2022.

The charge is for high-density development and redevelopment of five or more storeys with 10 or more residential units. This is a dedicated financing tool under section 37 of the Planning Act.

The town charges a CBC on development and redevelopment to pay for the growth-related capital costs of facilities and services if those costs are not already being collected for through development charges (DC) or parkland dedication. Examples include municipal parking, public art, and cultural and entertainment space.

Determining if Community Benefits Charges are Payable

Payment of CBCs, or contributions of in-kind benefits, are required for:

• Development of a proposed building or structure with five or more storeys at or above ground level and containing ten or more residential units.
• Redevelopment of existing buildings or structures that will be five or more storeys at or above ground level after the redevelopment and add ten or more residential units to an existing building or structure.

Please refer to the Community Benefits Charge By-law 2022-069 (pdf) for more information.

Community Benefits Charge Payable

The amount of the CBC payable is 4 per cent of the value of land that is subject of the development or redevelopment on the day before the day the building permit is issued.

For development or redevelopment on a site with existing buildings prior to the project, the maximum CBC payable will take into account the total floor area of all buildings before and after the development or redevelopment. The CBC charge would reflect the proportionate increase in total floor area that resulted from the development or redevelopment in accordance with the Planning Act.

The Manager, Realty Services will coordinate a land appraisal to be used in the calculation of the CBC payable. The owner must contact the Manager, Realty Services at realty@oakville.ca no later than 90 days prior to the expected time of the first above grade building permit.  

CBCs shall be calculated and are payable in full before the building permit is issued in relation to a building or structure on land to which a CBC applies, or in accordance with terms of an arrangement for the provision of in-kind contributions.

To learn more about the valuation process and acceptance of in-kind benefits, please refer to the Community Benefits Charge Policy.

Exemptions and credits

The Planning Act provides certain mandated exemptions, such as: long-term care homes, retirement homes, certain post-secondary institutions, buildings intended for use by the Royal Canadian Legion, hospices, and not-for-profit housing. Further details are in O.Reg.509/20.

Additional mandated exemptions per Bill 23 for affordable, attainable, and inclusionary zoning residential units are pending further legislation by the province. 

Making payments

Payments can be made by electronic funds transfer or wire transfer. Payments via cheque may be dropped off at ServiceOakville or mailed to the attention of Development Finance at:

Corporation of the Town of Oakville
1225 Trafalgar Road
Oakville, ON L6H 0H3

To help serve you better, please contact the Finance department before making a payment at 905-338-4196 or DCForms@oakville.ca.

Returned payments are subject to a returned item fee of $45. A returned payment may prevent your permit from being issued, or result in your permit being revoked. 

Any additional charges as a result of a returned payment are the responsibility of the applicant.