Message Centre

To improve the overall parking experience and to ensure consistency and compliance, we’ve transitioned to a hang-tag system for all Charles Hall lot permit holders and permit holders with access to this lot.

If you’re a current Charles Hall lot permit holder and haven’t done so already, contact parking@dc-uoit.ca as soon as possible to pick up your hang tag. Once issued, the tag must be clearly displayed on your rearview mirror whenever you’re using the lot.

Please note: After Friday, February 6, parking enforcement will be ticketing any vehicles in this lot without a visible Charles Hall hang tag.

Non-permit holders: Short-term parking is available after 2 p.m. on weekdays and all day on weekends. Payment is required via the HONK mobile app or by scanning a QR code located on parking lot signage. Paid parking is strictly enforced.

Thank you for your co-operation as we work to improve parking operations.

With the ongoing winter weather, snow, salt and dirt are being tracked into campus buildings more quickly than usual, our cleaning teams are actively working to manage these conditions to keep our spaces as clean and safe as possible.

We appreciate everyone’s understanding, as some areas may not always look their best during peak weather conditions. Please know that our staff is doing everything they can and we are grateful for their continued efforts.

Facilities Services thanks you for your patience and support.

Starting as early as Monday, January 12, Metrolinx will begin work on the Bowmanville Extension, which will extend Lakeshore East GO rail service east to Bowmanville. As part of this project, the Simcoe Street Bridge over the CPKC rail tracks will be demolished and replaced. This will require a full closure of Simcoe Street between Avenue Street and Albany Street for approximately two years.

During this time, vehicle traffic will be detoured via Stevenson Road, and pedestrians will be redirected to the Michael Starr Trail. GO Transit routes 52, 56, and 92, as well as Durham Region Transit routes 92 and N2, will also be detoured. Signage will be installed to assist drivers and pedestrians.

Construction will take place Monday to Friday from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Those traveling near the work zone should expect noise from trucks and heavy equipment, lights directed toward the site, and vibration monitoring to ensure safety.

For more details and updates, visit metrolinx.com/bowmanville.

Ontario Tech University has leased a portion of its Windfields Farm lands for the North of Nowhere music festival, scheduled for July 17 to 19, 2026.

The festival is an independently operated event.

All event operations, including security, crowd management, parking, transit co-ordination, noise control, cleanup and site restoration, are the responsibility of the festival organizers.

Campus operations are expected to remain unaffected.

Questions about the festival should be directed to its organizers.

Each winter in Ontario, weather conditions such as heavy snow, freezing rain and/or ice pellets can make basic travel difficult. During such situations, questions often arise about whether campus operations will change.

During most winter weather, the campus remains open and activities remain unaffected.

It’s important to keep in mind that different organizations—public and private—follow their own protocols and best practices. When they make the decision to cancel operations or to close, university operations and activities may remain scheduled as normal.

How the university communicates weather-related operational changes

If operational changes are implemented due to a winter storm warning or inclement conditions, the university will issue information as soon as possible using MyOntarioTech, the mobile app and the service disruptions page.

Depending on the situation, the university will also:

• Communicate via other means as needed, including messages sent to Ontario Tech student, faculty and staff email addresses, social media, and on-campus digital signage.

• Forward official university messages to regional newspapers and radio/television stations.

• Post full information about our campus status on our home page.

Travelling to campus

Monitor your email, the university’s mobile app, MyOntarioTech, and our website for late-evening and early-morning updates on severe winter weather days, or for class cancellations.

If you’re travelling to or from campus, allow for plenty of time, and travel with due caution and care, especially if you are in an area heavily affected by the weather. If you are in an area heavily affected by the weather and cannot get to campus, contact your supervisor or professor regarding your absence. 

Students, faculty and staff are reminded they are responsible for determining when weather conditions make their travel unsafe.

If you observe a snow or ice hazard on campus, report it to Campus Security at ext. 2400 or 905.721.3211, and provide the exact location and situation.

Helpful internal links:

• Emergency Closure Policy
• Emergency Closure Procedures
• Winter safety on campus

Helpful external links:

• Durham Region Transit service alerts and detours
• Environment Canada weather forecasts for Ontario
• GO Transit service updates
• Ontario Ministry of Transportation winter driving information

Celebrate Black History Month at the Black Student Showcase on Wednesday, February 25 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Shawenjigewining Hall, Main Atrium. Hosted by the Black Youth Visionary Program, this campus celebration features a student-led market, live performances and cultural refreshments.

Celebrate Black creativity at Stories in Colour: Celebrating Black Arts and Literature on Tuesday, February 10 from noon to 2 p.m. in the Dixon/Alger Fireside Reading Room at the North Oshawa Campus Library. Enjoy a live reading and book sharing with a performer from BlackLitDurham and get creative with a hands-on art activity inspired by Black artists. Register. 

Tax season is approaching, and your Tuition and Enrolment Certificate (T2202) will soon be available. The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) requires your Social Insurance Number (SIN) on the T2202 form.

Deadline:

Ensure your correct SIN and mailing address are updated in your MyOntarioTech account by Friday, February 6 at 9:00 a.m. Updates made after this deadline will result in a $25 reprint fee for your tax receipt.

To add your SIN:

• Go to MyOntarioTech
• Select either the Undergraduate box or the Graduate box
• Under the My Information section, select Social Insurance Number Collection
• Enter your login credentials, if necessary
• Complete the process to add your SIN

To update an incorrect SIN:

Visit the Office of the Registrar with your government-issued ID and SIN.

To update your address:

• Go to MyOntarioTech
• Select either the Undergraduate box or the Graduate box
• In the My information section box, select Personal Information
• If prompted, login using your network credentials
• Navigate to Address, select Edit (pencil icon) and input your address
• Select Update

Durham Region Transit is developing its 2026–2030 Accessibility Plan, and is inviting Durham Region residents and service providers to complete the Accessibility Plan Survey.

Please take the 10-minute Resident Survey and share your feedback directly with DRT.

The surveys are available until February 6, 2026.

This survey is also available in a variety of formats, which can be requested by emailing eligibility@durham.ca.

Do you identify as BIPOC, Indigenous, 2SLGBTQIA+ or Neurodivergent? We want to get creative with you! Join us as we explore identity through creative self-expression.

Our annual Job Fair—in collaboration with Durham College—is coming up on Thursday, February 5 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Campus Recreation and Wellness Centre, Gyms 3, 4, and 5. View the list of employers attending.

Help shape a more inclusive Ontario Tech! Here’s a quick (under five minutes), confidential and voluntary way to help us better understand our community and improve programs, services, and policies for all students. Complete the EDI Survey.

In response to the Russian military invasion of Ukraine, on April 6, 2022, the province announced the creation of the Ontario-Ukraine Solidarity Scholarship to support students attending publicly assisted colleges and universities in Ontario. The scholarship will be awarded to current registered students at Ontario Tech, based on merit and financial need.

IMPORTANT NOTE:
To be eligible for this scholarship, students are required to have completed the domestic or international Winter Tuition Bursary Application and demonstrate a financial need.

Value:
There are four (4) scholarships available and each scholarship is valued at $10,000. The full value of the scholarship will be applied to the successful candidate's tuition account.

To be eligible, you must:

• Be a current registered full-time or part-time student living in Ontario.
• Demonstrate financial need through the Ontario Tech bursary application.
• Demonstrate merit that may include qualities such as academic achievement, community service, or perseverance of dedication to their education.
• Ontario Tech will prioritize students impacted by the Ukrainian conflict first, followed by students impacted by other conflicts.

The application submission deadline date is Thursday, February 12.

Apply for the OTU Ontario-Ukraine Solidarity Scholarship. 

The Ontario eSports Scholarship is an award provided to Ontario postsecondary students in video gaming and related programs at participating institutions.

This scholarship will offer financial assistance to high-achieving students with financial needs who are enrolled in programs related to the video gaming industry.

Award value:
Several scholarships ranging from $1,000 to $5,000 will be awarded in the 2025-2026 academic year for a total of $25,000.

Eligibility and selection criteria:

• Enrolled full-time in an undergraduate or graduate-level program during the 2025-2026 academic year.
• Attending a funding-eligible video gaming, game development, game design, or similar program that may lead to a career in video gaming and/or eSports.
• Limited to domestic students (Canadian citizens, permanent residents or protected persons).
• Combined with financial need, candidates will also be assessed on merit (minimum 3.0 CGPA) and interest in the video gaming or eSport industry.

Application deadline: Thursday, February 12

Apply for the Ontario eSports Scholarship. 

If you’re registered in Winter 2026 semester courses, here are some important dates to remember:

Friday, January 23

• Winter semester fees are due in full.
• Last day to add courses for the winter semester.
• Last day to drop winter semester courses for a full 100 per cent refund.

Friday, February 6

• Last day to withdraw from winter semester classes without receiving a grade. Courses dropped after this date will be recorded with a grade of W to indicate withdrawal.
• Last day to drop courses for a 50 per cent refund of tuition fees.

Monday, April 13

• Last day to withdraw from winter semester courses. Active courses will be graded.

Check out the 2025/2026 Academic Calendar to keep track of other important dates not mentioned above.

Parking permit sales for January 2026 will be available on the Interactive Parking Access Subscriber System website (IPASS) on Monday, December 8 at 10 a.m.

If you already have an annual parking permit valid September 2025 through to August 2026, no action is required.

Please note: Third-party providers manage all our parking. The purchasing process will depend on your lot location and availability. Once a lot is full, please select another option if available based on location. A waitlist will be created based on the time of registration and the chosen lot.

Winter semester passes - current permit holder gated lot:

• If you’re a current fall semester permit holder, you can request a winter semester pass through IPASS and enter the existing access card number for continued use upon approval. Otherwise, the fall semester pass expires on Wednesday, December 31, 2025.

• If you’re purchasing a winter semester parking permit, you must ensure the activation date on the IPASS application indicates Thursday, January 1, 2026.

Winter semester passes - current permit holder hang-tag lot: 

• Existing fall semester hang-tag holders can obtain a winter semester permit through IPASS. Upon approval, visit the Parking office with your existing hang tag (Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.) to have a new permit sticker applied to the hang-tag. Otherwise, the fall semester pass expires on Wednesday, December 31, 2025.

• If you’re purchasing a winter semester parking permit, you must ensure the activation date on the IPASS application indicates Thursday, January 1, 2026.

New users: 

• First time purchasers who require a winter semester or annual parking pass are required to register online through IPASS.

• If you’re purchasing a winter semester parking permit, you must ensure the activation date on the IPASS application indicates Thursday, January 1, 2026.

• Payment for parking permits can be made through the IPASS registration website by credit card or pre-authorized payment.

• You must use your student (ontariotechu.net) email address when registering.

• After completing the registration, an email will be sent within 48 hours from IPASS.

• The email response from IPASS will be:

  • An approval email with follow-up instructions.

  • A disapproval email due to non-institutional email on the application.

  • A disapproval email due to incorrect credit card or banking information.

  • A disapproval email due to full capacity reached in the requested lot. 

• In the instance of a disapproval email, re-submit your parking request through IPASS, making the appropriate correction.

• You should pick up your access card or hang tag prior to Friday, January 9 at the north Oshawa campus Parking office.

• Initial access cards will be provided at no charge. Replacement cards can be requested for $25.

Daily parking:

• Daily parking is available in two lots—pay-and-display or gated.

• The cost for daily parking is $5 per hour with a maximum of $18 per day.

• Tap debit and credit card payment is available at exit gates.

• Pay Stations accept cash, coins, debit and credit cards, and are located in the Founders 2 Lot (south-east corner) and Commencement Lot at the north Oshawa campus.

• Downtown daily and short-term parking is available for purchase through the Honk app or by scanning the QR code located in the lot at the designated parking areas.

Lots and rates - semester | year: 

• Charles Hall (downtown): $350 | $700

• Founders 2: $325 | $650

• Founders 4 (Campus Ice Centre): $300 | $600

• Founders 5 (north Campus Ice Centre): $200 | $400

• Commencement: $325 | $650

• Simcoe Village: $325 | $650

• Ball Diamond: $300 | $600

Contact:

• For information specific to the IPASS registration website, see the IPASS frequently asked questions or contact them directly. IPASS will respond to all questions submitted through this portal within 48 business hours.

• For general inquiries, contact Parking Services.