Development Charges and Fees

A growing municipality requires investment in growth-related infrastructure to service new development. Development charges are fees that are paid by new development to fund the capital cost of services constructed throughout Oxford County.

Development charges play an important part in how growth-related infrastructure is financed. Each new or expanded residential and non-residential development requires increased municipal infrastructure and services in order to function efficiently and effectively.

The County has a County-wide development charge that applies to the following County services:

• • Growth-related studies
  • Ambulance services
  • Long-term care
  • Services related to a highway 
  • Waste diversion
  • Library (not applicable in the City of Woodstock)

Water and wastewater development charges are area specific, with a unique charge for each of the 11 fully serviced areas.

Development charges for area municipal services can be found on the respective municipal websites, depending in which area municipality that the development occurs.

There are currently no education-related development charges in Oxford County.

Municipal Development Charges By-laws

In addition to the County Development Charges, most area municipalities in Oxford County also have Development Charges by-laws. Select a municipality below to see their by-laws.

• Blandford Blenheim
• East Zorra-Tavistock
• Ingersoll
• Norwich
• South-West Oxford
• Tillsonburg
• Woodstock
• Zorra

Background study

At least every 10 years, Oxford County and area municipalities conduct development charges background studies to forecast future residential and non-residential growth to determine infrastructure needs and costs. This information is used to calculate the amount of money that new development needs to pay in order to cover the cost of new infrastructure and services.

In 2024, Oxford County initiated an update of its Development Charge Background Study. This included broad public consultation between March 2024 and January 2025. On February 26, 2025, Oxford County Council adopted the Addendum to the 2024 Development Charges Background Study and the Development Charge By-law Amendment (No. 6709-2025).

• Fact sheet: Oxford County Development Charges with charge rate schedules (February 26, 2025)
• Oxford County Development Charge By-law No. 6709-2025 (February 26, 2025)
• Addendum 2 to the 2024 Development Charge Background Study (Released January 2025)
• 2024 Development Charge Background Study - Office Consolidation (Released January 2025)

For more information about the Background Study, public consultation, or to view the full range of study documents, visit www.speakup.oxfordcounty.ca/development-charges-update 

Resources

• 2024 Development Charge Background Study (Released April 12, 2024)
• Addendum to the 2024 Development Charge Background Study (Released June 10, 2024)
• Addendum 2 to the 2024 Development Charge Background Study (Released January 2025)
• Public notice - Passing of Development Charge By-Law (June 12, 2024) | Accessible version
• Development Charges Annual Report - 2022
• Local Services Policy