Keeping Property Taxes in Check
No new increases to property taxes is the starting position, with the budget approach worked out with the City and Region.
In detailKeeping life in Oshawa affordable.
Oshawa 2026
Avik Banerjee
Candidate for City Councillor, Ward 2
Straight answers and specific commitments.
Avik Banerjee is running for City Councillor in Ward 2, Oshawa. Learn where he stands on affordability, city services, transit, accountability, and community priorities.
Voting Day
Monday, October 26, 2026
Vote online October 13–26
Online voting is open now. It closes at 8 p.m. on Monday, October 26.
Where Avik Stands
Key priorities for Ward 2
Avik's six priorities for Ward 2, with more detail where he has set a target.
Safety and Reliable City Services
Public safety and dependable city services, including snow clearing completed within 12 to 24 hours after a snowfall ends.
In detailThat 12 to 24 hour target applies to every storm.
Better Transit Connections
More Durham Region Transit connections, better GO service, and support for express Union–Oshawa service.
In detailDRT service into Scarborough, East York and North York, better GO service from Metrolinx, and express Union–Oshawa trains on the Lakeshore East line, targeted within the next two to four years.
Attracting Innovation and Industry
Support investment in science, technology, manufacturing, automotive, and agri-tech, alongside digital city services.
Accountability and Transparency
Decisions made in the open, with community consultation before decisions are made.
Simpler, Clearer Bylaws
Make bylaws easier to understand, follow, and enforce for residents and businesses.
The Candidate
Meet Avik
Avik Banerjee (friends call him Avi) has lived in Oshawa for many years, and calls this city his home. He works in IT contracting, on project-based work where reading a budget and a timeline is part of the job.
He has also spent years in volunteer leadership across Durham Region, working with community organizations that support residents who need it, including local food banks. He sees a councillor's job as carrying residents' problems to City Hall, and being able to talk about budgets, accountability, transparency, feasibility and business impact in the same conversation.
Each ward in this election elects two separate representatives: a city councillor, who sits on Oshawa City Council and decides on local matters for the city, and a regional councillor, who represents the same ward at the Region of Durham's offices in Whitby. Avik is running for the Ward 2 city councillor seat, not the regional seat.
The voting information below is current as of September 18, 2026, and is summarized from the City of Oshawa. What catches most people out is that Oshawa votes online, and the code you need arrives in the mail.
In the Community
Out and About in Oshawa
Avik at newcomer services, volunteer events and community meetings around Durham Region.
The Process
How to Vote in Oshawa
Oshawa runs internet voting this election, and paper ballots are available on one day only.
Your voting code arrives in the mail
The City mailed a Voter Information Letter to eligible electors before voting opened, and that letter explains how to register for the code you need to vote online. No letter usually means you are not on the voters' list.
If you haven't confirmed your listing yet, start at oshawa.voterservices.ca.
- Online voting is open
- Now until Oct 26, 8 p.m.
- Vote from anywhere, using the code set up through your Voter Information Letter.
- Assisted voting locations
- October 13–17, 19–23
- Staffed locations that help you vote online and can issue credentials if yours never arrived.
- Voting Day
- Monday, October 26
- Online voting closes at 8 p.m. This is the only day paper ballots are available.
- Confirm you are on the voters' list. Check and update your information at oshawa.voterservices.ca. This is what triggers your Voter Information Letter, so do it first.
- Find your letter and set up your voting code. The City mailed it to eligible electors before voting opened, and it carries the registration instructions for the code. No letter? Go to an assisted voting location or contact the City.
- Vote. Online any time from October 13 at 10 a.m. until October 26 at 8 p.m., at an assisted location during the advance windows, or on paper on Voting Day.
Quick Answers
Common Questions About Voting
Summarized from the City of Oshawa on September 18, 2026. For anything official, the City is the source.
| Date | What is open | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Oct 13–17 | Online voting and assisted locations | Online voting opens October 13 at 10 a.m. |
| Oct 18 | Online voting | No assisted locations this day. |
| Oct 19–23 | Online voting and assisted locations | Second advance window. |
| Oct 24–25 | Online voting | Weekend before Voting Day. |
| Oct 26 | Online voting and paper ballots | Voting Day. Everything closes at 8 p.m. |
Who can vote in Oshawa?
You can vote if you are a Canadian citizen, at least 18 years old, and you either live in Oshawa or own or rent property here (or are the spouse of someone who does). Not sure if you are on the list? Check at oshawa.voterservices.ca or call the City at 905-436-3311.
What's the difference between a city councillor and a regional councillor?
Each ward elects two separate representatives. The city councillor sits on Oshawa City Council and decides on local matters for the city. The regional councillor represents the same ward at the Region of Durham's offices in Whitby. Avik is running for the Ward 2 city councillor seat, not the regional seat.
When is the Oshawa municipal election?
Voting Day is Monday, October 26, 2026, and voting closes at 8 p.m. You do not have to wait for that day: internet voting opens almost two weeks earlier, on October 13 at 10 a.m., and runs continuously until the close of polls.
Can I vote online in Oshawa?
Yes. Oshawa is running internet voting for the 2026 election, from October 13 to October 26. You vote with a code rather than a paper ballot, and the instructions for setting up that code come from the City.
What is the Voter Information Letter?
It is the letter the City of Oshawa mails to eligible electors before the voting period opens. It explains how to register for the voting code you use to cast a ballot online. If one never arrives, that is usually a sign you are not on the voters' list.
How do I check if I am on the voters' list?
Use the City's elector lookup at oshawa.voterservices.ca. The same portal lets you update your information if you have moved, changed your name, or are voting in Oshawa for the first time. If you haven't checked yet, do it today.
Can I still vote on paper?
Yes, but only on Voting Day, Monday October 26. The advance windows on October 13–17 and October 19–23 are staffed locations that help you vote online rather than paper polls, so if a paper ballot matters to you, October 26 is the day. Voting places are listed on the City of Oshawa elections page.
What if my letter never arrives?
Go to one of the assisted voting locations during the advance windows, where staff can issue credentials, or contact the City's election team directly at vote@oshawa.ca or 905-436-3311. Do not leave it until the evening of October 26.
Take Action
Get Involved
Ask for a lawn sign, offer a few hours of your time, or tell Avik what needs fixing on your street. Every message gets read.
Email
avik4oshawa@gmail.com
Phone
289-481-1432
Donate
Contributions are accepted by e-transfer to avik4oshawa@gmail.com. There is no online payment gateway: transfers go directly to the campaign. Please include your full name and home address in the transfer message. A receipt is provided for every contribution.
- Contributions can only come from individuals who live in Ontario. Corporations and trade unions can't contribute.
- The limit is $1,200 to Avik's campaign, and $5,000 in total to all candidates running for Oshawa City Council.
- If you give more than $100, your name and address appear in the campaign's public financial statement, as Ontario's election rules require.
How would you like to help?
Pick one and a pre-written message opens in your email or text app. Fill in the blanks and send.
- Request a lawn signInclude your street address so the team can deliver it.
- VolunteerGive a few hours of your time to the campaign.
- Get campaign updatesHear from the campaign by email.
- Text the campaignQuestions, or something that needs fixing on your street.
Nothing opened? Email avik4oshawa@gmail.com or call 289-481-1432. We only use your details to contact you about this campaign.