A 9.3 ha (23 acre) former industrial site in downtown Oshawa, Ont., starts its redevelopment as a large mixed-use rental community.

Medallion Corporation broke ground on The Foundry District, a planned neighbourhood that will eventually include about nine buildings and 3,000 rental homes, along with retail, restaurants, and a new public park.

The first phase includes purpose-built rental buildings at 119 and 151 Bruce St. The 10- and 23-storey buildings will provide more than 500 rental homes. About 30 per cent of the homes are affordable, with additional rent-geared-to-income (RGI) units.

The project’s groundbreaking ceremony was attended by leaders from the federal government, the Province of Ontario, the Region of Durham, and the City of Oshawa, as well as representatives of Medallion.

The project has secured $188 million in funding through the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp.’s (CMHC) Apartment Construction Loan Program, the Region of Durham’s Regional Revitalization Program, and a grant agreement with the City of Oshawa.

Industrial history

The development replaces a site that was home to the Fittings Factory for 85 years. The cast-iron works employed hundreds of Oshawa residents before closing in 1987. The property then sat vacant for nearly four decades.

Medallion said the redevelopment followed an extensive environmental process. The company plans to retain connections to the site’s industrial history while creating a new urban neighbourhood.

A proposed park will form a central part of the long-term plan. The green space will provide a gathering area for residents, neighbours, and visitors.

“This project will create more rental homes for people living and working in Oshawa,” said Gregor Robertson, Minister of Housing and Infrastructure.

“We are establishing a new centre of gravity for downtown Oshawa—a place our future residents will call home,” says Anna Fagyas, director of development, Medallion Corporation.

“For decades, this land was a reminder of what Oshawa used to be. Today, it becomes the foundation of what we are becoming—a growing downtown where thousands of people will live, work, and gather,” said Oshawa Mayor Dan Carter.

Medallion says it expects to lease the first two buildings in late 2029.