Medallion Corporation has broken ground on The Foundry District, a 23-acre mixed-use rental community in downtown Oshawa that will deliver more than 500 purpose-built rental homes in its first phase. According to the Daily Commercial News, construction began on two towers at 119 and 151 Bruce Street, one rising 10 storeys and the other 23 storeys. Storeys reported the groundbreaking took place Thursday with federal and municipal representatives on hand. For Ontario glazing contractors, the start of work on two concrete high-rises signals upcoming tenders for curtain wall, window wall and balcony glazing supply in Durham Region.
First phase: 500 homes on a former factory site
The first two buildings—one 10 storeys, the other 23—will together deliver more than 500 rental homes, 30 per cent of which will be affordable, with additional homes rent-geared-to-income, Storeys reported. Leasing is expected to begin in late 2029, according to the Daily Commercial News. The project is backed by $188 million in funding from CMHC's Apartment Construction Loan Program, the Region of Durham's Regional Revitalization Program and a grant agreement with the City of Oshawa.
The site at 119 and 151 Bruce St. was home to the Fittings Factory, a cast-iron works that employed hundreds of Oshawa residents until it closed in 1987, the Daily Commercial News reported. It has sat vacant for nearly four decades. The first phase, listed in the Daily Commercial News project database as 135 Bruce Street, has a construction value of $101.5 million, an early indication of the scope of work that envelope and glazing trades can expect to bid on.
Glazing and envelope scope for Ontario contractors
With two high-rise residential towers moving forward, the project will require extensive glazing systems to meet building code and energy performance standards. Exact specifications for curtain wall, window wall, balcony guards and entrance systems have not yet been released, but the $101.5 million first-phase construction value reported by the Daily Commercial News suggests a substantial envelope package. Glazing contractors bidding on the towers will need to demonstrate compliance with the Ontario Building Code, though project specifications have not been published.
The towers' heights—10 and 23 storeys—point to a mix of punched windows, window wall or curtain wall assemblies, and balcony glazing typical of mid- and high-rise rental construction in Ontario. For Durham Region fabricators and installers, the project represents one of the largest downtown Oshawa glazing opportunities in decades.
The project's scale is significant because high-rise residential construction in Ontario typically involves unitized curtain wall or window wall systems to speed installation and meet energy performance targets. However, the sources do not specify which systems will be used, and Medallion has not released envelope details.
Quotes from officials and developer
“Our government is committed to driving housing supply to bring down costs. This project will create more rental homes for people living and working in Oshawa and is an example of what's possible when we work together in partnership with the private sector. This is another step forward in our bold, ambitious plan to build Canada strong,” The Honourable Gregor Robertson, Minister of Housing and Infrastructure and Minister responsible for Pacific Economic Development Canada, said in the release, as reported by Storeys.
Oshawa Mayor Dan Carter called the groundbreaking the end of a long wait. “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, with new community amenities and a beautiful park at the heart of their community,” Carter said. “Oshawa has waited nearly forty years for cranes to rise on Bruce Street and there is no better feeling as mayor than seeing that day arrive.”
“We are establishing a new centre of gravity for downtown Oshawa — a place our future residents will call home, and a public realm all of Durham Region can enjoy,” Anna Fagyas, Director of Development, Medallion Corporation, said in the release, as reported by Storeys.
Long-term vision creates a multi-year glazing pipeline
The first two towers are only the start. “The long-term vision will transform the 23-acre site into a vibrant mixed-use community, with the opportunity for approximately nine buildings delivering approximately 3,000 rental homes, local retail, restaurants and a new park,” the release reads, as reported by the Daily Commercial News. Across nine buildings, the cumulative curtain wall and window supply work would multiply, creating a multi-year pipeline for Ontario glazing contractors well beyond the first phase.
The site sits near the Tribute Communities Centre and downtown Oshawa's existing restaurants, businesses and cultural venues, the sources said.
What contractors should watch
Medallion has not announced tender dates for glazing or envelope packages. Leasing for the first two buildings is expected to begin in late 2029, which typically means building envelope installation will occur several years earlier. Contractors should monitor the project for specification packages and prequalification calls as construction advances.
- Location: 119 and 151 Bruce Street, Oshawa
- Buildings: 10 and 23 storeys
- First phase homes: more than 500 rental units
- Affordable housing: 30 per cent of first phase
- Funding: $188 million from CMHC, Region of Durham, City of Oshawa
- Construction value (Phase 1): $101.5 million
- Leasing: expected late 2029
For glazing contractors, the project's scale and the federal funding behind it signal a stable, multi-year opportunity. The combination of CMHC financing and municipal support reduces the risk that the first phase stalls, a key consideration for fabrication shops deciding whether to invest in capacity.