The groundbreaking didn't go unnoticed. Here's a roundup of the coverage that carried the story of The Foundry District beyond Oshawa's borders:

1. Toronto Star — "As Toronto Condos Stall, This Giant Rental Community in Downtown Oshawa Is Breaking Ground"
Toronto's paper of record put The Foundry District in a regional spotlight, framing it against a stalled Toronto condo market and pointing to Oshawa's purpose-built rental push as a sign of where the GTHA's housing momentum is actually headed.

2. UrbanToronto — "Ground Broken for First Phase of The Foundry District in Oshawa"
The GTA's go-to source for development news covered the ceremony in detail, tying it to the site's history as the former Fittings Limited factory and outlining the path toward the full nine-building masterplan.

3. Durham Post — "Work Begins on One of Durham's Largest-Ever Downtown Uplifts"
Durham's own news outlet framed the groundbreaking as a regional milestone, calling it one of the largest downtown revitalizations the region has ever seen.

4. Storeys — "Medallion Breaks Ground On Oshawa's $188M-Backed Foundry District"
Storeys dug into the financing behind the project, including the CMHC-backed funding package, and connected it to the broader rebound in GTHA apartment construction.

5. ConnectCRE Canada — "Medallion Breaks Ground On 3,000-Home Foundry District In Oshawa"
Commercial real estate outlet ConnectCRE zoomed out to the full scope of the project, noting current rental market conditions in the region and what the finished nine-building community will mean for local supply.

Additional coverage of the groundbreaking also appeared via Daily Commercial News, Newswire.ca / The Globe and Mail and insauga

On August 20, 2026, The Foundry District officially broke ground in downtown Oshawa. Developer Medallion Corporation began construction on the first phase of the 23-acre master-planned rental community. Two buildings, 500+ new homes, and $188 million in funding on the site of the former Fittings Limited factory. Here's what is getting built, why it matters for Oshawa and Durham Region. and how the story was covered by the Toronto Star, UrbanToronto, and other regional and national outlets.

On August 20, 2026, something Oshawa had been waiting nearly forty years for finally happened: shovels hit the ground at 119 and 151 Bruce Street, and construction began on the first phase of The Foundry District.

It was more than a ceremony. It was the moment a 23-acre stretch of downtown Oshawa, home for decades to the old Fittings Limited factory, started its next chapter. The Foundry District when complete, will include roughly 3,000 rental homes across nine buildings, along with restaurants, retail space, and a new public park. All within walking distance of downtown Oshawa, GO Transit, Ontario Tech University, and Durham College.

What broke ground on August 20, 2026?
The first phase of construction covers two rental buildings at 119 and 151 Bruce Street. A 10-storey building and a 23-storey building, delivering 502 rental homes combined of which 30% of units designated as affordable housing, with additional rent-geared-to-income options built in from day one. Leasing expected to begin in late 2029. The full Foundry District masterplan calls for nine buildings and approximately 3,000 rental homes in total, positioning it as one of the largest downtown revitalization projects in Durham Region's history.

How is the project funded? Construction is backed by $188 million in funding, drawn from three sources:
CMHC's Apartment Construction Loan Program
The Region of Durham's Regional Revitalization Program
A City of Oshawa grant agreement

This three-way backing, federal, regional, and municipal, reflects how much confidence all three levels of government have placed in downtown Oshawa's future.

Oshawa Mayor Dan Carter marked the occasion simply: "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."

Medallion's Anna Fagyas added: "We are establishing a new centre of gravity for downtown Oshawa — a place our future residents will call home."

For a neighbourhood built on resilience, it's a fitting way to begin building what's next.

Forty years is a long time for a piece of land to sit waiting. What broke ground on Bruce Street this August wasn't just two buildings, it is proof that downtown Oshawa's next era is no longer a plan on paper. It's under construction, and it's part of a broader regional shift toward purpose-built rental housing.

We'll keep sharing updates as the first towers rise. For now, welcome to the beginning of The Foundry District.

The site at 119 and 151 Bruce Street in downtown Oshawa has stood at the heart of this city for over 130 years. As we break ground on The Foundry District, a new rental community rising on this land, we want to take a moment to honour the legacy that came before. Because understanding this site isn't just a history lesson. It's the reason we named this community what we did.

In 1902, Oshawa industrialist J.D. Storie partnered with H.T. Carswell and William Cowan to purchase the former stove works site and refit it for a new purpose: the manufacture of cast iron pipe fittings. The renamed Oshawa Steam and Gas Fitting Co. started with just 15 to 20 men. Within a decade, it had 250 skilled mechanics on the floor.

By 1910, the company was simply called Fittings Limited, a name that reflected exactly what it did, and how well it did it. Pipe fittings, valves, electrical conduits, and industrial chain. Built in Oshawa, shipped across Canada.

The factory grew steadily through the early 20th century. By 1927, the site had expanded from 4 acres to 22 acres, and 650 men were employed within its walls. During the First World War, the operation pivoted to produce artillery shells for the war effort, a contribution that required an entirely new scale of workforce and output. After the war, Fittings transitioned back to its core products and kept growing.

At its height in the mid-20th century, Fittings Limited was one of the largest employers in Oshawa and one of the key reasons the city earned the nickname "the Manchester of Canada." The reference was to England's Manchester, the industrial powerhouse of the British Empire. Oshawa, with its constellation of foundries, auto plants, and manufacturing operations, was its Canadian counterpart.

Fittings went public in 1946. A decade later, in 1956, it acquired Canadian Brass Ltd. of Galt, expanding its footprint even further. By 1967, the company employed approximately 1,000 people in total, with 800 of them working right here on Bruce Street. For many Oshawa families, including generations of first and second-generation immigrants, particularly from the Ukrainian community, Fittings was where you found work, built a life, and put down roots.

The story of Fittings Limited is also a story about labour. The men and women who worked this site were part of a broader movement that shaped Oshawa's identity as a working-class city with a strong union culture. For decades, the factory was more than a workplace. It was a community anchor.

In August 1977, Fittings Limited was sold to Pedlar People Ltd. Operations wound down gradually until the entire facility shut its doors for good in 1987 marking an end to 85 years of continuous manufacturing on this site.

The Next Chapter

When Medallion Corporation looked at 119 and 151 Bruce Street we saw a site with a story. One that deserved to be continued, not erased. That's where the name Foundry District comes from. As a genuine acknowledgment of what this ground represents. Iron was forged here. Livelihoods were built here. A city found its industrial footing here. The foundry made things that lasted.

Now, we're building something that will last too.

The first phase of The Foundry District will bring two new rental towers to this site — 23 and 10 storeys — with over 500 new rental apartments for Oshawa residents. The community will rise adjacent to Tribute Communities Centre, steps from GO Transit, and at the heart of a downtown that is finding its next chapter after decades of transformation.

If your family worked at Fittings Limited, we'd love to hear from you. Contact us at info@medallioncorp.com to share your story.

Mention Oshawa and most people think of GM, the 401, and a long industrial history. What they don't picture is a world-class public art gallery running provocative exhibitions year-round, a professional orchestra, a hip hop and arts festival that has become the largest of its kind in Durham Region, or a growing mural scene that's been quietly transforming the downtown streetscape. The culture is here. It just doesn't always announce itself loudly.

The Robert McLaughlin Gallery: Durham Region's Cultural Anchor

If you know one thing about arts in Oshawa, make it this: the Robert McLaughlin Gallery (RMG) is exceptional, and it's free.

Located at 72 Queen Street in the downtown civic centre, the RMG is Durham Region's largest public art gallery and one of the most active mid-sized galleries in Ontario. Its permanent collection holds over 4,500 works, with particular strength in Canadian modern and abstract art including a significant collection tied to Painters Eleven.

The RMG's programming goes well beyond its permanent collection. Last year, exhibitions included work exploring Black identity and resistance through the masquerade tradition of Caribbean Carnival, as well as a presentation of historical postcards from Oshawa drawn from the Thomas Bouckley Collection.

The RMG also hosts an annual juried exhibition in partnership with the Oshawa Art Association, student thesis exhibitions from Durham College, artist residencies supported by the RBC Foundation, and regular community programming for seniors, schools, and families.

It is, by any measure, a serious cultural institution and it sits right in the heart of downtown Oshawa.

Ontario Philharmonic: World-Class Classical Music in the Core

Ontario Philharmonic, formerly known as the Oshawa Symphony is comprised of up to 75 musicians and performs its main concert programs at the Regent Theatre in Oshawa and Koerner Hall in Toronto. The fact that it plays both venues tells you something about its calibre.

The orchestra has earned praise from critics for the quality of its strings, the intensity of its brass, and the ambition of its programming which spans the full range from Baroque and Romantic to light classical, jazz, and world music. It's a genuine point of civic pride for Oshawa, and a performing arts anchor for Durham Region that rivals what larger cities offer.

Performances are held at the Regent Theatre, a beautifully restored heritage venue in the heart of downtown Oshawa that reopened in 2010 after a loving renovation. The Regent now functions as a multi-purpose cultural hub: student lectures by day, live performances and community events by evening and on weekends.

Convergence: Oshawa's Annual Music and Arts Festival

The Convergence Music and Art Festival is Oshawa's annual celebration of local music, art, and urban culture. Located in the city's downtown core, Convergence transforms the streets with live performances across multiple stages, interactive art installations, extreme sports showcases, and unique spaces like Nerd Alley and the Punk Rock Market.

Now in its third year, Convergence has established itself as the largest hip hop culture celebration in Durham Region. It is a free, family-friendly festival spotlighting the creativity, community, and cultural power of hip hop, curated and hosted by Tanika iNsight Circles in partnership with R.I.S.E Edutainment and Oshawa Tourism.

Convergence takes place each September on King Street East in the downtown core, closing streets and transforming the neighbourhood for a weekend. It runs alongside programming at the RMG, including exhibition openings and artist talks timed to coincide with the festival. The two institutions reinforce each other, creating a cultural weekend in downtown Oshawa that draws visitors from across the region.

The Downtown Mural & Art Walk

Introduced last year, the downtown Oshawa Mural & Art Walk showcases local creativity and brings public art into the heart of the city's downtown core. It's a new initiative from the Oshawa Art Association in partnership with the city, and it's already changing how the neighbourhood feels to walk through.

Public art murals have a well-documented effect on urban neighbourhoods. They signal investment, attract foot traffic, create identity, and make streets feel safer and more welcoming. The Mural & Art Walk makes downtown Oshawa a destination not just for gallery-goers but for anyone who simply wants to walk the streets and experience the city differently.

It's the kind of programming that builds over time. As more murals are added and the walk becomes better known, it becomes another reason to spend time in the core.

The Oshawa Art Association: 58 Years of Community Arts

Founded in 1967, the Oshawa Art Association (OAA) supports and celebrates local artists through workshops, demonstrations, art shows, an eNewsletter, and opportunities to sell artwork to the public. The OAA's annual juried exhibition, now in its 58th year, is held at the Robert McLaughlin Gallery and draws submissions from artists across Durham Region. Its Spring and Fall Art Festivals bring additional programming to the community calendar year-round.

The OAA is a connector in Oshawa's arts ecosystem. The organization links the city's working artists to venues, audiences, and each other. Its longevity is itself a statement: Oshawa has sustained a serious arts community for nearly six decades.

The Peony Festival: Where Horticulture Meets Heritage

For one weekend each June, the Oshawa Valley Botanical Gardens burst into colour for the Peony Festival — now in its 22nd year, featuring over 300 varieties of peonies in full bloom, alongside a juried flower show by the Canadian Peony Society, an artisan market, cultural performances, live entertainment, children's activities and food vendors. Admission is completely free.

The Peony Festival has earned a spot on Festivals & Events Ontario's Top 100 list, and it's become one of the most beloved annual events in Durham Region. The Oshawa Valley Botanical Gardens are home to one of North America's largest peony collections.

The festival is a collaboration between the City of Oshawa, the Canadian Peony Society, Durham Master Gardeners, the Oshawa Art Association, the Robert McLaughlin Gallery, and Parkwood Estate. A cross-section of the city's cultural institutions coming together around a shared celebration.

Live Music and Performance Venues

Downtown Oshawa's live music and performance infrastructure has grown significantly in recent years.

BOND|ST Event Centre, which opened in 2024, operates two distinct live music spaces. The Mainstage and TwoTwoTwo, covering a wide range of genres and event sizes. It's become a go-to for Oshawa nights out and a new entry point into the city's music scene for visitors from across Durham Region.

Tribute Communities Centre anchors the entertainment district as Durham Region's premier sports and entertainment facility, hosting the Oshawa Generals of the OHL as well as major concerts and touring productions that draw tens of thousands of visitors to the core each year.

A Cultural Scene Worth Discovering

Oshawa's arts and culture scene doesn't always punch above its weight. It simply punches at exactly its weight, which is higher than most people assume. A world-class gallery. A professional orchestra. A growing festival calendar. New public art in the streets. Heritage venues brought back to life.

For renters considering a move to downtown Oshawa, this cultural infrastructure is part of what makes the neighbourhood worth choosing. Living steps from the RMG, a short walk from Convergence's stages, and adjacent to Tribute Communities Centre is a compelling lifestyle.

The Foundry District is a new purpose-built rental community coming to 119 & 151 Bruce Street in the heart of downtown Oshawa, steps from the city's best arts, culture, and entertainment. Register now for early access to floor plans, suite types, and pricing.