The final design for a new affordable housing initiative in Oshawa is finished, with construction set to start this year on 160 units located on Christine Crescent.
Architects Montgomery Sisam from Toronto aim for two buildings – one four stories and the other six – to showcase how affordable housing can be “sustainable, family-oriented, and architecturally thoughtful,” setting a fresh standard for mixed-income development across Ontario.
This project by the Region of Durham, situated near Ritson Road and Highway 401, is revitalizing an outdated community housing area by replacing 12 semi-detached homes with two modern buildings. This will provide 160 new mixed-income rental homes and greatly increase the availability of affordable housing in the region.
According to regional officials, the building’s design emphasizes dignity, livability, and connection both within the structures and with the surrounding community:
The buildings are carefully designed to fit into their residential context. They feature pitched roofs, detailed façades, and light materials to lessen their visual impact while blending into the neighborhood. A new public forecourt along with a landscaped courtyard connects directly to Chopin Park, enhancing pedestrian pathways and community interaction. Inside, the focus is on families. The project includes a flexible variety of one- to four-bedroom units-featuring rare four-bedroom apartments-all designed on a 6-metre modular grid that ensures comfortable living spaces, operable windows, and adaptability over time. Shared areas are seen as crucial amenities; residents will have access to lounges, party rooms, fitness centers, and rooftop features. Outdoors will include a landscaped courtyard complete with a community patio, picnic spots, an outdoor gym area, and direct access to the park. Sustainability plays a key role here. With its low-carbon wood structure and geothermal heating system combined with high-performance building envelopes, this project aims to significantly lessen its environmental footprint. Detailed analyses of sunlight exposure, wind patterns, and daylight have shaped both the building’s layout and outdoor areas.
Construction is expected to kick off this summer with completion projected for 2028. The development will offer various options including rent-geared-to-income units as well as affordable and market rental housing.
The Durham Region plans to transform five social housing sites altogether; along with Christine Crescent there’s also a redevelopment planned for a 16-unit building at 409 Centre St. S., which features the ‘Bee’ sculpture-this site will see a new three-storey building with 30 units starting construction this year.
Two additional sites in Oshawa are expected to break ground over the next couple of years:
600 Townline Road – In March 2025 Durham Region acquired the former Grandview Children’s Centre property-a four-acre lot at Townline Road’s northwest corner alongside Bloor Street. A proposal includes constructing a new four-storey building containing 36 units at Townline/Bloor intersection alongside plans for 16 townhouses along Townline Road; work on this site is anticipated to begin in 2027 with occupancy aimed for 2028. 416-448 Malaga Road – This location currently has 65 townhouses that need replacement. The proposal involves redeveloping it entirely into two mid-rise apartment buildings mixed together with stacked back-to-back townhouses totaling around 439 units: Construction is expected to start in 2028.
“We see an opportunity to better serve the needs and wishes of existing tenants and the surrounding community,” said regional officials when they first unveiled preliminary designs for these projects. “Our vision is to provide a range of housing for diverse needs; create new modernized housing; and support a sense of community and pride of place.”
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