October 24, 2025

The Mississauga Urban Design Awards, established in 1981, is the longest-running award program of its kind in Ontario. The awards illustrate the City’s ongoing desire to inspire, develop, and celebrate design leaders who help raise the quality of life for residents and shape the image of Mississauga.

Brightwater I received a Mississauga Urban Design Award in the Healthy by Design category, which recognizes projects that exemplify the six Healthy Community Design elements: density, service proximity, land use mix, street connectivity, streetscape characteristics, and efficient parking.

The five-storey, 106,000-square-foot boutique building is the first phase of the larger Brightwater Master Plan which redevelops a former vacant oil refinery into a mixed-use community on the lakeshore in Port Credit. Paying homage to the industrial heritage of the site, the development features a predominantly red brick construction.

As part of a holistic master plan, the 76 unit building features retail and commercial spaces at grade that create an inviting street presence and provide services to the community. The site integrates with roads, bioswales, public realm improvements, and parks, with landscape design led by STUDIOtla, establishing an active public realm on the former brownfield site.  

“Brightwater I represents a compelling and ambitious vision for re-establishing the identity of Port Credit as a vibrant, walkable village. The development breaks down the larger site into new neighbourhood blocks, integrating a mix of uses and scales that activate the public realm. A series of shareable amenities and thoughtfully designed streetscapes support a dynamic pedestrian experience and fosters a strong sense of place. Through its active frontages, contextual design, and integration of residential, retail, and public spaces, Brightwater I represents a holistic, walkable, complete community,” says the Jury.

Read more about the winners here.