Everything is in walking distance at Brightwater

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Former industrial site is now a community where residents live, work and play 

When empty-nesters Rosemary and David Bain recently decided to downsize from their Mississauga suburban family home, they had a firm checklist in mind on what to look for in a new property.
First and foremost, they wanted to stay in the neighborhood, the local area of Port Credit has lots to offer in terms of its waterfront location and lifestyle amenities.
Secondly, it needed to be turn-key. “We are in that stage of life,” says Rosemary where taking care of a big yard and house has lost its appeal, and so the new property had to be low-maintenance.
Enter in Brightwater, a new multi-phase community where the couple has purchased a townhome and plans to move in this summer..
“We’ve watched that development for many years,” she says of Brightwater, a former industrial site turned master-planned community that when complete will encompass 72 acres of space with a full variety of housing including townhomes, condos and live/work units.
There’s also another factor. Three of the couple’s four kids have also bought condos in the development and Rosemary says she could not be happier.
“It will be awesome,” she says of the new community which she calls “a mini-village within a village.” Its location near the water and all its trails, plus nearby shopping (Bank of Montreal, Rexall, LCBO and Farm Boy have opened or will be opening soon) makes everything walkable, she says. An added bonus: GO Transit is nearby and the new Mississauga LRT is coming and that should help reduce the Bains’ dependence on a car.
In explaining its history, Christina Giannone, vice-president, planning and development, Brightwater, says the former site was decommissioned in the ‘80s and sat idle for the better part of three decades. She says she actually grew up two streets away from the site and “only ever knew it as an unused property. Now that 72 acres of land that literally sat fenced off for decades has become a place where people will work, live and play.”
In 2015, the property was put up for sale and four companies — Dream Unlimited, DiamondCorp, Kilmer Group, FRAM + Slokker came into partnership to oversee the property’s development.
Giannone said a big part of the process has been to engage in the community, and “so we went through several workshops, got feedback to envision what the community could be, and to develop a plan that stayed very true to the inspiration provided by the area. We wanted to add to the fabric that already makes Port Credit so special.”
Components will include 300,000 sq. ft. of commercial, retail and institutional space, 18 acres of public space including five public parks, open space and trails. Provisions have also been made for some affordable and rental units to allow City of Mississauga requirements to fill in so-called “missing middle.”
The first phase was launched in September 2020, and Brightwater 1, one of several condo towers planned for the site, took occupancy in fall 2023. Brightwater 2 is up to the ninth floor in terms of occupancy. And Brightwater Towns will be ready for move-in by end of summer.
It’s estimated a third of the site has been built out, with additional phases of development to occur over the next several years. Regardless, the vision is there.
“A lot has gone into this, we have tried to promote active mobility,” says Giannone. “We are choosing pedestrians over cars…. feature multi-use pathways and more narrow streets, and shuttles will be used to take residents from Brightwater to the GO station.”
The developers also want to make it an environmentally friendly space featuring an innovative storm water management and water treatment system.
Another centerpiece attraction is a timber-frame building with a green roof that will function as a restaurant and resident meeting place.
“We are combining all the elements that will allow our residents to not only live but work here, play here and even learn here,” says Giannone.

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