Ajax Community Benefits Charge Strategy

Project Purpose and Overview

The Town is preparing a Community Benefits Charge Strategy and implementing by-law. Section 37 of the Planning Act allows the Town to pass a by-law to impose community benefits charges against land to pay for the capital costs of facilities, services and matters required because of development or redevelopment in the area to which the by-law applies. A Community Benefits Charge By-law would apply to development that is five (5) storeys in height or more and contains ten (10) dwelling units or more. Development that does not meet these criteria would be exempt from paying the charge. The Planning Act permits municipalities to collect up to a maximum of 4% of the value of the land to be developed or redeveloped.

Prior to enacting the charge, the Planning Act requires municipalities to prepare a Community Benefits Charge Strategy. The Community Benefits Charge Strategy is required to document the increase in demand for additional facilities, services and matters as a result of qualifying development, document the projects that would be funded to mitigate these impacts and calculate a charge to recover eligible costs.

The Town has hired Watson & Associates Economists Ltd. to assist the Town in preparing the Community Benefits Charge Strategy and By-law.

In accordance with Direction issued by the Mayor under section 284.3 of the Municipal Act, updates to the proposed CBC By-law and CBC Strategy have been made, and the proposed By-law is scheduled to be considered by Council on December 2, 2024. The updated 2024 CBC Strategy includes revising the forecast period to 2024-2034, updating the growth forecast, removing capital projects that commenced in 2023, applying inflationary increases between 2023 and 2024, and making other general updates.

Get Involved

This public meeting is being held in-person in the Council Chambers, located at Ajax Town Hall, 65 Harwood Avenue Road South, Ajax, Ontario, L1S 2H9, and will be live-streamed for public viewing at ajax.ca/live. Those wishing to make oral submissions can attend in-person and will have 5 minutes to address the Committee; pre-registration is not required for in-person attendance. If you are unable to attend in-person, electronic remote participation via the Town’s Hybrid Conference System is available as an option and can be arranged by contacting clerks@ajax.ca no later than 12 p.m. on Friday November 29, 2024.

Written submissions may be provided for the Committee’s consideration before the meeting. Please submit your written comments before end of day on Friday, November 29, 2024, by email to Clerks@Ajax.ca.

Alternatively, those wishing to submit questions, comments, or to be notified of passing of the By-law, can submit a written request with a return mailing address to:

Sean McCullough, MCIP, RPP
Supervisor, Planning Policy & Research
Planning and Development Services | Town of Ajax
65 Harwood Avenue South, Ajax ON L1S 2H9
Sean.Mccullough@Ajax.ca

Questions or comments about this project?

Please contact the project manager, Sean McCullough, Supervisor Planning Policy & Research listed in the Who’s Listening (right side bar)