Inclusionary Zoning

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Statutory Public Meeting

The Town of Ajax (Town) is holding a Statutory Public Meeting virtually on September 8, 2026, to consult on the proposed Inclusionary Zoning framework, including Official Plan Amendment No. 102 (OPA26-A9) and Zoning By-law Amendment Z16/26, within the Ajax GO Protected Major Transit Station Area (PMTSA). Please see the Notice of Statutory Public Meeting for more information, and how to participate and stay informed.

The Town of Ajax (Town) is considering implementing Inclusionary Zoning within its Protected Major Transit Station Area (PMTSA) surrounding the Ajax GO Transit Station. This work is being undertaken through the Inclusionary Zoning Assessment Report, and Official Plan Amendment and Zoning By-law Amendment Project.

An assessment of the impacts of implementing Inclusionary Zoning is mandated by the Province prior to adoption. To this end, the Town of Ajax Inclusionary Zoning Assessment Report (Assessment Report) has been prepared and independently peer reviewed.

The completion of an assessment report to support the development of Official Plan policies and zoning provisions to enable Inclusionary Zoning has been identified as a short- to medium-term action in the Town’s 2023 Housing Action Plan. In addition, the implementation of Inclusionary Zoning was identified as a priority initiative in the Town’s 2024 agreement with the Government of Canada under the Housing Accelerator Fund.

What is Inclusionary Zoning?

Inclusionary Zoning is a policy tool that allows municipalities to require a certain percentage of affordable housing units within new residential developments. As newly constructed condominium and purpose-built rental units in the private market may not be delivered at affordable price points, Inclusionary Zoning can help increase the supply of affordable housing options in the Town, subject to demonstrated market viability.

Inclusionary Zoning can help create affordable housing through mixed-income developments, but it may also affect the financial viability of new housing projects. Its effectiveness depends on carefully balancing requirements with market conditions such as demand, construction costs, land values, and financing so that development remains feasible while still delivering affordable units.

Where can it be applied?

The Planning Act allows municipalities in Ontario to implement Inclusionary Zoning within new residential or mixed-use projects in PMTSAs. Ajax’s only PMTSA, as identified in the Durham Regional Official Plan and approved by the Province in September 2025, generally includes lands within 800-metres (10-minute) walking distance from the Ajax GO Transit Station. The map below identifies Ajax GO Transit PMTSA as the subject lands:

Inclusionary Zoning Assessment Report

The Assessment Report analyzes the existing Provincial and Municipal policy context; the development pipeline including proposed, under-construction, and recently constructed residential developments; the housing market; and housing needs and affordability gaps. The Assessment Report then applies a financial feasibility analysis to various building prototypes to analyse the impact of implementing Inclusionary Zoning.

The Assessment Report finds that, similar to other Ontario communities, Ajax is facing challenging housing market conditions and high construction costs, making Inclusionary Zoning not viable at this time.

As a result, staff and the consultant recommend implementing an Inclusionary Zoning framework with an initial 0% set-aside requirement, meaning no inclusionary zoning units would be required to be provided. However, as market conditions improve this rate could be re-examined and incrementally increased through further amendment.

This approach would allow the Town to work with the Region of Durham and other agencies to develop detailed implementation and operational frameworks, while signalling to the market that Inclusionary Zoning policies are forthcoming, allowing future development pro formas to account for Inclusionary Zoning in feasibility analyses.

The Assessment Report can be accessed through the ‘Documents’ section on this page for more details on the methodology, assessment, and findings.

An independent peer review of the Assessment Report was also conducted to fulfil statutory requirements and generally agreed with its findings. The Peer Review Report can also be accessed for review through the ‘Documents’ section on this page.

Guided by the recommendations of the Assessment Report daft Official Plan Amendment and draft Zoning By-law Amendment were prepared.

June 1 Community Affairs and Planning Committee Meeting

On June 1, 2026, the Town’s Community Affairs and Planning (CAP) Committee received staff Report #PDS-2026-15, titled ‘Town of Ajax - Inclusionary Zoning Assessment Report and Draft Official Plan Amendment and Zoning By-law Amendment’, which summarized the assessment methodology, findings, and recommendations, and presented the draft Official Plan Amendment and draft Zoning By-law Amendment. The Assessment Report and Peer Review Report were also attached to the report.

Council endorsed staff’s recommendation to proceed with an Official Plan Amendment and Zoning By-law Amendment to implement an Inclusionary Zoning policy framework in the Ajax GO Station PMTSA with a set aside rate of 0%. Report #PDS-2026-15 can be accessed for review through the ‘Documents’ section on this page. Following the June 1, 2026, CAP meeting, staff conducted a series of consultation meetings and other consultation opportunities with agencies, landowners, developers, and the public.

Final Official Plan Amendment 102 (OPA26-A9) and Zoning By-law Amendment Z16/26

Guided by the Assessment Report and the findings of the consultation process, the final Official Plan Amendment No. 102 (OPA26-A9) and Zoning By-law Amendment Z16/26 have been prepared to implement Inclusionary Zoning within the Ajax GO Station PMTSA. OPA #102 and ZBA Z16/26 can be accessed through the ‘Documents’ section on this page for more details on the methodology, assessment, and findings.

Statutory Public Meeting

The Town of Ajax is holding a Statutory Public Meeting as part of the September 8, 2026 CAP Committee meeting to consult on the proposed final OPA #102 and ZBA Z16/26, in accordance with the Planning Act. The Statutory Public Meeting is to be held on Tuesday, September 8, 2026, at 1:00 p.m. Residents, landowners, agencies, and stakeholders are invited to submit written and/or oral submissions prior to or during the Statutory Public Meeting.

The Statutory Public Meeting Agenda, including a copy of the staff report with recommendations, will be posted by the end of day Tuesday, September 1, 2026, at ajax.ca/meetings. Alternative formats of documents and materials can be made available upon request.

How can you participate?

Thank you for your questions and feedback on the draft Official Plan Amendments and draft Zoning by-law amendments. Comments and questions were collected till Monday, July 13, 2026. Public, agency, and stakeholder feedback has been critical in informing the final OPA #102 and ZBA Z16/26.

The upcoming Statutory Public Meeting is yet another opportunity to contribute by providing oral and/or written submissions for Council’s consideration as they deliberate on the proposed amendments.

The Statutory Public Meeting is being held virtually and will be live-streamed for public viewing at Online Meetings | Ajax. Those wishing to make oral submissions during the virtual public meeting must email clerks@ajax.ca before 12 p.m. (noon) on Friday, September 4, 2026. Pre-registration is required and each registrant will have 5 minutes to address the Committee.

Written submissions may be provided for Council’s consideration before the meeting. Please submit written comments before 12 p.m. (noon) on Friday, September 4, 2026, by e-mail to Anuj.Kathuria@ajax.ca and clerks@ajax.ca.

Those who wish to be notified of Council’s decision on the implementing by-laws must make a written request to the attention of the Clerk of the Town of Ajax, at 65 Harwood Avenue South, Ajax, Ontario, L1S 2H9, or by email to clerks@ajax.ca.

For more information on the matter, including appeal rights, please see the Notice of Statutory Public Meeting or contact Anuj Kathuria, Planner, at Anuj.Kathuria@ajax.ca or 905-619-2529 ext. 3172.

Statutory Public Meeting

The Town of Ajax (Town) is holding a Statutory Public Meeting virtually on September 8, 2026, to consult on the proposed Inclusionary Zoning framework, including Official Plan Amendment No. 102 (OPA26-A9) and Zoning By-law Amendment Z16/26, within the Ajax GO Protected Major Transit Station Area (PMTSA). Please see the Notice of Statutory Public Meeting for more information, and how to participate and stay informed.

The Town of Ajax (Town) is considering implementing Inclusionary Zoning within its Protected Major Transit Station Area (PMTSA) surrounding the Ajax GO Transit Station. This work is being undertaken through the Inclusionary Zoning Assessment Report, and Official Plan Amendment and Zoning By-law Amendment Project.

An assessment of the impacts of implementing Inclusionary Zoning is mandated by the Province prior to adoption. To this end, the Town of Ajax Inclusionary Zoning Assessment Report (Assessment Report) has been prepared and independently peer reviewed.

The completion of an assessment report to support the development of Official Plan policies and zoning provisions to enable Inclusionary Zoning has been identified as a short- to medium-term action in the Town’s 2023 Housing Action Plan. In addition, the implementation of Inclusionary Zoning was identified as a priority initiative in the Town’s 2024 agreement with the Government of Canada under the Housing Accelerator Fund.

What is Inclusionary Zoning?

Inclusionary Zoning is a policy tool that allows municipalities to require a certain percentage of affordable housing units within new residential developments. As newly constructed condominium and purpose-built rental units in the private market may not be delivered at affordable price points, Inclusionary Zoning can help increase the supply of affordable housing options in the Town, subject to demonstrated market viability.

Inclusionary Zoning can help create affordable housing through mixed-income developments, but it may also affect the financial viability of new housing projects. Its effectiveness depends on carefully balancing requirements with market conditions such as demand, construction costs, land values, and financing so that development remains feasible while still delivering affordable units.

Where can it be applied?

The Planning Act allows municipalities in Ontario to implement Inclusionary Zoning within new residential or mixed-use projects in PMTSAs. Ajax’s only PMTSA, as identified in the Durham Regional Official Plan and approved by the Province in September 2025, generally includes lands within 800-metres (10-minute) walking distance from the Ajax GO Transit Station. The map below identifies Ajax GO Transit PMTSA as the subject lands:

Inclusionary Zoning Assessment Report

The Assessment Report analyzes the existing Provincial and Municipal policy context; the development pipeline including proposed, under-construction, and recently constructed residential developments; the housing market; and housing needs and affordability gaps. The Assessment Report then applies a financial feasibility analysis to various building prototypes to analyse the impact of implementing Inclusionary Zoning.

The Assessment Report finds that, similar to other Ontario communities, Ajax is facing challenging housing market conditions and high construction costs, making Inclusionary Zoning not viable at this time.

As a result, staff and the consultant recommend implementing an Inclusionary Zoning framework with an initial 0% set-aside requirement, meaning no inclusionary zoning units would be required to be provided. However, as market conditions improve this rate could be re-examined and incrementally increased through further amendment.

This approach would allow the Town to work with the Region of Durham and other agencies to develop detailed implementation and operational frameworks, while signalling to the market that Inclusionary Zoning policies are forthcoming, allowing future development pro formas to account for Inclusionary Zoning in feasibility analyses.

The Assessment Report can be accessed through the ‘Documents’ section on this page for more details on the methodology, assessment, and findings.

An independent peer review of the Assessment Report was also conducted to fulfil statutory requirements and generally agreed with its findings. The Peer Review Report can also be accessed for review through the ‘Documents’ section on this page.

Guided by the recommendations of the Assessment Report daft Official Plan Amendment and draft Zoning By-law Amendment were prepared.

June 1 Community Affairs and Planning Committee Meeting

On June 1, 2026, the Town’s Community Affairs and Planning (CAP) Committee received staff Report #PDS-2026-15, titled ‘Town of Ajax - Inclusionary Zoning Assessment Report and Draft Official Plan Amendment and Zoning By-law Amendment’, which summarized the assessment methodology, findings, and recommendations, and presented the draft Official Plan Amendment and draft Zoning By-law Amendment. The Assessment Report and Peer Review Report were also attached to the report.

Council endorsed staff’s recommendation to proceed with an Official Plan Amendment and Zoning By-law Amendment to implement an Inclusionary Zoning policy framework in the Ajax GO Station PMTSA with a set aside rate of 0%. Report #PDS-2026-15 can be accessed for review through the ‘Documents’ section on this page. Following the June 1, 2026, CAP meeting, staff conducted a series of consultation meetings and other consultation opportunities with agencies, landowners, developers, and the public.

Final Official Plan Amendment 102 (OPA26-A9) and Zoning By-law Amendment Z16/26

Guided by the Assessment Report and the findings of the consultation process, the final Official Plan Amendment No. 102 (OPA26-A9) and Zoning By-law Amendment Z16/26 have been prepared to implement Inclusionary Zoning within the Ajax GO Station PMTSA. OPA #102 and ZBA Z16/26 can be accessed through the ‘Documents’ section on this page for more details on the methodology, assessment, and findings.

Statutory Public Meeting

The Town of Ajax is holding a Statutory Public Meeting as part of the September 8, 2026 CAP Committee meeting to consult on the proposed final OPA #102 and ZBA Z16/26, in accordance with the Planning Act. The Statutory Public Meeting is to be held on Tuesday, September 8, 2026, at 1:00 p.m. Residents, landowners, agencies, and stakeholders are invited to submit written and/or oral submissions prior to or during the Statutory Public Meeting.

The Statutory Public Meeting Agenda, including a copy of the staff report with recommendations, will be posted by the end of day Tuesday, September 1, 2026, at ajax.ca/meetings. Alternative formats of documents and materials can be made available upon request.

How can you participate?

Thank you for your questions and feedback on the draft Official Plan Amendments and draft Zoning by-law amendments. Comments and questions were collected till Monday, July 13, 2026. Public, agency, and stakeholder feedback has been critical in informing the final OPA #102 and ZBA Z16/26.

The upcoming Statutory Public Meeting is yet another opportunity to contribute by providing oral and/or written submissions for Council’s consideration as they deliberate on the proposed amendments.

The Statutory Public Meeting is being held virtually and will be live-streamed for public viewing at Online Meetings | Ajax. Those wishing to make oral submissions during the virtual public meeting must email clerks@ajax.ca before 12 p.m. (noon) on Friday, September 4, 2026. Pre-registration is required and each registrant will have 5 minutes to address the Committee.

Written submissions may be provided for Council’s consideration before the meeting. Please submit written comments before 12 p.m. (noon) on Friday, September 4, 2026, by e-mail to Anuj.Kathuria@ajax.ca and clerks@ajax.ca.

Those who wish to be notified of Council’s decision on the implementing by-laws must make a written request to the attention of the Clerk of the Town of Ajax, at 65 Harwood Avenue South, Ajax, Ontario, L1S 2H9, or by email to clerks@ajax.ca.

For more information on the matter, including appeal rights, please see the Notice of Statutory Public Meeting or contact Anuj Kathuria, Planner, at Anuj.Kathuria@ajax.ca or 905-619-2529 ext. 3172.

Page published: 17 Aug 2026, 12:34 PM