Inclusionary Zoning

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Notice of Adoption and Passing

The Town of Ajax (Town) has passed By-law Number 88-2026, adopting Official Plan Amendment No.102 and By-law Number 89-2026 approving Zoning By-law Amendment Z16/26 to implement Inclusionary Zoning within the Ajax GO Protected Major Transit Station Area (PMTSA). Please see the Notice of Adoption and Passing for more information.

With the completion of the Inclusionary Zoning Assessment Report, and Official Plan Amendment and Zoning By-law Amendment Project, the Town has passed the implementing by-laws to implement Inclusionary Zoning framework within its Protected Major Transit Station Area (PMTSA) surrounding the Ajax GO Transit Station.

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) was prepared, independently peer reviewed, and released in May 2026.

The completion of an assessment report to support the development of Official Plan policies and zoning provisions to enable Inclusionary Zoning was 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.

With the adoption of the implementing by-laws, the Town has now advanced both these housing related commitments.

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 analyzed 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 applied a financial feasibility analysis to various building prototypes to analyse the impact of implementing Inclusionary Zoning.

The Assessment Report found 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 allows 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 draft 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 activities 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 were 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 and September 8 Community Affairs and Planning Commitee Meeting

On September 8, 2026, the Town of Ajax held a Statutory Public Meeting as part of the September CAP Committee meeting to consult on the proposed final OPA #102 and ZBA Z16/26, in accordance with the Planning Act. Residents, landowners, agencies, and stakeholders were invited to submit written and/or oral submissions prior to or during the Statutory Public Meeting.

Town staff presented a brief update on the Inclusionary Zoning project, with a focus on the consultation undertaken since Council's direction in June and how that feedback informed the proposed Official Plan and Zoning By-law amendments.

CAP Committee also received staff Report #PDS-2026-19, titled ‘Ajax Inclusionary Zoning By-law – Final Official Plan Amendment and Zoning By-law Amendment’, which summarized the consultation process, feedback and proposed Official Plan Amendment and Zoning By-law Amendment. Staff Report #PDS-2026-19 can be accessed through the ‘Documents’ section on this page.

CAP Committee recommended that Council adopt By-law No. 88-2026, being Official Plan Amendment No. 102, and approve By-law No. 89-2026, being Zoning By-law Amendment Z16/26.

Adoption

On September 21, 2026, Ajax Town Council ratified minutes from September 8 CAP Committee meeting, hereby adopting the implementing by-laws.

The Agenda from the September 8 CAP meeting and September 21 Council meeting, including a copy of the staff report #PDS-2026-19 with recommendations, can be accessed through ajax.ca/meetings. Alternative formats of documents and materials can be made available upon request.

Notice of Adoption and Passing

Take notice that the Council of the Corporation of the Town of Ajax passed By-law Number 88-2026, adopting Official Plan Amendment No.102, under Sections 17 and 22 of the Planning Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. P.13, as amended, and By-law Number 89-2026 approving Zoning By-law Amendment Z16/26 under Section 34 of the Planning Act R.S.O. 1990, c. P.13, as amended, on September 21, 2026.

Purpose and Effect

The purpose of the Official Plan Amendment and Zoning By-law Amendment is to establish Inclusionary Zoning policies and provisions within the Town's Official Plan and Zoning By-law, respectively, to authorize the use of Inclusionary Zoning within the Ajax GO PMTSA. The Zoning By-law Amendment establishes an affordable unit set-aside rate of 0%.

These are Town-initiated amendments and apply to the lands within the Ajax GO Protected Major Transit Station Area (PMTSA).

The Official Plan Amendment 102 and Zoning By-law Amendment Z16/26 will come into effect on the day the Official Plan Amendment 99 - Ajax GO Transit Station Secondary Plan (OPA26-A6) is approved by the Province.

The Final Official Plan Amendment, Zoning By-law Amendment, and all background materials are available for inspection by visiting Inclusionary Zoning | In My Opinion, or by contacting clerks@ajax.ca or visiting Town of Ajax Town Hall, 65 Harwood Avenue South, Ajax, ON, L1S 2H9, Monday to Friday, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm.

Written and Oral Submissions

In making this decision, Council had regard for all written and oral submissions that were made prior to and during the Statutory Public meeting held on September 8, 2026, relating to these amendments.

Approval Authority

Official Plan Amendment No.102 is exempt from approval by the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing. The decision of Council to adopt the proposed Official Plan Amendment and Zoning By-law Amendment is final if a notice of appeal is not received on or before October 19, 2026.

Appeal

In accordance with Subsections 17(24.1.2), 17(24.1.3), 34(19.3) and 34(19.4) of the Planning Act, there is no appeal in respect of inclusionary zoning Official Plan policies or parts of a by-law that give effect to inclusionary zoning provisions, except an appeal made by the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing.

Further Information

For more information, please reach out to Anuj Kathuria, Planner via email at Anuj.Kathuria@Ajax.ca or phone: 365-282-6222, or contact the Municipal Clerk by emailing clerks@ajax.ca or visiting the Town of Ajax Town Hall, 65 Harwood Avenue South, Ajax, ON, L1S 2H9, Monday to Friday, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm.

This notice is deemed to be given on September 28, 2026.

Next Steps

Further details regarding the Inclusionary Zoning Project will continue to be updated on this page or can be obtained by contacting Anuj.Kathuria@ajax.ca.

Further Notification

To receive further notification about the Inclusionary Zoning Project, subscribe for project updates or e-mail your contact information (full name, mailing address and e-mail address) with “inclusionary Zoning” as the subject line to Anuj.Kathuria@ajax.ca.

Notice of Adoption and Passing

The Town of Ajax (Town) has passed By-law Number 88-2026, adopting Official Plan Amendment No.102 and By-law Number 89-2026 approving Zoning By-law Amendment Z16/26 to implement Inclusionary Zoning within the Ajax GO Protected Major Transit Station Area (PMTSA). Please see the Notice of Adoption and Passing for more information.

With the completion of the Inclusionary Zoning Assessment Report, and Official Plan Amendment and Zoning By-law Amendment Project, the Town has passed the implementing by-laws to implement Inclusionary Zoning framework within its Protected Major Transit Station Area (PMTSA) surrounding the Ajax GO Transit Station.

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) was prepared, independently peer reviewed, and released in May 2026.

The completion of an assessment report to support the development of Official Plan policies and zoning provisions to enable Inclusionary Zoning was 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.

With the adoption of the implementing by-laws, the Town has now advanced both these housing related commitments.

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 analyzed 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 applied a financial feasibility analysis to various building prototypes to analyse the impact of implementing Inclusionary Zoning.

The Assessment Report found 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 allows 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 draft 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 activities 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 were 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 and September 8 Community Affairs and Planning Commitee Meeting

On September 8, 2026, the Town of Ajax held a Statutory Public Meeting as part of the September CAP Committee meeting to consult on the proposed final OPA #102 and ZBA Z16/26, in accordance with the Planning Act. Residents, landowners, agencies, and stakeholders were invited to submit written and/or oral submissions prior to or during the Statutory Public Meeting.

Town staff presented a brief update on the Inclusionary Zoning project, with a focus on the consultation undertaken since Council's direction in June and how that feedback informed the proposed Official Plan and Zoning By-law amendments.

CAP Committee also received staff Report #PDS-2026-19, titled ‘Ajax Inclusionary Zoning By-law – Final Official Plan Amendment and Zoning By-law Amendment’, which summarized the consultation process, feedback and proposed Official Plan Amendment and Zoning By-law Amendment. Staff Report #PDS-2026-19 can be accessed through the ‘Documents’ section on this page.

CAP Committee recommended that Council adopt By-law No. 88-2026, being Official Plan Amendment No. 102, and approve By-law No. 89-2026, being Zoning By-law Amendment Z16/26.

Adoption

On September 21, 2026, Ajax Town Council ratified minutes from September 8 CAP Committee meeting, hereby adopting the implementing by-laws.

The Agenda from the September 8 CAP meeting and September 21 Council meeting, including a copy of the staff report #PDS-2026-19 with recommendations, can be accessed through ajax.ca/meetings. Alternative formats of documents and materials can be made available upon request.

Notice of Adoption and Passing

Take notice that the Council of the Corporation of the Town of Ajax passed By-law Number 88-2026, adopting Official Plan Amendment No.102, under Sections 17 and 22 of the Planning Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. P.13, as amended, and By-law Number 89-2026 approving Zoning By-law Amendment Z16/26 under Section 34 of the Planning Act R.S.O. 1990, c. P.13, as amended, on September 21, 2026.

Purpose and Effect

The purpose of the Official Plan Amendment and Zoning By-law Amendment is to establish Inclusionary Zoning policies and provisions within the Town's Official Plan and Zoning By-law, respectively, to authorize the use of Inclusionary Zoning within the Ajax GO PMTSA. The Zoning By-law Amendment establishes an affordable unit set-aside rate of 0%.

These are Town-initiated amendments and apply to the lands within the Ajax GO Protected Major Transit Station Area (PMTSA).

The Official Plan Amendment 102 and Zoning By-law Amendment Z16/26 will come into effect on the day the Official Plan Amendment 99 - Ajax GO Transit Station Secondary Plan (OPA26-A6) is approved by the Province.

The Final Official Plan Amendment, Zoning By-law Amendment, and all background materials are available for inspection by visiting Inclusionary Zoning | In My Opinion, or by contacting clerks@ajax.ca or visiting Town of Ajax Town Hall, 65 Harwood Avenue South, Ajax, ON, L1S 2H9, Monday to Friday, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm.

Written and Oral Submissions

In making this decision, Council had regard for all written and oral submissions that were made prior to and during the Statutory Public meeting held on September 8, 2026, relating to these amendments.

Approval Authority

Official Plan Amendment No.102 is exempt from approval by the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing. The decision of Council to adopt the proposed Official Plan Amendment and Zoning By-law Amendment is final if a notice of appeal is not received on or before October 19, 2026.

Appeal

In accordance with Subsections 17(24.1.2), 17(24.1.3), 34(19.3) and 34(19.4) of the Planning Act, there is no appeal in respect of inclusionary zoning Official Plan policies or parts of a by-law that give effect to inclusionary zoning provisions, except an appeal made by the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing.

Further Information

For more information, please reach out to Anuj Kathuria, Planner via email at Anuj.Kathuria@Ajax.ca or phone: 365-282-6222, or contact the Municipal Clerk by emailing clerks@ajax.ca or visiting the Town of Ajax Town Hall, 65 Harwood Avenue South, Ajax, ON, L1S 2H9, Monday to Friday, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm.

This notice is deemed to be given on September 28, 2026.

Next Steps

Further details regarding the Inclusionary Zoning Project will continue to be updated on this page or can be obtained by contacting Anuj.Kathuria@ajax.ca.

Further Notification

To receive further notification about the Inclusionary Zoning Project, subscribe for project updates or e-mail your contact information (full name, mailing address and e-mail address) with “inclusionary Zoning” as the subject line to Anuj.Kathuria@ajax.ca.

Page last updated: 29 Sep 2026, 10:58 AM