Development charges are one-time fees collected from developers and builders by municipalities at the time a building permit is issued.

The Town of Ajax collects development charges on behalf of the Town, the Region of Durham (including GO Transit) and Durham area school boards.

The fees collected are used to pay for a share of growth-related capital projects such as infrastructure required for Transportation, Parks and Recreation, Library Services and Fire Services.  Fees are also used to pay for a share of additional vehicles and equipment required to deliver these services as well as growth-related administrative studies.

Effective January 1, 2020 the Province amended the Development Charges Act, 1997 changing the rate at which development charges are calculated and the timing of collection for specified developments.

Timing of Development Charge Collection 

Development charges are collected on the date that the first building permit is issued for all developments.  

Exception:  For specified institutional, non-profit housing and rental housing developments as defined in O. Reg. 454/19,  the Town and Region development charges are to be paid in equal instalments, beginning upon first occupancy of the building.

Board of Education Development charges are due at time of Building permit issuance for all applicable development types.

Development Charge Rates 

Development charges are calculated at the current rate in effect on the date that the first building permit is issued for a development.

Exception: If a site plan or zoning amendment application was submitted to the Town after January 1, 2020 the development charge rates are locked-in on the date a complete application is received by the Town.  The locked-in rates are either in effect for 2 years if the application approval date is on or before June 5, 2024 OR for 18 months if the application approval date is on or after June 6, 2024.

Please refer to the table below for guidance on the applicable Development Charges (DC) rate : 

 DC Rates to UseDC Rates to Use
Situation Town of Ajax and Region of
Durham
Board of Education
A complete application for
site plan or zoning
amendment was made prior
to January 1, 2020
DC rate in effect at permit issuance DC rate in effect at permit
issuance
A complete application for
site plan or zoning
amendment was made on or
after January 1, 2020
DC rate in effect at application date
plus interest to month of permit
issuance*
DC rate in effect at permit
issuance
The development is not
subject to a site plan or
zoning amendment
application
DC rate in effect at permit issuance DC rate in effect at permit
issuance

*Interest will be calculated on the Town of Ajax development charges from the date of application to the first day of the month in which a building permit is issued.  The Region of Durham currently does not charge interest.

Download the Development Charge Rates as of July 1, 2024

For your convenience, Historical DC rates since January 1, 2020 can be downloaded.  Should there be a deviation from any posted rate, the rate in the brochure will be deemed to be the correct rate.

TOWN OF AJAX SUMMARY OF DEVELOPMENT CHARGES
As of July 1, 2024
Residential Type Town of Ajax Board of Education Region of Durham (Including GO Transit fee) Total
RESIDENTIAL

Single Detached Dwelling

$40,247 $6,335 $86,095 $132,677
Semi-Detached Dwelling $40,247 $6,335 $86,095 $132,677
Apartment Dwellings, two bedrooms or more $19,363 $6,335 $50,107 $75,805
Apartment Dwellings, less than two bedrooms $12,168 $6,335 $30,765 $49,268
Other Dwellings (townhouses, links) $31,781 $6,335

$68,620
(medium density multiples)

$106,736
NON-RESIDENTIAL (PER SQ. FT OF GROSS FLOOR AREA)
Commercial $9.92 $0.20 $44.55 $54.67
Industrial $9.92 $0.20 $21.56 $31.68
Institutional $9.92 $0.20 $23.70 $33.82
NON-RESIDENTIAL (PER SQ. METRE OF GROSS FLOOR AREA)
Commercial $106.77 $2.15 $479.53 $588.45
Industrial $106.77 $2.15 $232.07 $340.99
Institutional $106.77 $2.15 $255.10 $364.02

Development Charges Brochures

Town of Ajax Development Charge Brochures under By-law 50-2018:

Town of Ajax Development Charge Brochures under DC By-law 50-2018, (amended by By-law 55-2020), as approved on December 14, 2020:

Development Charge Interest 

Town of Ajax policy COR 148 - Development Charge Interest Policy governs the charging of interest on development charges that are eligible for instalment payments or rate freeze under sections 26.1 and 26.2 of the Development Charges Act, 1997 (DCA).  

Bill 23 imposes limitations on maximum interest rates charged for any rate adjustments implemented on or after April 1, 2022.  These limitations will shortly be reflected in the above noted Town policy.

The interest rate applied will be the average bank prime rate plus 1% on October 15 for a January 1 interest adjustment date and April 15 for a July 1 interest adjustment date.  The interest rate applied will be the interest rate in effect on:

  • For applications eligible for installment payments under Section 26.1 of the DCA  - the date the development charges would have been payable under the DCA for applications eligible for installment payments under Section 26.1 of the DCA, or
  • For applications eligible for development charge freezing under section 26.2 of the DCA  - the date an application for an approval of development was made for those developments requiring Zoning or Site Plan approvals.

 

SituationInterest will be calculated as follows:

Frozen Development Charges

(Section 26.2 of DCA)

from date of site plan or zoning amendment
application to the first day of the month in which a 
building permit is issued

Deferred Development Charges

(Section 26.1 of DCA)

from date of building permit issuance to the date of 
final instalment payment

The applicable interest rates are as follows:

Effective Date

Average Bank Prime Rate

Town of Ajax Interest Rate

July 1, 2024

7.2%

8.2%

 The applicable interest rates were as follows:

Effective Date Average Bank Prime Rate Town of Ajax Interest Rate

January 1, 2024

7.20%

8.20%

July 1, 2023

6.70%

7.70%

January 1, 2023

5.45%

6.45%

July 1, 2022*

2.70%

3.70%

 

Effective Date

Bank of Canada Bank Rate

Town of Ajax Interest Rate

June 30, 2022*

1.75%

3.75% 

December 31, 2021

0.50%

2.50% 

June 30, 2021

0.50%

2.50% 

December 31, 2020

0.50%

2.50%

June 30, 2020

0.50%

2.50%

December 31, 2019  2.00%   4.00%

* In effect for interest calculations on building permits paid until November 28, 2022

Effective December 31, 2019 to November 27, 2022, interest rate applied has been the Bank of Canada Bank Rate  plus 2% as at December 31st or June 30th

Annual Treasurer's Reports

Under the Development Charges Act, Section 43, the Treasurer of a municipality is required to provide financial statements relating to development charge by-laws and reserve funds on an annual basis.

Statements must include the opening and closing balances of DC reserve funds and the transactions relating to the funds, as well as statements identifying assets where capital costs were funded under a development charge by-law during the year.

Under the Act, these statements must be made available to the public, and can be viewed here:

2018 Development Charge Background Study