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Project aims to provide sustainable and compassionate housing solutions

Recently Ajax Council unanimously approved the necessary zoning by-law amendments to permit a supportive housing development proposal at the northeast corner of Harwood Avenue South and Achilles Road in downtown Ajax. Council also authorized using $500,000 from the Town’s Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF) grant to the Region of Durham, to help offset any related capital costs and support accelerated delivery of the development, demonstrating the Town’s commitment to the project.

The proposed development includes wraparound supports and features:

  • 50 self-contained residential units.
  • A building height of 3 storeys.
  • A mix of studio and one-bedroom units designed to support individuals and small households.
  • Indoor common areas, including shared amenity space, program rooms and tenant support areas.
  • Dedicated on-site support and service space to facilitate the delivery of wraparound services.
  • Outdoor amenity space at the rear of the building.
  • Barrier-free and universally accessible design features.
  • Building design intended to complement the existing Town library, located directly south of the project.

This community support project is designed to help people stabilize, navigate systems and build better outcomes. 

Quotes

“I am proud I was able to use the Strong Mayor tool to help accelerate a much-needed project like this for our community. The proposed development makes efficient use of vacant, underutilized land in our downtown where our community needs support the most. I would like to thank my Council colleagues for their unanimous support of utilizing $500,000 from our HAF money to improve the feasibility of this project. Thank you to my Regional colleagues as well for their endorsement, I am optimistic that the Region of Durham will secure the required federal capital funding to make this proposal a reality.”  - Shaun Collier, Mayor and CEO, Town of Ajax 

“Homelessness is a complex issue that cannot be solved through quick fixes or isolated efforts. Only through collective action can we create lasting change, which is why the Region of Durham is proud to partner with the Town of Ajax to deliver much-needed supportive housing in our community. This resource will help people receive the support they need to transition into permanent housing.” – John Henry, Regional Chair and Chief Executive Officer, Region of Durham

 Quick Facts

  • Mayor Collier advanced this project using the Strong Mayor tool. Ajax Council unanimously supported the required zoning by-law amendments at the March 23, 2026 Council meeting.
  • The project is being led by the Region of Durham. Support was ratified at the March 25, 2026 Regional Council meeting.
  • Supportive housing is long‑term, permanent housing paired with wraparound supports, such as healthcare connections, life skills training, counselling and case management and is tailored to residents’ needs. Supportive housing is different from a homeless shelter or transitional housing; it provides supports and a safe space for a variety of people including seniors or adults with physical or cognitive disabilities.
  • Downtown Ajax is identified as a Priority Neighbourhood, which are areas designated by the Durham Region Health Department that require focus to build on health and well-being due to various factors including, a greater incidence of female lone parent families, a greater percentage of seniors who live alone, a higher percentage of the population spending more than 30% of their income on shelter costs, a higher percentage of low-income households and unemployment and a higher incidence of homelessness.
  • There are more than 13,000 applicants on the Durham Access to Social Housing (DASH) Waitlist.
  • The work is subject to receiving federal capital funding under Build Canada Homes (BCH).
  • Build Canada Homes was launched by the federal government on September 12, 2025 as a new agency created to accelerate the construction of affordable housing at scale. BCH is responsible for deploying federal capital grant funding for transitional, supportive, community and affordable housing projects.
  • The Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF) is intended to support initiatives that increase housing supply faster, remove barriers to development, and leverage partnerships with other orders of government. The funds are required to be spent on the Town’s initiatives as approved by CMHC, and infrastructure or capital projects that support or enable housing. The Town’s approved initiatives must be completed by March 2027, and all funds must be expended by December 2027.

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