History of Ajax, Ontario

The town was first established in 1941 when a Defence Industries Limited shell plant was constructed and a townsite grew around the plant. People came from all over Canada to work at D.I.L. Ajax was chosen as the name of this war-born community After the War ended, the University of Toronto leased much of the D.I.L. plant to house the flood of newly discharged men from the Armed Forces who had enrolled as engineering students. On June 22, 1973, the Ontario Legislature enacted Bill 162 to amalgamate the Town of Ajax and the Village of Pickering and annex certain portions of the Township of Pickering to the Town of Ajax, as part of the creation of the new Durham Region.

Ajax's Demographics

As most suburban areas in the Greater Toronto Area, Ajax has grown considerably since the 1980's. What was once a small town has increasingly become a bedroom community to Toronto. Many residents commute to work in Toronto or other municipalities in Durham Region.

Ajax's Climate

Geography of Ajax, Ontario

Ajax is surrounded by Pickering to the north and west, to the east is the city of Whitby and the south, Lake Ontario.

Ajax's Government

Ajax is

In 1945 with the closing of D.I.L., there was no industry within the Town; but in 1949 Dowty Aerospace started operations in Ajax. By 1991 major employers included Volkswagen Canada, DuPont, Paintplas, Ajax Textile, AEG Bayly Engineering and many others. The early 1980`s brought development to the southern part of Ajax with large, upscale housing constructed along Lake Driveway. The late 1970`s and early 1980`s saw e high rise development alter the skyline of Ajax.