TOWN OF AJAX 2005 HOUSING REPORT

TOWN OF AJAX
2005 HOUSING REPORT
Ajax Planning and Development Services
January 2006
Table of Contents
Executive Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
1. Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
2. Policy Context . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
2.1 The Provincial Policy Statement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
2.1.1 Draft Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
2.2 Regional Municipality of Durham Official Plan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
2.3 Town of Ajax Official Plan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
3. Population and Households . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
3.1 Population Characteristics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
3.2 Age Structure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
3.3 Household Sizes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
3.4 Housing Units . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
3.5 Housing Tenure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
4. Residential Building Activity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
4.1 Residential Building Permit Activity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
4.2 Range and Mix . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
4.3 Accessory Apartments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
5. Housing Affordability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
5.1 Special Needs Housing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
5.1.1 Ajax Municipal Housing Corporation (AMHC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
5.1.2 Life Centre Non-Profit Housing Corporation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
5.1.3 Rent Supplement Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
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Town of Ajax
5.1.4 Group Home Registry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
5.1.5 Women's Shelter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
5.2 New Housing for Seniors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
5.3 Frazer Heights Co-op . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
5.4 Community Rental Housing Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
6. Rental Housing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
6.1 Vacancy Rates and Rent Level . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
7. Ownership Housing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
7.1 House Prices and Mortgage Rates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
7.2 New Housing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
7.3 Resale Housing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
8. Land Supply Assessment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
8.1 Draft Approved Lots . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
8.2 Proposed Plans of Subdivision . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
8.3 Registered Plans with Unbuilt Units . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
8.4 Designated Lands for which Development Applications have not yet been Received (Greenfield Sites) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
8.5 Short / Medium Term Potential Residential Intensification Sites . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
8.6 Total Residential Potential . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
9. Population Growth Forecast . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
10. Summary and Conclusions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
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Appendices
Appendix 1: Ajax Municipal Housing Corporation Housing Stock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Appendix 2: Top Ten New Home Sites in the GTA
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Appendix 3: Draft Approved Plans of Subdivision . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Appendix 4: Residential Draft Plans of Subdivision - Partially Registered Draft Plans
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Appendix 5: Proposed Plans of Subdivision . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Appendix 6: Registered Plans with Unbuilt Units as of June 30, 2005 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Appendix 7: Designated Residential Lands for which Development Applications have not yet been Received (Greenfield Sites) . . . . . . . 48
Appendix 8: Short/Medium Term Potential Residential Intensification Sites as of June 30, 2005 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Appendix 9: Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Maps
Map 1: Residential Draft Approved / Partially Registered Draft Plans
Map 2: Proposed Plans of Subdivision (Pending Applications)
Map 3: Registered Plans with Unbuilt Units
Map 4: Designated Lands for which Development Applications have not yet been Received (Greenfield Sites)
Map 5: Short/Medium Term Potential Residential Intensification Sites
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Town of Ajax
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
subsidized housing. Since there are more applicants than
available subsidized units, applicants may wait up to several
years for a unit.
This Housing Report provides an overview of the housing outlook
for the Town of Ajax and includes housing statistics as of June
30, 2005. The report has been prepared in accordance with
Section 2.3.2 of the Town of Ajax Official Plan, which requires the
preparation of a Housing Report to monitor the Town’s progress
in achieving its housing objectives.
The rental vacancy rate in Ajax/Pickering/Uxbridge has risen from
2.3% in 2003 to 4.0% in 2004. In general, across Canada’s 28
major centres, the increase can be attributed to two major factors:
weaker demand for rental housing and the increase in new
apartment units Historically low mortgage rates have opened the
doors to first time buyers as the gap between owning and renting
decreased.
According to Statistics Canada, 2001 Census, Ajax had a
population of 73,753. The population as of 2004 is estimated to
be over 85,000. The population statistics show that the Town
consists of families with young children and approximately 10% of
the population is 60 years and older. In the next 10 to 20 years,
the seniors or retiree population will double, which will have an
impact on the Town’s housing.
In terms of residential unit supply, as of June 30, 2005, there
were 14 applications for draft plans of subdivision that were draft
approved which provide a lot supply of some 2,591 dwelling units.
Of these, 38% are for single-detached dwellings, 10% for semidetached, 34% for townhouses, and 17% for apartments.
In 2004, Ajax issued the highest number of new residential
building permits in the Region of Durham. Ajax has exceeded its
projections for new residential units of 1,100 per year as of 2002.
As of June 2005, the number of new residential building permits
issued had already surpassed the projected rate of 1,100 per
year. The number of permits related to accessory apartments
has decreased since 2002 with 43 permits issued in 2003 and 34
issued in 2004.
There were nine draft approved plans of subdivision that were
partially registered with an additional 2,386 dwelling units were
proceeding toward registration. About 69% of the lots were for
single-detached dwellings, 16% for semi-detached dwellings,
13% for townhouses, and 1% for apartments.
A further nine applications for draft plans of subdivision were
under process but two of these applications have proposed
conversion of designated employment lands to residential and
have been appealed to the Ontario Municipal Board. Excluding
There are eight social housing projects in Ajax providing a total of
827 units. Of the 827 units, about 70% are geared towards
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Town of Ajax
the proposed conversions, a total of 1,118 potential residential
units are proposed in the pending draft plans of subdivision, of
which 70% are for single-detached, 7% are for semi-detached,
23% for townhouses, and none proposed for apartments.
It is estimated that about 160 hectares of greenfield land supply is
available to be developed for residential purposes, providing for
approximately 4,036 potential residential units.
Residential intensification and redevelopment are highly
encouraged to achieve efficiency of existing infrastructure and
housing production while minimizing the consumption of land.
Over 100 hundred sites have been identified for such
opportunities, providing a further 2,776 residential units.
Although the Town has exceeded its projected rate of new
residential units for the past few years through the current pace of
building permit issuances, it is anticipated that the rate of new
residential units will begin to decline. Based on the findings in
this report, there is a sufficient supply of residentially designated
lands within the Town’s urban area boundary to accommodate its
target population of 120,000 as provided by the Town of Ajax
Official Plan.
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Town of Ajax
1. INTRODUCTION
size and the density of development.
The Town of Ajax (“the Town”) is a diverse, vibrant, growing
community within the Regional Municipality of Durham (“the
Region”). Although the Town is the smallest in land area
amongst the Region’s eight area municipalities, its population is
similar to the Region’s other lakeshore municipalities such as the
City of Pickering.
This Report analyses the residential growth picture to 2021. The
Town is also engaged in a long-term Residential Land Needs
Analysis conducted by C.N. Watson & Associates Ltd. that will
consider the Town’s population and housing growth to 2031.
This longer term forecast corresponds with the forecast time
horizon identified in the Proposed Growth Plan for the Greater
Golden Horseshoe (November 2005).
The Region approved the Town of Ajax Official Plan on
November 1, 2000. The Official Plan outlines the policies,
guidelines, and regulations that will manage and control growth
and development in the Town to the year 2021. The Official Plan
is based on several fundamental principles that are reviewed on a
regular basis to ensure that the Town’s overall land use goals and
objectives are achieved.
To accommodate the Town’s future growth, the Town wants to
ensure that there is a sufficient residential land supply and a wide
range and mix of housing opportunities for existing and potential
future residents as well as those with special needs. This report
briefly outlines the various policies that affect the provision of
housing, the current housing situation in Ajax, and evaluates
whether the Town is meeting its housing objectives. In addition,
this Report provides a summary of residential activity in the Town
as of June 30, 2005 including:
•
the total number of new dwelling units built by type and
tenure;
•
residential building activity;
•
an inventory of the production of special needs housing;
•
rental housing supply;
Section 2.3.2. of the Ajax Official Plan mandates the preparation
of a Housing Report to provide an overview of the Town’s
progress in achieving its housing objectives and to ensure that an
adequate supply of land is designated within the Urban Area
Boundary.
The Town established an Urban Area Boundary to accommodate
a forecasted population of 120,000 residents by the year 2021.
The lands within the Urban Area Boundary are sufficient to
provide for employment and residential growth while maintaining
a permanent rural area. The forecasted population and Urban
Area Boundary are based on assumptions regarding household
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•
•
•
•
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a summary of the average housing prices and rents;
ownership housing;
inventory of land supply; and
our conclusions.
Town of Ajax
2. POLICY CONTEXT
<
maintaining at all times, the ability to accommodate
residential growth for a minimum of 10 years through
residential intensification and redevelopment and, if
necessary, lands which are designated and available
for residential development; and
<
maintaining at all times, where new development is to
occur, land with servicing capacity sufficient to provide
at least a three year supply of residential units through
lands zoned to facilitate residential intensification and
redevelopment, and land in draft approved and
registered plans.
2.1 The Provincial Policy Statement
As stipulated by Section 3(10) of the Planning Act, the Province is
required to review the Provincial Policy Statement (PPS) every
five years. A review began in 2001 and the new PPS came into
effect on March 1, 2005. The policies in the new PPS are aimed
at providing clear direction to improve the land use planning
system and to ensure provincial land use planning interests are
protected. The PPS consists of improved polices on key issues
that affect communities such as the efficient use and
management of land and infrastructure, protection of the
environment and resources, and encouraging opportunities for
employment and residential development, including support for a
mix of uses.
Since Ajax is a lower-tier municipality, the land and unit supply
shall be based on and reflect the allocation of population and
units by the upper-tier municipality being the Region of Durham.
The PPS also establishes policies for planning authorities to
provide a full range of housing types and densities to meet
projected requirements of current and future residents of the
regional market area by:
The PPS attempts to initiate several policies to build liveable,
healthy, and strong communities by focussing growth in urban
areas and promoting intensification, redevelopment and
brownfield development in built up areas within urban areas.
Alteration of the urban area boundary and development on prime
agricultural areas are highly discouraged.
The policies in the PPS require planning authorities to provide for
an appropriate range of housing types and densities required to
meet projected requirements of current and future residents of the
regional market area by:
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-
identifying minimum targets for the provision of housing
which is affordable to low and moderate income
households;
-
permitting and facilitating all forms of housing to meet
the social, health and well-being requirements of
residents including residential intensification and
redevelopment;
Town of Ajax
-
directing the development of new housing towards
locations where appropriate levels of infrastructure and
public service facilities are or will be available;
-
promoting densities for new housing which efficiently
use land, resources, infrastructure, and public service
facilities; and
-
establishing development standards for residential
intensification, redevelopment, and new residential
development which minimize the cost of housing and
facilitate compact form.
area municipalities to ensure a safe, convenient, improved quality
of life, and well-being of the present and future residents.
The Region’s goal for housing is to provide a wide variety of
residential dwelling types, sizes, and tenure to provide for the
social and economic needs of the present and future residents.
The Region’s policies on housing include the following:
•
the Region along with area municipalities will plan to
accommodate approximately 20% of new population
growth through intensification; and
•
the conversion of rental housing units to condominium
tenure is discouraged.
2.1.1 Draft Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe
To achieve the goal of housing intensification, the Region
supports opportunities to increase the housing supply as follows:
The Ministry of Public Infrastructure Renewal has prepared a
Draft Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe (November
2005) which includes a residential intensification target of 40% to
be phased in over a 10 year period. A minimum of 40% of all
residential development is required to occur within built-up areas
by 2015. Once the Growth Plan is finalized, municipalities
subject to a growth plan will be required to amend their official
plans accordingly.
-
the conversion of single detached dwellings into
multiple residential units;
-
the conversion of industrial or commercial buildings, or
portions thereof, into residential units on lands
designated to permit residential uses;
-
the creation of new residential units on vacant or
underdeveloped lands through infilling in Urban Areas;
and
2.2 Regional Municipality of Durham Official Plan
The Region’s Official Plan was approved by the Minister of
Municipal Affairs and Housing in November 1993. The Region’s
Official Plan provides policies to guide future development in the
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Town of Ajax
-
the creation of residential units above commercial uses,
with preference given to development located adjacent
to arterial roads and/or close proximity to transit routes.
The Region initiated a Regional Official Plan Review on April 5,
2000 and as of the date of this Report the said review is still
underway. The Region has provided draft population and
dwelling unit forecasts to analyse the capacity of the urban areas
to accommodate the anticipated residential growth. The
forecasts reflect the future growth potential for Durham but vary
from the forecasts presented in the Province’s Draft Growth Plan
for the Greater Golden Horseshoe (November 2005). The
forecasts may change depending on the directions of the final
Growth Plan.
2.3 Town of Ajax Official Plan
The Town of Ajax Official Plan recognizes the growth potential of
the Town and the importance to efficiently use the land within its
Urban Area Boundary. Housing objectives were developed to
ensure a balance between protecting what exists and
encouraging smart growth. The Town will ensure that Residential
areas are balanced, attractive, accessible, and safe. Housing
objectives outlined in the Official Plan include the following:
•
Maintain and enhance the character and identity of
existing residential areas;
•
Ensure that the necessary infrastructure, services,
community facilities, and utilities are available to serve
the needs of the local residents;
•
The achievement of a safe, functional, and attractive
urban environment through good urban design and
landscaping standards;
•
The establishment and maintenance of an adequate
supply of serviced land for residential land uses within
the existing Urban Area Boundary;
•
Encourage residential intensification and more intensive
uses and a compact urban form along arterial roads;
and
•
Support the Durham Region Non-Profit Housing
Corporation and the Ajax Municipal Housing
Corporation in providing assisted housing.
The Greenbelt Plan, which came into effect on February 28,
2005, outlines a series of policies and schedules identifying lands
that are protected from urban development. All of Ajax’s
designated Rural Areas are included in the Greenbelt. The
Town’s protected Rural Areas permit the continued functioning of
natural systems, maintain the rural pattern of large land holdings
and a landscape dominated by open fields and forests.
Ensure that residential areas permit a variety of
complementary and compatible land uses such as
special needs housing, community facilities, schools,
small-scale commercial centres and open spaces;
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Town of Ajax
3. POPULATION AND HOUSEHOLDS
Table 1: Durham Region and Area Municipalities’ Population Figures
1991
Population
% of
Region
2001
Population
% of
Region
% Population
Change
1991-2001
Durham
Region
409,044
100
506,901
100
23.9
Town of
Ajax
57,350
14
73,753
14.5
28.6
Township
of Brock
11,057
2.7
12,110
2.4
9.5
Town of
Clarington
49,479
12.1
69,834
13.8
41.1
City of
Oshawa
129,344
31.6
139,051
27.4
7.5
City of
Pickering
68,631
16.8
87,139
17.2
27
Township
of Scugog
17,810
4.4
20,173
4
13.3
Township
of Uxbridge
14,092
3.4
17,377
3.4
23.3
Town of
Whitby
61281
15
87,413
17.2
42.6
3.1 Population Characteristics
Population characteristics are a key indicator in forecasting
housing demand and examining population growth patterns and
distribution. They also inform whether changes are taking place
that may affect the Town’s housing needs.
According to Statistics Canada, the Town of Ajax has
experienced a steady rate of growth over the past 10 years. The
Town had a population of 73,753 in 2001, a 28.6% increase
(approximately 16,403 people) from the 1991 Census population.
Of the eight Durham municipalities, Ajax had the third largest
population increase from 1991 to 2001, after the Town of Whitby
and the Municipality of Clarington. In 2001, the Town of Ajax
accounted for 14.5% of the Region’s total population.
Source: Statistics Canada, 1991 and 2001 Census
3.2 Age Structure
Age structure is also another key indicator in understanding
population growth patterns and whether changes are taking place
that may affect the Town’s housing needs. The population
distribution for the Town of Ajax as shown in Figure 1 below
reveals that in 2001, the Town’s population had a large
2005 Housing Report
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Town of Ajax
population of families with young children. It also revealed that
households and families who are active in the housing market as
either “first-time” or “move-up” buyers. Over a third of the
population (estimated 36%) were between the ages of 30 and 49,
and the other third (estimated 32.8%) are children and teenagers.
Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation’s (CMHC) Market
Analysis reports that a dominant demographic group in Ontario
•
•
•
•
•
•
they will be primarily home owners with higher
incomes that are less likely to move;
many will own large homes and are less likely to
have a mortgage on that home;
they tend to have older children, with fewer of
these children still living at home;
they will be unlikely to purchase a resale and tend
to be less willing to rent part of the home;
most tend to be less willing to compromise on
special features or to pay more or buy a smaller
house; and
more tend to be accepting of a move to a different
home type or location as retirement approaches.
A secondary demographic group in Ontario is the 15 to 24 years
age range. Their key behavioural traits to housing choices tend to
be as follows:
•
•
•
Figure 1: Population Pyramid
Source: Statistics Canada, 2001 Census
•
continues to be the ‘baby boomers,’ which is also apparent in
Ajax. As this demographic group reaches the age range between
45-64, their key behavioural traits to housing choices are
projected to be:
2005 Housing Report
•
•
•
12/51
they are mostly renters or living at home;
they tend to believe their current home is too
small;
over half of this group expects to get married and
1/3 expects to have children;
price is their primary impediment to buying a new
home;
they are more likely to buy a resale home;
the majority tends to be willing to rent part of the
home; and
they tend to be more likely to compromise on
Town of Ajax
special features or buy a smaller home.
Table 2: Town of Ajax Age Distribution
Statistics Canada information reveals that approximately 10% of
the Town’s population is 60 years and over. About 10.1% of the
population is between the ages of 50 and 59, and over the next
10 years, this group will fall in the 60 to 69 age range,
representing about 20% of the senior or retiree population. Over
the next 10 to 20 years, the needs of this group are expected to
have a greater influence on new housing stock provided in Ajax.
Seniors tend to require different housing forms, transportation
needs, amenities, and community and health services as they
age. Some seniors may want to “downsize” and move to a
smaller home such as a bungalow or apartment to minimize the
number of stairs and to reduce the time and physical work spent
on house maintenance. Access to commercial facilities and
social services , and individual safety may also be motivating
factors in a senior’s choice of housing and location.
Age
Group
Males
Females
Total
% of Population
0-9
6,065
5,870
11,935
16.2%
10-19
6,295
5,960
12,255
16.6%
20-29
3,935
3,930
7,865
10.7%
30-39
6,180
7,125
13,305
18.0%
40-49
6,670
6,815
13,485
18.3%
50-59
3,815
3,660
7,475
10.1%
60-69
1,825
2,015
3,840
5.2%
70-79
1,040
1,550
2,590
3.5%
80+
355
630
985
1.3%
Totals
36,180
37,555
73,735
100%
Source: Statistics Canada, 2001 Census
In planning for the Town’s future housing stock, the needs of all
demographic groups including seniors need to be protected. It is
suggested that the Town develop policies that offer greater
protection to higher density sites in Ajax, in order for the Town to
provide suitable opportunities for an aging population. The
different behavioural traits of the age groups will have an impact
in the development of future housing types and sizes and it will be
important for the Town to monitor the changes.
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Town of Ajax
3.3 Household Sizes
3.4 Housing Units
Household size serves to inform forecasting for future housing
demand and supply. It informs the projected requirements for
total residential units and the size of dwellings (i.e., number of
bedrooms in a unit type). Household size, often expressed in
persons per unit or ppu, varies by residential density type.
Generally, high density development such as apartments will
have lower ppu and low density development such as singledetached dwellings will have higher ppu. Based on the 2001
Census, the Town of Ajax had an average number of persons per
household of about 3.3, which is above the national average of
3.0 and the Region’s average of 3.2, which speaks to a greater
number of parents with families.
The 2001 Census is the latest data estimating the housing units
in Ajax, which will be updated in 2006. Table 4 shows the
estimated housing units according to the 1996 and 2001 Census.
The table illustrates that single-detached houses represent the
majority (approximately 70%) of the total private dwellings in
Ajax. The 1996 Census shows that apartments represent about
18% of the total number of private dwellings and the 2001
Census shows the portion has decreased to 15%. The number of
semi-detached houses has slightly decreased while row houses
have increased. The tables illustrate the preponderance toward
single detached dwellings accommodating families, while the
provision of apartments has stagnated.
In 2003, C.N. Watson & Associated Ltd. prepared a
“Development Charge Background Study” which estimated
household sizes for new units, which are summarized in Table 3.
Table 3: Projected persons per unit factors for new units
Development Type
Persons Per
Unit
Low Density (i.e. single
detached, semi-detached)
3.65
Medium Denisty (i.e.
townhouses)
3.06
High Density (i.e.
condo/apartments)
1.78
Source: C.N. Watson & Associates Ltd. Development
Charge Background Study, June 27, 2003.
2005 Housing Report
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Town of Ajax
Table 4: Estimated Housing Units in Ajax, 1996 & 2001
2001
1996
Residential Unit
Type
Dwelling
Units
%
Persons Per
Unit (PPU)
Population
Residential Unit
Type
Dwelling
Units
Single & SemiDetached
14,915
73%
3.42
50,955
Single & SemiDetached
17,455
Townhouses
2,290
11%
3.03
6,935
Townhouses
Apartments
3,160
16%
1.99
6,285
Apartments
Other
10
0%
1.50
15
Other
15
0
Institutional
0
240
Institutional
0
228
Total
20,375
100%
3.16
Total
64,430
Source: Statistics Canada, 1996 & 2001 Census, dwelling by type and associated
population. Population figures exclude net Census undercount of approximately
4.0%.
Population
75%
3.41
59,520
2,620
11%
3.04
7,975
3,095
13%
1.95
6,030
23,185
100%
3.18
73,753
3.5 Housing Tenure
Note: Dwelling categories have been grouped from the following census dwelling type
categories:
- Single & Semi’s: Single detached, Semi-detached
- Townhouses: Row house, Apartment - Detached duplex
- Apartments: Apartments greater than 5 Storeys, Apartments less than 5 storeys
- Other: Other, Movable Dwellings
According to the 2001 Census, 19,555 of the 23,180 private
dwellings or 84% of all homes in the Town of Ajax are owner
occupied. Approximately 3,625 or 16% of private dwellings are
rented. With historically low mortgage rates, a higher percentage
of first time home buyers are active in the market. Government
initiatives such as the Ontario Home Owners Savings Plan and
the decrease in the minimum down payment to five percent have
assisted first time home buyers in the purchase of moderately
priced single detached homes.
Census figures are subject to rounding.
2005 Housing Report
Persons Per
Unit (PPU)
15/51
Town of Ajax
4. RESIDENTIAL BUILDING ACTIVITY
Background Study, a forecast for annual residential building
permit activity from 2003 to 2021 was developed. From 2003 to
2006, the estimate was 1,100 dwelling units per year, which was
forecasted to 840 dwelling units per year from 2007 to 2021. The
forecast was reduced to reflect the cyclical nature of the housing
market over the long-term.
The “pace of development” often refers to the rate by which
building permits are issued and to the rate by which land is
consumed by new development. For the purposes of this report,
land consumption will generally be assumed to occur at the date
of when a dwelling is occupied. Also, since projects vary by size,
development may occur in several phases once a plan is
registered.
4.1 Residential Building Permit Activity
In the Region of Durham, a total of 4,911 new residential dwelling
unit building permits were issued in 2004, a 21.2% decrease in
residential building permits issued in 2003. In 2004, half of the
permits issued in Durham Region were in Ajax and Whitby. Ajax
issued the most number of building permits accounting for 25.8%
while Whitby issued the second most number of permits. During
the previous four years, the Town of Whitby issued the most
number of permits, comprising 35% to 41% of the total permits
issued in Durham. Figure 2 illustrates the breakdown of
residential building permits issued for the Region in 2004.
The Town of Ajax has exceeded the above noted projections, but
the actual construction has been lower. Between 2001 and 2004,
approximately 86% of issued building permits have been
constructed as shown in Table 5. Since some permits are issued
in the latter part of the year, construction of the dwelling unit may
not start until the following year, thus the number of units
constructed is lower than the approved building permits.
Figure 2: New Residential Building Permit Activity
Source: Durham Region Planning Department, 2004
As a component of the above noted Development Charge
2005 Housing Report
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Town of Ajax
issued in 2004 as well as the residential unit forecast. The
residential building permits exceed 1,900 in 2005 and is projected
to continue in 2006 before it begins to decrease.
Table 5 - Approved Building Permits Vs. Actual Housing Units
Year
Residential
Permits Issued
Units
Constructed
Percentage of
Units Constructed
2001
795
734
92%
2002
1,113
979
88%
2003
1,367
848
62%
2004
1,226
1,297
106%
2001-2004 Avg.
1,125
965
86%
Source: Town of Ajax, Planning & Development Services, Building Permit
Summaries
The number of actual units constructed from 2001 to 2004 have
averaged 965. A total of 1,367 new residential building permits
were issued in 2003, an increase of 22.8% (or an increase of 254
building permits) from 2002. However, the number of permits
decreased by 10.3% from 2003 to 2004 but the total still
surpasses the dwelling unit forecast. The pace of building permit
issuances for the Town of Ajax over the past 17 years is
summarized in Figure 3. As shown in the graph, the issuance of
permits over the past 17 years has been cyclical.
According to Ajax’s Building Permit Summaries, as of the end of
June 2005, the Town had issued 1,264 new residential building
permits, which is more than double the number of permits the
same time in the previous year. As of the end of June 2004, 622
new residential building permits were issued. In 2005, the Town
has exceeded the total number of residential building permits
2005 Housing Report
Figure 3: Residential Building Permit Activity
Source: 1988-1990 Building Permits from Statistics Canada Building Residential
Permits for New Units. Catalogue 64-001-XIB
1991-2004 Building Permits from Town of Ajax, Planning & Development Services,
Building Permit Summaries
4.2 Range and Mix
The Region’s housing goal is to ensure diverse residential
dwelling types, sizes and tenure to satisfy the social and
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Town of Ajax
Table 6: New Residential Building Permits Issued by Dwelling Type
economic needs of present and future residents. Table 6 shows
a summary of new residential building permits issued by dwelling
type for the past five years from 2000 to 2004. Residential
building permits for detached dwelling types continue to fluctuate.
Prior to 2005, 2003 had the highest number of building permits
issued among all dwelling types with 1,367 permits issued.
Building permits for semi-detached dwellings has gradually
increased with the exception in 2002 when the number of permits
decreased. The number of permits for freehold townhouses has
steadily increased from 2000 to 2002; but decreased to 158
permits in 2003 and to 94 permits issued in 2004. There was a
significant decline in townhouse condo/row development from 69
units in 2002 to only one unit in 2003 but in 2004, the number has
again increased to 91.
Dwelling Type
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
Detached
757
506
788
1,116
937
Semi-Detached
20
31
20
92
104
Townhouse Freehold
53
143
160
158
94
Townhouse Condo/Row
22
68
69
1
91
Total
852
748
1,037
1,367
1,226
Source: Residential Building Permit Summaries, Town of Ajax, Planning &
Development Services, 2004
4.3 Accessory Apartments
The Town of Ajax Official Plan permits accessory apartments on
lands designated “Low Density Residential” within all single
detached and semi-detached dwellings, subject to certain criteria.
In 2004, the Town issued 20 permits for new basement
apartments within existing residential dwellings, which was an
increase of 54% from the previous year of 13 permits in 2003. As
of June 30, 2005, there were no permits issued for new basement
apartments.
In 2004, building permits issued for single detached dwellings
accounted for 76% of the total number of residential building
permits issued for new houses compared to 82% in 2003. Table
6 does not list building permits issued for apartment buildings
because there have been no new apartment buildings built in
Ajax since 1990.
In 2002, the Town issued the highest number of permits (61) to
retrofit existing basement apartments to the current Ontario Fire
Code Standards. Since 2002, the number of permits to retrofit
existing basement apartments has substantially decreased. In
2003, the Town issued 30 permits and in 2004, the number of
permits decreased by 53% to 14 permits issued. As of June 30,
2005 Housing Report
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Town of Ajax
2005, only six such permits were issued.
Table 7: Building Permits for Accessory Apartments
New basement
apartments
Alterations to existing
basement apartments
Total
2000
5
23
28
2001
11
40
51
2002
12
61
73
2003
13
30
43
2004
20
14
34
2005*
0
6
6
* As of the end of June 2005
Source: Town of Ajax, Planning & Development Services, Building
Permit Summaries
2005 Housing Report
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Town of Ajax
5. HOUSING AFFORDABILITY
monthly housing expenses (including mortgage principle,
interest and property tax but excluding insurance or
utilities expenses) do not exceed 30 percent of gross
monthly household income.
The Provincial Policy Statement requires the Region to set
minimum targets for the provision of housing which is affordable
to low and moderate income households. The Region’s Official
Plan still includes a requirement that at least 25% of all new
residential units be affordable within each municipality. However,
the affordability of housing has often been debated as to what is
actually ‘affordable.’ In many jurisdictions, the goal of affordable
rental housing is to encourage various types and tenure of
housing to provide choice that will meet the needs of current and
future residents.
According to the 2001 Census, there is a large portion of tenant
households in the Durham Region that spend 30% or more of
their household income on rent. Almost 42% of tenant
households in the Durham Region and 37% of tenant households
in the Town of Ajax are spending 30% or more of their household
income on rent. The Town of Ajax accounts for nine percent of
the Region's total tenant households that spend 30% or more of
their household income on rent.
In the Durham Region Affordable Housing Task Force Report
(2001), a definition for ‘affordable housing’ was proposed to be
included into a new affordable housing by-law. The Region
defines “affordable housing” as “housing which has a market
price or rent that would be affordable to households of low and
moderate income. Households of low and moderate income are
those households within the lowest 40 percent of the income
distribution (40 th percentile) for the Region of Durham.”
Affordable housing for low and moderate income households is
defined as follows:
When analysing the numbers for owner households, a smaller
percentage of households are spending 30% or more of
household income on their housing costs. There are
approximately 135,675 owner households in the Durham Region,
of which 24,050 (or 17.7%) of households are spending 30% or
more of their household income on monthly housing expenses,
such as on the mortgage and property tax. Almost 22% of owner
household population in the Town spend 30% or more of their
household income on housing costs. The Town accounts for
17.6% of the Region's total owner households that spend 30% or
more of their household income on housing.
(a) Affordable rental housing is housing where monthly
costs (excluding utilities) do not exceed 30 percent of
tenant gross monthly household income.
(b) Affordable ownership housing is housing where
2005 Housing Report
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Town of Ajax
assisted housing, group homes, hospices, shelters, nursing
homes, and senior housing. Special needs housing is permitted
within all residential land use designations and is required to
conform to the form and density provisions of the applicable
residential designation. When planning and designing for special
needs housing, such housing should be compatible with the
surrounding development.
Table 8: Town of Ajax and Durham Region Housing Affordability, 2001
Durham
Region
Town of
Ajax
# of Tenant Households
34,625
3,610
Tenant Households spending 30%
or more of household income
14,450
1,340
Tenant Households spending 30%
or more of household income, as a
percentage of total households
41.7%
37.1%
# of Owner Households
135,675
19,540
Owner households spending 30%
or more of household income
24,050
4,240
17.7%
21.7%
Owner households spending 30%
or more of household income, as a
percentage of total households
There are 47 social housing providers in the Durham Region with
a total of approximately 6,400 rental units ranging in size from
self-contained bachelor units to units with one to five bedrooms.
Social housing providers consist of municipal, non-profit, private
non-profit, and co-operative (co-op) housing. The Region is
funds social housing in the area of $30 million dollars.
Ajax has a total of eight social housing projects, which provide a
total of 827 units. 571 of those units (69%) are for Rent-Gearedto-Income (RGI), commonly known as subsidized housing. Since
there are more applicants than available subsidized units,
applicants are placed on a centralized waiting list. The Housing
Access Centre Co-operative Incorporated is responsible for the
centralized waiting list which consists of all applications for RGI
units in the Durham Region. Applicants are recommended to
select as many properties in Durham Region that offer RGI
assistance.
Source: Statistics Canada, 2001 Census
The above data indicates that more tenant households are
spending 30% or more of their income on rental costs than
households that own their own home. Although the Town
accounts for only nine percent of the Region's total tenant
households, the Town still has a substantial percentage of
households that spend 30% or more of their income on rental
costs.
5.1 Special Needs Housing
The Town's Official Plan identifies municipal priorities related to
the provision of special needs housing, which may include
2005 Housing Report
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Town of Ajax
applicants, 322 people within the Region were on the priority list
as of the end of June 2005. Just over half of the applicants on the
priority list selected at least one location in Ajax. The long waiting
periods are a result of the lack of available resources and
developers not wanting to build social housing.
Table 9: Ajax’s Social Housing Stock
Number
of Units
Number
of RGI
Units
Housing
Provider
Project Name
Address
AMHC
Post Hill
132 Kingston Road
101
AMHC
River Breeze
1 Richards Lane
100
AMHC
Westwood Manor
960 Westney Rd. S.
70
AMHC
Ashley Manor
40 Kitney Dr.
77
AMHC
Monarch Mews
40 Kitney Dr.
142
Life Centre
Non Profit
Duffin’s Creek
Landing
1 Marsh Lane
126
94
Local 183
Non Profit
Unity Village
120/130 Old Kingston
Rd.
82
57
DRLHC
Harwood Manor
655 Harwood Rd. S.
129
129
827
571
204
The waiting period for a full market rent unit (non RGI assisted
unit) varies depending on availability. At the end of 2003, there
were 607 households requesting a market rent unit. As of the
end of July 2004, the number decreased by 11% to 538
households applying for market rent units.
87
TOTAL
5.1.1 Ajax Municipal Housing Corporation (AMHC)
AMHC has a total portfolio of 490 units. The number of bedrooms
per unit range from one bedroom apartments to four bedroom
family town homes. The rents vary from $629 for a one-bedroom
to $1,103 for a 4-bedroom townhouse. A detailed table of unit
types and rents charged can be found in Appendix 1.
Source: Housing Development & Homelessness Issues, Durham Region
AMHC: Ajax Municipal Housing Corporation
By the end of 2004, there were a total of 4,188 applicants in the
Region who were on the centralized waiting list for subsidized
housing. About 47% or 1,966 of those applicants on the waiting
list selected at least one location in Ajax as one of their potential
locations. As of the end of June 2005, there were 4,386
applicants on the waiting list, of which 2,070 chose at least one
location in the Town. Applicants on the centralized waiting list
applying for a RGI unit can wait up to several years. Victims of
domestic violence are given first priority for RGI units and their
wait ranges from a few weeks to a few months. Of the 4,386
2005 Housing Report
The AMHC waiting list for market rent units can be on average
two years depending on availability. All RGI units in Ajax must be
filled through the Durham Region centralized waiting list. 56% of
AMHC units have RGI subsidies and half are considered deep
subsidies. A RGI subsidy is considered deep when the difference
between the rent and the tenant’s income is equal to or greater
than 50%. For example, if a RGI unit rents for $640 a month and
the tenant’s monthly income is $1280 or less, the RGI would be a
deep subsidy.
22/51
Town of Ajax
supplement unit, tenants need to apply to the Housing Access
Centre. DRLHC determines the amount of the rent the tenant will
pay, which is based on 30% of the tenant’s gross monthly
household income. DRLHC then pays the landlord the difference
between what the tenant can afford to pay and the rent charged
by the landlord. When a tenant moves out, they cannot take their
subsidy with them.
5.1.2 Life Centre Non-Profit Housing Corporation
Within Ajax, Duffin’s Creek Landing provides for private, nonprofit housing. The building, located at 1 Marsh Lane (northwest
corner of Rossland Road and Ravenscroft Road) consists of a
total of 126 apartment units and townhouses. Ninety-four of the
units are RGI units but all units are geared toward all household
types. The breakdown of the unit types and market rental
amounts are listed in the following table.
Currently, the DRLHC has a total of 1,276 rent supplement units
across the Durham Region. The units are mainly senior/bachelor
units in low or high-rise apartment buildings but there are also
family quadruplex, family townhomes, and family semi-detached
homes. Harwood Manor, located at 655 Harwood Avenue South,
is the only building in the Town with 129 rent supplement units
geared toward seniors.
Table 10: Duffin’s Creek Landing Market Rental Amounts
1 Bedroom
2 Bedroom
3 Bedroom
4 Bedroom
47
53
23
3
Apartments
$805
$917
n/a
n/a
Townhouses
n/a
$1,003
$1,110
$1,248
# of Units
5.1.4 Group Home Registry
Source: Life Centre Non-Profit Housing Corporation
During 2003, eleven group homes were registered; however, as
of July 2004, one group home had been closed. Each group
home has between two and eight residents and up to 50
residents can be accommodated within the various group homes.
5.1.3 Rent Supplement Program
The Durham Region Local Housing Corporation (DRLHC) offers
a Rent Supplement Program. This program provides affordable
rents for tenants who cannot afford the regular rent charged by a
landlord in privately held owned buildings. DRLHC does not own
nor manage the buildings. Agreements are made between
DRLHC and private landlords to have a certain number of units in
their building for low income tenants. To be selected for rent
2005 Housing Report
5.1.5 Women's Shelter
Herizon House, located at 990 Westney Road South, is a 25 bed
shelter that provides transitional housing, with counselling for
women with or without children who have recently left an abusive
23/51
Town of Ajax
relationship. Counselling assists residents to develop the skills
necessary to lead independent lives. The length of stay depends
on the needs of the woman and could vary from six to 18 months.
This is one of four facilities in the Region that will fulfil a very
important role in breaking the cycle of domestic violence.
social housing. Greenvilla - Henderson Place, located at 290 Old
Harwood Avenue, has been site plan approved and is under
construction. The proposed 48 units will consist of condos and
bungalow townhouses. The other application, Heritage Market
Square, located at the southwest corner of Kingston Road and
Salem Road, was approved for rezoning in June 2004. A site
plan should be submitted in the near future. Heritage Market
Square is proposing a mixed used development comprising a
four-storey retirement home with approximately 95-100
residential units with retail on the ground floor.
5.2 New Housing for Seniors
Some social housing providers have designated units for seniors
within their building. There are complexes with designated senior
and non-senior units. In Ajax, AMHC and DRLHC are the two
housing providers that have projects that are solely for seniors:
Westwood Manor, Ashley Manor, and Harwood Manor. There
are a total of 276 units in the three complexes, of which 58 are
subsidized units. Post Hill has 24 units set aside for seniors of
their 101 total units.
5.3 Frazer Heights Co-op
Frazer Heights Co-op is the only co-op housing in the Town and
is a Federal housing provider. Co-op housing is a legal
association formed for the purpose of providing homes to its
members on a continuing basis. A Board of Directors is formed
by the members and they contribute their time to the
management and day-to-day operations of the co-op. All
members of the co-op are entitled to have a voice in the co-op’s
operations and decisions are made by the majority of members.
The Provincial government provided funding through the
“Superbuild” program which has been instrumental in the
development of new senior citizens housing within Ajax. In 2001,
Central Park Lodges received planning and building approvals for
a new 110 bed nursing home at 1020 Westney Road North.
Construction for the nursing home was completed at the
beginning of 2003.
5.4 Community Rental Housing Program
On May 30, 2002, the Federal Government announced the
creation of a capital grants program to promote the development
of new affordable housing across Canada. The Province
identified the Durham Region as one of twelve “high need”
As of the end of June 2005, there were other applications being
processed to develop housing for seniors in the Town. These
proposals are being marketed for seniors and are not as senior
2005 Housing Report
24/51
Town of Ajax
communities and allocated five million dollars in federal funding to
the Region. The federal capital funds would contribute $25,000
per unit to be matched by other partners. The Provincial
government has committed $2,000 per unit and the remaining
$23,000 would come from other sources including regional and
municipal governments. The rent charged for the new units
cannot exceed average market rents.
However, units created under the Community Rental Housing
Program will continue to be unaffordable for many people on the
waiting list if additional program subsidies such as the rent
supplement are not available. The Provincial government has
agreed to a number of initiatives to target those most at risk of
losing their homes and has committed to increase the Province’s
financial role in the program. The Region has deferred its
participation in the Community Rental Housing Program until the
Provincial government has formalized its intentions. Staff will
continue to monitor the progress of the program and provide
updates as required.
2005 Housing Report
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Town of Ajax
6. RENTAL HOUSING
According to CMHC’s survey, the average rental apartment
vacancy rate in Canada’s 28 Census Metropolitan Areas (CMA)
rose to 2.7% in 2004 compared to 2.2% in 2003 and 1.7% in
2002. This is the third consecutive annual increase in the
vacancy rate. The Toronto CMA apartment vacancy rate hit an
all time high of 4.3%, compared to 3.8% in 2003 and 2.5% in
2002. To put this into perspective, for every 1000 private
apartment units, 43 units remained vacant in 2003.
6.1 Vacancy Rates and Rent Level
Rental vacancy rates are often used as a key indicator of rental
unit availability. Housing analysts consider that a vacancy rate of
between two and three percent is generally an acceptable
balance between the supply and demand of rental units.
The vacancy rate in Pickering/Ajax/Uxbridge as shown in Table
10 rose 74% from 2.3% in 2003 to 4.0% in 2004. There was
about an 11% rise in the average rent for an apartment from $966
in 2002 to $1,072 in 2003. However, in 2004, the average rent
actually decreased by 4% to $1,028. The high vacancy rates
have limited a landlord’s ability to increase the price of rent. The
assisted housing (subsidized housing) vacancy rate jumped
200% from the previous year from 0.3 to 0.9 in 2003. As of 2004,
CMHC’s new policies do not permit them to release assisted
housing data.
CMHC conducts an annual survey on the national rental market1.
The results of the survey are included in the CMHC Rental
Market Report issued every October. Data and statistics for the
Town of Ajax are included in Toronto’s CMA 2 and not included in
Oshawa’s CMA 3. Toronto’s CMA data is subdivided into 31
different zones. Ajax is categorized in a zone that includes data
from Pickering and Uxbridge, thus the statistics reflect Ajax,
Pickering and Uxbridge, and not Ajax alone.
The rise in the Toronto CMA’s vacancy rate is a result of two
major factors: weaker net rental demand and the increase in the
number of new apartment units. Low mortgage rates opened
doors for first time buyers as the gap between owning and renting
decreased. The rise in the vacancy rate can also be attributed to
condominium completions allowing buyers to move out of their
existing rental suites and into their new units. Condo completions
have also contributed to rising vacancy rates because condos
1
CMHC conducts the survey to determine the number of
vacancies and the rents charged in private structures. The survey is
conducted during the first two weeks of October and the results reflect the
market conditions of that time.
2
Toronto CMA includes the City of Toronto, Oakville, Milton, Halton
Hills, Brampton, Caledon, Orangeville, Mississauga, York Region, New
Tecumseth, Bradford-West Gwillimbury, Pickering, Ajax, and Uxbridge.
3
Oshawa CMA includes the Town of Whitby, City of Oshawa, and
the Town of Clarington.
2005 Housing Report
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Town of Ajax
supplement the rental market. Condos are purchased by
investors who in turn rent them out.
The results of CMHC’s survey also reveal that although the “416"
areas had the highest level of vacancy rates, the “905" areas
such as Brampton and Mississauga had the highest increases in
vacancy rates.
There are other factors that have contributed to the net rental
demand such as immigration and youth job growth. However,
both were weak throughout 2003. According to CMHC’s Annual
Rental Market Report, Toronto CMA’s immigration level between
January and September 2003 declined by 20% as a result of the
SARS scare and other geopolitical concerns. The impact of
SARS and other geopolitical concerns have eased in 2004
resulting in a positive immigration flow. The other factor is that
more young adults are choosing to stay at home or bypass the
rental market by purchasing condominiums that are affordable at
low interest rates, since renting a large apartment or townhouse
was comparable to the costs affiliated with home ownership.
Rent increases for the Toronto CMA have been relatively flat over
the past two years, unable to match the general rate of inflation.
Instead of decreasing rents, landlords are using non-price
incentives such as free parking, free appliances or
renovations/upgrades to suites in an attempt to attract tenants.
Oshawa’s apartment vacancy rate increased from 2.3% in 2002
to 2.9% in 2003. The Oshawa CMA received 78,400 newcomers
while an estimated 59,700 people moved out during the period
1996-2001. Of the 78,400 newcomers, 57% were from the
Toronto CMA. According to CMHC, 42% of all migrants to the
Oshawa CMA were between the ages of 25 and 44 during the
period 1997-2001; children up to the age of 17 made up the
second largest group. The Oshawa CMA is expected to maintain
high net migration levels as the Toronto CMA house prices
remain high and the Oshawa CMA market continues to be an
attractive option. Rental vacancy rates are summarized in Table
11.
2005 Housing Report
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Town of Ajax
Table 11: Vacancy Rates for Ajax/Pickering/Uxbridge
All Units
1 Bedroom
2 Bedroom
2002
2003
2004
2002
2003
2004
2002
2003
2004
Private
apartment
vacancy rates
1.5
2.3
4.0
2.9
**
0.6
1.9
2.9
5.8
Private
apartment
average rents
$966
$1,072
$1,028
$741
**
$754
$922
$1,078
$1,015
Assisted
housing
vacancy rates
0.3
0.9
N/A
0.3
0.6
N/A
0.8
1
N/A
Source: CMHC, Rental Market Report, October 2002, 2003 & 2004 Survey
** insufficient data
N/A: Data is no longer available according to CMHC’s new policies.
2005 Housing Report
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Town of Ajax
7. OWNERSHIP HOUSING
townhouses were built in 1989 which consisted of 55 townhouse
units.
7.1 House Prices and Mortgage Rates
According to CMHC's Market Analysis Centre, Canada's annual
housing starts in 2003 were at their highest level since 1988.4
Total housing starts were an estimated 217,800 in 2003,
approximately a 6.2% growth from 2002. These were the result of
low mortgage rates, growing employment and increasing incomes.
However, CMHC predicts that in general, the housing starts in
2004 should slow down with the balance between listings and
sales of the existing home market and climbing mortgage rates.
The Town encountered its highest single detached housing starts
in 2004 with 1,191 units and a 52.5% increase from the previous
year of 781 starts. As of June 2005, there were a total of 904
housing starts of which 661 were single detached housing units.
Over the past 10 years, single-detached housing starts
represented more than 50% of the total housing starts. The
exception was in 1993 where single-detached housing starts only
accounted for eight percent of the total housing starts.
Townhouses accounted for 24% and subsidized apartments
accounted for 68% of total housing starts. Since the construction
of 82 subsidized apartment units built in 1993, there have been no
subsidized housing built in the Town. Rental apartment buildings
have not been built over the past 15 years and the last rental
4
Figure 4: Single-detached & Total Housing Starts
Source: CMHC Housing Starts
Low mortgage rates can often have a significant influence for
first-time and move-up buyers to enter the new home market.
Move-up buyers are existing homeowners that move to larger or
more expensive homes. The consistently low mortgage rates
assist home buyers with the reduced monthly carrying cost of
the mortgage payments. In 2003, the mortgage rate was on
average 6.4% based on a five-year term.
CMHC, "2003 Starts Best Since 1988," January 9, 2004.
2005 Housing Report
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Town of Ajax
7.2 New Housing
(GTA) according to HOMES Magazine. The top ten new home
sites are based on the highest rates of sales. The two sites,
Nottingham and Meadows of Ajax, placed eighth and tenth
respectively 5 as shown in Appendix 2. The Town of Ajax is the
only municipality in the East Region that was represented in the
top ten list. The City of Brampton dominates the list with three of
its new home sites in the top ten list.
According to RealNet Canada Inc., 40 to 45% of all new homes
being built in the Regions of Durham, Halton, Peel and York are of
a multi-form unit (semi-detached, townhouse or apartments). With
the new PPS that is now in effect, the provincial government is
pushing for more intensive development.
7.3 Resale Housing
In general, the single-detached housing market has evolved over
the past two decades. Single-detached houses were built on 40 or
50 feet wide by 110 or 120 feet deep lots, but now they are being
built on wide-shallow lots that are generally 25% less than
previous lot areas.
The resale housing market for the Town of Ajax has been
strong, similar to the real estate housing boom that occurred in
the late 1980s. The average price of resale homes of all
dwelling types for the past seven years has gradually increased
on average by six percent. The Toronto Real Estate Board
Market Watch Report indicates that the average price has
increased by about 51% over the past seven years from $156,
961 in 1996 to $237,503 in 2003. The largest price increase
occurred in 2002 when the average price jumped from $203,631
in 2001 to $224,185.
According to CMHC data, new housing prices are only reported for
single detached dwellings. In 2003, the average price of a new
single detached house in Ajax was $318,540, a 6.3% increase
from 2002 but almost a 2% decrease in 2004 (see Table 12). The
largest increase during the 1996 to 2004 period occurred in 1998,
when the new house price increased from $250,207 in 1997 to
$283,359 in 1998. These increases were then followed by price
drops, when the new house price dropped to $266,042 in 1999. A
sample of prices was acquired from new home builders in the
Town as of June 30, 2005 and provided in Table 12. The range of
prices vary from builder to builder.
Despite the increase in average price, the number of sales
decreased during the period of 1998 to 2000. From 2001 and
onward, the number of sales has increased with a slight
decrease in 2004. From the 1996 to 2004 period, 2002 had the
In 2003, the Town of Ajax had two of their new home sites on the
Top Ten List of New Home Sites in the Greater Toronto Area
5
HOMES Magazine, “Red-Hot Pace of Sales Continues in GTA,”
May 2004.
2005 Housing Report
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Town of Ajax
most number of listed houses for sale and the following year, the
number of listed houses dropped by almost half to 2,175. Table
13 shows the average resale price for single family dwellings,
which include detached, semi-detached, townhouses, and
apartments.
Table 12: Sample Housing Prices in Ajax (Prices as of June 30, 2005)
Builder
Townhouse
Size*
Price
Ballymore Homes
(Shoal Point Landing)
1,311
Conservatory Group
(Carruther’s Creek
Village)
1,360
Great Gulf Homes
(Wyndam Manor)
1,360
Semi-detached
Price
$221,900
2,513
$344,900
$209,900
2,400
$314,900
1,670
Price
Single-detached
40'/41' lots
Size*
$222,990
Size*
Table 13: New and Resale Home Average Prices in Ajax
$244,990
John Boddy Homes
(Eagle Glen)
1,850
$269,990
2,630
$362,990
Medallion Developments
(Castlefields)
1,515
$249,990
2,601
$343,990
Monarch
(Lexington County)
1,389
$229,990
Tribute Communites
(the Hamlet)
1,650
$245,990
2,517
$351,990
Source: Builder’s Sales Trailers in Town of Ajax
Size* - square feet
2005 Housing Report
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New Homes *
Resale Homes **
Average
Price
%
Change
Listed
Sales
Average
Price
%
Change
1996
$226,993
-
3,087
1,231
$156,961
-
1997
$250,207
10.2
3,015
1,244
$165,384
5.4
1998
$283,359
13.2
2,985
1,150
$173,930
5.2
1999
$266,042
-6.1
2,887
1,150
$182,076
4.7
2000
$299,897
12.7
3,469
1,137
$194,313
6.7
2001
$293,174
-2.2
4,101
1,321
$203,631
4.8
2002
$299,731
2.2
4,477
1,398
$224,185
10.1
2003
$318,540
6.3
2,175
1,500
$237,503
5.9
2004
$311,697
-2.1
2,382
1,481
$255,740
7.7
2005***
$311,152
-0.2
1,566
787
$267,668
4.7
Source: New Homes data - Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation
Resale Homes data - Toronto Real Estate Board, Market Watch Rerports, 1996-2004
* Applies only to new single detached dwellings
** Applies to single family dwellings (includes detached, semi-detached, townhouses,
and apartments)
*** As of the end of June 2005
Town of Ajax
8. LAND SUPPLY ASSESSMENT
5). The following table displays the subdivision/condominium
activity that had occurred to June 30, 2005.
As previously mentioned, the PPS, the Durham Regional Official
Plan and the Ajax Official Plan provide policies and objectives on
the adequacy of the supply of residential lands and/or units within
the regional market area.
8.1 Draft Approved Lots
There were 14 draft approved applications. Appendix 3 outlines
the supply of draft approved residential lots that were entirely
draft approved. Approximately 38% of the 2,591 draft approved
lots were for single-detached dwellings, 34% were for
townhouses, 17% were for apartments, and 10% were for semidetached dwellings. About a third of the draft approved
residential lots are located in development area 4 (between
Rossland Road and Taunton Road and between Ravenscroft
Road and Audley Road). Another third is located in development
area 2, and almost a third is located in development area 1 in the
Downtown Central Area.
A detailed analysis of available and potential residential lots/units
has been undertaken to assess the current housing and
residential land supply within the Town. The statistics will then be
evaluated with the Town’s population targets to determine the
adequacy of the
available residential land
supply.
Figure 5 is a map that
illustrates the
development areas
within the Town that
have been identified to
assess the breakdown of
land supply. Although
not identified on the
map, development area
6 is the rural area (lands
within the Town
boundary but outside
Figure 5: Development Areas within the Town
development areas 1 to of Ajax.
2005 Housing Report
For the purposes of this Report, the status of plans of subdivision
have been further subdivided to indicate plans that have been
partially registered (Appendix 4). Generally, partially registered
draft plans (where development is occurring in phases) provide
an indication of where development activity is presently occurring.
The Town has nine applications that are partially registered and
they are all located in development area 4. There are
approximately 2,386 lots/units remaining to be registered within
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Town of Ajax
Table 14: Total Draft Approved Lots
the area. About 69% of the lots are allotted for single-detached
dwellings while 16% are for semi-detached dwellings, 13% for
townhouses, and only 1% are allotted for apartments.
Location
Single
Semi
Town
Apt.
Total
Draft Approved Residential Subdivisions
There are approximately 4,977 draft approved lots (including
partially registered lots) within the Town of Ajax as shown in
Table 14 (Map 1). As indicated in the previous Housing Report,
2002, development area 4 represents the primary area of
residential growth within Ajax. Similar to the last housing report,
development area 4 represents 65% (or 3,252 lots of the 4,977)
of the Town’s draft approved residential lot supply.
1. Built up area s.
of 401
0
0
304
400
704
2. New dev. area
s. of 401
349
148
378
0
875
3. Built-up areas n.
of 401
27
22
91
0
140
4. New dev. areas
n. of 401
607
92
117
50
866
5. Future urban
dev. areas
0
0
0
0
0
6. Rural
6
0
0
0
0
Subtotal
989
262
890
450
2,591
Draft Approved Lots within Partially Registered Draft Plans
1. Built up area s.
of 401
0
0
0
0
0
2. New dev. area
s. of 401
0
0
0
0
0
3. Built-up areas n.
of 401
0
0
0
0
0
4. New dev. areas
n. of 401
1,654
393
308
31
2,386
0
0
0
0
0
Subtotal
1,654
393
308
31
2,386
TOTAL
2,643
655
1,198
481
4,977
5. Future urban
dev. areas
2005 Housing Report
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Town of Ajax
Table 15: Residential Development Activity Summary
8.2 Proposed Plans of Subdivision
The Town has received nine residential draft plans of subdivision,
which, as of the date of this report, are yet to be draft approved.
Two of the nine applications are proposing to convert designated
employment lands to residential and have been appealed to the
Ontario Municipal Board (OMB) and are not listed under
Appendix 5.
Table 15 shows that there are a total of 1,118 potential residential
lots/units within the Town. Table 15 (also Appendix 5, Map 2)
does not include areas either under appeal or deferred in the Ajax
Official Plan. About 63% of the proposed plans of subdivision are
proposed for the southeast corner of Taunton Road East and
Salem Road. The majority of the lots are proposed for single
detached dwellings and none are proposed for apartments.
Single
Semi
Townhouse
Apt.
Total
Proposed Plans
of Subdivision
787
78
253
0
1,118
Draft Approved
Plans
989
262
890
450
2,591
Partially
Registered Plans
1,654
393
308
31
2,386
TOTAL
3,430
733
1,451
481
6,095
Source: Town of Ajax, Planning & Development Services, as of June 30, 2005
Table 15 also summarizes the residential development activity in
Ajax as of June 30, 2005. There is a potential for 6,095
residential lots/units, of which 56% of the lots are allotted for
single detached, 12% for townhouses, 24% for townhouses, and
8% for apartments (Figure 6).
Figure 6 - Unit Distribution within Residential
Development Activity
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Town of Ajax
8.3 Registered Plans with Unbuilt Units
in mind that the numbers are estimates based on projections and
the number of units projected for a dwelling type may change
when the application is submitted.
A listing of the registered plans with unbuilt units to the end of
June 2005 are included in Appendix 6 and shown on Map 3. Of
all the plans registered to the end of June 30, 2005, 26 registered
plans have unbuilt units. Of the 26 registered plans, 3,653 units
have been registered and 1,768 building permits have been
issued. The 1,768 issued permits are based on the final interior
inspection, that is, once the final interior inspection is completed,
people can move into the unit. The 1,885 units that have not
been issued a permit as of the end of June 2005, remain to be
built or are at various stages prior to the final inspection.
8.5 Short / Medium Term Potential Residential Intensification
Sites
According to the Provincial Policy Statement, Intensification is
defined as “the development of a property, site or area at a higher
density than currently exists through:
8.4 Designated Lands for which Development Applications
have not yet been Received (Greenfield Sites)
An inventory of the designated residential lands for which
development applications have not yet been received (potential
residential greenfield sites) was conducted in early 2003 in
conjunction with the Development Charges Report. Since the
last inventory, some of the potential residential land supply is at
the development stage. The inventory was updated as of the end
of June 2005 and is included in Appendix 7. Map 4 shows a map
identifying the potential greenfield residential sites.
redevelopment, including the reuse of brownfield sites;
b)
the development of vacant and/or underutilised lots within
previously developed areas;
c)
infill development; and
d)
the expansion or conversion of existing buildings.”
The Town’s Official Plan states that the Town’s overall target will
be to accommodate approximately 20% of all new population
growth through intensification. The Town supports intensification
in areas where there will be no significant impact on existing
infrastructure and the municipal transportation system; adequate
parking is available; it will be compatible with the existing
surrounding neighbourhood; and community and neighbourhood
amenities are available.
It is estimated that approximately 160 hectares of greenfield land
supply is available to be developed for residential, providing an
estimated 4,036 potential residential units. It is important to keep
2005 Housing Report
a)
In April 2005, Town Council approved the Downtown Community
Improvement Plan (CIP) which encourages and supports the
35/51
Town of Ajax
(re)development of lands within the downtown area. The goals of
the CIP are consistent with and build upon the goals of the Ajax
Official Plan. One of the goals of the Town with respect to the
Downtown CIP is to increase the provision of diverse housing
opportunities. Through the CIP, the Town is able to offer financial
assistance such as exemptions of Planning and Development
fees (e.g. Official Plan Amendments, rezoning) or exemptions
from all or part of the Town’s portion of development charges for
eligible commercial, office and residential development. With the
assistance of the CIP, the downtown area has great potential for
residential redevelopment and to become a more attractive and
vibrant Downtown.
this report.
Potential short/medium term intensification opportunities include
the following areas but are not limited to the following:
-
Harwood Avenue intersection;
-
vacant and underused sites within the Downtown;
-
along Kingston Road, and along other arterial
roads; and
-
large lot severance potential in areas such as
Pickering Beach.
Appendix 8 identifies the sites, area, zoning and the number of
potential units that could be accommodated on the site and Map 5
shows a map of the potential residential intensification sites
throughout the Town.
Although the Town’s Downtown Area is where a large portion of
residential intensification is anticipated to occur, vacant lands do
exist within the Medium and High Density Residential
designations throughout the Town. Another contributor to
intensification will be through the creation of accessory
apartments in existing dwellings. Other potential residential
intensification may include boarding houses, garden suites, and
infill housing.
8.6 Total Residential Potential
Given the data and projections in this report, there is a potential for
about 14,792 residential units within existing pending, draft
approved and partially registered plans, registered but unbuilt
units, on greenfield sites, and on potential intensification sites. A
summary of the total residential potential is shown in Table 16.
Over a hundred sites are identified as potential short/medium
term (within 10-15 years) intensification sites providing about
2,776 potential residential units. These intensification sites are
defined as sites located within the Town’s built-up urban area as
of June 30, 2005. There are sites that are designated in the
Official Plan that can accommodate residential uses that may be
developed beyond the short/medium term but are not identified in
2005 Housing Report
vacant lands in the vicinity of the Bayly Street and
36/51
Town of Ajax
Table 16: Total Residential Potential
Total Potential
Residential Units
Draft Approved / Partially Registered /
Proposed Plans of Subdivision
6,095
Registered Plans with Unbuilt Units
1,885
Greenfield Sites
4,036
Short/Medium Term Potential Residential
Intensification Sites
2,776
Total
14,792
According to C.N. Watson and Associates Ltd. 2005 anlysis of
Ajax’s Residential Land Needs, an annual average of 826
housing units has been estimated over the 2005 to 2021 forecast
period. Based on this annual housing unit forecast, the identified
residential housing supply for the Town will be largely built out by
2021 with the exception of remaining infill sites. In general, the
trend is that a majority of the dwelling unit types will continue to
be low density; however, a greater percentage mix of medium
and high density units are forecast during the 2011 to 2021
period.
2005 Housing Report
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Town of Ajax
9.0 POPULATION GROWTH FORECAST
dwelling unit types from end 2005 to mid 2011 and accounting for
15% from end 2005 to mid 2021.
C.N. Watson & Associates Ltd. has provided a residential growth
forecast summary to 2021 based on the potential residential
supply figures in Table 16. Table 17 reveals the projected
population with and without the population undercount of 4.0%,
housing growth by dwelling type, and the persons per unit for the
end of 2005, mid 2011 and mid 2021.
Table 17 indicates that the Town of Ajax has sufficient land to
accommodate its urban population target in the Official Plan of
120,000. By 2021, Ajax’s land supply will be able to
accommodate over 123,000 (excluding net census undercount),
which is above the target population of 120,000.
As summarized in Table 18, Ajax will have a surplus of 73 net
hectares of residential land by 2021, based on estimated land
required to reach the Ajax Official Plan 2021 population forecast of
120,000. The assumptions for the units per net hectare (upnh) for
low, medium and high density unit types remain the same as the
density assumptions made in the 2002 Annual Housing Report: 25
upnh for low density, 35 upnh for medium density and 50 upnh for
high density.
By mid 2021, Ajax’s population is anticipated to be approximately
123,000 (excluding net census undercount) with an estimated
41,000 dwelling units. Low-density dwelling units remain to be
the majority of the dwelling types accounting for 71% of dwelling
types from end 2005 to mid 2011 and decline to 62% from end
2005 to mid 2021. It is projected that there will be more highdensity dwellings (i.e., apartments), accounting for 10% of
Table 17: Residential Growth Forecast Summary
2005 Housing Report
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Town of Ajax
Table 18: Residentially Designated Surplus Urban Land In Ajax by Mid 2021
2005 Housing Report
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Town of Ajax
10. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS
municipalities to develop strategies and programs to encourage
the not-for-profit and private sector to develop new affordable
rental housing.
The Town promotes residential areas that are safe and attractive
with the provision of diverse services and facilities including
recreational, educational and commercial. Intensification
initiatives, especially along arterial roads, continue to be examined
to enhance the Town’s residential supply. The former Verona Mall
site, which has been underused for several years, has been draft
approved for residential development consisting of 304
townhouses and 400 apartment units. However, no site plans
have yet been advanced for the apartment component. This
residential development contributes to the intensification
objectives as well as being one of two plans that includes the
construction of apartments. The Town has not seen the
construction of apartments since 1990.
Based on the findings in this report, there is an adequate supply
of residentially designated lands within the Town’s urban area
boundary to accommodate the projected population growth.
Ajax’s total land supply is estimated at 14,792 residential units
as of June 30, 2005. The Town currently has an estimated
2,591 draft approved residential lots, 2,386 residential lots
remaining to be registered, and another 1,118 proposed
residential lots of which a draft plan has not been submitted.
Approximately 1,885 residential units have been registered but
have not been built yet as of June 30, 2005. The greenfield sites
within the urban area boundary that have been designated for
residential development can accommodate an additional 4,036
residential units. The Town also has an inventory of
short/medium term potential residential intensification sites that
can provide an estimated 2,776 residential units.
As of the end of June 2005, the Town of Ajax has not adequately
met all of its housing objectives. The Town has not provided
sufficient seniors housing and affordable housing. About 37% of
tenant households and 22% of owner households are spending
30% or more of their household income on housing. There are
over 4,000 applicants in the Durham Region who are on a waiting
list for subsidized housing and may be waiting up to several years
for a subsidized unit.
The following summarizes some of the key trends that
characterized the housing market in Ajax during the past two
years.
Participation with the Region in the Community Rental Housing
Program has been postponed until further information regarding
new provincial program guidelines become available. The Town
continues to participate with the Region and other area
2005 Housing Report
40/51
•
A total of 1,226 new residential building permits were
issued in 2004, and as of June 30, 2005, a total of 1,264
new residential building permits were issued.
•
Single-detached dwellings continue to account for more
than half of new residential building permits that have
Town of Ajax
been issued.
•
several years for a subsidized unit. The lack of available
resources and developers not wanting to build social
housing remains a challenge.
The Town has a total of eight social housing projects
providing a total of 827 units; however, the waiting period
for a subsidized unit can be up to several years.
•
The apartment vacancy rate in Pickering/Ajax/Uxbridge
increased from 1.5% in 2002 to 2.3% in 2003.
•
The average rent for an apartment also increased from
$966 in 2002 to $1,072 in 2003.
•
As a result of historically low mortgage rates and the
decrease in minimum down payments to five percent,
there has been a higher percentage of first time home
buyers.
•
The average new house price for single detached
dwellings decreased by 1.8% from $318,540 in 2003 to
$311,697 in 2004. As of the end of June 2005, the
average price was $311,152.
•
The average resale house price increased by 7.7% from
$237,503 in 2003 to $255,740 in 2004. As of the end of
June 2005, the average price has increased to $267,668.
•
The Town has a considerable percentage of households
that spend 30% or more of household income on housing
costs.
•
There are over 4,000 applicants in the Durham Region on
the waiting list for a subsidized unit. As a result of the lack
of special needs housing, applicants may wait up to
2005 Housing Report
•
41/51
In the next 10 to 20 year period, the senior or retiree
population will account for 20% of the Town’s population,
which will have an impact on housing matters in the
Town.
Town of Ajax
APPENDIX 1
Ajax Municipal Housing Corporation Housing Stock
Units
2004 Rental Rate
2005 Rental Rate
Size
Ashley Manor Apartments for Seniors (built in 1984)
1 bedroom
49
$648 to $660
$707 to $721
472 sq.ft. - 534 sq. ft.
2 bedroom
28
$753 to $788
$823 to $860
704 sq.ft. - 924 sq.ft.
Monarch Mews Town Homes (built in 1984)
2 bedroom
35
$897
$970
915 sq.ft.
3 bedroom
91
$932 to $946
$1,008 to $1,023
1,081 sq.ft.
4 bedroom
16
$1,026
$1,110
1,251 sq.ft.
Riverbreeze Town Homes (built in 1989)
2 bedroom
40
$949
$992
904 sq. ft.
3 bedroom
51
$1,022
$1,068
1,087 sq.ft.
4 bedroom
9
$1,124
$1,175
1,281 sq.ft.
Westwood Manor Apartments for Seniors (built in 1991)
1 bedroom
57
$739
$784
600 sq. ft.
2 bedroom
13
$848
$900
775 sq. ft.
Post Hill Apartments for seniors/singles (built in 1992)
1 bedroom
101
$659 to $728
$696 to $769
518 sq.ft. - 696 sq.ft.
771 sq.ft. - 1,379 sq.ft.
Post Hill Apartments and Town Homes ( Families)
2 bedroom
37
$822 to $990
$867 to $1,045
3 bedroom
15
$970 to $1,057
$1,024 to $1,116
Total
490
1,114 sq.ft. - 1,294 sq.ft.
Source: Ajax Municipal Housing Corporation
2005 Housing Report
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Town of Ajax
APPENDIX 2
Top Ten New Home Sites in the GTA
Rank
Site
Builder
Location
Sales
1
Hawthorne Village
Mattam y Hom es
Milton
969
2
On Rouge Park
Mattam y Hom es
Scarborough
585
3
Mahogany
Paradise Hom es
Bram pton
430
4
Fletcher’s Meadow
Mattam y Hom es
Bram pton
404
5
Brookside on the Rouge
Yorkwood/Em ery/Cosm opolitan
Scarborough
388
6
Fletcher’s Meadow
Great Gulf Hom es
Bram pton
363
7
W ild Flower Village
Mattam y Hom es
Richm ond Hill
320
8
Nottingham
Tribute Communities
Ajax
278
9
Upper Glen Abbey
Mattam y Hom es
Oakville
264
10
M eadows of Ajax
Great Gulf Hom es
Ajax
241
Source: HOMES Magazine, 2003
2005 Housing Report
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Town of Ajax
APPENDIX 3
DRAFT APPROVED
TFile
Applicant
Single
Semi
Townhouse
Apartment
Total
Draft Approval Date
1. Built-up Areas S. of 401
0
0
304
400
704
-
S-A-2004-03
0
0
304
400
704
Sept. 3, 2004
349
148
378
0
875
-
Sundial Homes
2. New Dev. Areas S. of 401
18T-89107
Baycliffe Homes
0
24
95
0
119
Mar. 5, 1996
18T-94026
John Boddy (A3)
349
110
104
0
563
Nov. 16, 2001
S-A-2003-01
National Homes
0
14
88
0
102
July 21, 2004
18T-99013
Conservatory Triangle
0
0
91
0
91
Feb. 9, 2000
3. Built-up Areas N. of 401
27
22
91
0
140
-
18T-95041
Angus Valley Homes
27
0
55
0
82
Mar. 13, 1997
S-A-2003-09
1346179 Ontario Ltd.
0
22
36
0
58
Feb. 8, 2005
4. New Dev. Areas N. of 401
607
92
117
50
866
-
18T-94021
Cougs Inv.’s Ltd.
75
36
0
50
161
Mar. 4, 1999
18T-99017
Southcott Developments
29
0
0
0
29
Nov. 2, 2000
S-A-2001-02
John Boddy (Eagle Glen)
59
0
0
0
59
Feb. 20, 2002
S-A-2003-02
Medallion - Omelchuk
178
0
0
0
178
Sept. 7, 2004
S-A-2003-03
Guinness Place South
244
56
42
0
342
Sept. 24, 2003
S-A-2004-04
Monarch (Lexington Cty lll)
22
0
75
0
97
Feb. 16, 2005
5. Future Urban Dev. Areas
0
0
0
0
0
-
6. Rural Area
6
0
0
0
0
-
6
0
0
0
6
April 7, 1994
989
262
890
450
2,591
-
18T-89058
Rusonic
TOTAL
2005 Housing Report
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Town of Ajax
APPENDIX 4
RESIDENTIAL DRAFT PLANS OF SUBDIVISION - PARTIALLY REGISTERED DRAFT PLANS
TFile
Applicant
Single
Sem i
Tow nhouse
Apartment
Total
Remaining
Date Received
1. Built-up Areas S. of 401
0
0
0
0
0
-
2. New Dev. Areas S. of 401
0
0
0
0
0
-
3. Built-up Areas N. of 401
0
0
0
0
0
-
1,654
393
308
31
2,386
-
4. New Dev. Areas N. of 401
18T-94018
Tribute Homes / Nottingham
48
75
0
0
123
Dec. 5, 1994
18T-94019
Starstoke (Tribute)
291
0
0
0
291
Jan. 30, 1994
18T-95004
John Boddy (Eagle Glen)
282
84
44
0
410
Mar. 1, 1999
18T-95013
Great Gulf/Shvitz
45
24
34
0
103
Mar. 4, 1999
18T-98014
Medallion/Castlefields
346
22
203
0
571
Mar. 20, 2002
18T-98016
Tribute Homes/The Hamlet
422
6
61
46
535
Mar. 20, 2002
S-A-2002-02
Great Gulf/The Meadows
92
48
0
0
140
June 6, 2002
S-A-2002-04
Great Gulf (Wyndham Manor)
230
118
3
0
351
Sept. 24, 2003
S-A-2004-01
Great Gulf/Rose Petal IV
36
20
0
0
56
Jan. 21, 2004
0
0
0
0
0
-
1,654
393
308
31
2,386
-
5. Future Urban Dev. Areas
TOTAL
2005 Housing Report
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Town of Ajax
APPENDIX 5
PROPOSED PLANS OF SUBDIVISION
TFile
Single
Semi
Townhouse
Apartment
Total
Date Received
1. Built-up Areas S. Of 401
0
78
0
0
78
-
S-A-2005-02
0
78
0
0
78
April 19, 2005
2. New Dev. Areas S. of 401
7
0
101
0
108
-
18T-89113
Shoal Point Dev.’s Ltd.
7
0
58
0
65
Mar. 18, 2002
S-A-2004-02
Fairpark Homes Inc.
0
0
43
0
43
June 14, 2004
3. Built-up Areas N. of 401
172
0
30
0
202
-
S-A-2004-05
172
0
30
0
202
Nov. 10, 2004
4. New Dev. Areas N. of 401
581
0
122
0
703
-
S-A-2003-10
Menkes Ajax Holdings Ltd. (A)
545
0
122
0
667
Nov. 14, 2003
S-A-2005-03
Runnymede (Hedge Property)
36
0
0
0
36
April 27, 2005
5. Future Urban Dev. Areas
0
0
0
0
0
-
6. Rural Area
27
0
0
0
27
-
Cougs Inv. Ltd.
27
0
0
0
27
-
TOTAL
787
78
253
0
1,118
-
18T-90024
Applicant
Runnymede/Burcher Road (Lord
Durham School Site)
Runnymede/Tribute (Chambers
Drive)
(A) Under Appeal
2005 Housing Report
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Town of Ajax
APPENDIX 6
2005 Housing Report
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Town of Ajax
APPENDIX 7
2005 Housing Report
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Town of Ajax
APPENDIX 8
2005 Housing Report
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Town of Ajax
APPENDIX 8 Continued
2005 Housing Report
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Town of Ajax
APPENDIX 9
GLOSSARY
Absorption
Refers to newly completed units which have been sold or leased.
O ntario Home Owners Savings Plan (O HO SP)
The number of absorptions is obtained from a survey initiated when
The Provincial government offers this program to benefit people
the structure is completed. Units sold or leased prior to construction
saving for a first home to deposit money in a OHOSP account and
are not considered as absorbed until the completion stage.
receive a credit against their Ontario personal income tax.
Completion
Rent-Geared-to-Incom e (RG I)
For single-detached and semi detached dwellings implies that 90% or
Common in subsidized housing, where the amount of rent to be paid
more of the structure has been completed. A structure may be
by the tenant(s) is based on the amount of income earned by the
considered to be complete and ready for occupancy only when
tenant(s), often as a percentage of the tenant’s income.
seasonal deficiencies and/or minor infractions to building code
remain.
Social Housing (also known as not for profit housing)
Owned and managed by municipal government or community
Row and apartments: implies that 90% or more of the dwelling units
organizations and provides affordable housing mostly for people
within a structure are complete and read for occupancy.
whose income, age, social needs or health needs prevent them from
finding adequate housing in the private rental market.
Freehold
With freehold, you own the plot of land and any structure on that land
Starts
such as a house or townhouse. You are normally responsible for the
Refers to units where construction has advanced to a stage where
care and upkeep of the entire house, including the exterior walls and
full (100%) footings are in place. For multiple dwellings (semi-
roof, as well as the lawn, garden, driveway and garage.
detached, row housing and apartments), the definition applies to the
structure or block of row units rather than to the project as a whole.
With a freehold condominium, the common property elements might
include access roads to the units, recreational facilities, visitor
Vacancy
parking area or a park with a playground. These items may be the
A unit is vacant if, at the time of the survey, it is physically
responsibility of the condominium corporation. All unit owners pay a
unoccupied and available for immediate rental.
monthly condominium fee toward their upkeep.
2005 Housing Report
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Town of Ajax