Grow Ajax

Ajax should be where people work, build, shop and belong.

Jay's pledge

Business table within 100 days

I pledge to convene the One Ajax Business Growth & Retention Table within my first 100 days in office, as a standing commitment from day one.

Jay Hayles

What it covers

Ask businesses what would bring them to Ajax, then clear the way.

Funding: Existing economic-development capacity

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A recurring table of business owners, the Board of Trade, Durham Region and Town staff that finds barriers and removes them.

Why it works: Turns economic development into an active conversation that feeds the tax base target.
The concern: All talk, no outcomes. Trackable actions reported every quarter on the public dashboard.

For you

The table built to bring shops here and keep them open.

Next level

An annual Business Report Card on barriers removed and prospects landed.

A revitalization plan for our main streets, the waterfront and the Casino site.

Funding: Community Improvement Plan tools and grants

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A revitalization strategy for Harwood Plaza, Durham Centre, Pickering Village and the waterfront, and a plan for the Casino site.

Why it works: Residents asked for waterfront restaurants and stronger anchor tenants. This is the plan.
The concern: Stalling on funding. Built on Community Improvement Plan tools and government grants.

For you

A good night out, right here in Ajax.

Next level

Turn the Casino site into a signature gathering space or innovation hub.

A named contact and fast-track permits for small businesses, plus jobs for local youth.

Funding: Process redesign within existing departments

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A named contact and fast-track permits for small businesses, plus jobs, mentorship and co-ops for local youth.

Why it works: Permit delays are a top barrier, and solving them is often worth more than a grant.
The concern: Cutting corners. Faster sequencing and one contact, with every safety and code standard intact.

For you

Your paperwork keeps pace with your plans.

Next level

A one-stop Business Launch Day with every department in one room.

Every policy names how it would be paid for. Town staff set the exact cost, and Council approves every dollar before it is spent.