Ajax General Government Committee Meeting

Ajax's General Government Committee reviewed the town's 2025 audited financial statements, advanced property acquisition steps for the Rossland Road widening project, discussed a new video surveillance and privacy policy, and received updates on recreation services, the digital recreation guide, and the Rotary Park Pavilion feasibility study. The committee also considered the Harwood Avenue widening project, including a stormwater design change and traffic concerns tied to planned median restrictions.

Topics Discussed

1. 2025 FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND AUDIT

The committee received a presentation from Steve Stewart, Partner, Audit and Assurance, Deloitte LLP, on the municipality's 2025 financial statements and audit. Members also discussed tax arrears and the town's collection process.

Councillor Marilyn Crawford asked staff to explain how long overdue taxes can remain outstanding before stronger enforcement steps begin. Staff said the town works with residents and businesses for up to three years on unpaid taxes before registering a lien, followed by one additional year to pay in full before moving to tax sale. Crawford said, "we do try to collect and work with residents and businesses who are behind on their taxes for up to three years," before the property is registered and can proceed toward tax sale if payment is not made within the following year.

Staff said some properties now in the process could reach tax sale in 2026, with others potentially following in 2027.

2. ROSSLAND ROAD WIDENING PROPERTY ACQUISITION AND EXPROPRIATION

Director Cooper presented report CSD-2026-15 on property acquisitions required for phases four and five of the Rossland Road widening project. Staff said negotiated purchase remains the preferred approach, but asked committee to begin expropriation authority as a safeguard for the construction timeline.

Mayor Shaun Collier said, "it's necessary for us to essentially commence the expropriation process, to be treated essentially as like a backstop to ensure that the project timeline isn't significantly compromised by the property acquisitions."

Staff told committee the project is in detailed design and that the first construction phase is targeted for mid-2027. Councillor Nancy Henry also clarified that the south side is planned as a multi-use route rather than a standard sidewalk, saying it is a "multi-purpose pathway."

Staff said permanent easements will also be needed and that solutions are being developed for affected septic systems.

3. VIDEO SURVEILLANCE AND PRIVACY POLICY

Committee discussed file PSA-2026-14, a video surveillance and privacy policy covering municipal camera use and footage retention.

Councillor Marilyn Crawford asked, "our footage is kept 30 to 90 days. Is it fair to assume that there's physical and cloud storage for our footage?" Staff said the town has 139 internal cameras and 118 external cameras and confirmed the retention period ranges from 30 to 90 days.

Staff also said footage is not routinely watched live. As staff explained, "We are not proactively monitoring and surveilling the video unless requested through DRPS or through an incident that we may have to look into from staff request."

Committee members discussed cameras in Ajax Plaza and along Commercial Avenue, as well as code blue emergency phones at Rotary Park Pavilion and Town Hall. Staff said the Rotary Park unit received about 41 calls between June 3, 2025 and May 2026, and that roughly 70 per cent were accidental activations. Staff added that in one incident the phone "probably saved a woman's life."

4. HARWOOD AVENUE WIDENING AND STORMWATER DESIGN CHANGE

The committee discussed the Harwood Avenue widening project and a change to its stormwater management design. Staff said a previously planned stormwater pipe within the road right of way was found to be infeasible during detailed design because of utility conflicts, and that a retrofit of the Root Crescent pond was identified as the alternative.

Councillor Marilyn Crawford sharply questioned how the issue had been missed earlier, asking, "storm water pond? How on earth did we miss a pond in an EA study?"

Councillor Nancy Henry also raised concerns about traffic impacts from a planned median that would restrict left turns into nearby destinations. She said, "we're going to be putting a median down the road and it's going to be preventing some left turns going into the mosque into the Montessori school into the church," and asked what the plan would be if traffic is redirected onto nearby streets such as Woodcock, where residents are already reporting speeding.

In a second comment, Henry said, "now we're looking at limiting left turns. And I'm wondering how we're going to get hundreds of vehicles into that mosque area without folks going up and making illegal U-turns at the Grand View intersection, which is dangerous."

Staff said the stormwater work must be completed before road construction begins.

5. RECREATION, ROTARY PARK, AND DIGITAL GUIDE UPDATES

The committee received an information report on the Rotary Park Pavilion feasibility study, file OES-2026-16. Staff said the report does not commit the town to construction or detailed design at this stage. Councillor Henry summarized that understanding by asking, "we're asking for nothing here. The staff is asking for nothing of us but then to purely just accept that in the future we're looking at doing something here at Rotary Park. Is that correct?"

Members discussed washrooms, accessibility, parking, and the possibility of future public consultation if the project advances.

The committee also received updates on recreation services. Active Living Supervisor Kevin Smith said, "We're not just running fitness centers. We're building a culture of active living that reaches residents at every age, every fitness level, and every season of the year." He added, "From July 2nd through September 6th, residents aged 13 to 17 years get free access to our fitness centers. This is the third year offering the program with 152 teens activating a membership in 2024."

On the town's new digital recreation guide, Louise Sulier said it was created to replace the printed guide discontinued in 2020 while still giving residents something easy to browse. Staff highlighted that the digital guide is intended to replace the printed version and provide current program information online.

Motions

• Item 4.4 — Withdrawn; to be presented to council on June 22.
• OES-2026-15 / Item 4.12 — Passed.
• Item 4.5 (refrigerated outdoor tanks) — Passed.
• Item 4.11 (Harwood widening project report) — Passed.
• OES-2026-16 (Rotary Park Pavilion Feasibility Study) — Received for information.
• OES-2026-12 / RFT DPC2640 (supply and delivery of grounds maintenance equipment) — Approved.
• Affordable housing letter of intent with Ashley Manor Housing Corporation — Approved.

Mayor Shaun Collier's motion directed "the mayor and clerk to execute a non-binding letter of intent with Ashley Manor Housing Corporation to advance an affordable housing development on a portion of town owned lands as outlined in attachment one." The approval also included direction for staff to report back with a conditional agreement of purchase and sale before any land conveyance, and for the mayor to write to the board stating the town's position that any development should be for senior housing.

Attendees

The supplied notes do not include a complete attendance list.

Councillors and members specifically referenced in the discussion were: - Mayor Shaun Collier - Councillor Nancy Henry - Councillor Lisa Bower - Councillor Marilyn Crawford - Councillor Rob Tyler-Morin - Councillor Sterling Lee

Staff and presenters specifically referenced were: - Director Cooper - Director Meredith - Steve Stewart, Partner, Audit and Assurance, Deloitte LLP - Kevin Smith, Active Living Supervisor - Louise Sulier, Manager of Customer Service Administration - Paul Roberts - AJ Gajgeria