Property owners in Ajax, Ontario, can now see exactly how their local tax dollars are split up, as the town has released the detailed breakdown of its 2026 operating budget. The largest slice goes to Corporate costs at 26 percent, followed closely by Operations and Environmental Services at 25 percent, and Fire and Emergency Services at 23 percent, according to the town’s property tax services page.
The breakdown continues with Recreation and Culture getting 16 percent, the Library at 8 percent, and Planning and Development receiving 2 percent. These percentages apply only to the 33 cents of every tax dollar that stays with the Town of Ajax. The remaining 56 cents goes to Durham Region for services like police and transit, while 11 cents is sent to the Province of Ontario for education.
For the average homeowner, the total tax bill is going up about $262 this year, based on an assessed home value of $495,200. That is a combined increase of 3.96 percent when you add the town and regional portions together. Mayor Shaun Collier had originally floated a 4.9 percent hike for the town’s share, but council worked that down to an effective 1.28 percent increase, which works out to roughly $7.05 more per month on the municipal part of the bill.
To achieve that lower figure, Mayor Collier cut 44 projects from the capital budget and trimmed $961,000 from operating costs. Cuts included reducing the printing and delivery of council newsletters and dropping a new staff position in the planning department. The budget, which expects to raise about $107 million from property taxes, was adopted by council on December 22, 2025.
Durham Region approved its own budget on January 28, 2026, with a 4.8 percent increase on the regional share. For Ajax residents, that adds about $14 per month, with around $10 of that going to police services and $4 to other essential services. The final tax bills for 2026 were mailed in late May, with payments due in two instalments on June 26 and September 25.
