Nestled between the open green space of Greenwood Conservation Area and a jewel of a waterfront, Ajax has become one of the most vibrant and prosperous communities in the Durham Region.

The Town of Ajax is located on the northern shore of Lake Ontario, just 20 minutes east of the City of Toronto. Ajax is one of nine municipalities that make up the Region of Durham and one of 29 municipalities that comprise the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), a region of 5 million people. Ajax is also in close proximity to major Canadian and US markets. There are over 120 million customers who represent over one-third of the North American marketplace with a single day’s drive.

Ajax was incorporated as a Town in 1955, but long before that, several small settlements and farms were found in the area. In 1941, the largest defence industry in North America was located in this area to provide supplies for the Allies in World War II. The founding of Defence Industries Limited (DIL) was really the start of Ajax as we know it. As thousands of workers and their families settled in the immediate area, communities developed and a post office was needed, which meant the area needed a name. A competition among DIL employees resulted in the name Ajax being chosen, in honour of one of the three ships that in 1939 had engaged and routed the German battleship Graf Spee at the Battle of the River Plate near Uruguay.