Ajax—Pickering

Ajax—Pickering is a federal riding in the eastern suburbs of the Greater Toronto Area, in Ontario’s Durham Region. The riding includes the town of Ajax in its entirety and the northern portion of the city of Pickering, stretching from the Lake Ontario shoreline northward through established subdivisions and newer residential developments.

Candidates

Chris Alexander (Conservative) — A former career diplomat, Alexander held a B.A. in History and Politics from McGill University and an M.A. in Politics, Philosophy and Economics from Balliol College, Oxford. He joined the Canadian foreign service in the early 1990s and was posted to the Canadian embassy in Moscow. From 2003 to 2005, he served as Canada’s ambassador to Afghanistan, becoming one of the youngest Canadians to hold an ambassadorial post. He subsequently served as the Deputy Special Representative of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan until 2009. Alexander was making his first run for elected office in 2011.

Mark Holland (Liberal) — The incumbent MP, Holland had represented Ajax—Pickering since first winning the seat in the 2004 election. Born in Pickering and a graduate of the University of Toronto in political science and history, Holland had served as a City of Pickering councillor and Durham Region councillor from 1997 to 2004, and briefly served as acting mayor of Pickering. In Parliament, he was known as an energetic performer in Question Period and had served as the Liberal critic for public safety.

Jim Koppens (NDP) — Koppens ran as the NDP candidate in Ajax—Pickering. Limited public biographical information was available about him heading into the 2011 campaign.

Mike Harilaid (Green Party) — Harilaid ran as the Green Party candidate in the riding.

Bob Kesic (United Party) — Kesic ran as a minor-party candidate.

About the Riding

Ajax—Pickering sits in the heart of Durham Region, one of the fastest-growing parts of the Greater Toronto Area. Ajax, originally developed as a wartime munitions community in the 1940s, transformed into a bustling suburban town with a population that grew from roughly 73,000 in 2001 to over 109,000 by 2011. Pickering’s northern sections are a mix of established residential neighbourhoods and newer subdivisions pushing into formerly agricultural land.

The riding’s proximity to Toronto makes it a major commuter corridor, served by Highway 401 and GO Transit rail and bus service. The Pickering Nuclear Generating Station, operated by Ontario Power Generation on the Lake Ontario shoreline, is one of the region’s largest employers, with approximately 3,000 workers. The nuclear plant produces roughly 14 percent of Ontario’s electricity and was a persistent local issue regarding safety and long-term operations.

The riding’s economy blends public-sector employment at the nuclear station and municipal offices with a growing retail and commercial sector along Kingston Road and Highway 2. Ajax’s waterfront has undergone redevelopment as a recreational and community amenity. The riding is one of the most ethnically diverse in Durham Region, with significant South Asian, Caribbean, and Filipino communities. Heading into 2011, local concerns included GO Transit service expansion, the future of the Pickering nuclear station, and managing the pressures of rapid suburban growth on infrastructure and services.