Ajax

The 2025 snap election in Ajax presented a rematch of the 2022 contest's political dynamic, but with a different Liberal challenger taking on incumbent Progressive Conservative MPP Patrice Barnes. Premier Doug Ford called the February vote amid escalating trade tensions with the United States, framing the election around economic resilience. Barnes had won the seat in 2022 after longtime PC MPP Rod Phillips retired, and during her term she served as Second Deputy Chair of the Committee of the Whole House and as parliamentary assistant to the Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development. Her challenger, Rob Cerjanec, ran on a platform centred on health care, public education, and economic development.

Ajax continued its rapid suburban growth during the 2022-2025 term, with the community facing the pressures common to Durham Region's expanding municipalities. Barnes championed initiatives including the introduction of Black history learning in schools and advocated for local infrastructure upgrades during her time at Queen's Park.

Candidates

Robert Cerjanec (Liberal) — A business consultant and former senior leader at the Durham District School Board, where he oversaw strategic initiatives and external relations. Cerjanec holds an MBA from the Schulich School of Business and had been active in the Ajax community through his work helping parents navigate the education system.

Patrice Barnes (Progressive Conservative) — First elected in 2022 after nearly a decade as a trustee on the Durham District School Board, Barnes was appointed Second Deputy Chair of the Committee of the Whole House in August 2022 and served as parliamentary assistant to the Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development beginning in March 2024. She had also been a director on the Ontario Public School Boards' Association.

Arthur Augustine (NDP) — A mediator, professor, and businessman with a commitment to social development, justice, and peace. Augustine sought to represent the riding's progressive voters as an alternative to the two front-runners.

Minor candidates included Cory Feferman (Green Party), Chris Rees (New Blue Party), and Sarah Qureshi (Consensus Ontario).

Local Issues

Health care access remained a persistent concern for Ajax residents throughout the 2022-2025 term. The opening of Lakeridge Gardens, a 320-bed long-term care home adjacent to Ajax Pickering Hospital, had been a milestone in early 2022, and in 2024 the facility moved to open a specialized dementia care unit. However, residents continued to report difficulty finding family physicians, and emergency room wait times at area hospitals remained a common complaint. The broader shortage of health care workers across Durham Region underscored calls for stronger provincial investment in recruitment and retention.

Housing affordability and supply dominated the local conversation. In January 2024, Ajax secured nearly $22 million through the federal Housing Accelerator Fund to fast-track more than 580 housing units. The town achieved ninety percent of its 2023 housing pledge under the provincial housing targets, and the province awarded Ajax $4.1 million for housing-enabling infrastructure. Despite these investments, affordable rental units remained scarce, and the gap between incomes and home prices continued to widen for young families and newcomers.

Transportation infrastructure was a priority for the many Ajax commuters who travel into Toronto for work. Planning advanced on the Ajax GO Station Secondary Plan, which aimed to transform the employment lands surrounding the GO station into a mixed-use transit-oriented community. Residents called for more frequent GO service and improved local transit connections to reduce car dependency along the Highway 401 corridor.