Celebrating 70 Years of Ajax

Explore the story of how Ajax became the town it is today!

This timeline explores the history of the Town of Ajax, but that does not mean this land was not inhabited before 1955.

As the climate continued to warm, populations of Indigenous peoples began developing new technologies for hunting along the Lake Ontario shoreline, which varied substantially from where it exists today. A revolutionary new technology, the bow and arrow, was introduced about 2,000 years ago and radically changed hunting techniques. However, the populations of the time remained quite mobile with no evidence in the landscape of substantial structures or lengthy occupations.

This all changed around 700 C.E. with the introduction of Maize (corn) to the area and the development of horticulture as the predominant subsistence base. The continued availability of food gave rise to permanent villages and resulted in a tremendous population increase.

In the centuries that followed, small-scale warfare between various Indigenous nations and the depletion of resources along the Lake Ontario shoreline drove many communities northward towards Georgian Bay.

By the mid-to-late 1600s, Iroquois-speaking (Haudenosaunee) nations began establishing villages along the north shore of Lake Ontario and used this territory to hunt game and obtain furs for exclusive trade with European explorers.

However, by the end of the 1600s, Algonquin speaking (Anishinaabeg) nations began challenging for the dominance of the area and displaced their predecessors. As European settlement arose in the late 1700s, efforts were made by the British Crown to negotiate with Indigenous populations for control of a large tract of land on the northern shore of Lake Ontario stretching between Etobicoke Creek and the Trent River.

The Johnson-Butler Purchase of 1787–88 (also known as the “Gunshot Treaty”) was signed between the Mississaugas and representatives of the British Crown. It was also known as the "Gunshot Treaty" because it was said to have covered the land as far back from the lake as a person could hear a gunshot. Later, the Williams Treatises of 1923 followed when it was found that the earlier treaty was not legally valid.

In some areas, however, land was taken from Indigenous peoples without any formal negotiation or treaty. For example, the land west of Lake Scugog, traditionally used and occupied by the Mississaugas, was never included in treaty discussions. Despite the absence of a legal agreement, this land was allocated to non-Indigenous settlers, and the Mississauga people were neither consulted nor compensated. These unacknowledged surrenders contributed to the long-standing disputes that would later be addressed in the Williams Treaties.

In 1923, 135 years following the initial negotiations, the Williams Treaties were implemented to settle the various issues of unceded land, including those encompassing present day Ajax along on the northern shore of Lake Ontario.

Disputes about outstanding compensation continued until 2018 when the First Nations involved in the Williams Treaties and the Governments of Ontario and Canada came to a final agreement, settling litigation about land surrenders and related harvesting rights.

Although the Williams Treaties of 1923 were intended to resolve outstanding land issues, many injustices persisted. One significant example occurred in 1844, when the Mississaugas of Scugog Island, having been displaced by rising waters and settlement pressures, sought to return to their traditional territory. Despite the fact that vast areas of their land had already been taken or allocated to settlers, they were required to purchase a parcel of approximately 800 acres on Scugog Island using their own funds. This land became the foundation of what is now the Scugog Island First Nation reserve.

In 2020, the Town of Ajax worked in partnership with local Indigenous community members to develop the following Land acknowledgement: The Town of Ajax would like to acknowledge that the Land on which we gather is situated within the traditional and treaty territory of the Mississaugas of Scugog Island First Nation, signatories of the Gunshot Treaty of 1788 and the Williams Treaties of 1923. This Land is, and will continue to be, home to Indigenous Peoples. Let us recognize the lasting impacts of colonialism, honour the strength and knowledge of Indigenous communities, and commit to the ongoing process of truth and reconciliation.

This acknowledgement is grounded in accountability, and it represents the Town’s ongoing commitment to listening, learning, and taking meaningful steps in partnership with Indigenous Peoples toward reconciliation and justice. We remain committed to advancing reconciliation through sustained, meaningful relationships and collaborative efforts with Indigenous partners and community members. Our approach is holistic and rooted in respect, learning, and accountability.

To learn more about the Town’s ongoing initiatives and how we are standing in solidarity with Indigenous Peoples, please visit: https://www.ajax.ca/en/standing-in-solidarity-with-indigenous-peoples.aspx.

In addition, Prior to World War 2, what is now the Town of Ajax was part of Pickering Township. The area where the Town of Ajax now stands was once part of Pickering Township. Settled in the 18th century, by 1809 Pickering Township had a population of 180 people. In 1811, the first town meeting was held to choose officers.

Source: Origin & History, Scugog First Nation.

Please note: This timeline was created using content curated by Ajax Library Archive Services to ensure historical accuracy.