The Ontario government will be proposing the Better Regional Governance Act, 2026, which would implement substantial changes to governance structures in several upper-tier municipalities across the province.

If passed, the legislation would introduce provincially appointed regional chairs with strong executive powers; reduce the size of certain regional councils; and expand the use of weighted voting at the upper-tier level.

The proposed changes would have the most immediate structural impact on Simcoe County and Niagara Region.

Provincially Appointed Regional Chairs

The proposed legislation would allow the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing to directly appoint regional chairs in several upper-tier municipalities, including:

• Simcoe County
• District Municipality of Muskoka
• Regional Municipality of York
• Regional Municipality of Durham
• Regional Municipality of Peel
• Regional Municipality of Halton
• Regional Municipality of Waterloo
• Niagara Region

According to the province, this change is intended to improve alignment between regional decision-making and provincial priorities in areas such as housing delivery, infrastructure development, and fiscal management.

Introduction of “Strong Chair” Powers

Appointed regional chairs would receive enhanced executive powers, similar to the “strong mayor” powers previously introduced across many Ontario municipalities.

These powers would include the authority to:

• appoint or dismiss the municipality’s Chief Administrative Officer
• hire or remove division heads and determine the organizational structure
• create committees of council and appoint their chairs and vice-chairs
• appoint leadership of certain local boards
• propose the municipal budget and in-year budget amendments
• bring forward matters related to provincial priorities for council consideration
• direct staff in relation to the chair’s statutory responsibilities
• veto certain by-laws if they may interfere with provincial priorities
• introduce certain by-laws intended to advance provincial priorities

Council would retain the ability to override certain vetoes through the legislative framework that applies to strong mayor powers.

Council Composition Changes

The proposed legislation would significantly reduce the size of two regional councils.

1. Simcoe County

Council for Simcoe County would be reduced from 32 members to 17. The new council would consist of:

• the heads of council of the County’s 16 lower-tier municipalities, and
• the county warden appointed by the Minister.

This model aligns with a restructuring proposal previously considered within the County. After County Council endorsed the proposal to reduce the number of members in April 2025, lower-tier municipalities were asked to consent to County By-law 7119-25 in August 2025. The by-law proposed reducing County Council from 32 members (including the Warden) to 16 members, along with a full-time, appointed Warden. The lower-tier votes resulted in a tie and County Council resolved to have the Warden write a letter to the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing to intervene to allow By-law 7119-25 to be considered valid notwithstanding the triple majority process set out in Section 219 of the Municipal Act.

2. Niagara Region

Council for Niagara Region would be reduced from 32 members to 13. The new council would consist of:

• the heads of council of Niagara’s 12 lower-tier municipalities, and
• the regional chair appointed by the Minister.

The province has indicated that this change is intended to address concerns about duplication and inefficiencies associated with larger regional councils.

Weighted Voting

Because the restructured councils would be composed primarily of lower-tier heads of council, the legislation would enable the use of weighted voting systems.

Under a weighted voting structure:

• council members may hold different numbers of votes, and
• voting weight can be assigned based on factors such as population or number of electors.

Simcoe County already uses a weighted voting system.

For Niagara Region, the province has indicated it will work with local municipalities to develop an appropriate weighted voting framework prior to the next municipal term.

The legislation would also allow the Minister to establish weighted voting rules through regulation.

Timing and Implementation

If enacted, the proposed changes would take effect for the 2026–2030 municipal council term. Current regional councils and leadership would remain in place until the start of the new term.

Key Takeaways for Municipalities

Municipalities may wish to begin reviewing the potential governance implications of the proposed legislation. Key considerations include:

• the scope of expanded executive authority for appointed regional chairs
• how weighted voting frameworks may affect representation and decision-making
• the impact of smaller regional councils on governance dynamics and inter-municipal relationships
• the interaction between regional priorities and provincial priorities in light of a potential ‘strong chair’ who is appointed by the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing.

 If you have questions about how the proposed legislation may affect your municipality or regional governance structure, please contact a member of our municipal law group.