Ontario appoints eight new regional council chairs

Ontario has appointed eight new heads of council for upper-tier municipalities across the province, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing Rob Flack announced on November 10, 2026.

The appointees are Kevin Ashe as Durham Regional Chair, Ann Mulvale as Halton Regional Chair, Frank Campion as Niagara Regional Chair, Nando Iannicca as Peel Regional Chair, Scott Davey as Waterloo Regional Chair, Steven Del Duca as York Regional Chair, Scott Aitchison as Muskoka District Chair, and Don McIsaac as Simcoe County Chair.

The positions were posted on the Public Appointments Secretariat website on June 29, 2026, and interested candidates were able to apply until July 13, 2026. The Better Regional Governance Act, 2026, enables a consistent approach to Regional Chair appointments across the province, allowing the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing to appoint the heads of council for eight upper-tier municipalities.

"Ontario stands at an important juncture. As we navigate geopolitical challenges and create the conditions for growth, strong leadership at the regional level is more important than ever," said Rob Flack, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing. "These appointments reflect our confidence in local leaders who bring a deep understanding of their municipalities and a proven record of performance and public service. As Heads of Council, they will foster collaboration across municipalities, support responsible growth and ensure services are delivered efficiently, so that these communities remain great places to live, work and raise a family."

Heads of Council are equipped with powers to streamline decision-making, improve efficiency, strengthen alignment with provincial priorities, including housing and infrastructure, and introduce upper-tier budgets. They represent the collective interests of their lower-tier municipalities, advocate on behalf of the region with provincial and federal governments, lead during emergencies and provide leadership to Regional Council by chairing meetings and guiding policy discussions.

Compensation will be determined by municipalities. In cases where appointees are also a lower-tier mayor or councillor, their total compensation will be capped at the higher of the two salaries. Appointees who are also lower-tier mayors will hold one seat (as Chair) on regional council. The lower-tier municipality will appoint someone else to represent it on regional council. The mayor would continue to serve as mayor on the lower-tier council and fulfill the duties of both roles.

Scott Aitchison, who is currently the federal MP for Parry Sound-Muskoka, said at the end of September that he plans to step down from federal politics by the end of the year. Aitchison unsuccessfully ran for the leadership of the federal Conservative Party in 2022. The Ontario government says he will be sworn in as Muskoka District chair on Dec. 1.

Four of the chairs are sitting mayors. The province says they will not get a double salary, but will instead get whichever is the higher of the two salaries between the positions. The chairs of Peel, Durham, York and Halton all made salaries north of $225,000 in 2025, according to the Ontario public sector salary disclosure. Iannicca was the highest paid chair, earning 278,203.48, with more than $15,000 in taxable benefits. That compares to a salary of $269,567 the same year for Premier Doug Ford.

Opposition critics have said the move consolidates power at Queen’s Park.

Sources

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