The Ontario government has appointed the heads of council for eight upper-tier municipalities, handing them enhanced governance powers as part of the province’s ongoing push to accelerate housing construction and infrastructure development.
On Tuesday, the Ford government announced appointments for regional chair positions in Durham, Halton, Niagara, Peel, Waterloo and York regions, as well as Muskoka and Simcoe County.
The appointments come as the province expands so-called “strong mayor” powers beyond municipalities led by elected mayors, giving the appointed regional chairs greater authority over budgets, staffing and certain municipal decision-making processes.
Appointed regional chairs
Among the most prominent appointments is Steven Del Duca, the current mayor of Vaughan and former leader of the Ontario Liberal Party, who will serve as York Region chair. Del Duca previously represented Vaughan at Queen’s Park from 2012 to 2018 and served as minister of transportation and minister of economic development and growth.
In Peel Region, the province re-appointed Nando Iannicca, who has served as regional chair since 2018 following three decades as a Mississauga and Peel councillor.
Kevin Ashe, mayor of Pickering since 2022, was appointed chair of Durham Region. Before becoming mayor, Ashe spent nearly two decades serving as a city and regional councillor and was also a trustee with the Durham Catholic District School Board (DCDSB).