Regional council passes motion to prevent elected mayor from serving as chair
- 15 hours ago
- 3 min read
By Lee Griffi
Members of Waterloo regional council have unanimously approved a motion asking the province not to allow a mayor to serve simultaneously as regional chair.
Under legislation passed in May, the next regional chair will now be appointed by Ontario, with the first provincially appointed chair taking office Nov. 15 after the Oct. 26 municipal election. No date has been set for the announcement, but the person in the position will serve a four-year term.
The appointed chair will have considerably more power than the traditional elected chair. Ontario has given the position the province's “strong chair” powers, which largely mirror the strong-mayor powers already used in designated Ontario municipalities such as East Zorra-Tavistock.
There is nothing in the Better Regional Governance Act, 2026, which states an elected mayor who applied for regional chair couldn’t hold both positions.
“For me, the question is less about legal eligibility and more about ensuring clarity in governance and accountability,” said Wilmot Mayor Natasha Salonen. “Both mayor and regional chair are significant leadership roles, and there will inevitably be occasions where the priorities of an area municipality and the region do not perfectly align.”
Salonen said she supported Cambridge Coun. Doug Craig’s motion because she believes there is value in considering how those responsibilities would be managed and ensuring the regional chair can represent the interests of the region as a whole.
“That said, I do not believe good governance can only be achieved by separating the two roles. There are well-established municipal models elsewhere in Ontario, including county systems where wardens also continue to serve at the lower-tier level. Those structures demonstrate that overlapping roles can work when responsibilities, accountability and expectations are clear,” she said.
Ultimately, the legislation leaves the appointment decision in the province’s hands, which will determine who it believes is best positioned to serve as regional chair.
“There are examples of both elected and appointed roles functioning effectively within our system of government, and each model has its own strengths and considerations,” Salonen said.
“The province has decided to use an appointment process for this term, and my focus is less on debating the selection model and more on ensuring that whoever serves as regional chair can work effectively with council and serve the interests of Waterloo Region.”
The motion passed by regional council is not binding, but it is rather an advocacy motion expressing council’s position. It does not bind the province or change the authority provided to it under the legislation.
Salonen said whoever serves as regional chair, the most important detail is that they are capable, competent and focused on the work ahead.
“The region is at a point where we need greater clarity about our role, the services we are legislated to provide, what residents and ratepayers can reasonably be expected to fund and where there is overlap with other orders of government or local municipalities.”
She added the region needs to excel at the responsibilities that properly belong to it, while also allowing other jurisdictions and organizations to do the work that properly belongs to them.
“That kind of focus and discipline will be important for the next chair and the next regional council.”
Wilmot Township and other municipalities are responsible for local services such as roads, fire protection, parks, recreation and municipal facilities, while the Region of Waterloo is responsible for major regional services including policing, paramedics, public health, social services, housing, regional roads, waste management, transit and wastewater treatment.
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