Ontario passes Bill 100, shifting Durham regional chair from election to provincial appointment

Ontario’s provincial government passed Bill 100 — the Better Regional Governance Act, 2026 — on May 7, changing how the Regional Chair of the Regional Municipality of Durham is chosen from an election by residents to an appointment by the province.

For Durham residents, the change means voters would no longer select the regional chair at the ballot box, shifting the role to a provincial appointment instead.

The change was outlined in a statement issued by Durham Region on behalf of Regional Chair and Chief Executive Officer John Henry.

In the statement, Henry said the move removes “the public’s ability to elect the Regional Chair” and replaces it with “an appointment made by the Province.” He also said, “By removing the public’s ability to elect the Regional Chair and replacing it with an appointment made by the Province, a critical link between residents and regional leadership is broken.”

Henry said he was “deeply disappointed” by the decision.

“Democracy is strongest when leadership is earned through public trust, not granted by appointment,” Henry said.

The statement did not provide details on when the change would take effect or how the provincial appointment process would work.