Simcoe County raises concerns over appointed chair, considers next steps

The County of Simcoe is set for a major governance shake-up with regional seats cut in half after the next election.

While council supports the provincial motion Bill 100, members of council are pushing back after learning a Warden will not be elected but appointed instead.

Provincial Bill 100 or the Better Regional Governance Act, 2026 was introduced by the Provincial Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing Rob Flack.

The bill would allow decisions to be made faster and align municipalities with provincial ones.

If passed, the bill would allow the provincial government to elect eight chairs in regions around the province and give them strong chair powers, like strong mayor powers.

Councillors in Simcoe County would like to see an elected chair - not an appointed one.

“I don’t like to use the word blindsided but that’s what we were with blindsided with,” said Essa Township Mayor Sandie MacDonald. “Giving strong mayor powers and we have seen red flags all throughout the province with this. And I’m afraid that it will diminish the voice of the municipal government with those powers.”

Simcoe County council gathered for the first time since the provincial government slashed the number of regional council seats with Bill 100, a hot topic of discussion.

Deputy Mayor of Severn Township Judith Cox said she feels members of council should be the ones who elect a chair to the council.

“We just feel that with our county being so large, that this is something where we should have a say,” said Cox. “We feel that someone who has lived here or lives here should be the one that is selected by our county council.”

Innisfil Mayor Lynn Dollin put forward a motion that the Warden write a letter to the province asking for the county to select its Chair.

“Our key message is help us help you,” said Dollin. “You want a successful Simcoe County? You want growth, you want to build homes? We can only do that with a Chair that knows Simcoe County, knows our member municipalities and can get along with us.

Throughout the debate, councillors emphasized the counties’ rich sectors including tourism, agriculture, industry and large urban centres and an elected official working collaboratively with the rest of council.

This is something County Warden Basil Clarke will make note of in his letter to the province if the motion is ratified.

“We’re very different and the need to recognize that and certainly understand the importance to the province that they can work with the Warden,” said Clarke. “But it’s equally as important that the local council feels comfortable with that Warden as well.”

Clarke said he plans to write the letter to the province immediately with hopes the motion to approve it will be ratified at the next county meeting on April 28 and then sent to Queen’s Park at the beginning of May.