The Ontario government has opened the application process for the next District of Muskoka Chair.
The process will mark the first time the District chair will be selected by the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing rather than by the upper-tier council.
It comes after the province introduced the Better Regional Governance Act on April 2.
The legislation gives the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing the authority to appoint upper-tier council chairs in eight fast-growing regions, including Muskoka, and grants those chairs “strong chair” powers to help deliver provincial priorities, including housing and infrastructure.
Provincial officials said the “strong chair” powers are intended to support more efficient and streamlined local decision-making, enabling municipalities to deliver faster results for residents and advance shared provincial-municipal priorities.
The new District Chair position is a full-time role running congruent to the next municipal council term (Nov. 15, 2026, to Nov. 14, 2030), or for a period determined by the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing.
Under this position, the chair is expected to act as the chief executive officer of the municipality and carry out legislative duties such as upholding and promoting municipal goals, and representing the municipality locally, nationally, and internationally, among other responsibilities.
In addition, the chair is expected to build partnerships across governments and sectors and work collaboratively with lower-tier municipalities to advance regional priorities, as well as ensure effective alignment between regional decision-making and shared provincial and regional priorities.
The application also states that all applicants must have prior elected political experience and a strong understanding of regional and provincial priorities, including those specific to the upper-tier municipality they are applying to.
The deadline for applying is July 13. For more information, click here.
