By Sumayya
Scott Davey has been chosen as the brand-new head leader for the [Waterloo Regional Council]. The Ontario state government shared the news of his new job on Tuesday, November 10, 2026. Davey has acted as the representative for Kitchener’s Ward 1 since the year 2010 and won his fourth term as a city politician in the 2026 local elections. For the past 14 years, he also worked as the head boss for the Finance & Corporate Services Committee.
Redman Answers the News
Davey’s new job means [Karen Redman] is finishing her eight-year run as the Waterloo Regional head.
“It has been an honour and privilege to serve as chair of the Region of Waterloo for the past eight years,” Redman shared in a public note. She gave her deep thanks to the neighborhood for their trust, stated she was proud of what they did together during tough times, and sent her congratulations to Davey, wishing him great success. She concluded by stating that serving the public was truly the highest honor of her life.
Changing How Leaders Are Picked
Earlier this year, Premier [Doug Ford] declared massive updates to how these regional heads get their jobs. Instead of everyday voters picking them in regular elections, candidates now have to fill out job applications, and the state government chooses them directly.
These new regional leaders will also hold much greater power over their councils. The state introduced “Strong Chair Powers,” which allow a leader to pass official local laws with the backing of only one-third of the council members.
More State Choices Across Ontario
Waterloo Region stands as one of eight local areas operating with this two-level government system. The state government named the seven other regional leaders on Tuesday:
- Durham Region: Pickering Mayor [Kevin Ashe], who recently won reelection, will take over the top role.
- Halton Region: [Ann Mulvale] was named the new head leader. She currently directs the Clean Water Centre and Waterfront Regeneration Trust, and previously spent six terms working as Oakville’s mayor.
- Niagara Region: Welland Mayor [Frank Campion] will guide the council.
- York Region: The state picked Vaughan Mayor [Steven Del Duca]. He was a local MPP from 2012 to 2018, worked as the Minister of Transportation and Minister of Economic Development, and previously led the Ontario Liberal Party.
- Simcoe County: Orillia Mayor [Don McIsaac] takes over the top spot, which uses the title of warden.
- Muskoka: [Scott Aitchison] was selected as the head leader. He currently works as a national MP for Parry Sound-Muskoka, but the state explained he will step down from that federal job by the end of November to be officially sworn in on December 1, 2026.
- Peel Region: The Ford government picked only one returning leader—[Nando Iannicca]—who has held this top role since 2018.
Handling Two Jobs at Once
Four of these eight chosen leaders will have to perform double duty as both their town’s mayor and the regional head, while Davey must balance his time as both a Kitchener politician and the regional council leader.
The Waterloo Regional Council raised heavy worries about this exact issue back in August. Cambridge Politician [Doug Craig] stated that being a mayor is a non-stop, 24/7 job, and calling it possible for one person to successfully do both leadership roles is completely foolish. He put forward an official vote opposing the province’s setup, stating the state’s choice was an insult to local democracy because everyday citizens should be allowed to vote for their own leaders.
Fellow Cambridge representative [Pam Wolf] also shared her worries, noting that past regional meetings frequently run incredibly long, and some mayors have previously had to walk out early to attend their own separate city meetings. She explained that the extreme time demands of both jobs make it far too hard for a single person to work successfully in both roles.
While the Waterloo Regional Council voted unanimously to oppose the state’s takeover, the Ford government completely ignored their vote and moved ahead with its plan anyway.
