Office of the Regional Chair

Roles and responsibilities

In Ontario, the Municipal Act sets out the responsibilities of the Regional Chair. The Regional Chair is both the head of council and the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Region.

The Regional Chair is responsible for:

Leadership and Council duties: Provides leadership, information and recommendations to the Durham Regional Council members, and chairs Council meetings.
Committee involvement: Serves as a member of all Regional Committees and as CEO of the Durham Region Transit Commission.
Board Chair: Chairs the Board for Durham OneNet Inc., the Region's Municipal Services Corporation responsible for creating the Regional Broadband Network.
Legislative role: Introduces motions and votes on items during committee meetings.
Promotion and representation: Promotes Durham Region locally, nationally and internationally, and acts as the primary speaker on public issues.
Public engagement: Fosters public interest and involvement in the Region's activities.
Well-being initiatives: Participates in activities that enhance the economic, social and environmental well-being of the Region and its residents.
Privacy and Emergency Management: Acts as the head under the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (MFIPPA) and declares emergencies under the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act.

Current and Past Durham Region Proclamations

2026

Throughout the year, Durham Region receives proclamation requests from the community. The 2026 list will be updated as requests are confirmed. If you have a date you would like recognized, please submit a proclamation request.

Proclamation	Date
Hospice Awareness Day	January 29
National 211 Day	February 11
International Women's Day	March 8
Neurodiversity Celebration Week	March 16 to 20
Transit Worker Appreciation Day	March 18
World Down Syndrome Day	March 21
Dig Safe Month	April
National Organ and Tissue Donation Awareness Week	April 19 to 25
Smile Cookie Week	April 27 to May 3
Polish Heritage Month	May
Community Living Month	May
Cystic Fibrosis Awareness Month	May
Asian Heritage Month	May
Emergency Preparedness Week	May 3 to 9
Red Dress Day	May 5
McHappy Day	May 6
National Public Works Week	May 17 to 23
Haitian Flag Day	May 18
National Awareness Week	May 31 to June 6
Italian Heritage Month	June
Filipino Heritage Month	June
Seniors Month	June
Pride Month	June
BGC Club Day	June 5
World Elder Abuse Awareness Day	June 15
Ontario Lacrosse Festival Week	July 29 to August 9
Reggae Month	August

2025

Throughout the year, Durham Region receives proclamation requests from the community. The 2025 list will be updated as requests are confirmed. If you have a date you would like recognized, please submit a proclamation request.

Proclamation	Date
Hospice Awareness Day	January 29
Reggae Month	February
National 211 Day	February 11
Dominican Republic Independence Day	February 27
Black Health and Wellness Day	March 1
Neurodiversity Celebration Week	March 17 to 23
Transit Operator and Worker Appreciation Day	March 18
World Behaviour Analysis Day	March 20
Dig Safe Month	April
World Autism Day	April 2
International Roma Day	April 8
National Public Safety Telecommunicator Week	April 13 to 20
National Organ and Tissue Donation Awareness Week	April 20 to 26
National Day of Mourning	April 28
National Speech-Language-Hearing Month	May
Cystic Fibrosis Awareness Month	May
Community Living Month	May
National Public Works Week	May 18 to 24
Victorian Order of Nurses (VON) Week	May 18 to 24
National AccessAbility Week	May 26 to 31
Italian Heritage Month	June
Portuguese Heritage Month	June
CDKL5 Awareness Month	June
National Deafblind Awareness Month	June
Seniors Month	June
Pride Month	June
Filipino Heritage Month	June
BGC Club Day	June 6
World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD)	June 15
Sickle Cell Awareness Day	June 19
Emancipation Day	August 1
India Independence Day	August 15
Hunger Action Month	September
National Day for Truth and Reconciliation	September 30
Islamic History Month	October
ADHD Awareness Month	October
Hispanic Heritage Month	October
National Disability Employment Awareness Month	October
Circular Economy Month	October
Pink Shirt Day (CIBC Run for the Cure)	October 3
Local Government Week	October 19 to 25
Child Care Worker and Early Childhood Educator Appreciation Day	October 21
World Polio Day	October 24
World Stroke Day	October 29
Royal Canadian Legion Poppy Campaign	October 31 to November 11
Louis Riel Day	November 16
Do It In Durham Entrepreneurship Week	November 17 to 21
Transgender Day of Remembrance	November 20
Shop in Durham Week	November 23 to 29
International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women	November 25
World AIDS Day	December 1
Giving Tuesday	December 2
International Day of Persons with Disabilities	December 3

2024

Throughout the year, Durham Region receives proclamation requests from the community. The 2024 list will be updated as requests are confirmed. If you have a date you would like recognized, please submit a proclamation request.

2024 Proclamations


Proclamation	Date
Durham World Religion Day	January 20
Hospice Awareness Day	January 29
Dominican Republic Independence Day	February 27
Black Mental Health Week	March 4 to 8
International Women's Day	March 8
Transit Operator and Worker Appreciation Day	March 18
Neurodiversity Celebration Week	March 18 to 24
World Behaviour Analysis Day	March 20
International Transgender Day of Visibility	March 31
Dig Safe Month	April
National Organ and Tissue Donor Awareness Week	April 21 to 27
National Day of Mourning	April 28
Community Living Month	May
Cystic Fibrosis Awareness Month	May
Children’s Mental Health Week	May 6 to 12
Day of Remembrance and Action Against Anti-Asian Racism	May 10
National Public Works Week	May 19 to 25
Victorian Order of Nurses (VON) Week	May 19 to 25
Paramedic Services Week	May 19 to 25
National AccessAbility Week	May 26 to June 1
Pride Month	June
Seniors Month	June
Italian Heritage Month	June
Filipino Heritage Month	June
Cyclin-Dependent Kinase-Like 5 (CDKL5) Awareness Month	June
BGC Durham Club Day	June 7
Emancipation Day	August 1
Hunger Action Month	September
Prostate Cancer Awareness Month	September
Journée Franco-Ontarienne / Franco-Ontarian Day	September 25
Canadian Islamic History Month	October
Circular Economy Month	October
Seniors for Climate Day	October 1
World Homeless Day	October 10
Waste Reduction Week	October 21 to 27
World Polio Day	October 24
Child Care Worker and Early Childhood Educator Appreciation Day	October 24
World Stroke Day	October 29
Do It In Durham Entrepreneurship Week	November 18 to 22
International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women	November 25
Shop in Durham Week	December 1 to 7
Giving Tuesday	December 3
International Day of Persons with Disabilities	December 3

2023

Throughout the year, Durham Region receives proclamation requests from the community. The 2023 list will be updated as requests are confirmed. If you have a date you would like recognized, please submit a proclamation request.

2023 Proclamations


Proclamation	Date
Tamil Heritage Month	January
Alzheimer's Awareness Month	January 9
World Religion Day	January 15
Durham Region Hospice Awareness Day	January 29
Global Community Engagement Day	January 28
World Behaviour Analysis Day	March 20
International Transgender Day of Visibility	March 31
Dig Safe Month	April
World Autism Awareness Day	April 2
Toussaint Louverture Day	April 7
Organ and Tissue Donor Awareness Week	April 24 to 28
Emergency Preparedness Week	May 7 to 13
National Public Works Week	May 21 to 27
Victorian Order of Nurses Week	May 22 to 26
National AccessAbility Week	May 28 to June 3
National Deafblind Month	June
Seniors Month	June
Filipino Heritage Month	June
Pride Month	June
Indigenous History Month	June
Brain Injury Awareness Month	June
BGC Durham Club Day	June 2
National Public Service Week	June 11 to 17
World Elder Abuse Awareness Day	June 15
Hunger Action Month	September
Franco-Ontarian Day	September 25
National Day for Truth and Reconciliation	September 30
Islamic History Month	October
Circular Economy Month	October
Pink Shirt Day	October 1
Child Care Worker and Early Childhood Educator Appreciation Day	October 17
World Polio Day	October 24
World Stroke Day	October 29
Do It In Durham Entrepreneurship Week	November 13 to 17
Shop In Durham Week	November 26 to December 2
Giving Tuesday	November 28
International Day of Persons with Disabilities	December 3

2022

The following Durham Region proclamations were requested by the community in 2022. If you have a date you would like recognized please submit a proclamation request.

2022 Proclamations


Proclamation	Date
World Religion Day	January 16
National Organ Tissue Donor Awareness Week	April 24 to 30
Huntington Disease Awareness Month	May
Steps for Life Day	May 1
VON Week	May 23 to 30
Brain Injury Awareness Month	June
Seniors Month	June
Pride Month	June
World Elder Abuse Awareness Day	June 15
National Indigenous Peoples' Day	June 21
Circular Economy Month	October
Hispanic Month	October
Islamic History Month	October
Child Care Worker and Early Childhood Educator Appreciation Day	October 24
World Polio Day	October 24
Child Care Work and Early Childhood Educator Appreciation Day	October 18
World Stroke Day	October 29
"Do It In Durham" – Celebration of Global Entrepreneurship Week	November 14 to 20
Transgender Day of Awareness	November 20
International Day of Persons with Disabilities	December 3
Shop In Durham Week	December 4 to 10
Salvation Army Week	December 18 to 24