A regional municipality is an upper-tier local government in Ontario that provides services across multiple lower-tier municipalities (cities, towns, townships). Regional municipalities like Peel, York, Durham, Halton, Waterloo, and Niagara deliver region-wide services including regional roads, transit coordination, policing, social services, water and wastewater systems, and regional planning. Lower-tier municipalities within regions handle local services like local roads, fire protection, recreation, and local planning. Regional council consists of mayors from lower-tier municipalities plus regional councillors. This two-tier structure allows both regional coordination and local responsiveness, though debates continue about optimal governance structures.