Ontario has extensive regional government structures where lower-tier municipalities (cities, towns, townships) exist within upper-tier regional municipalities sharing certain responsibilities. Regions like York, Peel, Durham, Halton, Waterloo, and Niagara handle services benefiting from larger scale, including regional roads, water and wastewater, police, social services, and regional planning. Lower-tier municipalities handle local services like local roads, parks, and planning within regional frameworks. This two-tier system creates coordination opportunities but also complexity and debates about efficiency. Some regions have been consolidated into single-tier municipalities (Toronto, Ottawa, Hamilton), while others maintain the two-tier structure.