There are currently 445 municipalities in Ontario.
These municipalities are divided into different structural tiers. A "local municipality" may be called a city, a town, a township, a municipality or a village and can also be referred to as a "lower tier" municipality. Local or lower tier municipalities are also part of a higher level of municipal or "upper tier" government such as a county, region or district. A county or regional government is a federation of the local municipalities within its boundaries. An example of an "upper tier" municipality is the Region of Waterloo, which is composed of 7 local municipalities.
A "single tier" municipality is a municipality where there is only one level of municipal government. There are three general types of single-tier municipalities in Ontario. The first are the amalgamated municipalities, which are generally counties or regional municipalities (or parts thereof) which have been amalgamated into a single administrative unit. Those are similar to a consolidated city-county in the United States. Examples of this type of single tier municipality are Toronto and Kawartha Lakes. The second type consists of a municipality which has been "carved out" of the surrounding county's jurisdiction. Examples of this type are Peterborough and Windsor. The final type of single tier municipality is one which was never traditionally part of a dual tier system of government, namely the municipalities of northern Ontario. These municipalities are found in districts, however, districts are for census purposes only. Examples of this type are North Bay and Timmins.
Single tier municipalities
By amalgamation of municipalities
By separation from the surrounding municipality
Found within districts
Dual tier municipalities
Regional municipalities
Counties
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