The Regional Chair is the head of the Regional Council and is the Chief Executive Officer of the Regional Corporation.

Section 225 of the Municipal Act, 2001 denotes that it is the role of the head of Council to:

• act as chief executive officer of the municipality;
• preside over council meetings;
• provide leadership to the council;
• represent the municipality at official functions; and
• carry out the duties of the head of council under this or any other Act.

Peel's Procedural By-law provides the Chair with the following duties and powers:

• serve as an ex-officio member of all Standing and other Committees of the Council;
• shall vote only in the case of an equality of votes;
• open the meeting of the Council by taking the Chair and calling the members to order;
• lead the Council or arrange for another member to lead the Council in a short prayer;
• announce the business before the Council in the order in which it is to be acted upon;
• put to vote all questions, which are duly placed, or necessarily arise in the course of the proceedings, and to announce the result;
• decline to put to vote, motions which infringe upon the rules of procedure;
• restrain the members, when engaged in debate, within the rules of order;
• enforce, on all occasions, the observance of order and decorum among the members;
• authenticate by signature, when necessary, all by-laws, resolutions and minutes of Council;
• receive all messages and other communications and announce them to the Council;
• inform the Council, when necessary, or when referred to, for the purpose of a point of order or usage;
• select members who are to serve on Committees when directed to do so by a resolution of the Council or a rule of procedure;
• represent and support the Council, declaring its will and explicitly obeying its decisions in all things;
• adjourn the meeting, in accordance with the Procedural By-law, when the business is concluded;
• in case of grave disorder, adjourn the meeting without the question being put or adjourn to a time named;
• not accept, unless prescribed by statute, any appointment, post or office in the fit of Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Ontario until approval, by resolution of Council is given. The Chair shall report to the Council not less than quarterly on activities in the approved post or office; and
• call Special Meetings of Council as deemed necessary.

In addition, the Chair is required to:

• be an official signing officer for the Corporation;
• represent the Region in dealings with other levels of government;
• act as spokesperson for the Region in matters of policy and public issues; and
• be the official representative of the Region in greeting visiting dignitaries, either in a ceremonial capacity or investigating business opportunities.