The council is led by a Regional Chair, who is directly elected by the public. The current Regional Chair is John Henry. In 2006, Pickering, Ajax, and Oshawa placed non-binding referendums on their local election ballots to ask voters whether the chair should be directly elected. Over 80% voted in the affirmative.

The current council was elected in October 2022. Council used to sit for a three-year term, but the Ontario Legislature passed legislation increasing the length of municipal council terms in Ontario to four years.

• Durham Region Transit Committees
• Finance & Administration Committee
• Health & Social Services Committee
• Planning & Economic Development Committee
• Works Committee
• 2014 Municipal Election Compliance Audit Committee
• 911 Management Board
• Accessibility Advisory Committee
• Association of Local Public Health Agencies
• Business Advisory Centre Durham
• Canadian National Exhibition Association
• Central Lake Ontario Conservation Authority
• CTC Source Protection Committee
• Development Charges Complaint Committee
• Durham Advisory Committee on Homelessness
• Durham Agricultural Advisory Committee
• Durham Environmental Advisory Committee
• Durham Region Child and Youth Advocate
• Durham Regional Local Housing Corporation
• Durham Region Non-Profit Housing Corporation
• Durham Regional Police Services Board
• Durham Region Roundtable on Climate Change
• East Duffins Headwaters Committee
• Energy from Waste – Waste Management Advisory Committee
• Land Division Committee
• Ganaraska Region Conservation Authority
• Greater Toronto Airports Authority
• Greater Toronto Airports Authority Consultative Committee
• Greater Toronto Marketing Alliance
• GTA Agricultural Action Committee and Golden Horseshoe Food & Farming Alliance
• Kawartha Region Conservation Authority
• Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority
• Local Diversity and Immigration Partnership Council
• Royal Agricultural Winter Fair Association
• Toronto and Region Conservation Authority
• TRCA Trail Guidelines Advisory Committee
• Trent Conservation Coalition Source Protection Committee

Services under the region's scope include:

• Children Services
• Community Planning
• Construction
• Corporate Services
• Economic Strategy and Tourism
• Emergency Medical Services - Durham Region EMS - downloaded from the Province of Ontario
• Environmental
• Financial Department
• Forestry
• Housing
• Legal Services
• Long Term Care and Seniors
• Public Health and Safety
• Real Estate
• Planning Services
• Regional Property Taxes
• Tourism
• Transportation Services - regional roads only
• Sewers
• Employment and Financial Support
• Transit - Durham Region Transit
• Water
• Waste management (garbage, recycling, hazardous waste; excludes curbside collection)
• Policing - Durham Regional Police

• Gerri-Lynn O'Connor 2018–present
• Roger Anderson 1997–2018
• Jim Witty 1995–1997
• Gary Herrema 1980–1995
• Walter Beath 1974–1980

Durham Regional Offices are located at 605 Rossland Road East in Whitby and is also headquarters for Durham Regional Police.

• Regional Municipality of Durham
• Regional Council
• Regional Committees