Local leaders told the advisors - which includes former Regional Chair Ken Seiling - that Waterloo Region is working well under the current two-tier system

The municipal heads of Waterloo Region had the ears of the Special Advisors to the provincial Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing on Thursday.

They were talking about the province's plan to make municipal governments more efficient - also known as the Province of Ontario's Regional Government Review.

Local leaders said they're open to changes that would enable them to better deliver services, but they cautioned against mandating change on them.

They also stressed the need to work together on identifying those changes, and not have them mandated by the province.

Regional Chair Karen Redman said she welcomes the review.

"This region is not broken, there's a lot of collaboration. You look at the Waterloo Economic Development Corporation, look at Waterloo Region Tourism. There are a whole bunch of things we have done over the past several years ... that's a testament to the local tier municipality, officials, as well as region ... we have found ways to move Waterloo Region to the forefront when we're competing on the global stage and that's something I think the Chamber's of Commerce would agree ... we need to compete for talent and investment. So any changes that are made, any refinements, I welcome them if it makes us more effective and more efficient." Redman explained.

The report should be ready by the summer, but it's not yet known if it will ever be made public, which is not concerning to Redman.

"Because I do believe at the end of the day, this government will do what they think is in the best interest of the constituents they represent." she told The Mike Farwell Show on 570 NEWS.

More meetings - in the form of group consultations - are planned for the spring.

