Regional municipalities were created by the provincial government in the 1960s and 1970s by restructuring already existing counties. Typically, the regional municipality, also known as an upper-tier municipality, provides core services to its cities, towns, and villages, or lower-tier municipalities. Regional municipalities were often formed in densely populated areas where it was considered more efficient to consolidate services like policing, waste management, social services, and infrastructure development and maintenance.

Knowing this trend would likely reach the Whitby area, Mayor Newman urged the political leaders of what was then known as Ontario County to consider the idea before it was thrust upon them by the Province. He insisted that amalgamation or annexation would be the first step of municipalities to ensure they maintained their local identities. In 1968, he proposed a four borough system of government which necessitated the amalgamation of Pickering and Ajax, Whitby and Whitby Township (amalgamated in 1968), Oshawa and East Whitby Township, and Bowmanville and Darlington.

Mayor Newman believed that a metropolitan area east of Toronto was required to balance the economic interests of the area with Toronto and the growing communities to the west. He feared Toronto would expand and incorporate the communities to the east. The only way for small municipalities to survive is for them to become part of a new form of regional local government. Regional government, he said, would ultimately strengthen local government. The local municipalities of Ontario County, however, were not sure how to react to Mayor Newman’s proposal and it took time for everyone to come around to the idea.

In August 1968, the municipalities agreed to ask the Department of Municipal Affairs to approve a regional study for the area east of Toronto. This became known as the Oshawa Area Planning and Development Study (OAPADS) and Mayor Newman served as Executive Committee Chairman.

In November 1968, Mayor Newman drafted a proposal for regional government in the Oshawa area. He wanted to create an identity for the new region and felt that the communities should take an active role in its development. Municipal Affairs Minister Darcy McKeough announced that the Province was indeed planning a region for the area and the process was underway.

Talks between municipal officials and provincial leaders lasted from 1969 to 1973. The OAPADS disbanded in 1971 when the municipalities could not agree and the Province took over the planning. In 1972/73, the Province presented two proposals to the municipalities of Ontario County, one included Port Hope and Cobourg and the second did not.

Mayor Newman continued to provide input on the proposals until the inauguration of the Regional Municipality of Durham on January 1, 1974. At the same time, Mayor Newman’s influence and support of local government was taking off in the rest of Canada.