The other half of Dill Township — including the community of Wanup — remained unincorporated, although it was subsequently annexed into Greater Sudbury in 2001.

This was the only regional municipality in Ontario not to originate from a former county government; instead, it was created out of the Sudbury District, which still surrounds the current city.

Unlike the counties and regional municipalities of Southern Ontario, the more sparsely populated north is divided into unincorporated districts which do not serve as governing bodies.

Cloud, while the townships of Fraleck, Parkin, Aylmer, Mackelcan, Rathbun and Scadding comprise a wilderness area on the northeast side of Lake Wanapitei which contains only a few recreational properties.

Peter Wong, a former mayor of Sudbury, became the region's first elected chair, but died after just seven months in office.

Following Wong's death, councillor Doug Craig served as interim chair until he was succeeded by Frank Mazzuca, a former mayor of Capreol, in a 1998 by-election.