King wins Association of Municipal Managers, Clerks and Treasurers of Ontario’s E. A. Danby Award for its Artificial Intelligence program
Township of King, Ont. (June 13, 2025) — It’s twice as nice for King Township as it celebrates a second major honour this week—this time receiving the prestigious E.A. Danby Award for its groundbreaking Artificial Intelligence (AI) program. This award followed its recent Municipal Information Systems Association of Ontario win.
The E.A. Danby Award, presented by the Association of Municipal Managers, Clerks and Treasurers of Ontario (AMCTO), recognizes outstanding performance and innovative practices in municipal administration. King Township received the honour during the 2025 AMCTO Conference Awards event on June 10 in Windsor, Ontario.
King’s AI program, launched in April 2024 as part of its Digital Transformation Framework, has already delivered measurable results across multiple service areas. Highlights include:
- Kingsley – AI-Powered Virtual Assistant on king.ca: Over 1,000 resident interactions on king.ca, with 40% occurring outside business hours.
- Microsoft 365 Copilot: More than 1,500 monthly operations automated, returning over 1,000 hours to staff to focus on more strategic initiatives, reduce backlogs and advance projects.
- AI Invoice Processor: Streamlined processing of 130+ invoices, freeing staff for higher-value work.
- CITYROVER: AI camera technology that accelerates road infrastructure assessments and repairs.
- Responsible AI Roadmap and Procurement Guide: Among the first of their kind in Canadian municipalities, these tools ensure ethical and effective AI adoption.
The program’s success is driven by cross-departmental collaboration through the Township’s Leveraging Technology Steering Committee, ensuring alignment with strategic goals.
The E.A. Danby Awards, named after AMCTO’s inaugural president, celebrate municipalities that demonstrate vision and innovation in delivering programs and services that produce tangible results and focus on initiatives that fall within the broad categories of municipal finance, administration and the implementation of legislation.
Award nominations may be submitted by any Ontario municipality wishing to be recognized for its use of innovative approaches in the delivery of municipal programs and services. The term 'innovation' is interpreted broadly to include any new or creative approach affecting the delivery of municipal programs and services. It is a tiered awards program based on the size of the municipality. Awards are granted to municipalities with populations less than 20,000 and those with larger populations.
King’s AI initiative has also earned the 2025 MISA Ontario Excellence in Municipal Systems Award and is drawing attention from municipalities across the province seeking to replicate its success.
For more information on AMCTO, visit amcto.com.
Quotes
Mayor Steve Pellegrini
“This award reflects the incredible dedication of our staff in using technology to better serve our community. Being recognized by the Association of Municipal Managers, Clerks and Treasurers of Ontario highlights King’s leadership in driving efficiency and enhancing the experience for our residents.”
Daniel Kostopoulos, Chief Administrative Officer
“We are honoured to receive the E.A. Danby Award. This recognition speaks to King Township’s forward-thinking approach to public service. By embracing emerging technologies like AI, we’re not just keeping pace—we’re setting the pace. Our team continues to find creative, collaborative ways to use innovation to improve everyday experiences for citizens and businesses.”
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Media Contact
Township of King
Jason Ballantyne, Communications Officer
Township of King | Phone: 905-833-5321 | Email: media@king.ca