Award highlights transparent, service‑based budgeting that shows residents where their tax dollars go
Township of King, Ont. (April 28, 2026) — King Township is proud to announce it has received the Government Finance Officers Association’s (GFOA) Distinguished Budget Presentation Award for its 2026 budget, marking the fifth consecutive year the Township has earned this prestigious recognition. The award reflects King Township’s ongoing commitment to transparency, accountability and excellence in municipal budgeting.
To receive this award, King Township’s budget was evaluated on how well it serves as a policy document, financial plan, operations guide and communications tool. The budget documents were rated “proficient” in all four categories and met all 14 mandatory criteria established by GFOA’s Budget Awards Program.
With more than 1,700 participating governments across North America, King Township’s achievement continues to set an example of best practices in municipal financial reporting.
The 2026 budget builds on the Township’s successful transition to a service‑based budgeting model, first introduced in 2025. This approach allows residents and businesses to clearly see how tax dollars are allocated to the services that matter most—from snow removal and road maintenance to parks, fire services and recreation programming—strengthening transparency and accountability. Cost and performance are tracked for each service and reported annually, making it easier to identify efficiencies, improve service delivery and align resources with community needs. It also supports the Township’s Corporate Strategic Plan (2023-2026), ensuring resources are directed to meet critical priorities.
As part of this year’s review, King Township also received special recognition in the strategic goals and strategies area, underscoring how the budget aligns with—and supports delivery of—the Township’s priorities. King remains committed to transparency and accountability in implementing its strategic plan, and residents can track progress toward strategic goals through public dashboards available on king.ca/ServicePerformance.
King’s 2026 service‑based budget is organized into six core service areas: Governing King, Greening King, Keeping King Safe, Maintaining King, Planning and Growing King, and Serving King. Together, these service areas support the Township’s operational responsibilities, infrastructure needs and community‑focused programs and services.
The 2026 budget maintains current service levels with minimum increases, including a previously approved 1.99 per cent increase for asset management to meet provincial requirements and a 1.5 per cent operating budget increase, for an overall 3.49 per cent tax rate increase. The budget was brought forward under Ontario’s Strong Mayor legislation, which assigns responsibility to the Mayor to propose the municipal budget, subject to council amendments and oversight.
King Township engaged residents throughout the budget process, offering opportunities to review the online Budget Book, attend a public open house and provide feedback before final budget deliberations. This ongoing engagement helps ensure financial decisions reflect community priorities and long‑term sustainability.
View the 2026 Budget Book at king.ca/budget.
Quotes
Steve Pellegrini
Mayor, King Township
“Receiving the GFOA Distinguished Budget Presentation Award for the fifth year in a row reflects King’s commitment to open, transparent and responsible budgeting. The service‑based approach gives residents a clearer picture of how their tax dollars support the services they rely on every day, and I’m proud of the work staff and Council continue to deliver on behalf of the community. The 2026 budget reflects a no‑frills approach, maintaining current service levels and focusing investments where residents see the most value.”
Daniel Kostopoulos
Chief Administrative Officer, King Township
“This award recognizes the strength of King Township’s practical, service‑based budgeting model, which directly links resources to outcomes that matter most to residents. The 2026 budget maintains service levels while addressing inflationary, legislative and contractual pressures through targeted efficiencies. By tracking cost and performance across services, staff are demonstrating prudent financial management, transparency, protecting critical infrastructure and ensuring every dollar is used effectively to support high‑quality programs and services.”
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Media Contact(s)
Township of King
Andrea Gyarmati, Manager of Communications and Public Engagement
Township of King | Phone: 905-833-5321 | Email: media@king.ca