King earns MISA’s Excellence in Municipal Systems Award for its Artificial Intelligence program
Township of King, Ont. (June 10, 2025) — King Township has been recognized by the Municipal Information Systems Association of Ontario (MISA) for its innovative use of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance citizen services and improve internal operations.
The Township earned MISA’s Excellence in Municipal Systems Award, which honours municipalities that lead the way with impactful, forward-thinking technology initiatives. The award was presented during a ceremony on June 3 at the MISA Ontario's Annual Conference & Trade Show. King’s AI program stood out for its comprehensive and strategic approach to using AI across multiple areas of service and operations to address challenges and business needs.
King’s AI program launched in April 2024 with the creation of its Digital Transformation Framework, and has already delivered strong results with the rollout of multiple AI-driven solutions. Innovation highlights include:
- Kingsley – AI-Powered Virtual Assistant on king.ca: Residents have turned to Kingsley over 1,000 times to find answers to diverse questions ranging from permits, traffic calming studies and rules for raising chickens to garbage collection schedules. Approximately 40% of interactions occur outside of regular business hours, demonstrating the value in 24/7 accessibility.
- Microsoft 365 Copilot: Township staff are leveraging Copilot to handle over 1,500 operations on average per month. This includes drafting documents, summarizing content, creating presentations and more. This number represents more than 1,000 hours being returned to the Township via AI, and staff are using this time savings to focus on more strategic initiatives, reduce backlogs and advance projects.
- AI Invoice Processor: An AI Invoice Processor has automated the handling of more than 130 invoices, freeing up staff time for more complex tasks and streamlining what was once a manual process. Staff now simply forward these invoices to the AI Processor.
- CITYROVER: AI vision technology automatically gathers accurate data on road infrastructure and prepares efficient action plans, resulting in shorter repair times.
- Responsible AI Roadmap: King has also taken a leadership role in responsible AI use. The Township developed one of the first municipal Responsible AI Roadmaps, outlining its principles, maturity assessments and future plans.
- Responsible AI Usage and Procurement Guide: King developed an internal guide that provides steps and best practices for using and acquiring AI software and tools, to support ethical and effective AI adoption.
Collaboration has been key to the AI program’s success. The Township’s Leveraging Technology Steering Committee brings together staff from across departments to guide technology projects and ensure alignment with organizational goals.
Overall, the AI Program continues to deliver strong operational benefits—improving efficiency, enhancing service delivery and empowering staff with smarter tools. It also significantly enhances the stakeholder experience by offering more responsive, accessible and streamlined services.
Beyond King, the program is gaining attention across the municipal sector, with several municipalities reaching out to request the Township’s blueprint as they look to develop their own AI strategies based on King’s model.
Digital Transformation Framework Survey
In May 2024, King Township published its Digital Transformation Framework (DTF), aimed at leveraging technology, data, and innovation to elevate Township services, engage the community, and streamline business operations. This framework directly supports the goals outlined in King’s 2023–2026 Corporate Strategic Plan, particularly in the areas of digital service delivery, internal modernization, and adapting to change to ensure long-term success for local government and the community.
As the first phase of the DTF wraps up, citizens are invited to share their thoughts and feedback on the Township's digital services and future plans. An 11-question survey can be accessed on SpeaKING, King’s digital engagement platform, at SpeaKING.king.ca. Respondents can also provide feedback through an Ideas Canvas tool. Leave an idea on what types of technology or digital services you want to see implemented within King Township and vote or comment on other ideas. The survey will close on June 30, 2025. King will use the results to guide future initiatives and shape the next iteration of its Digital Transformation Framework.
About the Municipal Information Systems Association of Ontario
MISA is a national organization that focuses on information technology professionals in the public sector, offering best practice sharing, collaboration and networking opportunities. It also facilitates collaboration and sharing of information, skills and resources among municipalities and member associations. Learn more at misa-asim.ca.
Quotes
Mayor Steve Pellegrini
“We’re thrilled to see King Township recognized for innovation on a provincial stage. This award is a testament to the creativity and dedication of our staff and it shows that even smaller municipalities can lead the way in adopting smart, responsible technology. Our AI program is helping us serve residents more efficiently, make better use of our resources and build a stronger, more connected community.”
Daniel Kostopoulos, Chief Administrative Officer
“King Township is proud to be recognized by MISA as a leading municipality in the responsible use of Artificial Intelligence. This award reflects the learning and continuous improvement culture at King, reinforcing the Township’s commitment to leveraging technology in ways that make a real difference for citizens and businesses across the Township. King’s AI program is one of many examples that illustrates staff alignment to its values of collaboration, commitment and creativity by working with AI to enhance the lives of citizens. It’s all part of our vision of making life better in King.”
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Media Contact
Township of King
Jason Ballantyne, Communications Officer
Township of King | Phone: 905-833-5321 | Email: media@king.ca