2016 Divisional Awards

City Divisions won numerous awards in 2016. Learn more about their achievements

Divisions: Accounting Services, Corporate Finance, Design Services and Strategic Communications
The Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada (GFOA) awarded a Canadian Award of Financial Reporting to the City of Toronto for its annual financial report for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2015. The Canadian Award for Financial Reporting program was established to encourage municipal governments throughout Canada to publish high-quality financial reports and provide peer recognition and technical guidance for officials preparing these reports.

Division: Economic, Development & Culture
This award is presented to exceptional industry partners who provide an outstanding externship (i.e., work experience) environment through demonstrating leadership, guidance and direction for George Brown College students. The City was recognized for its tremendous support and participation that provides students with invaluable experience to prepare them for successful careers.

Division: Environment & Energy
The Federation of Canadian Municipalities Awards recognize and promote successful municipal programs that improve sustainability. This award recognizes the City of Toronto’s Home Energy Loan Program (HELP) which provides low-interest loans of up to $75,000 to homeowners to cover the cost of home improvements such as energy-efficient furnaces, doors, windows and insulation.

Division: Environment & Energy
The City of Toronto was recognized for reducing energy consumption at North York Civic Centre by 23.8 per cent over two years, far exceeding the Challenge target of 10 per cent. From January 2015 to October 2016, the initiative, led by the Environment & Energy division, saved over nine million equivalent kilowatt hours, avoided nearly $700,000 in energy costs and reduced greenhouse gas emissions by 1,300 metric tonnes. The Mayors’ Megawatt Challenge is a collaborative program that helps municipalities work together to lower their energy and operating costs while contributing to the health and well-being of their communities.

Divisions: Financial Planning, Strategic Communications
The City of Toronto received with the 2016 Distinguished Budget Presentation Award presented by the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) in recognition of the City’s 2015 Budget Summary Book. Distinguished Budget Presentation Awards recognize individual governments that prepare budget documents of the very highest quality that reflect both the guidelines established by the National Advisory Council on State and Local Budgeting and the GFOA’s best practices on budgeting.

Division: Information & Technology
The City was presented with an Open Cities Index (OCI) Award from Public Sector Digest and Canada’s Open Data Exchange for being one of the top three ranked municipalities in 2016. The OCI includes 68 municipalities and allows participating organizations to compare themselves against their peer groups and track their openness over time, based on specific dataset classifications. Toronto’s open data sets have been used by the public to create mobile apps, web/browser apps and visualizations, among other applications.

Division: Long-Term Care Homes & Services
Long-Term Care Homes & Services (LTCHS) was designated Accredited with Commendation for going beyond the requirements of Accreditation Canada’s Qmentum program and demonstrating an ongoing commitment to quality improvement. LTCHS met 100 per cent of the required organizational practices and 97 per cent of the 614 standard criteria.

Division: Long-Term Care Homes & Services
LTCHS received the Community Partnership Award for commitment to intergenerational programs. This award recognizes the successful long-term partnership between students and staff at Rose Avenue Junior Public School and the residents of Fudger House long-term care home.

Division: Parks, Forestry & Recreation
The City of Toronto Parks, Forestry & Recreation division won Canada Blooms 2016 awards in the categories of Outstanding Use of Interior Plants and Best Overall Use of Colour.

Division: Parks, Forestry & Recreation
The Canadian Society of Landscape Architects awarded the City of Toronto Parks, Forestry & Recreation division with the 2016 National Award of Excellence in the Research and Communication category in recognition of the Grow More Manual. 

Division: Multiple across City of Toronto
The City of Toronto is one of four cities selected for Special Mention as part of the 2016 Lee Kuan Yew Word City Prize. The City was recognized for facilitating greater sharing of urban practices with other cities around the world.

Division: Multiple across City of Toronto
The City of Toronto is a recipient of the 2016 International Sport Event of the Year Award from the Canadian Sport Tourism Alliance in recognition of the TORONTO 2015 Pan Am/Parapan Am Games. The City shares the award with key Games partners, including the Provincial Pan Am Games Secretariat (PPAGS) based in the Ontario Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport, the Federal Government of Canada, the Canadian Olympic and Paralympic Committees, TO2015 (the Games Organizing Committee) and 16 Host Municipalities across the GTA.