E.A. Danby Award

Recognizing Municipalities for Outstanding Performance Improvement Through Innovative Practices:

The late E.A. Danby was AMCTO’s first President. Mr. Danby demonstrated his vision and innovative spirit when he set out to establish AMCTO over 70 years ago. The E.A. Danby Award recognizes that same spirit of vision, and innovation in Ontario municipalities. This award is presented annually to a municipality that demonstrates, through a specific initiative, a willingness to employ innovative techniques and is able to demonstrate the tangible results of those efforts as they impact on the efficiency and effectiveness of the municipal corporation.

Beginning in 2008, the E.A. Danby Award has been redeveloped into a tiered awards program based on size of municipality. Also, beginning with the 2008 E.A. Danby Award, the application criteria has been expanded to include categories for finance, administration and implementation of legislation.

The Award:

• recognizes and acknowledges significant performance improvement made by municipalities through the use of innovative management activities or practices;
• enhances the municipality’s image as an attractive community in which to live and work;
• provides an opportunity for the municipality’s residents to appreciate the work that is being done on their behalf.

This certificate as pictured above was specifically for the Dragon Den program launched a couple of years ago to funnel front-line staff ideas through a process where they could “pitch” their ideas to their colleagues.

One such “pitch” was from two employees from court services that knew that by obtaining and using different software that unpaid fines by individuals could be better tracked down and recovered. They were hoping that the $8,000 investment could give the city back approximately $30,000 in fine revenue. Yet it surpassed that goal with flying colours and more than $100,000 came in! Well done!

Take care,

Cam