Budget - Strategic Communications and Service Peterborough

This division includes the Strategic Communications section and Service Peterborough section.

Strategic Communications guides, supports, and coordinates communication activities in collaboration with departments, divisions and program areas throughout the corporation, including the creation and implementation of communications plans, content creation such as promotional material, website content, photos, videos, and graphics, organizing media events, writing news releases, managing the City of Peterborough website design/content, social media account management, and various other communication-related activities. New in 2025, tourism services are incorporated into this section as a result of Council approval of Report CAO24-003 dated June 17, 2024 to deliver economic development and tourism services in-house.

This year, 2025, marks the first full year of Service Peterborough, an initiative to begin to provide greater centralization and coordination for customer service. An integrated, centralized customer service approach for in-person and by-phone interactions at City Hall makes it easier for residents, businesses, and customers to access and navigate City services. Service Peterborough was created in 2024 by bringing together four existing positions from Financial Services and Strategic Communications and Service Peterborough and one new Service Peterborough Manager position approved in the 2024 Budget.

The 2025 budget reflects a full year of operations for Service Peterborough.

The Strategic Communications 2025 budget includes increased costs for tourism services including a second communications position related to tourism and economic development which is budgeted to begin in the 3rd quarter of 2025. Tourism costs are funded in 2025 by Municipal Accommodation Tax revenue. The budget also includes an increase in costs due to a change in the cost sharing of a position, which was formerly cost shared 50/50 with Recreation and Parks Services and will now be 100% funded in Strategic Communications. An offsetting reduction in costs is reflected in the Recreation and Parks Services budget.

The Strategic Communications and Service Peterborough Division has requested new staff positions not included in the budget. These requests can be found in Section 4 Staffing Requests not included in the Draft 2025 Budget.

Associated with the implementation of Service Peterborough is the rollout of a new Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software solution that will create the opportunity to grow the number and types of service requests that can be processed through Service Peterborough to enhance customer service. The CRM platform is a critical, foundational piece to support centralized, coordinated customer service for residents, businesses and customers.

Interactive Budget

Explore the City's budget using the interactive OpenBook feature, including expenses by department and division as well as a breakdown of what a typical residential property taxpayer pays per $100,000 of assessment.

The full budget information is available in the Draft 2025 Budget book.