Special E-Brief Newsletter - May 18, 2022 - Congratulations to the Recipients of the 2022 CAMA Awards of Excellence

Administrative Excellence - L'art de diriger

CONGRATULATIONS GEORGE DUNCAN

CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER, CITY OF RICHMOND, BC

RECIPIENT OF THE SPECIAL CAMA LONG STANDING CAO DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD

The Special CAMA Long Standing CAO Distinguished Service Award is presented to any CAMA member that has been in the position of Chief Administrative Officer or City Manager for twenty-five years or more and who has been a member of CAMA for at least ten years.

CAMA honoured George Duncan, Richmond's Chief Administrative Officer, at the 2022 Awards of Excellence and Leadership Recognition Ceremony held virtually on May 18, 2022. George will retire next month on June 30 - 35 years after he was hired and 25 years after being appointed CAO.

Under his leadership, Richmond has been recognized for excellence in administration, sustainability, community safety, and operations. His legacy and contributions are apparent in how Richmond has grown into a diverse, dynamic, well-managed and financially secure community.

Examples of those contributions include the key role George played in bringing rapid transit to Richmond with the introduction of the Canada Line; and Richmond becoming a Venue City for the 2010 Olympic Winter Games, and the successful transition of the Olympic Oval from a competition venue to a state-of-the-art multi-purpose community facility and sports complex benefiting both recreational and elite athletes.

George also provided vital leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic which is borne out by the fact that Richmond is on the road to economic and community recovery so quickly.

While serving as CAO, the staff have received over 200 awards for various programs and initiatives. These include two prestigious Canadian Association of Municipal Administrators (CAMA) Willis Awards for Excellence in Administration and Innovation, CAMA awards for Environmental Leadership & Sustainability; two for innovative Professional Development programs; and awards from the International City/County Management Association. George also received an Award of Excellence from the BC Human Resources Management Association.

He served and represented Richmond on a variety of Boards including the Richmond Olympic Oval Corporation, Lulu Island Energy Corporation, E-Comm, and VROX, as well as at the VANOC 2010 Olympic Winter Games and RAV Line (Canada Line) Board tables.

SIX CANADIAN MUNICIPALITIES WIN NATIONAL AWARDS OF EXCELLENCE FROM CAMA

Six Canadian municipalities have won national awards of excellence from the Canadian Association of Municipal Administrators (CAMA). The awards were presented in the areas of innovation, environmental leadership and sustainability, professional development, and collaboration during a virtual Awards of Excellence Ceremony held on May 18, 2022.

Winning efforts included a partnership resulting in a Truth and Reconciliation Week observation, a winter maintenance artificial intelligence system, a city-wide pollinator program, a learning and development 2.0 strategy for staff, an effort to build relationships towards reconciliation, and a shared fire and emergency services pilot project.

“On behalf of the CAMA Board, I am pleased to recognize the excellence being showcased by municipal governments and their partners in the areas of innovation, environmental leadership and sustainability, professional development, as well as our new award category of collaboration,” said Jack Benzaquen, CAMA President, CAMA representative for Quebec and City Manager for the City of Dollard-des-Ormeaux, QC. “I am so impressed by the number of great things going on at the local government level here in Canada.”

The following municipalities and projects were recognized, in four categories:

2022 CAMA Willis Award for Innovation

City of Brandon, MB, 20,001 to 100,000 Population Category, Truth and Reconciliation Week 2021 / Brandon Urban Aboriginals People's Council

City of Vaughan, ON, Over 100,000 Population Category, Winter Maintenance Artificial Intelligence System

2022 CAMA Environmental Leadership & Sustainability Award

City of Richmond, BC, Over 100,000 Population Category, Richmond's City-wide Pollinator Program

2022 CAMA Professional Development Award

Town of Innisfil, ON, 20,001 to 100,000 Population Category, Learning & Development 2.0 Strategy

2022 CAMA Collaboration Award

City of Kamloops, BC and the Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc, Collaboration with External Organizations (no population category), Building Relationships towards Reconciliation.

Town Grimsby, ON & Town of Lincoln, ON, Collaboration with Municipalities (no population category), Niagara West Fire & Emergency Services Pilot Project.

“The CAMA Awards of Excellence recognize the achievements of local governments and their senior staff in the development and implementation of successful programs, projects or services,” said Gary Kent, Chair of the 2022 CAMA Awards, CAMA Member-At-Large for Municipalities with a Population Over 100,000, and Chief Financial Officer and Commissioner of Corporate Services for the Region of Peel, ON. “Thirty-five submissions from across the country were received for this year’s awards. Congratulations to the winners and all those who took time to enter the awards program.”

To find out more about each award, and to see a video outlining each project, visit www.camacam.ca/awards and look for the award recipients link. The executive summaries and video links are also noted below.