Recognizing 21 Years of Budget Excellence

October 30, 2025

York Region staff Bonny Tam, Manager, Financing and Reserves, Joe Iannace, Acting Director, Office of the Budget, Eric Jolliffe, York Region Chairman and CEO, Laura Mirabella, Commissioner of Finance and Regional Treasurer, Kelly Strueby, Director, Finance and Performance, Public Works, Erin Mahoney, York Region Chief Administrative Officer, King Township Mayor Steve Pellegrini, Chair of Finance and Administration

York Region celebrates 21 consecutive years of recognition for budget excellence. From left to right: Bonny Tam, Manager, Financing and Reserves, Joe Iannace, Acting Director, Office of the Budget, Eric Jolliffe, York Region Chairman and CEO, Laura Mirabella, Commissioner of Finance and Regional Treasurer, Kelly Strueby, Director, Finance and Performance, Public Works, Erin Mahoney, York Region Chief Administrative Officer, King Township Mayor Steve Pellegrini, Chair of Finance and Administration

For over two decades, York Region’s budget has received the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) Distinguished Budget Presentation Award. York Region’s 2025 budget received this prestigious financial award, marking 21 consecutive years of being recognized with this honour.

The GFOA is an association serving more than 20,000 government finance professionals throughout North America. The GFOA Distinguished Budget Presentation Award Program is the highest form of recognition in government budgeting and the only widely recognized award program of its kind.

This international award recognizes the Region’s commitment to meeting the highest principles of governmental budgeting and publishing budget documents that satisfy national guidelines.

The Region’s 2025 budget also received Special Recognition for Strategic Goals and Strategies. Special Recognition is awarded when all three independent reviewers rate the budget document as “outstanding” in a specific area.

Additionally, earlier this year, the Region was awarded a special Triple Crown medallion by the GFOA in recognition of receiving all three GFOA awards for the 2023 fiscal year.

The three awards are the Canadian Award for Financial Reporting, Distinguished Budget Presentation Award, and Popular Annual Financial Reporting Award. This achievement is a testament to the Region’s commitment to producing high-quality financial reports, which demonstrate the spirit of full disclosure to clearly communicate the municipality’s financial story and to motivate potential users and user groups to read the reports.

Receipt of the Distinguished Budget Presentation Award for 21 consecutive years reflects the Region’s ongoing commitment to excellence in budgeting. This award, along with the Triple Crown medallion, represents a significant accomplishment in delivering high-quality financial documents.