Budget - Strategic Communications and Service Peterborough

Strategic Communications and Service Peterborough supports and coordinates communication activities and corporate customer service initiatives to share information, assist customers, and enhance interactions between the City of Peterborough and residents, businesses and customers.

Service Peterborough

Service Peterborough opened in 2025 by bringing together customer service staff from Financial Services and Strategic Communications and Service Peterborough to support an integrated, centralized customer service approach for in-person, by-phone, and online interactions at City Hall to make it easier for residents, businesses and customers to access and navigate City services. With the integration of Water Services from Peterborough Utilities to the City of Peterborough effective April 1, 2025, Water Services customer service, including the four associated customer service representatives, were integrated into Service Peterborough.

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 Customer Relationship Management platform is a critical, foundational piece to support centralized, coordinated customer service for residents, businesses and customers. Phase 2 of the CRM project is within the Information Technology departmental budget.

Strategic Communications

Strategic Communications guides, supports, and coordinates communications 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. In 2025, Communications added Tourism marketing/communications activities associated with bringing tourism services in-house.

Communications program expenses in 2026 reflect the integration of a position from Peterborough Utilities associated with communications activities as part of the transition of Water Services as an in-house service. 

In 2025, Council eliminated paid marketing/advertising for Strategic Communications and Service Peterborough, except for Tourism marketing, which is funded through the Municipal Accommodation Tax. There is no change to that direction in the Draft 2026 Budget.

Strategic Communications and Service Peterborough budget