A promised independent review of the effectiveness and efficiency of the City of Peterborough’s municipal operations and service delivery is moving ahead.
On December 19, the city issued a request for proposals (RFP) for the review, which was first described by city CAO Jasbir Raina in February 2025 during a city council meeting where the city’s 2025 budget was approved.
During the February 3 council meeting, councillor Andrew Beamer — co-chair of the city’s finance portfolio along with councillor Dave Haacke — said he would not be supporting the 2025 budget because of a 6.72 per cent property tax increase.
Reflecting comments he said he had heard from residents, Beamer asked Raina why the city can’t do “a better job finding efficiencies or more effective ways to run the corporation.”
Raina replied that he “knew this question would come” and read from prepared notes, indicating he would be bringing forward a budget request for the 2026 budget to hire an “independent subject matter expert, third party, to undertake a detailed, grass-root level, service delivery needs evaluation as well as service delivery efficiency and effectiveness review.”
“Each department, each division, each section will be scrutinized and evaluated with a laser-sharp focus on efficiencies, lean delivery, as well as return on investment,” he said.
Raina added that, if the budget request was approved, it would take six to eight months in 2026 to complete the detailed review.
A budget request for $350,000 to conduct the review was later approved as part of the city’s 2026 budget.
In November, during the annual Mayor’s Breakfast hosted by Peterborough and Kawarthas Chamber of Commerce, Mayor Jeff Leal said the city would begin the process early next year of securing “a bigger picture solution to the problem” of its budget by “commissioning a comprehensive service effectiveness and efficiency review.”
“We will be asking a third-party organization to look across our entire organization to find out where we can deliver services more efficiently, including through alternative service delivery models. This is the first time a comprehensive review will be undertaken in our city’s history.”
The result, he warned, “won’t be for the faint of heart. There will be some extremely difficult choices to make.”
On Monday (December 29), the city issued a media release noting the RFP for the review had been issued, with a bid closing date of January 21. The city said it expects the review would begin in April after the contract is awarded.
According to the media release, the review will examine how city services are delivered, how resources are allocated, and where opportunities exist to improve efficiency, effectiveness, and long-term sustainability while maintaining service quality for residents.
It will assess service levels, organizational structure, staffing models, and service delivery approaches, and will benchmark Peterborough against comparable Ontario municipalities.
“This work will help us make informed, evidence-based decisions as we plan for the years ahead,” Mayor Leal said in the release, noting that “municipalities across Ontario are facing growing fiscal pressures driven by inflation, aging infrastructure, climate impacts, and a provincial-municipal funding framework that puts an unrealistic burden on property taxpayers.”
The review will also consider whether the city should continue to provide some services, or whether alternative or innovative service delivery models could improve outcomes or reduce costs.
“The review will not presuppose outcomes related to service expansion, reduction, or privatization,” the media release states. “All recommendations must be grounded in evidence, best practices, and Peterborough’s local context.”
According to the release, the selected consultant will undertake a multi-phase process that includes an environmental scan, benchmarking, engagement with council and the community, a review of current service delivery models and organizational structure, and the development of actionable recommendations supported by cost-benefit analysis and an implementation roadmap.
“This work will provide council with a clear, independent assessment of how we deliver services and how we can continue to improve,” Raina said in the release. “It will help ensure the city has the right systems, structures, and resources in place to respond to changing community needs, manage risk, and strengthen operational performance over the long term.”
“How the city moves forward will be decided by council after considering the information and hearing from residents. Council, as the elected body, will decide. Based on the timing of this process, I anticipate that this term of council will consider, debate, and provide initial direction on the results from the review, then the next council elected in October 2026 will provide its direction on the implementation.”
That statement echoes a remark made by Mayor Leal during the Mayor’s Breakfast in November, when he said the review’s findings would be made public prior to the October 2026 municipal election.
The RFP for the review has been posted on the city’s bidding portal at cityofpeterborough.bidsandtenders.ca.
To download the RFP document and its four appendices, a vendor account with the City of Peterborough is required, at an annual subscription fee of $461.90 or a one-time fee per bid opportunity of $138.64.
As of the date of this story, 12 consultant organizations have registered for the bid, including well-known companies such as BDO Canada LLP, Deloitte LLP, and KPMG LLP.
With files from Paul Rellinger.
