Asset management resources for beginners

Looking to get started on asset management in your municipality? Are you wondering how to get started? 

There are many excellent asset management resources available in Canada. A quick google search will reveal dozens of them. This list provides a sample of great asset management resources for beginners, as recommended by the Technical Working Group of the Municipal Asset Management Program.

Remember that your province or territory may have specific requirements, regulations, or approaches to asset management, so we encourage you to start with local resources if they are available. You can also look to your local asset management community of practice for more information (www.assetmanagementcanada.ca).

Great Guides and Handbooks for Beginners

• Asset Management for Sustainable Service Delivery: A BC Framework, Asset Management BC (AMBC)
• Guide for using the Asset Management BC Roadmap, Asset Management BC (AMBC)
• Asset Management Getting Started Guide, Saskatchewan Urban Municipalities Association (SUMA), Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities (SARM), Government of Saskatchewan
• Building Community Resilience Through Asset Management: A Handbook & Toolkit for Alberta Municipalities, Alberta Ministry of Municipal Affairs
• Building Together – Guide for municipal asset management plans, Ontario Ministry of Infrastructure
• Guide de gestion d'actifs à l'intention des petites municipalités, Centre d’expertise et de recherche end infrastructure urbaines (CERIU), Available in French
• Guide à l'intention des élus concernant les infrastructures municipales, Centre d’expertise et de recherche end infrastructure urbaines (CERIU), Available in French
• Asset Management 101: The What, Why, and How For Your Community, Canadian Network of Asset Managers (CNAM)
• The Joy of Governing (your how-to guide to optimal governance), Association of Yukon Communities (AYC)

Great Examples and Tools for Beginners

Examples of Asset Management Policies, Plans, Strategies, and Frameworks

• How to develop an asset management policy, strategy and governance framework: Set up a consistent approach to asset management in your municipality.This FCM resource highlights many great examples from Canadian municipalities
  • Section 2.5: Policies
  • Section 3.3: Strategies and frameworks
  • Section 4.7: Governance Structures

• 2015 Asset Management Handbook 

  • Northern Rockies Regional Municipality, BC; population 4,800; 90 pages

• Asset Management Plan, 

  • County of Northumberland, ON; population 85,000; 170 pages

Examples of Terms of Reference for AM Teams:

• Asset Management Leadership Team Terms of Reference, 
  • Frankston City, Australia; Population 134,000, 7 pages

Examples of Inventory Tools and Templates:

• Getting Started Toolkit (User Guide and Excel Workbook), Province of Alberta; 51 pages, 17 sheets
• Estimated Maximum Useful Life Table for Asset Management, Association of Yukon Communities; 3 pages

Take a Look!

• Why Invest in Asset Management (Animated video), Federation of Canadian Municipalities; 4 min.
• Asset Management (Video), Northwest Territories Association of Communities (NWTAC); 5 min.

Great Opportunities for Asset Management Training for Beginners

• Training offered by FCM partner organizations

Note: Different jurisdictions can have specific requirements for asset management plans, policies and strategies. For example, Ontario’s regulation O. Reg 588/17 lays out specific requirements for Ontario municipalities. It is always a good idea to check with your province, territory, municipal association, or local community of practice to see if there are specific requirements or approaches in your jurisdiction.