Asset management resources for beginners

*NEW* Asset management guide for BC First Nations

British Columbia First Nations

Guide, checklist, video

This asset management guide is designed to help First Nation communities sustainably manage their infrastructure assets over their full lifecycles. It introduces concepts, systems and tools to start a new asset management program, or to further develop an existing one.

*NEW* Managing Infrastructure Assets for Sustainable Development: A Handbook for Local and National Governments

United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA)

Guide

This handbook provides guidance and practical tools to assess needs, develop information systems, and creating an action plan for sustainable infrastructure asset management.

The Building Blocks of Asset Management - A how-to guide for reaching Level 1 of FCM's Asset Management Readiness Scale

FCM's Municipal Asset Management Program

Guide and webinar recording

The guide and webinar helps communities at early stages of asset management to take the first steps to reach Level 1 on the Asset Management Readiness Scale.

*UPDATED* Asset Management 101 Booklet and Web Portal

Canadian Network of Asset Managers (CNAM)

Guide and web portal

This guide and web portal details the initial steps to start asset management and advancing in the five competency areas.
Registration required (free)

Guide de gestion des actifs à l’intention des petites municipalités (available in French only)

Centre d’expertise et de recherche en infrastructures urbaines (CERIU)

Guide

This guide will help municipalities understand the concepts of asset management and the main steps to developing an AM policy, strategy and plan.

Guide à l'intention des élus concernant les infrastructures municipales (available in French only)

Centre d’expertise et de recherche en infrastructures urbaines (CERIU)

Guide

This municipal infrastructure guide for elected officials provides approaches for managing municipal assets like water and wastewater systems, stormwater and roadways.

Building Sustainable and Resilient Communities with Asset Management: An introduction for municipal leaders

FCM

Guide

This guide helps municipalities embed sustainability into asset management practices, including climate change considerations, to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of service delivery.

Asset Management for Sustainable Service Delivery: A BC Framework

Asset Management BC

Guide

This Framework establishes a high-level, systematic approach that supports local governments in moving toward service, asset and financial sustainability through an asset management process.

The Joy of Governing (your how-to guide for optimal governance)

Association of Yukon Communities (AYC)

Guide

The Joy of Governing was developed for small northern communities to enhance understanding of governance, leadership, and the link to asset management.  It is also available in Inuktitut.

Asset Management Getting Started Guide

Saskatchewan Urban Municipalities Association (SUMA), Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities (SARM), Government of Saskatchewan

This guide will provide readers with fundamental information about asset management and how it can be used to help support municipal operations.

Asset Management: The Strategic Basics

Rural Municipalities of Alberta (RMA);  Alberta Urban Municipalities Association (AUMA);  Infrastructure Asset Management Alberta (IAMA)

Workbook

This workbook helps elected officials gain an understanding of the benefits and trade-offs of asset management, the role of elected officials, using data for decision-making and communicating to the community.

Asset Management for Municipal Staff: The Technical Basics

Rural Municipalities of Alberta (RMA); Alberta Urban Municipalities Association (AUMA); Infrastructure Asset Management Alberta (IAMA)

Workbook

This workbook provides municipal staff with information, exercises and reference material to help them understand asset management concepts and competencies, the asset data required, and the process of building an AM Plan.

Starting the asset management conversation with your municipal council: A communication tool

FCM's Municipal Asset Management Program

Tool

This presentation can be easily adapted and used to give municipal council an overview of asset management and its value to the municipality.

Getting Started Toolkit (User Guide and Excel Workbook)

Province of Alberta

Toolkit

The tools in this toolkit have been designed to help kick-start municipalities who are in the early stages of their asset management journey, or to support others with continuous improvement of their asset management programs.

Estimated Maximum Useful Life Table for Asset Management

Association of Yukon Communities (AYC)

Reference

These tables provide an estimated maximum useful life for tangible capital assets for the purposes of asset management and financial planning.

How to develop an asset management policy, strategy and governance framework: Set up a consistent approach to asset management in your municipality

FCM

Guide with examples

See section 2.5 for examples of AM plans.  See section 3.3 for examples of AM strategies and frameworks.  See section 4.7 for examples of governance structures

2015 Asset Management Handbook

Northern Rockies Regional Municipality, BC

Example

This is an example of an AM Handbook from the Northern Rockies Regional Municipality in BC (population 4,800).

Asset management plan for the County of Northumberland, ON

County of Northumberland, ON

Example

This is an example of an AM plan from the County of Northumberland, ON (population 85,000)

Asset Management Leadership Team Terms of Reference for Frankston City, Australia

Frankston City, Australia

Example

This is an example of the terms of reference for Frankston City’s AM leadership team (population 134,000).

*NEW* The case for asset management: What is asset management?

PEMAC Asset Management Association of Canada

Video and guiding questions for leaders

The video provides senior leaders with an introduction to Asset Management, and the associated web page includes questions intended to enable leaders to engage in a conversation towards improvement within their municipality.

*NEW* Municipal Leadership Essentials: A Guide to Asset Management

Municipalities of Newfoundland and Labrador (MNL)

Webinar recording

This series of six webinars covers the “what” and “how” of asset management, the tools to implement AM, and how AM can support community planning and development.

*NEW* Understanding the Benefits and Clarifying Roles in Asset Management

WaterWolf Planning Inc. (WWP)

Webinar recording

This webinar and handout provides an overview of asset management and the importance of understanding the different roles of staff, administrators, and council members in implementing asset management processes.

Principles of Asset Management

Asset Management Ontario

Video

This video describes the principles of asset management, why they are important, and the need for sound asset information to make decisions.

La gestion des actifs (available in French only)

Centre d’expertise et de recherche en infrastructures urbaines (CERIU)

Video

This video explains the importance of asset management and the first steps that municipalities can take to get started.

Why invest in asset management?

FCM

Video

This video explains how asset management can address many of the challenges faced by municipalities relating to service delivery through infrastructure.  

The Big Picture: The Asset Management Journey

Institute of Asset Management (IAM)

Video

The Big Picture is a visual tool for starting conversations about asset management within your organisation as well as with customers, suppliers and wider stakeholders.

Practical advice for common AM challenges

FCM's Municipal Asset Management Program

Webinar recording

This webinar provides lessons and advice from municipalities on getting started in asset management, creating a team, using software, hiring a consultant, and taking an asset inventory.

The Building Blocks of Asset Management - A how-to guide for reaching Level 1 of FCM's Asset Management Readiness Scale

FCM's Municipal Asset Management Program

Guide and webinar recording

The guide and webinar helps communities at early stages of asset management to take the first steps to reach Level 1 on the Asset Management Readiness Scale.

The Basics of Asset Management for Elected Officials

Nova Scotia Federation of Municipalities (NSFM)

Online course

This paid course is designed to provide elected officials with a clear understanding of asset management and how to use it to inform decision making and improve service delivery.

Registration and fee required

The Learning Path to Asset Management Readiness

Asset Management Saskatchewan (AMSK)

Online course

This paid online course provides an overview of AM concepts, such as levels of service, lifecycle costing and risk, to help small municipalities get started and advance in asset management.

Registration and fee required

Pourquoi se préoccuper de la gestion de ses actifs municipaux?  (Module 1) et

Les étapes du cycle de gestion des actifs municipaux (Module 2) (available in French only)

Fédération québécoise des municipalités (FQM), Centre d’expertise et de recherche en infrastructures urbaines (CERIU)

Online course

This free course includes a module about the principles and prerequisites of asset management, and a second module that explains the six steps in the asset management cycle.

Registration required (free)