Looking to take your first step with asset management but don't know where to start? The Building Blocks of Asset Management guide was created to support communities in the early stages of establishing asset management practices. This step-by-step guide is geared toward those who are just getting started or at Level 1 on the Asset Management Readiness Scale.

Supports you along your asset management journey

Since no two communities are alike, this easy-to-use guide will help you move toward your asset management goals in a way that is unique to your municipality's needs.  

The guide outlines the steps you can take to start implementing asset management practices in five different competency areas: Policy and governance; People and leadership; Data and information; Planning and decision-making; and Contribution to asset management practice.

Get started today

Download the guide today and see how this tool can help your municipality get started on understanding the services your assets provide to your community, and best practices for caring for them over time.

Read the guide.

Watch the webinar: Getting started with asset management in your municipality

This webinar explores the steps municipalities can take to begin the early stages of asset management using FCM’s Building Blocks of Asset Management – A how-to guide for reaching Level 1 of FCM’s Asset Management Readiness Scale. Hear lessons learned from staff and elected officials in other municipalities about the competencies they have worked on, and their practices in caring for their assets over time.

During this webinar, you will:

• Discover how your community can get started with asset management
• Understand how to use FCM’s Building Blocks of Asset Management guide to reach Level 1 of FCM’s Asset Management Readiness Scale
• Learn from other Canadian municipalities that have successfully achieved Level 1 in at least one competency

Speakers:

• George Tomporowski, Mayor, Town of Shellbrook, SK
• Brandy Losie, Administrator, Village of Loreburn, SK
• Dominic Doucet, Directeur général, Municipalité de Saint-Ferdinand, QC
• Michael Riseborough, Former Mayor and Chief Administrative Officer, Village of Haines Junction, YT

Read the transcript

Click here to view the video in YouTube and jump ahead to relevant topics.

• Assess current asset management practices in your municipality
• Identify opportunities to adopt new practices, or formalize asset management activities that you may already be doing into documented business practices
• Measure and track the progress of your municipality's asset management practices and activities

The readiness scale is designed for staff and elected officials in any municipality or local government organization across Canada. Your municipality can use the scale as a framework to guide your actions to improve your asset management practices.

Download the Asset Management Readiness Scale

Download the Asset Management Readiness scale self-assessment tool (excel file)

Watch our webinar recording

This 15-minute video explains how to do a self-assessment using this tool. Learn more about the format of the scale and tips to make your self-assessment accurate and representative of all relevant municipal sectors.

Transcript

Click here to view the video in YouTube and jump ahead to relevant topics.

The scale contains some technical terms and information. If your municipality requires support to complete it at any stage, you can contact us for help.

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. 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. You can find definitions of common terms on the AM Concepts page.

Guides

Title	Author	Type	Description
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.
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 Web Portal	Canadian Network of Asset Managers (CNAM)	Guide and web portal	This web portal provides the rationale for asset management and details the initial steps to get started and advance in the five competency areas.
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.
*UPDATED* 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. (Available in French only)
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	Guide	This guide will provide readers with fundamental information about asset management and how it can be used to help support municipal operations.
Asset Management Primer for Elected Officials	AMO	Primer	This primer provides councils with a better understanding of their role in adopting a strategic approach to determine infrastructure investment priorities.
Asset Management: Smart Management Practices	Northwest Territories Association of Communities (NWTAC)	Brief	The brief is a series of two-page summaries of the main components and concepts of asset management, as well as the available tools to get started.

 

Tools

Title	Author	Type	Description
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	Toolkit	This toolkit includes a facilitator’s guide and two customizable presentations to start the conversation or go deeper on asset management and provide  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	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.
Asset Management in the Northwest Territories	Northwest Territories Association of Communities (NWTAC)	Toolkit	The toolkit includes a series of guides, templates, and workbooks to advance asset management policy, planning and operationalization.

 

Examples

Title	Author	Type	Description
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).
Capital Asset Management Policies and Procedures	Selkirk, Alberta	Example	The City of Selkirk shares its policies and procedures for capital asset management, including evaluation, registry, operations and management.

 

Videos and webinars

Title	Author	Type	Description
*NEW* History Of Asset Management in Canada	Asset Management British Columbia (AMBC)	Webinar	Four Canadian asset management pioneers share their perspectives on how asset management has evolved in Canada, and the significant actions and initiatives that shaped asset management in Canada.
*NEW* Implementing Asset Management	Asset Management Ontario (AMONT)	Video	The video shares approaches to embedding asset management practices into its municipal operations and discover the benefits.
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.
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.
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.

 

Online courses

Title	Author	Type	Description
*NEW* Asset Management 101	Canadian Network of Asset Managers (CNAM)	Online course	This online asset management awareness course helps municipal staff and elected officials in Canada learn how to explain the challenges and understand the benefits of asset management so they can sustainably deliver services to their customers. Registration and fee required.
*NEW* Developing an Asset Management policy and roadmap	Atlantic Infrastructure Management (AIM) Network	Online course	The online course enables participants to develop a working policy and to set a strategic roadmap to expand and monitor an asset management program. Registration and fee required.
*Updated* The Basics of Asset Management for Elected Officials (with a new climate change chapter)	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)

 

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.

* “New” or “Updated” resource listings are as of October 2024.

It takes a consistent approach to planning and decision-making to properly manage municipal infrastructure assets. This guide will show you how to develop an asset management policy, strategy and governance framework for your Canadian municipality.
 
Learn how to develop asset management practices that are aligned with your municipality's strategic goals. You'll also learn: 

• What an asset management system is and how its key components work together
• How to develop the four pillars of your asset management system: a policy, strategy, framework and governance structure
• Ways to communicate your approach to build support for asset management in all departments
• Real-world examples from Canadian municipalities of all sizes that have developed asset management systems
• How to integrate sustainability goals into your asset management practices  

This guide is designed for municipal staff and elected officials in Canadian cities and communities of all sizes.

Read the guide.

This free publication was created through FCM's Green Municipal Fund, funded by the Government of Canada.

When local governments combine asset management practices with climate change considerations, they are better able to address both their infrastructure needs and sustainability goals. 

Read this guide to learn why you should build sustainable practices into in your asset management approach, and how you can get started.  

In this guide, you will discover:

• How a municipality's climate change goals and infrastructure planning objectives are related
• How asset management can help your municipality solve infrastructure challenges and take action on climate change
• Specific ways you can weave sustainable practices into all stages of infrastructure planning for assets such as roads, buildings and sanitation systems.

This guidebook is designed for municipal staff or elected officials in medium and large municipalities who are responsible for green projects or who are interested in municipal sustainable development.

Read the guide.

This free publication was created through FCM's Green Municipal Fund, funded by the Government of Canada.

This webinar series focuses on topics that were featured at FCM's 2018 Sustainable Communities Conference, which was held in Ottawa, ON, from February 6 to 8, 2018.

Is your municipality looking for sustainable solutions to waste management, to neighbourhood infrastructure retrofit or to asset management strategies? 

Our free webinar series will help you address these challenges and find innovative solutions that will significantly benefit your residents, the environment and your community. This includes:

• Discovering creative solutions for communities of all sizes that you can apply to make your municipality more sustainable
• Finding inspiration for your next initiative from managing your waste, to retrofitting car-dependent communities, to advancing your sustainability initiatives through effective asset management 

Retrofitting car-dependent communities

Is your community investigating ways to upgrade or update your ageing infrastructure? Are you looking to bring new life to car-dependent areas, including building walk and bike paths? This webinar explores how you can adapt your existing infrastructure to enable alternative and active modes of transportation, as well as the benefits to adapting this approach. Learn what type of sustainable transportation methods best fit your municipality's needs.

Speaker:

• John Henderson, RPP, Housing Programs Administrator, Housing and Social Services Department, City of Kingston, ON
• Sonya Meek, Senior Manager, Sustainable Neighbourhoods, Toronto Region Conservation Authority

Presentations

Rideau Heights Regeneration — John Henderson
 

Read the transcript

Integrated Infrastructure Renewal - Lessons from SNAP — Sonya Meek 
 

Read the transcript

Asset management for sustainability experts

Managing your municipality's assets using an integrated approach can help you take efficient action on climate change and reduce its impacts on your municipality. In this free webinar, learn about asset management and approaches being currently used by Canadian municipalities. Find out how you can take on the effects of climate change with sound asset management practices, and how this can help your community better prepare for the future. 

Speakers:

• Angela Danyluk, Sustainability Specialist, Planning, Urban Design & Sustainability, City of Vancouver, BC
• Karina Richters, Supervisor, Environmental Sustainability and Climate Change, City of Windsor, ON
• Kim Fowler, M.Sc., MCIP, RPP, Principal, Sustainability Makes Cents Consulting

Presentations

Managing change: integrating sustainability & asset management — Angela Danyluk

Read the transcript

Embedding Climate Change (& Environmental Sustainability) in AM — Karina Richters

Read the transcript

Sustainability & Asset Management — Kim Fowler

Read the transcript

Towns and cities across Canada face a constant struggle to maintain aging infrastructure, such as stormwater systems, roads, buildings and other municipal assets, while also building new services and systems to meet community needs. Add to that the pressure to adapt to climate change, and the need to manage development in an environmentally responsible manner. It’s clear that municipal councils have a lot on their plate. Is your municipality facing challenges like these?

Through strengthening your asset management practices, your municipality can:

• Improve municipal planning by developing an approach that considers the long-term needs of your community
• Identify choices, communicate benefits and better inform council decisions on what infrastructure projects deliver the most value
• Make better use of your capital budget, the Federal Government’s Community-Building Fund and other infrastructure grants
• Better navigate staff resourcing and succession planning

Watch this video to learn how asset management approaches can help your municipality address specific infrastructure needs while also preparing for climate change.

Read the transcript.

Watch this webinar for an overview of the process of redeveloping a brownfield site in your community, from the environmental assessment to remediation of the site. This session focuses primarily on the process for Quebec communities, but many of the concepts are relevant to municipalities across Canada.

You will learn:

• How to determine whether or not a site is contaminated
• How environmental assessment works
• What factors influence the chosen remediation approach
• What types of experts you should consult, and the role consultants play in the redevelopment process
• How brownfield redevelopment promotes environmental, economic and social health for communities

Moderator

• Stéphanie Bohdanow, Advisor, Knowledge Services, Federation of Canadian Municipalities

Speakers

• Guillaume Couillard, M.Sc., P. Geo., GMF Advisor, Federation of Canadian Municipalities
• Laurent Pilon, M. Sc., Coordinator, Sectors - Soil and Groundwater, Air and Climate Change, Réseau Environnement

Read the transcript. (Available in original language)

Note:

This webinar is delivered in French only.