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asset management for sustainable service delivery

    GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE INFLUENCER IN THE METRO VANCOUVER REGION: “We must start and end with the stream for a true measure of success,” says Jim Dumont, rainwater management thought leader who evolved the Water Balance Methodology through a rigorously analytical approach


    “We are on the right path. But that path seems to be a path less travelled. While many advances have been made in managing rainwater on-site in BC, we have fallen behind US west coast states in protecting streams and reducing risk. The West Coast experience of Washington State, Oregon and California is a counterweight to those who lean to Ontario and Northeastern USA for their experience. We cannot force the change. The thing that I have found works is RISK MANAGEMENT. If we can get that discussion going, senior people will follow along,” stated Jim Dumont.

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    THE PERFECT STORM – WHY ‘ASSET MANAGEMENT FOR SUSTAINABLE SERVICE DELIVERY’ PROVIDES SOLUTIONS: “With limited resources, how do we balance priorities across the organization to provide the range of services yet maintain affordability in very tough times,” wrote Wally Wells (Summer 2024 issue of Asset Management BC Newsletter)


    “Our biggest challenge today is affordability for our residents and businesses. Our local governments and First Nations Councils and Boards are challenged more than ever with balancing priorities of service against tax and fee increases and availability of capital for projects,” stated Wally Wells. “With an Asset Management policy to drive the process, the asset management framework and plan, along with the long-term financial plan, Councils and Boards have the background and analysis necessary to make informed decisions and stay within financial limits.”

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    ASSET MANAGEMENT FOR SUSTAINABLE SERVICE DELIVERY: “A truly wise person remains teachable their entire lives, always curious and open to hearing new ideas and learning new things,” wrote Bernadette O’Connor, Editor, in the Winter 2024 issue of the Asset Management BC Newsletter IN BRITISH COLUMBIA:


    “The term deep knowledge is generally referring to the effective sharing of knowledge that has been informed by a lot of experience. Thus, a work environment that encourages exploring and adapting to new knowledge as well as sharing senior knowledge and learned experience will generate better problem solvers and decisions. A balanced method to form institutional knowledge will draw benefit from the knowledge and experience of senior staff without discounting the contribution of new ideas, approaches, and information,” wrote Bernadette O’Connor.

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    ASSET MANAGEMENT FOR SUSTAINABLE SERVICE DELIVERY: “We get a wide variety of education and skill sets on Councils and Boards often with very different interests. This makes communications complex and challenging,” stated Christina Benty, a former mayor of Golden in southeast British Columbia (Winter 2024 issue of Asset Management BC Newsletter)


    “There are two young fish swimming along who happen to meet an older fish. The older fish nods at them and says: ‘Morning boys, how’s the water?’ The two young fish swim on for a bit and then eventually one of them looks over at the other and asks: ‘What the hell is water?’ The story also begs the question, what makes the older fish so much wiser? We must infer that it is his experience. That is, the older fish only knows about water because he’s been either outside the fishbowl or in many different fishbowls,” wrote Christina Benty.

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    ASSET MANAGEMENT FOR SUSTAINABLE SERVICE DELIVERY: “We are looking forward to the challenge, to developing our internal capacity and cross-departmental integration, and to having some fun together along the way,” stated Jacqueline Weston, Asset Management Program Manager with the District of Saanich (Winter 2024 issue of Asset Management BC Newsletter)


    “The District of Saanich 2019-2023 Strategic Plan included the development of an asset management strategy. The team now has a Council approved road map for the next five years on our journey towards sustainable service delivery. Implementation of the plan will advance Saanich’s Asset Management practices in each of the four core elements of the Asset Management BC framework (assets, information, finances and people), and will result in completion of Saanich’s first-generation Asset Management Plans by 2027.

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    ASSET MANAGEMENT FOR SUSTAINABLE SERVICE DELIVERY: “We call it Service Delivery Management, to keep the focus on the services and so all staff can see their role in it,” stated Jenn Wilson, Service Delivery Management Coordinator with the City of Salmon Arm (Fall 2023 issue of Asset Management BC Newsletter)


    Asked to describe asset management – or service delivery management as the city is calling it, Jenn Wilson said it’s about balancing risk, cost and service levels. “So, it’s saying, we only have so much money, these are all the services we deliver… and if we cannot fund those service levels as is, how do we mitigate the risk for not funding them properly. So it is a lot of boring systems and spread sheets. I love them. But it’s gathering all the information on our assets, where they are, what condition they’re in, what’s the risk to the community if they fail us,” stated Jenn Wilson.

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    ASSET MANAGEMENT FOR SUSTAINABLE SERVICE DELIVERY: “The question that is trending is: what are the liability risks of addressing climate change through natural asset management?” wrote Stephen Gares of the Municipal Insurance Association of BC (Fall 2023 issue of Asset Management BC Newsletter)


    “It has been widely acknowledged that climate change is having an impact on local governments. Lately, much has been written advocating for the use of natural asset management to reduce the impacts of climate change. But every novel approach carries with it uncertainty about the potential for increased risks,” stated Stephen Gares. “As research confirms that natural asset management is at least equally as effective as engineered approaches, we should find that the courts too will accept natural asset management as a reasonable approach.”

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    ASSET MANAGEMENT FOR SUSTAINABLE SERVICE DELIVERY: “My advice is to find a frustrated operator, listen to them, and engage them in what you’re doing. I promise, your work will change for the better,” stated Gracelyn Shannon, Asset Management Manager with the City of Abbotsford (Fall 2023 issue of Asset Management BC Newsletter)


    “I am personally fascinated by the space where the world of Asset Management meets the world of Operations. Both have their own unique history, development, and raison d’être. I’ve heard plenty of complaints from operations about asset management and vice versa. But then, we’re all trying to achieve the same thing in the end. As local government staff, we want to deliver services to the public for a long, long time. In asset management, we call that Sustainable Service Delivery. Choose to be the bridge from asset management to operations,” stated Gracelyn Shannon.

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    PARTNERSHIP FOR WATER SUSTAINABILITY PASSES ECOLOGICAL ACOUNTING BATON TO VANCOUVER ISLAND UNIVERSITY: “EAP is cutting edge. It is innovative, very new and very unique. And it has the ability to really change the game,” stated Graham Sakaki, Regional Research Institute Manager


    “The EAP Partnership was set up in a really unique, really valuable and viable way right from the beginning. The Partnership for Water Sustainability made the connections to the three local governments. Vancouver Island University, as a smaller university, is very focused on applied research and community engagement. This is a good fit for the EAP mission. There are lots of partnerships that exist for selfish reasons. But the EAP Partnership is selfless, and from all angles. It is a leap of faith for member local governments. Partnership for Water Sustainability commitment to passing the baton is unwavering,” stated Graham Sakaki.

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    MOVING TOWARDS SUSTAINABLE SERVICE DELIVERY IN THE COMOX VALLEY: “Asset Management for Sustainable Service Delivery is much more than setting some money aside for infrastructure replacement. It must be a comprehensive and integrated approach that links the past, present and future,” stated Geoff Garbutt, City of Manager, City of Courtenay


    “In my mind, the phrase Asset Management for Sustainable Service Delivery is a euphemism for make the right decisions, think about the future, and then take action. It has got to evolve because the future is NOT the past. We also need to adapt moving forward. So, that means Asset Management for Sustainable Service Delivery has got to reflect where the community is going as well. If you are only going to make decisions that maintain your assets as they are, that is insufficient. The process needs to evolve to meet the community’s changing needs,” stated Geoff Garbutt.

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