News & Events

Canadian Network of Asset Managers Conference

May 9, 2019
UBC MEL - Canadian Network of Asset Managers Conference

From the 6th-9th of May hundreds of asset managers descended on Kelowna in BC’s beautiful Okanagan region. This was an opportunity to meet, discuss and learn more about the challenges and opportunities facing the industry.

The conference launched softly with a variety of social events designed to assist delegates create connections and meet others outside their established networks. However the real work got underway with the opening keynote on Tuesday morning.

The keynote was delivered by Chris Morrill, Executive Director/CEO of the Government Finance Officers Association. While the topic of his presentation “Finance within Government” may have seemed proscriptive, the content was assuredly not.

Chris spoke with passion about the need for clarity and communication within finance, and how this needs to permeate through the role of asset management. He explained that as asset management intersects with almost every element of public service, from new construction through to heritage refurbishment, the need for clarity was vital. Providing clarity would assist others in understanding the financial requirements, infrastructure and resources needed to effectively manage a city assets. In combination with conscientious leadership, this will lead to greater collaboration and better outcomes on the long term.

The remainder of the day was composed of a variety of workshops, designed to provoke thought as well as educate Canada’s Asset Managers. This included sessions on “The Importance of Asset Management for megaproject development” and “IT solutions for tracking Levels of Service.”

What was clear from the number and variety of sessions offered was the level of innovation emerging within the industry. Asset management has moved from being a maintenance service, and transformed into a technology savvy leader within government.

The highlight of Wednesday was the Panel Discussion “What’s Broken in Asset Management.”   This provided delegates with an insight into the recognized challenges facing the issue. Included in this discussion was the difficulty surrounding budgeting, resourcing and communication. What this discussion did, was help delegates recognize short fallings in their own municipalities and start considering actionable change.

The remainder of the conference was filled with a combination of workshops, the CNAM AGM and awards ceremony.

The general theme to come from the conference was “Asset Management Leadership”. This included discussion on how to implement long term planning, policy implementation, and strategies for success.

If you are interested in becoming a leader in Asset management, let UBC assist you in achieving your goals.

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