Implementing RCM at Simcoe Muskoka Catholic District School Board

Within the asset management and maintenance management scope, school boards are predominantly responsible for facilities and associated infrastructure. It’s critical to ensure spaces are available and safe for continued program delivery, while supporting unique legislative and political requirements. The Simcoe Muskoka Catholic District School Board (SMCDSB) Facilities Services Department consists of a small centralized team supplemented by various contractors and consultants. The SMCDSB has been transitioning from informal practices to structured processes over the last four years and recently undertook an initiative to implement Reliability Centred Maintenance (RCM) through a pilot project on a critical heating system at a secondary school. Tasked with a large geographical service area and a complex portfolio, the SMCDSB Facilities Services team determined it was necessary to explore opportunities to improve reliability while mitigating risk and optimizing resourcing. Leveraging knowledge from PEMAC’s MMP Module 5 set the foundation for establishing the business case for an RCM pilot project for a critical heating system for a secondary school. The project began in March 2023 and is on schedule for completion and implementation in June 2023. This presentation will outline the process of program development for RCM implementation for buy-in, establishing the plan for the initiative, the process that was developed, and the outcomes. We will share the journey, lessons learned, and how success is being measured.