Welcome to the VP Finance & Operations portfolio
The nine divisions of the VPFO are responsible for the stewardship of UBC’s physical and financial assets, as well as safety and risk management for our university community.
We oversee a $3.98 billion budget, a $3.38 billion endowment, and all facilities on both campuses, as well as managing the university’s relationships with UBC Investment Management and UBC Properties Trust. In all the portfolio’s responsibilities, we are committed to the values of innovation, unity and accountability.

VPFO Strategic Plan 2024–2027
Having a strategic plan gives us a clear path, keeping everyone on the same page. Learn more about where we’re going next and how we plan to get there.
News from the VPFO
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VPFO Pink Shirt Day 2022
On Feb 23rd 2022, Peter Smailes addressed the VPFO as part of our annual Pink Shirt Day event. Click though for a transcript of his speech to the team.
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Inside the new UBC Arts Student Centre
In November 2021, UBC Arts Student Centre officially opened its doors. The three-storey, cylindrical building located on East Mall and Walter Gage Road will be a common meeting ground for Arts students to interact across disciplines, with spaces to relax…
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T4/T4A Tax Slips and T2200s Forms Will Soon Be Available for Faculty and Staff
T4/T4A tax slips and T2200S forms will be made available for faculty and staff through the Workday system next week. In the meantime, UBC Finance has created some resources to answer any questions the community may have about their tax…
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Heat recovery chiller and coils successfully commissioned
The new heat recovery chiller in Chemistry D Block would be capable of providing its forecasted 5000GJ in annual thermal energy savings, saving the university almost $50,000 per year. Chemistry E Block is on track for their predicted energy savings…
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New Biomass Boiler going through commissioning at the BRDF
The new UBC biomass boiler is going through its commissioning tests at the Bioenergy Research Demonstration Facility (BRDF). As the new boiler’s combustion is fine-tuned, you may notice some grey smoke, accompanied by a campfire scent, from the BRDF on occasion.
People of the VPFO
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Charles Creelman returns to Building Operations within Facilities as Project Coordinator, Electrical Technical Support
Charles is returning to Building Operations from Energy & Water Services (EWS) where he was involved with the planning, design and overview of all short and long-range campus electrical utility systems, including the current UBC Main Substation switchgear replacement project.
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Pamela Troyer joins Project Services within Infrastructure Development as Project Manager
Pamela joins UBC from Proscenium Architecture & Interiors, where she was involved in the Macleod Building Renewal project. In her new role, Pamela will manage projects for the renewal of university facilities, and engage with stakeholders to guide them through…
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Rachael Donovan joins Facilities as Reuse Initiative Coordinator
Rachel has a background in sustainability, energy management, waste reduction, and Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) reporting. She will be taking on tasks related to managing and reporting on the Furniture Reuse Initiative and the Green Labs Program, as well…
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Sean Zheng stepping into new role as Sub-Head in Stores, Municipal Services within UBC Facilities
Sean joined UBC in 2019 as a Project Clerk in Infrastructure Development. Since then, he has developed strong relationships and provided key technical capabilities to his team during his time as a Stores Operator, as well as completed his Lean…
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Pauline Li stepping into a new role in UBC Okanagan’s Infrastructure Development as Building Records Manager
In her new role, Pauline will be responsible for records management, facility planning, as well as management of document and drawing repositories to ensure accurate records of all are maintained and consistently represented across multiple systems and depositories.