The origin of Facilities Management can be traced back to the appointment of the University's first staff member, Arthur Gordon Orr, as Superintendent of Engineering Services on 1 September 1963. By September 1964, the position was renamed Manager of General Services. In 1968, the Department of Physical Plant and Planning was created to manage one of the functions of General Services. In 1988, Physical Plant and Planning was replaced by Facilities Management.

General Services was originally responsible for building construction and plant maintenance, as well as for many other services such as traffic, security, fire prevention, purchasing, bookstore operations, central stores, mail, and food services. Some services, such as food, security, and building cleaning, were contracted to outside firms. In these cases, the Department acted in an overall supervisory role. Other functions, such as purchasing, were carried out by departmental employees. The scheduling of space was an important concern of the new university, and the Manager chaired a Space Usage Committee, charged with room allocation.

In August 1967, General Services was reorganized into three sections: Physical Plant and Planning, Purchasing, and Ancillary Services. The following year, these sections became departments, the heads of which reported to the Vice-President, Administration. Physical Plant and Planning, headed by a Director, was responsible for the maintenance and operations of physical plant, the planning of all future facilities, and the construction of all facilities. These duties included liaison with the faculty on space problems. Ancillary Services was responsible for such functions as food services, security, and mail. Purchasing was charged with purchasing supplies and equipment.

In 1972, Physical Plant and Planning was formally divided into three separate divisions: Planning and Design, Construction, and Maintenance and Operations. The functions of these divisions were outlined in a l973 report, "Organizations, Responsibilities, and Objectives: Physical Plant and Planning." The Planning and Design Division was authorized "to co-ordinate planning and design for the physical development of the university." Construction Division was made responsible "for managing, on behalf of the University, the programme involving the expenditure of capital funds for the construction of new buildings and facilities, as well as designated minor projects." This function included liaison with departmental user groups.

Maintenance and Operations, the largest division, was comprised of various sections: Building and Grounds, Mechanical and Plumbing, Electrical Section, Projects (responsible for estimating and scheduling Work Orders), Maintenance and Operations Office, and Janitorial and Safety. In addition to regular maintenance work carried out by all sections, Projects section estimated and scheduled work orders, which were then carried out by tradespeople from the various sections. At the start of the 1974-1975 fiscal year, the three sections were reduced to two due to the amalgamation of the Planning and Design and Construction sections.

Ancillary Services supervised a number of functions. From 1974-1983, it was responsible for purchasing, duplicating, telephone, mail, traffic and security, central stores, and food services. From 1974-1979, it was also responsible for athletics and recreation, and from 1976-1979 for safety. In December 1983, Ancillary Services was dissolved as a separate unit, and Physical Plant and Planning assumed responsibility for several of Ancillary Services' functions: traffic and security, central stores, campus mail, telephones, and office equipment.

On 1 February 1986, Physical Plant and Planning began to report to the newly created position of Executive Director, Administrative Services, the successor to the Vice-President, Administration. During that year the Department was divided into three different units: Physical Plant, Facilities Planning and Construction, and Support Services. The responsibility for traffic and security was moved to Student Services. In 1988, Facilities Management was created to assume the functions formerly carried out by Physical Plant, and Facilities Planning and Construction.