INVESTMENT PROPERTIES - Schedule of Changes in Fair Value of Investment Properties (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Reconciliation of changes in investment property [abstract]
Fair value, beginning of year	$ 54,172	$ 47,164
Additions	593	1,576
Acquisitions through business combinations	5,851	9,234
Disposals and reclassifications to assets held for sale	(6,169)	(4,612)
Fair value changes	1,021	960
Foreign currency translation	1,402	(150)
Fair value, end of year	$ 56,870	$ 54,172

Decrease in Investment Properties Resulting from Disposals and Reclassifications to Assets Held for Sale

No definition available.

Name:	bam_DecreaseinInvestmentPropertiesResultingfromDisposalsandReclassificationstoAssetsHeldforSale
Namespace Prefix:	bam_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The amount of additions to investment property resulting from acquisitions. [Refer: Investment property]

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Name IAS
-Number 40
-IssueDate 2017-01-01
-Paragraph 76
-Subparagraph a
-URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/XBRL?type=IAS&num=40&date=2017-03-01&anchor=para_76_a&doctype=Standard
-URIDate 2017-03-09

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Name IAS
-Number 40
-IssueDate 2017-01-01
-Paragraph 79
-Subparagraph d
-Clause i
-URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/XBRL?type=IAS&num=40&date=2017-03-01&anchor=para_79_d_i&doctype=Standard
-URIDate 2017-03-09

+ Details

Name:	ifrs-full_AdditionsFromAcquisitionsInvestmentProperty
Namespace Prefix:	ifrs-full_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The amount of additions to investment property other than those acquired through business combinations. [Refer: Business combinations [member]; Investment property]

+ References

+ Details

Name:	ifrs-full_AdditionsOtherThanThroughBusinessCombinationsInvestmentProperty
Namespace Prefix:	ifrs-full_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The gains (losses) from changes in the fair value of investment property. [Refer: Investment property]

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Name IAS
-Number 40
-IssueDate 2017-01-01
-Paragraph 76
-Subparagraph d
-URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/XBRL?type=IAS&num=40&date=2017-03-01&anchor=para_76_d&doctype=Standard
-URIDate 2017-03-09

+ Details

Name:	ifrs-full_GainsLossesOnFairValueAdjustmentInvestmentProperty
Namespace Prefix:	ifrs-full_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The increase (decrease) in investment property resulting from net exchange differences arising on the translation of the financial statements from the functional currency into a different presentation currency, including the translation of a foreign operation into the presentation currency of the reporting entity. [Refer: Investment property]

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Name IAS
-Number 40
-IssueDate 2017-01-01
-Paragraph 76
-Subparagraph e
-URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/XBRL?type=IAS&num=40&date=2017-03-01&anchor=para_76_e&doctype=Standard
-URIDate 2017-03-09

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Name IAS
-Number 40
-IssueDate 2017-01-01
-Paragraph 79
-Subparagraph d
-Clause vi
-URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/XBRL?type=IAS&num=40&date=2017-03-01&anchor=para_79_d_vi&doctype=Standard
-URIDate 2017-03-09

+ Details

Name:	ifrs-full_IncreaseDecreaseThroughNetExchangeDifferencesInvestmentProperty
Namespace Prefix:	ifrs-full_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Expiry date 2019-01-01: The amount of property (land or a building - or part of a building - or both) held (by the owner or by the lessee under a finance lease) to earn rentals or for capital appreciation or both, rather than for: (a) use in the production or supply of goods or services or for administrative purposes; or (b) sale in the ordinary course of business. Effective 2019-01-01: The amount of property (land or a building - or part of a building - or both) held (by the owner or by the lessee as a right-of-use asset) to earn rentals or for capital appreciation or both, rather than for: (a) use in the production or supply of goods or services or for administrative purposes; or (b) sale in the ordinary course of business.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Name IAS
-Number 40
-IssueDate 2017-01-01
-Paragraph 76
-URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/XBRL?type=IAS&num=40&date=2017-03-01&anchor=para_76&doctype=Standard
-URIDate 2017-03-09

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Name IAS
-Number 40
-IssueDate 2017-01-01
-Paragraph 79
-Subparagraph d
-URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/XBRL?type=IAS&num=40&date=2017-03-01&anchor=para_79_d&doctype=Standard
-URIDate 2017-03-09

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Name IAS
-Number 1
-IssueDate 2017-01-01
-Paragraph 54
-Subparagraph b
-URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/XBRL?type=IAS&num=1&date=2017-03-01&anchor=para_54_b&doctype=Standard
-URIDate 2017-03-09

+ Details

Name:	ifrs-full_InvestmentProperty
Namespace Prefix:	ifrs-full_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ifrs-full_ReconciliationOfChangesInInvestmentPropertyAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	ifrs-full_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration